RiG’d Supply (pronounced “rigged”) is a company that built its brand on combining the founders’ two passions of cycling and extreme off-road driving. RiG’d found its place in the world by focusing on both bicycle and overlanding gear, and it makes perfect sense. There is considerable overlap between cycling and “overlanding”.
What is Overlanding?
Yes, overlanding is a neat buzzword. Contrary to popular opinion, it is far from a new term, and it can be a little unclear for those unfamiliar.
The term overlanding originated in Australia during the turn of the 20th century, and had to do with moving livestock over long distances “over land”. But here in America, the term has been around since the late 1800s, and the days of the stagecoach.
When our pioneers took part in the grueling, self-sufficient push Westward in wagons, they often used famous routes like the Oregon and California Trails. These trails westward were called “overland trails”. So, the term “overlanding” still means what it did during the time of the Old West.
It simply means “self-reliant, self-supported, vehicle-based adventure travel to remote locations, usually in a high-clearance, 4×4 vehicle, emphasizing the journey and exploration of under-explored territories over a fixed destination.”
I felt the need to cover that lil’ bit o’ history, but let’s move on to the reason we are here.
Creating a Niche
RiG’d Supply’s HQ is located in Orange, California, which is local to me. So, I’ve been able to visit their shop a few times. It’s a small operation run by a dedicated crew of like-minded people.
Let’s meet the team:
- Luke Wronski (Founder & CEO)
- Ryan Ritchey (Co-founder & COO)
- Jason Denney (Co-founder & CMO)
- Eric Pyle (Head of Engineering)
They make a quality product that is built to take a beating, like the RambleSwing. Which, in my opinion, is hands down the best hitch rack swingout on the market. Period.
I like the people who work there, and I like the products that they design and fabricate. It’s pretty cool how the team’s “off-road mindset” has created a niche for the brand that people didn’t even know existed. Their story is unique, and I thought you guys might like to hear it told straight from the horse’s mouth.
RiG’d Supply’s Off-Road DNA
Let’s start with some wisdom from RiG’d’s Head of Engineering, Eric Pyle. Eric is no stranger to the off-road world, as he is the former Lead Engineer at King Shocks, where he has tested products that are used and abused in extreme environments and situations.
Eric says, “In race‑truck testing, the goal is to control the chaos as much as possible. Off-road environments are violent. Big tires. Heavy axles. Rock sliders. Triple-bypass shocks. Things break – and then you fix them so they won’t break again. It’s not the landscape most folks associate with making bicycle racks. But for RiG’d, that’s the point“.
He continues, “The bike‑rack industry builds test standards to maybe survive a sudden jolt when going over a bump too fast. But what if you’re purposefully hitting stuff too fast all the time?“
Let’s find out a bit more about RiG’d Supply from the founder and CEO, Luke Wronski, cool?
Great, let’s get started!
Q & A with Founder/CEO Luke Wronski
Bikerumor: What gave you the idea to start RiG’d?
Luke Wronski: “There’s a line in the iconic MTB film ROAM by The Collective: “We hear a lot about freedom these days. In some ways, freedom is just the ability to go where you want, when you want.” That film premiered at a brewery, hosted by the shop I grew up working at—The Path in Tustin, CA. I was 16 when it came out. As a kid who had just gotten a driver’s license and cared about nothing but riding, it became my anthem: travel open country and ride my bike“.
“Flash forward twenty years, and I’m still living that mission—making things that promote freedom. Go where you want, when you want. That’s why our tagline is ‘For the Aimless Journey‘.”
Bikerumor: How did RiG’d actually begin?
Luke Wronski: “In my apartment, three of us believed there was something we were meant to do. We had no idea what we were doing. We started with the UltraSwing. At the time, off‑road and overland products didn’t live in the same space as bike racks. Hitch‑mounted tire carriers definitely weren’t “sexy.” We wanted to change that“.
“Designing for violent environments makes the product better everywhere else.” – L.W.
Bikerumor: Why build your own bike rack instead of partnering with others?
