Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Kiki in British Columbia, who offers a look at the lovingly built Velo Orange Polyvalent she uses for meandering, grocery getting, and bikepacking. Read a little of Kiki’s story and check out her steel all-rounder here…
Words by Kiki, photos by Miles Arbour
Hi! I’m Kiki. I’ve lived on the West Coast of North America most of my life. Now, I’m coming up on almost a decade of living on the traditional and unceded territories of Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, who for millennia have stewarded this land on which Vancouver is now located, and I am a settler on.
I say this because the reason I love riding so much is that I live in Vancouver. The history of this land is important for me to acknowledge because it has shaped my relationship with biking. I love explaining to those who are curious to visit that you can take a one-hour bus ride, a one-hour boat ride, and you can be on a beautifully remote island with a year-round population of under 500. Riding a bike has always been the activity I use to decompress, but over the last few years, I got into ’80s and ’90s steel bikes because it was such a period of trial and error for design, but without compromising on elegance and craftsmanship. My 3Rensho Super Record Export is my pride and joy!
What brought me deep into bike world was signing up for free classes at a local community bike store. Their program, Pedal for the People, taught me all the basics of bike repair. In exchange for lessons, you help refurbish donated bikes for people who need bikes/transportation but are experiencing economic barriers. This really expanded my relationship with biking as much more of a communal experience. It’s more fun to be on a bike when all your friends get to join you, too!
- Frame/Fork: Velo Orange Polyvalent v.3
- Rims: Velocity SS
- Hubs: Shimano DH-UR705-3D (front) / DT Swiss 350 (rear)
- Tires: Rene Herse Switchback Hills
- Handlebars: Salsa Cowchippers
- Headset: Shimamo 600
- Crankset: Velo Orange Grand Cru 46/30
- Pedals: OneUp small composite pedals
- Cassette: SRAM PG1130 11-42t 11-speed
- Derailleur(s): Ultegra RX
- Brakes: SRAM BB7
- Shifter(s): Rivendell silver 2 bar-ends
- Saddle: Terry Raven Ti Gel
- Seatpost: SimWorks Beatnik
- Stem: Analog Discord Fingerling
- Front bags: Road Runner Middle Earth Jammer
- Frame bags: Outer Shell half frame bag
- Rear bags: Outer Shell roll top saddle bag
- Accessory bags: Outer Shell stem bag
I had just started getting into touring a few years ago and was so excited to cruise around BC and Washington on my drop-bar converted 1989 Stumpjumper. I was pretty attached to how cute it was, and I was resistant to getting a more modern frame. Two years ago, I started dating someone who enlightened me to the fact that cute and modern are not mutually exclusive, so I ended up with my polyvalent. Thank you, Sam!
I guess I’m a creature of habit, though, so I’m still committed to friction shifting! It’s nice to have a bike that can do it all—from cruising BC trails, carrying a week’s worth of camping equipment, a full load of groceries from the farmers’ market, or just going for a night ride with no set destination. It really provides for me an opportunity to explore the forests and spend lots of time camping and riding with friends. Most importantly, what I love about my bike is when people tell me it’s a pretty color!
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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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