This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Hyun-Woo in South Korea, who shares the custom steel Sklar hardtail he built up for bikepacking adventures and cruising trails between home and the small cafe he owns in Seoul. Meet Hyun-Woo and check out his MTB here…

Words and photos by Hyun-Woo Bok

Hello! I am Hyun-Woo, a rider living in Seoul, South Korea. I am a commuter running a small cafe in my hometown, a part-time traveler, and an aspiring frame builder.

Sklar hardtail

I ride small local mountains between my home and work, and I sometimes travel outside the city with my bike. My ultimate goal is to travel through new places around the world with a bike I built myself.

  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail

I have always loved hardtail mountain bikes. I used to ride a Pipedream Moxie, but these days, I’m riding an older Sklar hardtail. It’s from around 2020. It’s a little easier to handle, lighter, and more nimble. In my opinion, it nicely splits the difference between hardcore and trail.

Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail
  • Frame: Sklar hardtail (Circles custom)
  • Fork: Suntour XCR 100mm or Niner RDO
  • Wheels: Industry Nine 1/1 Enduro S
  • Tires: Maxxis Ikon 29 x 2.2″
  • Handlebars: Surly Cheater Bar
  • Headset: Chris King
  • Crankset: Truvativ Descendant 170mm/32T
  • Pedals: Xpedo Ambix
  • Cassette: SRAM PG-1130
  • Derailleur(s): SRAM AXS GX
  • Brakes: Magura MT5
  • Shifter(s): SRAM AXS GX
  • Saddle: Fabric Scoopo (old version)
  • Seatpost: KS eTen (old version)
  • Stem: SimWorks Rhonda 50mm
  • Front bags: Salsa EXP anything cradle
  • Frame bags: Custom made
  • Rear bags: Ortlieb Seat-Pack
  • Accessory bags: Topeak Versa Cage with Twofish mount

The build has a fairly eclectic mix of components, and I made the framebag myself to help expand the storage capacity on longer rides. Sewing my own bags is an exciting thing that I’m looking forward to experimenting more with in the future. It’s an honor to share my bike here on the site, which I visit often. Thank you for taking the time to check out my rig!

  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail
  • Sklar hardtail

You can keep up with Hyun-Woo on Instagram.

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