Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Zach, a rider we caught up with on the Baja Divide, who shares the story of how he landed on a Jones LWB HD/e V2 as his long-term travel bike and some moving perspective on mental health. Meet Zach and see his bike here…
Words by Zach Naley, photos by Miles Arbour
Hey bike nerds, Zach Naley here. I’d like to dedicate my Reader’s Rig to anyone on this planet who is struggling with building a foundation and finding purpose during this era of turbulence we’re going through. I’ve certainly had persistent battles with my mental health the last few years, and I want to use my voice here to help normalize the fact that enduring hardship is an undeniable part of the human experience and should be embraced. I’ve always felt uncomfortable with how social media and other online media almost exclusively display the highlights and overwhelmingly positive moments of life. Happiness would lose its significance if it were the only emotion we felt. The feeling of true bliss is as valuable as it is because it often comes after a period of discomfort, and the ever-changing cycle of highs and lows is what gives emotions their beauty.
I see bikepacking as the purest way to use vulnerability to access the full range of emotions we are capable of experiencing. I accomplished the Baja Divide earlier this year on my Jones LWB HD/e (named Douglas). That trip changed my life, and I truly hope I’ll be able to make another run or two down the peninsula during my time on Earth.
Let me be clear, the riding in Baja California is brutal, but the Jones never complained. I initially picked up a Jones because it’s known to be bombproof, and I was very pleased with how well the bike handled the terrain and kept me comfortable throughout the ride. More importantly, after the many thousands of miles I’ve put on my Jones, I have to say it is simply the most fun bicycle I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding. I can’t thank Jones enough for developing a rig that allowed me to confidently and happily explore some wildly remote parts of my first foreign country. I fell increasingly in love with Mexico as that journey progressed, and the magic I experienced has kindled a desire to explore much more of Latin America.
Some context on why a hearty, tenacious bicycle is so important to me: a few years ago, I set out on a tour in central Pennsylvania with one of my closest friends, Avery, after our freshman year of college. This was our first trip together, and we were beyond stoked for what should have been a delightful two-week bike ride. I was riding an aluminum gravel bike that had been put through a few thousand (s)miles, but I still thought it had plenty of life left. Halfway through our first day, a series of cracks developed on the joint between the top tube and seat tube out of the blue, just riding along on a mellow dirt road. I hoped to pedal a little longer until we reached a town with a welder who could patch and salvage my ride, but as I rode a few more hours, the cracks spread significantly throughout the tubes, and I lost faith in the bike being safe, even with weld patches. Getting a new frame was not in the cards for me, and we unfortunately threw in the towel after just our first day.
That bummer event was the catalyst for my desire to have a wicked-strong rig that could hopefully last a lifetime, regardless of what I threw at it. A few months later, I built up a steel Soma Wolverine, and the following summer, Avery and I returned to Pennsylvania, where we got our redemption and had a great trip.
- Frame/Fork: Jones LWB HD/e V2
- Rims: Jones Spec. Aluminum, 50mm, 36 hole
- Hubs: Jones Spec. HD/e V2 hub set
- Tires: Surly Knard 29 x 3.0
- Handlebars: Jones SG Aluminum Loop H-Bar, 710mm
- Headset: Jones Sealed Cartridge Headset
- Crankset: Jones Spec. Aluminum 170mm
- Pedals: Shimano Deore XT SPD
- Cassette: Box Three Prime 9 11-50T
- Derailleur(s): Box Two Prime 9
- Brakes: Magura MT Trail Sport (switched to Avid BB7)
- Shifter(s): Box Three Prime 9
- Saddle: Jones Spec. Chromoly Rails
- Seatpost: Jones Spec. Aluminum 27.2mm Diameter
- Stem: Origin8 Everland Stem
- Front bags: Ortlieb Gravel-Packs, Revelate Sweetroll
- Stem bags: Nuke Sunrise Silo, Revelate Feed Bag
- Frame bags: Revelate Tangle
- Rear bags: Tailfin Ultra Durable Panniers
- Accessory bags: Apidura Expedition 1.3L cargo pack
- Rack: Old Man Mountain Divide
- Other accessories: ZIPP Vuka aero bars, Blackburn Outpost cargo cage
That Soma ripped, but I wanted something with larger tire clearance. After hearing terrific things about the Jones lineup, I picked up an LWB HD/e V2 complete, and I’ve never been happier on a bicycle. Factors like 36-spoke wheels, massively sturdy tubing, and a beefed-up freehub drew me to this bike. What ultimately led to my decision to keep this bike long-term is just how fun it is to ride. The second I got on it, I was amazed at how great the body position and overall fit are. I tell others that it has the comfort of a beach cruiser with the capability of a mountain bike. I so deeply align with the Jones philosophy of going against the norm and making a bike that prioritizes the rider instead of industry standards. If given the opportunity, I highly recommend hopping on a Jones. I darn near guarantee you’ll be sold within the first few pedal strokes.
To close, I want to reiterate that my time in Baja California was far from pure sunshine and roses, but the constant cycle of joy, melancholy, anger, and everything in between was exactly what made my journey so enchanting. Like many who attempt the route, I watched and read many reports from those who took on the endeavor. By and large, most people publish only their happiest moments. Of course, I had too many blissful moments to count, but during many of my harder times, I thought back to watching and reading others’ stories and focused on how they rarely, if ever, talked about their hardships. I beat myself up whenever I was in a low place: “Why can’t I be perpetually happy like them?” and “Why am I not enjoying this sheer beauty?” and “It is a privilege to be here, and I’m wasting it by feeling depressed.”
When you’re in a dark place, it’s hard to tell yourself in the moment that the adversity will eventually pass. In hindsight, I can realize that everyone who attempts the Baja Divide (or any difficult bikepacking trip) absolutely has to face plenty of lows, but the stigmatization of vulnerability and mental struggle results in those lows rarely being publicized. I want to explicitly say that there were several moments during my trip where I was set on quitting entirely. Boy, am I glad I pushed through and just kept riding. We have to embrace the fact that hardships are inevitable. You will be so grateful when you persevere and reach the light at the end of the tunnel, where I promise you will find pure joy, an overwhelming sense of purpose, and the indescribable feeling of being truly alive.
I hope to see you folks out on the road. Good luck, safe travels, and never forget that the sun always shines after the rain.
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