The brief

Tom is a man who likes to go bikepacking far, far into the wilderness.

He's done solo trips through the US and around Australia, and is also a multiple Hunt 1000 finisher (which, for the uninitiated, is an unsupported bikepacking trip from Melbourne to Canberra and has been known to break people and their machines).

He wanted a bike tough enough to survive the wilderness yet comfortable enough to enjoy long days in the saddle.

The bike

Tom had already picked out his frame: the Esker Japhy. As Esker say, the Japhy is born for long rides into wild spaces, so it was the perfect base for his new adventures.

For the groupset, we needed something robust and reliable for off-road conditions, so Shimano XT was the go. Tom had his heart set on a set of Ohlins forks for plushness in the front end, and who were we to say no to a bit of extra bounce?

Now the handlebars are an interesting choice: Passchier's infamous bamboo bars. This was another of Tom's picks; they're billed as being extremely comfortable and he was keen to see if they were up to the challenge. We paired them with Ergon GP1 Biokork grips for excellent palm and wrist support, a critical factor in long-distance off-road rides.

Speaking of comfort, what better seatpost to absorb the bumps and thumps than a Redshift Shockstop suspension post? Low-maintenance and adjustable, the Redshift is a godsend when it comes to cushioning your body when riding off-road. (Have you checked them out? You really should.)

The Japhy's wheelset had to continue the bombproof theme: Spank Hex wheels for durability, and Vittoria Mezcal tyres for multi-terrain grip.

This Esker was ready to answer the call of the wild. And, according to Tom, it's living up to the challenge.

Want your own custom-built bike for far-away adventures? That's what we're here for.

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