BIKE CHECK: Annie’s salsa
What do you have planned for this bike…….adventures or races?
The rest of this year is looking pretty low key, lots of local adventures, a long bikepacking trip to the Alps in autumn and a few shorter ITTs around the UK. Hopefully this bike is going to be my companion for a very long time, so i think we will take on some longer bikepacking races in future as well as a whole heap of long dirt road/singletrack bike packing routes. The Timberjack is very versatile and with all the Hope components, she should be indestructible enough to take anywhere!
Why single-speed?
I rode single-speed for a few years, way back in 2013. Originally it was to have a low maintenance bike for riding through a highland winter, but i loved it. Ive had a full sus the last couple years so have been waiting to go back to a hardtail before single-speeding again. I do most of my riding from the door, and single-speed is a way to make my local trails feel fresh and fun again. With the rise in fuel prices, driving is going to be a special treat. I'm sure ill pop gears on from time to time though.
What did you enjoy most about building up the bike?
By putting together the bike myself, I feel a lot more confident about how everything fits together and works. I think that's really useful for long distance touring or racing. It also makes the bike feel a little more special, I've had a choice over everything that's gone onto her and she is unique. There's something very satisfying about laying out all the components and then assembling them slowly into a bicycle capable of everything i could want to do.
Is it your first bike you’ve built up from scratch?
Yes, I've often swapped out factory components for Hope Tech ones, but never built one up.
Top tip to anyone else wanting to have a go at putting their own bike together?
Do it! There's heaps of info online to help get you started. YouTube is your friend. As is your local bike shop, they can help you work out part compatibility which can be a minefield, especially if you are using parts from an old bike. Also check the Local bike shops in your area for workshop hire, mine does this with or without a mechanic. Thats what I did, as I don't have all the fancy tools and needed some (a lot of) assistance. I found it a really interesting and fun thing to do.
Pictures: Annie EvansVideo: Huw Oliver