Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Reader’s Rig belongs to Leon from Switzerland, who shares the Surly Bridge Club he’s currently pedaling across Patagonia. Get to know a little about Leon, read his bikepacking origin story, and peek at this fully loaded ATB here…
Words and photos by Leon Kessler
Hi there! My name is Leon, and I’m from Locarno, a town in southern Switzerland on the shores of Lago Maggiore. I am currently living in Zurich, where I completed my fine arts studies and started working at an outdoor gear store during the summer season, spending the rest of the year traveling and biking.
I started bike touring in 2020, when I bought the first used gravel bike I could get my hands on and spent two months riding through Iceland. For the last 10 years, I have mostly enjoyed traveling to remote places and staying there for weeks without having to rush or resupply constantly. I instantly fell in love with the freedom of being faster on a bike than on foot, while not having to carry a heavy load on my back.
Since then, I’ve been on tours almost every year: Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Chile, just to name a few. While traveling through Tokyo, a friend introduced me to steel frames, and not long after that, I ended up with a Surly Bridge Club. I chose the Bridge Club for its simplicity, durability, and ability to handle both rough singletrack and long stretches of remote gravel—the color also played a big role. The bike has gone through many changes over the past few years, and I’m really happy with how it has evolved. I’m lucky to have a friend who builds bikes in his self-built underground workshop, which made the whole process even more special.
- Frame/Fork: Surly Bridge Club
- Rims: DT Swiss M1900
- Hubs: DT Swiss 370
- Tires: Maxxis Ikon 29×2.2 (front) / Vittoria Mezcal 29×2.25 (rear)
- Handlebars: Cinelli Double Trouble
- Headset: Chris King No Threadset
- Crankset: Shimano Deore
- Pedals: MKS Lambda
- Cassette: Shimano Linkglide 11-speed, 11-50
- Derailleur: Shimano Cues
- Brakes: TRP Spyke
- Shifter: Shimano Cues
- Saddle: Brooks B17 Narrow
- Seatpost: Thomson Elite
- Stem: Thomson Elite X4 Short, 31.8mm
- Front bags: Swift Industries Zeitgeist
- Frame bags: TH Gear custom (Swiss)
- Rear bags: Ortlieb Backroller XL Plus
- Accessory bags: Blue Lug Pouches
- Racks: Nitto M-1B (front) / Tubus Cosmo (rear)
- Other accessories: King Cage Manything Cages, Voile Straps, Sea to Summit drybags
I’m currently on a bike tour in Patagonia, heading north toward the desert and the Andes. I’ve always chosen durability over weight, resulting in a heavier setup that feels more comfortable and long-lasting. The bike can get pretty heavily loaded, as it often carries everything from warm clothing and a sturdy tent to cooking gear and several days’ worth of food. I like to set up a base camp and do day trips on singletrack, or sometimes hide heavier items (such as electronics and extra food) in a bush so I can do overnighters and explore the region more thoroughly. I carry a lightweight 70-liter Dyneema backpack, so I can switch to hiking once the bike reaches its limits. As a result, the setup is constantly changing from a fully loaded touring rig to a much lighter bikepacking configuration. I’ve also pushed the frame clearance to its limit by fitting the largest tires it can accommodate, hopefully without encountering too much mud.
The Bridge Club has been a trusty companion on tours, trips, mushroom hunts, and commuting, and has even survived a hammer-and-knife attack by a mechanic in Huế. I’d like to thank all the friends who made this bike possible, from the initial idea to the build and the custom frame pack.
You can follow Leon on Instagram.
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