Our latest Reader’s Rig comes from regular contributor Colt Fetters, whose Kona Wozo has been modified to haul skis, panniers, or whatever else he comes up with for his travels off the beaten path. See build details and more photos here…

Words and photos by Colt Fetters (@coltfetters)

I’m Colt Fetters. I grew up in the suburbs of western Washington, where my brothers and I spent all our free time riding bikes. We’d build wooden ramps in our driveway and see how many of our friends we could jump over without landing on any of them. As I got older, I became more interested in rock climbing. Friends and I traveled the Western US and SE Asia climbing everything we could. Then I moved to Alabama…

Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo

I wasn’t inspired by the short climbs the southeast had to offer, so I needed another avenue to pursue long objectives. That’s when I found bicycle touring. My first tour was a month-long trip around Iceland’s Ring Road and I came back enamored by bicycle travel. Shortly thereafter I heard about bikepacking and immediately bought myself a rigid single speed Karate Monkey. From then on, it’s been a whirlwind of traveling via mountain bikes. My partner, Hannah, and I spend our vacations touring around interesting locations, taking photos and exploring different cultures.

  • Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo
  • Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo
  • Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo
  • Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo
  • Colt Fetters, Kona Wozo

After moving to Durango, Colorado, where I currently reside, I’ve been excited by the idea of combining other sports with bikepacking, whether that be packrafting, skiing, ice climbing, or canyoneering. Most of these activities require a bike that can travel on difficult terrain. So, I knew I needed a bike with fat tires, high rollover, and the ability to carry a lot of gear.

  • Frame/Fork 2019 Kona Wozo
  • Rims Sun Ringle MuleFut
  • Hubs Joytech 150x15mm (front), Formula 177x12mm (rear)
  • Tires Maxxis Minion FBF EXO TR DUAL 27.5×3.8″
  • Handlebars Jones H-Bars
  • Headset FSA No.57B
  • Crankset SRAM NX
  • Cassette SRAM PG1130 11-42t 11-speed
  • Derailleur SRAM NX
  • Brakes SRAM Level T
  • Shifter SRAM NX
  • Saddle Ergon SMC-4
  • Front bags Oveja Negra Lunchbox; Revelate Sweetroll
  • Rear bags Oveja Negra Gear Jammer
  • Accessory bags Oveja Negra Bootleggers; Oveja Negra Snackpack
  • Other accessories Altura Panniers and Salsa Alternator Plus Rack

The Kona Wozo ended up being that bike. Lacking rack mounts, I employed the help of my local bike shop, Velorution Cycles in Durango. They figured out a solution to mount a very sturdy rear rack that enables me to mount panniers and/or skis. Additionally, this bike is fun to ride! Heavy as all-get-out? Most definitely, but with its relaxed geo and ridiculously tall tires, it loves cruising down chunky double-track descents.

You can keep up with Colt on Instagram @coltfetters.

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