Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Nick in Washington, a new dad who shares the Fairlight Secan 3.0 he built to haul his son on trails all over the Pacific Northwest. See Nick’s Fairlight and read his reflection on the values he hopes to teach his son through the joy of traveling on two wheels here…
Words and photos by Nick Shepherd
Hey there, I’m Nick. I hail from Bloomington, Illinois, and landed in Olympia, Washington. I’m a fairly new father and stay-at-home dad, working part-time as a registered nurse for the Department of Corrections. If I’m not at home doing dishes or working, I’m probably on a bike somewhere with my boy.
I’m not unique in that cycling always seems to find its way into my life in some shape or fashion. Bikes have always been there. Even if in the background, awaiting my return. Recently, I was able to reflect on their recurrence and importance in my life over the years. From my first real taste of freedom as a child, riding long distances to get to school or friends’ houses, to my teens tinkering with and riding BMX, a fixie (and an identity) in college, to a brief return to BMX while searching for community outside the Army. All ultimately culminating in a midlife crisis-esque foray into mountain bike racing at 30. In 2024, much to my excitement, I learned that I would soon become a father. I knew that cycling would take a front seat and pivotal role in my life as a mode of connection with my soon-to-be-born son, and in the preservation of my mental and physical health through the gauntlet of becoming a dad.
Through cycling, I hope to foster in him a sense of confidence, determination, self-trust, and, most importantly, a deep connection to the planet that will follow him for the rest of his life, even if bikes are set aside. The same traits that bikes had unknowingly imprinted onto me over the course of our three decades together.
This bike, “The bike of all bikes,” as I affectionately referred to it in an attempt to justify the splurge on a boutique frame and choice components, would be the last bike I’d ever need. “It’s my push present to myself,” I say to my fiancé as she rolls her eyes, knowing of the Starling frame I’ve already been eyeing, and that none of the pushing was endured by me. She’s polite. She nods and smiles. I spent a lot of time over the ensuing months combing over frames, components, and trailers. Dreaming of the places we would go as a family.
- Frame: Fairlight Secan 3.0
- Fork: Fairlight Campa 3.0
- Rims: 700c Lightbicycle WR45 / 650b Mavic All Road SL Carbon
- Hubs: Chris King R45 / Mavic Infinity
- Tires: Panaracer Gravel King SK 700c x 35mm / SimWorks Super Yummy 27.5 x 2.2”
- Handlebars: PNW Components Coast 48cm
- Headset: Chris King Nothreadset
- Crankset: Shimano GRX 810 with a 42T Wolf Tooth oval ring
- Bottom bracket: Chris King BB
- Derailleur(s): Shimano GRX 810 with Garbaruk long cage
- Brakes: Shimano GRX with Shimano XT 180mm rotors
- Shifter(s): Shimano GRX 810 with left side dropper
- Saddle: Brooks B17
- Seatpost: PNW Components Coast dropper
- Stem: Ritchey Classic 60mm
- Front bags: North Street mini panniers
- Frame bags: San Util Nameless half frame bag
- Accessory bags: San Util Jammy stem bags
- Trailer: Thule Chariot Lite
- Rack: Old Man Mountain Divide
- Other accessories: Sim Works Honjo smooth 60 fenders, Quad lock phone mount
I wanted to build a bike that would become an heirloom. A metal, long-lasting, mechanical rig that could be handed down to my son, and my son’s son. It had to be forever cool. I settled on the Fairlight Secan primarily for its Tall sizing option, as I have long legs and an abnormally short torso, and, of course, for the brand’s exhaustive attention to detail. I fit it with the most durable parts I could find and afford, and hand-polished all the parts I couldn’t find in silver (forever cool).
For the trailer, we settled on the Thule Chariot Lite as it was the cheaper of the models and could be modified to lighten up the suspension for the comfort of our boy. It boasts a large catch-all pocket on the back that we can stuff with diaper bags, picnic blankets, and food without much thought. Because I can’t leave well enough alone (says my grandmother), I swapped out the stock tires for some Maxxis Holy Rollers with innertube sealant. Figure I’m dragging a brick, I may as well lay it on thick with some rolling resistance. He seems to like it in there, cooing and watching the trees pass by.
My son just turned one, and we’ve already clocked hundreds of miles on our local multi-use trail. I think we’re making good time. Thanks for checking out the build. Cheers!
You can find Nick on Instagram.
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