Kiwi Trail Builder's Custom Rogue Build

 

“I love being able to just buy a frame only and mount up all the parts I’ve tested and know are the best in class.”

Velduro offers the Rogue as a frame-only option, which means riders can build it exactly how they want. Jeff Carter did exactly that, and the result is a thoughtfully specced enduro machine built for everything from Rotorua loam to South Island rock.

Who is Jeff Carter

Jeff isn’t just a rider with an eye for a good build. He’s the director and trail designer at Southstar Trails in Rotorua, and has spent 25 years putting singletrack into the ground across New Zealand, Chile, Portugal, Jamaica, Australia, Canada, Pakistan and beyond. His team has handbuilt more than 500km of trail between them. He is a past president of the Rotorua MTB Club, a Standards NZ advisor for trail construction, and by his own description, a dad to three girls who still loves racing the local enduro series in his early 50s.

That background gives him a very specific lens when it comes to choosing a bike. He is not buying for the weekend. He is buying something that has to handle job access in remote terrain, test riding fresh trail in all conditions, and carrying a chainsaw to a worksite. So when he went looking for a frame only eMTB, the requirements were real.

Why frame only

Most riders buy a complete bike and gradually upgrade parts over time. Jeff has done that enough times to have built up a deep collection of components he knows and trusts, and the Rogue’s frame only option let him use them from day one, and ticked the boxes on performance, weight and value.

“I’ve done that for so many bikes over the years that I have a deep selection of parts that I want to run on a new bike. Frame only purchasing saves me having to sell surplus parts from stripping down a complete build.”

Why the Rogue

Jeff wanted a bike that had been properly tested before it landed in his hands. The Rogue’s EFBE Category 5 certification mattered to him, particularly given the terrain and conditions he rides in.

“I love that it’s been tested to Category 5 by EFBE, so it should be reliable and bombproof. At the same time my complete build is around 22kg, that’s a really reasonable weight for a full power eBike.”

The NZ connection also played a part. Jeff grew up watching New Zealand engineers compete on the world stage, from John Britton’s motorcycles to the KZ7 Americas Cup campaign to Aaron Franklin’s Lahar downhill bikes. He sees Velduro as carrying that tradition forward.

“To start out of the gate with a bike like the Rogue, that is at the leading edge of MTB design with carbon fibre frame, Avinox motor and i-Track suspension, is really an incredible achievement.”

Components and build philosophy

Jeff’s mechanical engineering background from Canterbury University shapes how he evaluates components. He is drawn to precise machining and purposeful design, and this build reflects that. The Lekkie cranks from Wellington, the Chromag Riza stem from Canada, and the Radic Kaha brakes from Christchurch all got a specific callout.

“Taylor who runs Radic in Christchurch is a really clever engineer. He’s taken on a lot of feedback and iterated the Kahas to the point I think these are the best brakes available.”

Jeff has also made a deliberate effort to support New Zealand based companies where he can. The Radic brakes, Lekkie cranks and Suspension Tech International shock from Rotorua all reflect that. The custom decal wrap is from InvisiFrame in the UK, and the silver rocker link matches the rest of his silver component spec. Check with your local Velduro dealer for availability on that option.

Suspension and tyres

The rear shock is a Suspension Tech International ST-29 A, set up with a Sprindex adjustable spring rated between 450 and 500lb. That flexibility is practical rather than just preference.

“Riding into the trail worksite I carry a backpack with lunch, water, tools, chainsaw and fuel. So increasing the spring rate helps the bike maintain its proper sag under the increased load.”

Up front is a Rockshox Zeb with a Fluid Focus piston. The wheelset is a full custom build with Project 321 hubs, Sapim CX Ray spokes and Nextie 46mm wide carbon rims, which let him run low tyre pressure with good sidewall support.

Tyre selection changes depending on where he is riding. For Rotorua’s loamy dirt he runs lighter Trail casing tyres, a Schwalbe Magic Mary up front and Radial Albert out back. The South Island is a different story.

“When I travel to the South Island to Nelson or Queenstown, the riding is rockier and so I like to run heavier Gravity casing tyres that provide more resistance to cuts. In Queenstown especially you need to hold rolling speed, so the faster rolling tyres like the Schwalbe Albert or Vittoria Martello work well there.”

He also keeps a second rear wheel set up with a Shredder tyre for rides where he knows he’ll be doing a lot of technical climbing in soft loamy soil.

The i-Track suspension

Jeff understands the engineering behind the i-Track system in detail, and has a clear view on how well Velduro has used it.

“The i-Track suspension patent moves the idler axle off the main high pivot point for the rear suspension. This allows the frame designer to select the amount of anti squat and anti rise under pedalling and braking forces. Velduro’s engineers have utilised this patent well. The bike doesn’t bob when pedalling and it squats nicely under braking, improving the rear wheel traction.”

“Combining the high pivot bump eating with the Suspension Tech ST-29A shock is a game changer. It actually makes me laugh out loud when I’m riding this bike on chattery trails.”

How he uses it

The Rogue has become Jeff’s go-to bike across almost everything he does. He has sold most of his analogue mountain bike collection as a result, keeping only a hardtail for pump track testing and a Klunker for bike paths.

“For trail work the Rogue is used for job access, carrying loads of equipment and fuel. It’s used for test riding all the different grades of trail we build. When I’m doing office based design work I use it for mini breaks to clear my head.”

He has also been racing the Rogue in the local Rotorua 2W Enduro series and the annual Triple Crown Enduro.

“I’ve just entered my 50s so podiums are getting a little more elusive, but I still love the focus and rush of racing. Racing makes you push your equipment to its limits. The Rogue eats it up.”

He recently switched from the Rogue M1 to the M2S. The frame design staying consistent between models made the transition straightforward.

The build at a glance

• Frame: Velduro Rogue M2S (frame only)
• Rear shock: Suspension Tech International ST-29 A with Sprindex 450–500lb spring
• Fork: Rockshox Zeb with Fluid Focus piston
• Wheels: Project 321 hubs, Sapim CX Ray spokes, Nextie 46mm carbon rims
• Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary (front, Trail casing) and Radial Albert (rear, Trail/Gravity casing)
• Cranks: Lekkie
• Pedals: Hope clipless
• Dropper: OneUp 240mm V3
• Stem: Chromag Riza
• Handlebar: Enve, 50mm rise, 31.8mm
• Grips: OneUp Jackson Goldstone
• Drivetrain: Madrone derailleur, SRAM XO cassette, e*thirteen chainring, SRAM Eagle 90 shifter
• Brakes: Radic Kaha mineral oil with Galfer 223mm Shark rotors
• Saddle: Ergon SM E-Mountain Men Sport
• Seatpost clamp: Wolf Tooth
• Decals: InvisiFrame white sticker kit
• Total weight: 22kg

Huge thanks to Jeff for sharing the full rundown of his Rogue build. If you’ve got a Velduro build you’re stoked on, we’d love to feature it. This is the first in an ongoing look at how riders are making their Rogues their own.

Follow Jeff and Southstar Trails

Follow Jeff on Instagram at @jeffcarter21 and Southstar Trails at @southstartrailsnz. For more on Jeff’s trail building career, Trail Builder Magazine ran a full interview with him, which is well worth a read.