Being somewhat green to the reportedly very nuanced bicycle world he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted. Something that would be nice for a lengthy commute but have the ability to go for a rip on the locals trails when the chance arose and anything in between. Something that was versatile and could be rebuilt into different incarnations over the years as his tastes developed. Something with a build quality that would satisfy the standards of an absolute metal wizard. 

Now usually when someone comes to me wanting a good all rounder the Surly Bridge Club is a no brainer however this time I didn’t think QR axels or a non suspension corrected frame & fork would cut it. Given the budget there were a few contenders in mind; the Kona Unit, Surly Karate Monkey and The Bombtrack Beyond Plus. The Kona front end was deemed too low, the Karate Monkey geometry was deemed too dated (especially once a suspension fork is added) and suddenly there was a clear winner. The Beyond Plus ticked all the boxes. 

Generally that would be where the story ends, good dude gets a cool bike and rides off happily into the sunset but we’re not quite done here just yet. It was decided that a 29” wheel set would be more suitable for both application and proportion so the stock ones were swapped out for a pair I had on hand. We wrapped the new rims with a pair of Vittoria Agarro tyres set up tubeless and ready for action. Seeing as Johno is responsible for some of the coolest cars and motorcycles to hit the streets we had to add just a little extra to the stock aesthetic by way of a red gear outer that makes its way around a pair of Nitto made FARR Supa-Moto handlebars. Wolf Tooth Fat Paw grips tied in well and are unsurpassed for comfort - especially on a rigid - and lastly a Pelago Medium front rack was fitted up for some cargo capabilities. We were stoked on how the simple tweaks really came together on an already killer package whilst not breaking the bank.