Joy Rides is a series all about bikes, and the stories behind those bikes. Sometimes they belong to our staff, other times they belong to our members.
This time, we’ve got a peek at Escape Collective member Peter Niss’ dream bike: a custom-built Stridsland Beachcomber that blends the best of classic mountain biking with modern innovation. Peter, a German engineer and self-confessed “cycling nerd,” set out to create the perfect all-terrain bike – one that could tackle both rugged trails and urban streets – without requiring constant maintenance.
His search led him to the Stridsland Beachcomber, a Danish design that dares to push the boundaries of what a steel-framed bike can achieve. “It’s like someone took the best ideas out there and remixed them into something even better,” says Peter.
Stridsland – born from a love for 26” mountain bikes
Before we get to Peter’s build, though, it’s worth telling a bit more about Stridsland. It is not necessarily a household brand name to many; its name derives from its founder Matias Stridsland, who spent much of his life on the rugged trails of British Columbia, where mountain biking was a lifestyle. Stridsland grew up on the North Shore, and from an early age developed an appreciation for the simple yet robust design of 26” mountain bikes while zooming around the switchbacks and steep descents. As he told in the origin story of Stridsland on The Radavist, the bikes provided adventure and a sense of community, fostered by the local riding legends.
Stridsland went on to try out BMX, trials, and fixed-gear freestyle, but he never lost his affection for the old 26” bikes that had sparked his passion for bikes. Even after moving to Denmark in 2013 and embracing a more “sensible” approach to cycling – favoring practical bikes with 700c wheels and full mudguards – he felt something was missing.
The call of the 26” wheels kept pulling him back, so in 2019, Stridsland took his first step toward bringing his childhood bikes back to life with the design of the Barnacle fork, aimed at revitalising 26” mountain bikes by adding modern features such as disc mounts, ample tyre clearance, and versatile mounting points. This fork project laid the groundwork for the Beachcomber, as Stridsland realised he wanted a frame that could offer the same upgrades: rugged construction, generous clearance, and all the mounts necessary for any adventure.
The birth of the Beachcomber
Stridsland spent countless hours sketching and refining his design, which he named the Beachcomber as an homage to his West Coast upbringing and love for the ocean. The name derives from the practice of scavenging the shoreline for treasures, paralleling Stridsland’s approach of finding value in forgotten and overlooked cycling standards and transforming them into something new. He envisioned a bike that could embody the rugged, utilitarian spirit of the coastal lifestyle, while also serving as a capable and versatile all-terrain machine.
He aimed to create an “MTBMX” – a hybrid that blends the nimble handling of a BMX bike with the durability and versatility of a mountain bike. The geometry, featuring a 70-degree head tube angle and a 74-degree seat tube angle, was designed to balance stability and agility, offering riders the ability to tackle steep descents and techy trails while rolling equally well on urban streets.
Like any bike build, Stridsland’s journey to creating the Beachcomber involved more than just drawing blueprints – it was a process of trial, error, and refinement. He sent early sketches to a steel manufacturer in Taiwan, but the arrival of the first prototypes was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This led him to pivot to titanium and the first prototype that featured rocker dropouts and stealth dropper routing. This titanium version was a turning point in the design process, giving Stridsland the insight needed to finalise the steel frame’s details.
The final Beachcomber integrates a high bottom bracket for better ground clearance and short 415 mm chainstays, which keep the bike playful and “jibbable,” as Stridsland describes the nature of the bike. The chainstay yoke area – one of the most unique points of the frame – was specifically engineered to accommodate tyres up to 26×2.8” in size – though the bike could be built with bigger wheels too, as Peter has done.
The Beachcomber frame is now available through Stridsland’s website – as steel and titanium options – and its origin story is one that Stridsland summarised as “design slow, sell whenever.”
Perfect match
Since the first iteration of the Beachcomber, Stridsland’s creations have been built with various configurations. For Peter Niss, who was after ultimate simplicity and a maintenance-free life, the Beachcomber seemed like a perfect match.
“Due to my previous dream-builds, I am always looking forward to finding new frame concepts that fit into my own needs. I am looking to the USA (Rivendell, Crust) and Japan (Blue Lug), which are always different in that respect.
“During this search process I came across the Beachcomber concept of the Danish brand Stridsland, derived from those old-school 26” MTB from the past, but adapted to modern standards,” Peter explains via e-mail. “I wanted to build up a rigid steel ATB that suits any on-road/off-road usage I may conquer – and needs no maintenance whatsoever. First, without any suspension, I needed a concept with as much self-cushion as possible but not going for a fat bike (that includes the mess with oversized BB and crazy chain lines for gearing those fatty tires).”
One more modern choice was wheel size: Peter’s bike takes advantage of the Beachcomber’s generous clearance to run 27.5″ wheels, which roll on plushy Continental Race King, 27.5×2.2″ tyres, giving plenty of grip and cushioning. Peter said he has a 26″ set for the bike too, but that one involves a more “standard” 1×12 gearing.
