Staff Bike Feature: Bill's TriColour Hudski Dualist Custom Build

Around Cowichan Cycles our service writer, Bill, is known for his eclectic taste and unique bicycles. If there's an obscure bike or component that may have existed even for only just a blip of time, it's almost a guarantee both head mechanic, Doug, and Bill have heard of it, and a very good chance Bill has had one at some point. When it comes to the oddly specific, weird, niche, whatever synonym you want to use, Bill embodies it and embraces it fully. So when Butter Snakes Trading Co. approached us with Hudski's brand new Dualist to see if we'd be interested in stocking them, this somewhat weird, and certainly niche, flatbar, do-anything gravel bike caught Bill's attention. Being someone who loves bright and shiny objects, the Tricolour frameset was a no-brainer, and one was ordered up with Bill's name on it. 

When building up the frame, Bill was focused on choosing components (many from his parts bin) that were no-nonsense, reliable, and utilitarian; letting the frame's livery do most of the talking. Exemplifying this is an 11-speed drivetrain (your bicycle mechanic's favourite drivetrain), SRAM DB4 brakes, free-from-a-friend Syncros rims, and OneUp Components composite pedals. Special little touches include the Old Man Mountain front Pizza Rack paired with the Apidura Expedition Front Rack Pack, SKS fenders, a OneUp dropper post, Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H tires, and a Hudski Longhorn handlebar (a fantastic alternative to the Soma Dream bar). 

All-in-all, the Dualist came together to be an amazing, exceptionally comfortable, do-anything, flatbar gravel rig ready for cruising to the pub for a cheeky pint or two, or an overnight bikepacking trip. Bill's build shows that sometimes in order to have a super sick, flashy bike, the most expensive and highest performance components aren't always necessary; sometimes simplicity and reliability take precedence.