In 2014, I challenged Trek’s product development teams to define what “adventure” by bike meant through direct, firsthand experience. Each team completed a minimum four-day, largely self-supported ride, after which I led a workshop to synthesize insights and translate them into product direction. That work directly informed the creation of Trek’s adventure bike line—launching a new multimillion-dollar category that, a decade later, has evolved into what is now known as gravel riding.
My original concept on the left. Andrew Krautbauer did the design work to finish the production 920.
Engineer Keith von Huben riding a 920 test mule somewhere deep into South Dakota
Callum Fairhurst rode this very Trek 920 around the world. 18,000 miles in honor of his brother.
I continued to experiment with the concept of adventure - specifically off road. I took our Stache platform and modified it to represent a pack mule designed for adventure in the outback. This bike eventually became the 1120 Adventure bike.
Above: Concept and prototype work on the 920 and later 1120
Below: Once we had built bikes the team took them to norther Wisconsin for test riding
Below: Once we had built bikes the team took them to norther Wisconsin for test riding
The 1120 prototype evolved into the 1020 production model designed by Andrew Krautbauer - the bike shown here somewhere in Mongolia