The next requirement was for the bike to work with mechanical parts. The fewer electronics and proprietary parts, the better.
In comes cable-actuated disc brakes from Japanese brand Growtac. These are a very premium set of mechanical brakes that (retailing for £350 / $365) have a claimed weight of 136 g per caliper, and compared to a hydraulic setup, a much simpler maintenance procedure.
For minimal maintenance, he selected an internal gear hub from the German manufacturer 3×3.
“My project took it [the build] a step further by merging the frame with a new-to-market gear hub from 3×3. Not only is the gear range 554% within nine gears huge but it can also take up to a monstrous 250 Nm of torque input – with NO maintenance whatsoever.”
The result? A bike that is not necessarily a pub bike that you want to lock outside for too long, but a bike that certainly is made with practicality and ease of maintenance in mind, no matter what the conditions. A SON 28 dynamo hub powering front light means Peter will never be without a light and the Whisky Milhouse handlebar, Brooks saddle and MKS: XC-III Beartrap pedals have all been chosen carefully for comfort.
All in, the build was what Peter wanted, and it was all finished with an “Aquatic Eggplant” paint job and a basket for carrying beers … or well, whatever you want to pack in.
“It worked out absolutely perfectly. Due to the perfect chainline, only waxed chain, and capsuled gearbox the bike rolls without resistance all-day-any-weather-long. The silhouette had to be as clean as possible, for the bike to roll over any surface and rocky terrain. The height of the bottom bracket together with the lack of a rear derailleur is just perfect in that way,” Peter says. “The colorway is a glimpse from the neon-rocking past (like the small disco ball at the saddle rails). The bike should work with a front basket, too. According to my hero Grant Petersen from Rivendell Bicycle Works, one bike in the garage should have a basket. If only to go to the beach with a six-pack of beer.”
Ride quality – from a truck to a rabbit
It’s obvious from both Stridsland’s chronicle of how the Beachcomber came to be, to Peter’s component choices that the bike is made to ride well anywhere – it’s a mix of many characters.
“Imagine you were stranded on a desert island – with a gorgeous beach and a cocktail bar – and your only companion was a bicycle … Climbing onto the Beachcomber is an experience in itself. Thanks to the wide tyres and the high geo, you feel like you’re on a truck that can suddenly turn into a rabbit when you set off. Stridsland says MTBMX … I find it absolutely fitting,” Peter explains.
“You roll over rocks and gravel as if they don’t exist. The wide tubeless tyres together with the steel frame and fork do have such strong damping that it feels like you’re riding on clouds with endless grip on the climbs. At the same time, the wheels are super easy to steer. An absolute toy to ride despite the weight. In my opinion, someone has remixed the best of many worlds and made something even better out of it.”
Peter’s Beachcomber is certainly a statement bike, and one that is a great advocate for a straightforward, maintenance-free build with more character than any stock build would have.
“The Stridsland Beachcomber is not just a bike, it’s a statement for me as a builder. It’s innovative and at the same time, it is just that simple, stupid! It’s perfect for taking a (biker) life as it comes and let you enjoy every ride in an unrestricted way (no wired gadgets, no service intervals, no proprietary standards). Whether cruising through the city, hopping over forest & meadow paths – even fully loaded – it just works! This bike has pure fun and style with some craziness in its blood – just like its daddy,” Peter concludes.
Full build List:
- Frame: Stridsland Beachcomber, Steel, M
- Fork: Stridsland Barnacle Fork, Steel
- Headset: Chris King, NoThreadSet
- Brakes: Growtac Equal PM/IS
- Stem: Paul Component, Boxcar 50 mm
- Handlebar: Whisky Milhouse, 825 mm
- Rims: Stans Arch MK4, 27.5″
- Front Hub: SON 28 Dynamo
- Rear Hub/Drivetrain: 3×3 Nine gear hub, mechanical nine-speed, 554% range
- Chainring: Absolute Black 32T, 0 mm Offset
- Tires: Continental Race King 27.5×2.2″
- Crankset: CyberCycles CyberCrank VK, 170 mm
- BB: White Industries VK, Steel
- Shifters: 3×3, mechanical
- Brake Levers: Paul
- Pedals: MKS: XC-III Beartrap
- Cable housing: Jagwire Neon/Black
- Chain: SRAM e1, Silca waxed
- Saddle: Brooks B17, Customized
- Seatpost: SimWorks by Nitto
- Seatclamp: Paul Component
- Framebag: Wizard Works Framebagracadabra
- Front Rack: Allygn Front Rack
- Front Basket: Wald 137 Half Basket
- Front Light: Sinewave Beacon
- Grips: SRAM
- Bottle Cage: Tanaka The Jim 1L, custom blacked
- Gear Mount: King Cage Manything, custom blacked
- Mobile Mount: K-edge + Fidlock
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