Reader's Rig: Adam's MONoPOLE No O1 Cargo Bike

Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Adam in Poland, who shares a look at his MONoPOLE No O1 cargo bike in action on loaded bikepacking trips around Europe and Spain’s Canary Islands. Find a colorful gallery and Adam’s story of how incorporating the MONoPOLE unlocked a new way of traveling with his partner here…

Words and photos by Adam Wilkoszarski

Hi, my name is Adam, and I’m a photographer and bicycle traveler. You might already know two of my bikes that have been featured on the site, my Kona Rove Ti and True Love Heartbreaker.

Last year, I bought a MONoPOLE frameset, drawn in by its beautiful design and the great reviews I had read online. I built the bike mostly from components I already had stored away in boxes. At the time, I wasn’t sure if this bike would truly suit me, so I didn’t want to invest heavily right away. I stripped the anodizing from a Cannondale crankset so it would match the matte silver ARC hubs perfectly. The drivetrain is based on a SRAM XX1 11-speed derailleur—reliable, and in my opinion, one of the last good-looking derailleurs they made. Comfort is key, so I went with a Brooks C13 saddle.

My main motivation for buying this frame was to make it easier for my wife to enjoy bikepacking with me. Ela is a passionate climber, but long-distance cycling requires a completely different kind of fitness. My idea was simple: I would carry all our gear on a cargo bike, and she could ride a light gravel bike alongside me. That way, we could both enjoy experiencing the world together.

For our first trip, we went to Fuerteventura and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Since we decided to follow sections of the Granguanche gravel route, I fitted the bike with wide 2.4” MTB tires—just barely fitting the frame. I have to say, the bike performed flawlessly. Riding it is genuinely enjoyable. It handles much like a regular bike thanks to a similar wheelbase and tight turning radius. On climbs, it’s naturally slower, but on descents it offers a great sense of speed, confidence, and stability. The smaller front wheel can struggle in deep sand or very rough terrain, but I tend to avoid those sections regardless of the bike I’m riding.

Frame/Fork: MONoPole No 01
Rims: Radiale E25
Hubs: ARC MT088
Tires: Vee Tire Flow Snap JR 2.4″
Handlebars: TranzX
Headset: Acros
Crankset: Cannondale SISL
Pedals: Bontrager Comp
Cassette: ZTTO 11-46T
Derailleur(s): SRAM XX1 11s
Brakes: Hope Tech Evo V2
Saddle: Brooks C13
Seatpost: OctaneOne
Front bags: Baby Legs Bags
Frame bags: Ride and Get Lost

I’ve just returned from another bikepacking trip on this bike, this time from Poznań, Poland, to Zurich, Switzerland, where I visited the MONoPOLE headquarters for an event. I had the chance to meet the surprisingly small team behind the brand, and they’re truly wonderful people.

This time, I routed the trip mostly along good-quality forest and gravel roads, as well as cycling paths. I shortened the wheelbase as much as possible and switched to less aggressive tires—a Schwalbe Land Cruiser 2.0” in the rear and a Michelin Pilot Freestyle 2.1” in the front. I also changed the stem to a 110 mm, 10-degree PRO stem and swapped the handlebars for a Ritchey Classic Flat 10D, which gave me a more sporty position.

The bike transformed completely. It really thrives on fast, semi-slick tires. With this width, I had no issues when leaving the pavement. In the end, the route covered over 1,150 kilometers, which I completed in nine days, leaving plenty of time to explore and stop for a pretzel at cafés along the way.

You can keep up with Adam on Instagram.

Send Us Your Bikepacking Rig

Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.

Reader’s Rig: Adam’s MONoPOLE No O1 Cargo Bike

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