Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Brett Wildeman in Rossland, British Columbia, who shares the Brodie Argus that has already lived a handful of lifetimes before taking its current form as a kid-hauling adventuremobile. Get to know some of Brett’s story and take a peek at his bike here…
Words and photos by Brett Wildeman
Hey, my name is Brett Wildeman, and I reside on the traditional and unceded territories of Sinixt in a town called Rossland. I grew up in the coastal community of Roberts Creek, and cycling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
In the early days, riding bikes involved launching them off questionably built plywood jumps with my friends and riding down the slopes at the local gravel pit. Eventually, riding bikes led me to join the local cycling club and partake in regional cross-country races. My relationship with cycling has evolved as I’ve aged. It’s now centered on riding with my family, local bikepacking missions, and after-work mountain bike rides.
This Brodie Argus has been a chameleon of a bike since I purchased it in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood in 2015. Originally, the bike was purchased for a 2,200-kilometre tour through Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. The route started in Victoria, BC, before heading south along the Pacific Coast. After reaching Astoria, I headed inland following the Columbia River, taking a detour from the Columbia River in Lewiston, eventually arriving in Missoula, Montana, before veering north again towards the East Kootenays.
After my PNW bike tour in 2015, the bike saw a few years of idle time, not getting much use. I had shifted my focus away from cycle-tour trips and toward mountain biking, as I didn’t have the necessary time to embark on weeks- or months-long bike tours.
During the early days of the pandemic, I began dreaming of ways to modify the bike, shifting it from a more traditional touring setup to one more geared towards riding on and off-road. I swapped out the narrow stock handlebars for wider Salsa Cowbell drop bars. I also purchased wider knobby tires geared towards gravel and trail riding, saying goodbye to my trusty Marathon Pluses.
- Frame/Fork: Brodie Argus
- Rims: Bontrager Approved TLR 32H (front), Sun inferno 29er (rear)
- Hubs: Formula
- Tires: 45mm WTB Raddler (front) / 43mm Panaracer Gravel King (rear)
- Handlebars: Salsa Cowbell Drop Bar (46cm)
- Crankset: Shimano Sora (28/42)
- Pedals: Chromag Scarab
- Cassette: microSHIFT ADVENT (11-42t)
- Derailleur(s): Shimano Sora (front) / microSHIFT ADVENT (rear)
- Brakes: Hayes MX-5
- Shifter(s): Shimano Dura-Ace (front) / microSHIFT Advent 9-speed (rear)
- Saddle: Brooks B17
- Seatpost: Brodie Road 27.2
- Stem: Brodie 4-Bolt SL
- Front bags: Arkel Orcas Panniers
- Frame bags: Blackburn Outpost
- Accessory bags: Shaka Packs Burrito Bag
- Racks: Specialized Pizza rack, Thule Yepp Rear Rack
- Child seat: Thule Yepp Maxi
- Other accessories: BOB Spider Bungee Cord, homemade front fender (repurposed school duotang)
I also wanted to simplify the bikes’ drivetrain, going from a 3x setup to a 2x setup. There are very few flat roads/paths where I live, as the town is built into the side of the mountain, and everything is either up or down. Equipping the bike with a practical gearing ratio that would allow me to spin up steep forest service roads or cycle around town fully loaded with my son was key! I settled on a set of 28/42 chainrings, which pairs nicely with the 11-42 cassette.
More often than not, the Brodie Argus acts as a daily grinder, whether that’s cycling to work, the grocery store, exploring the trails in and around the Rossland Range, or cruising to the local chocolate shop for ice cream with my partner and son. I strive to ride my bike whenever possible, limiting the amount of time I spend in a car. Cycling also allows me to introduce my son to the wonderful world of bikes and self-propelled exploration (most recently on a five-day trip to the Gulf Islands).
I hope sharing my rig will inspire others to modify, rebuild, and rework the bikes they have sitting in their garage collecting dust. In 2023, we are blessed with so many amazing bike options, filling every possible niche in the marketplace. It’s easy to pull the trigger and buy a new bike. Reimagining what you already have and turning it into something that serves your needs today could be viewed as a time-consuming process. Although it takes time, it is very rewarding, and I would highly recommend it. Tinker on!
You can see more from Brett on Instagram.
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Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.
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