Our staff have been setting up some great personal bikes this season. This is the first in a series of employee bike profiles for the next few weeks to show what they personally ride for transportation and enjoyment. Last week Ben took some time off to ride his bike and go camping in Vermont and New Hampshire on his custom Surly Cross Check. He’s been piecing this bike together over the past few years, and has ended up with a reliable, comfortable bike for camping and touring on rural New England roads.

Some highlights include: Ortlieb Bike Packer Plus and Front Roller Plus bags, Tubus chromoly racks, Shimano Tiagra and Deore XT components, Sugino triple crankset, and Ritchey Classic small parts. He had one of our mechanics custom build a wheelset a year and a half ago: Mavic A719’s laced to Deore XT hubs for supporting his pack-rat tendencies and thoughtful preparedness. If you were to ask him his favorite part, it would be his Salsa stainless bottle cages. He’d say that even with all the pitted, rutted dirt descends he’s never lost a bottle.  If you’re planning a tour, be sure to ask him for advice and recommended gear!