This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Christian Meinke in Berlin, Germany, who shares his freshly built Crust Scapebot that’s set up singlespeed and ready for long days of meandering along forest roads and singletrack trails. Get to know Christian and his new bike here…

Words and photos by Christian Meinke (@chridesbikes)

Hey, I’m Christian. I’m originally from a small town near the Baltic Sea in northeast Germany, but I moved to Berlin 22 years ago, where I live with my wife and two kids. I design digital products for a living. Problem-solving and getting down to the nitty-gritty are things that I enjoy most.

Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat

I’ve always been into riding bikes but viewed cycling more as a means to get from A to B. This changed when I replaced my (t)rusty singlespeed steel ride with something that could run bigger tires and gears. I began riding more and more off-road, and the outdoors—which I love—seemed much more accessible.

  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat

Being new to that type of riding, I fell for all the traps the big OEMs had laid out for novice off-road enthusiasts like me. Carbon parts, fancy accessories, oversized gearing, you name it. It took me a while to find my way and to better understand what best supports spending long days in the saddle exploring forest roads and singletrack with a camera strapped to my back.

  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat

Planning and building up bikes myself changed my perception of what a bicycle can be. Namely, it can be made for a specific purpose and fun to ride! Bikes are engineering made visible (I can’t remember where I picked that up, but it nails it), and I love nerding out on every detail of a build. Sourcing parts and putting them together is as exciting for me as ripping through the forest.

  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Frame/Fork Crust Scapegoat “ScapeBot”
  • Rims Newmen Evolution SL E.G.30
  • Hubs Newmen Fade
  • Tires Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 29 x2.2″
  • Handlebars SimWorks Mowmow
  • Headset White Industries
  • Crankset White Industries M30 with 34T Chainring
  • Pedals SimWorks Bubbly
  • Freewheel Boone Ti (14-16t)
  • Brakes Paul Klamper
  • Saddle Brooks Swift
  • Seatpost SimWorks Beatnik
  • Stem SimWorks Rhonda
  • Front bags Fabio’s Fanny & Chest
  • Other accessories SimWorks John Cage

When the first photos of the ScapeBot popped up, I instantly fell in love with the Mac Tan color and Nick Kuszyk‘s artwork. The frame’s geometry and details are just rad, too. I enjoy bikes that can become anything you want them to be and can get you anywhere. I wanted to add my spin on the ScapeBot by keeping the build minimalistic and clean. With mechanical disc brakes and singlespeed gearing, this bike is as fuss-free and straightforward as it gets.

  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
  • Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat
Crust ScapeBot, Crust Scapegoat

You can keep up with Chris on Instagram @chridesbikes.

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