Luke Wronski: “Customers kept asking which rack we liked on the UltraSwing. Our honest answer was: they all had trade‑offs. Around the time we launched RambleRack, a bunch of brands were introducing dual‑arm designs. From our use, that style has an Achilles’ heel: if you lose tire pressure, the bike can become unsafe“.
Bikerumor: It’s a risky move focusing on the “off-road bike rack” niche, right?
Luke Wronski: “Totally. It’s not the obvious path if you’re chasing mass‑market volume. But it made sense with the UltraSwing and for how we actually travel. Designing for worst‑case, off‑road inputs makes the product better everywhere else”.
Bikerumor: Speaking of risk, talk to me about bringing manufacturing in-house.
Luke Wronski: “Man, that was a gnarly process. When we started RiG’d, we used contract manufacturing spread across the U.S. This past year, we hit a point where that model was no longer viable. Our options were either to do it all ourselves or take it overseas. None of us felt good about sending it overseas, so we sent it—full send. Our former manufacturers had basically turned off, and we had no backup. We had no money and no time, but we had to figure out how to make all our parts in our own building. Somehow, we pulled it off in six months. I’m still in shock, honestly“.
“We build for the journey, and the people on it.” – L.W.
Bikerumor: Who gravitates to RiG’d?
Luke Wronski: “So many like‑minded folks from the bike industry. The same people making decisions at household‑name brands also have a rig they travel in, camp with, and sometimes take off‑road. A lot of us share the same arc; we grew up riding or racing. Now we’re older, maybe with families, and more interested in the overall journey: go somewhere new, camp, explore on two wheels and four. You won’t be sending 40‑foot road gaps forever or racing 100‑milers forever. What does life beyond the bike look like? What else is out there to discover?“
Bikerumor: Your team stories are a real part of your brand. Why?
Luke Wronski: “Real people are the brand. Take our CMO, Jason Denney (@tacodust). People see the trucks he’s built and assume ‘trust‑fund kid.” Truth is, he grew up homeless, living in a car with his dad. His dad passed away when Jason was a young teen. He’s been on his own since. He came from nothing—everything he has is from hard work and refusing to use the cards he was dealt as a crutch“.
“When we brought manufacturing in‑house, we needed help fast. Our COO, Ryan Richey, partnered with an organization called H.I.R.E. to give formerly incarcerated people a shot at a new path. We’ve seen powerful transformations through work at RiG’d“.
Ramble and Do Good
Bikerumor: There is a movement for brands to “do good” lately. What does that mean to you?
Luke Wronski: “I was a philosophy major. Blessing and curse. I can’t do things from a shallow lens—we make decisions around the Good, even if it costs more.
It’s easy to slap a tree icon on your site and say, “We plant trees.” Nothing wrong with that. But what are the local implications of your business? Are you providing skilled jobs? Are you offering people a second chance? Would the community notice if your business disappeared tomorrow?
We’re making parts ourselves, providing jobs, and giving people a shot at a better life because we found ourselves in a position to do so. Every day is a struggle to keep a business going. We haven’t “made it.”
My grandma used to say, “The joy is in the journey.” That’s the truth behind our Ramble with Us ethos. It’s not about the destination—it’s the journey and the impact you have along the way.”
RiG’d Future?
Bikerumor: So… what’s next?
Luke Wronski: “Our newest launch is the RambleSwing Pro. Over the years, a lot of people wanted to swing their bike rack out of the way and use accessories like our camp table, but didn’t need to carry a spare tire. RambleSwing Pro answers those requests—and it’s our solution for a swing‑out hitch designed to support vertical bike racks“.
Bikerumor: What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own business?
Luke Wronski: “Say ‘yes’ to the things put in front of you, even if they don’t make sense at the time. RiG’d is a story of combining people, passions, and purpose in ways that didn’t make sense at the outset—but looking back, you see how those different trails were meant to converge.”
RiG’d Supply was founded in 2018 with a simple idea: Build gear that solves real problems. They have instilled a set of values that have been with them since the start: People first, Innovation rooted in real experiences, Gear built to enhance the journey.
All of their gear is manufactured and assembled in-house in Southern California and covered by the brand’s Ramble for Life limited lifetime warranty.
Do yourself a favor and visit their site for more information.
