This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Joe in Utah, who shares his custom Blaze fat bike and an inspiring selection of images from his bikepacking getaways around Moab. Meet Joe and read the story behind his one-of-a-kind bike here…

Words and photos by Joe McManus

Hello, I’m Joe. I live near Moab, Utah, and I love to ride, whether it’s adventuring on an unknown track I spied on an old topo map or one of Moab’s legendary trails. I work in tech during the day, but after I’ve clocked out, I’m usually out on the trails with my wife.

Blaze Fat Bike

I got bit hard by the bikepacking bug when I realized every trip didn’t have to be a 14-hour death march. Hey, you do you and make you happy, but I love one or two nights that end up in the bottom of a canyon, edge of a cliff, or some other beautiful and forgotten sight. 

Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike

Years ago, I stopped in Bike Fiend in Moab and saw this wicked-looking steel hardtail long-travel 27.5+ bike from a brand I had never heard of, Blaze. Turns out the then-owner was the builder, and I left with that bike. I loved that bike and quickly got in Pierre’s queue for a fat bike meant for the desert. I wanted a fat bike for where I live, which is the middle of nowhere.

  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Frame: Blaze Fat bike
  • Fork: Manitou Mastodon 150mm
  • Rims: Knight Composite
  • Hubs: DT350
  • Tires: Maxxis 26 x 4.8
  • Handlebars: Blaze
  • Headset: Cane Creek 110
  • Crankset: Boone Ti
  • Pedals: Race Face Chester
  • Cassette: Shimano XT 12-speed
  • Derailleur(s): Shimano XT 12 speed
  • Brakes: Shimano XT
  • Shifter(s): Shimano XT
  • Saddle: WTB
  • Seatpost: Fox Transfer SL
  • Stem: Chromag
  • Front bags: Oveja Nega
  • Frame bags: Dispersed
  • Rear bags: Dispersed
  • Accessory bags: Oveja Negra

I love riding sandy singletrack, old abandoned mining roads, and canyon bottoms, and I also love loading it up and going bikepacking. I needed a bike that could handle drops and rocks, and that I could strap some bags onto for a night out. Even though I have other bikes and there are great singletrack trails all over Moab, I still ride this fat bike more than any of my others. It handles everything I point it at. 

Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike
  • Blaze Fat Bike

I am a die-hard dog person, so with that, there are two basset hound silhouettes anodized into the bike. Pierre made me a rear rack, and Dispersed Bikepacking made me a custom rack bag so I can really get lost on a bikepacking adventure. 

You can see more from Joe on Instagram.

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