This past week, in the lead-up to the annual Sea Otter Classic event in Monterey, CA, Chris King Components held their second Guest House event across Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz. The festive event showcased a variety of unique builds – all featuring Chris King components – many of which were the recently re-released vibrant 3D Violet color. Below, let’s take a look at this eclectic mix of bikes that spans categories across road, gravel, touring, and MTB!
Black Cat Bicycles “Hocus Pocus” Steel Full Suspension
The Hocus Pocus is builder Todd Ingermansen’s multi-year endeavor to put “his money where his mouth is” in response to his local Santa Cruz trail evolution. He claims there’s nothing earth-shattering going on with its kinematics but, rather, it was an exercise in fabrication and aesthetics, problem-solving and learning. While he’s been working on the build for some time, he’s already redesigning it in his head. With plenty of elegant yet stout details throughout, there’s so much to look at and dream about how it rides. Of course, it’s outfitted in black and gold Chris King parts, which pair nicely with the matching SRAM XX1 drivetrain and Fox suspension. We hope this isn’t just a one-off and Todd adds full suspension to his permanent bag of tricks.
See more at Black Cat Bicycles.
Caletti Cycles Titanium Gravel Bike
John Caletti and team build stunning steel and titanium mountain, gravel, and road bikes in the heart of Santa Cruz. Caletti is known for attention to detail both in fit and finishing with dialed geometries. For this year’s Guest House, they brought one of their gravel frames featuring a wild custom violet anodized design as a compliment to the Chris King 3D Violet componentry. Caletti anodizes all of their frames in-house and, with this one in particular, looks like they have outdone themselves. Again.
Calettis are available in both standard sizes as well as custom geometry. See more at Caletti Cycles.
Sim Works Doppo Locust MTB
The Locust from Doppo by Sim Works is a re-launch of what was previously the Doppo MTB. This has been a favorite for both trail riding and touring over the years, as it features a capable geo and plenty of accessory mounts. Adorned in a new “cosmic lavender” colorway, this suspension-corrected frameset is handmade by Shin Hattori in Nagoya Japan and includes a segmented fork. The updated Locust will be available for sale later this summer.
Sim Works took advantage of this event to also show off their new Taco Pedals made by MKS in Japan. This stylish pedal has nearly the same platform area as their Bubbly Pedals and ten replaceable studs for added traction. Look for these early next month.
See more at Sim Works.
Matt from Pass and Stow Racks’ Falconer MTB
Matt from Pass and Stow racks outfitted his 2017 rigid Falconer MTB in 3D Violet Chris King bits that help to highlight his bright pink front and rear racks. Pass and Stow is Matt’s Oakland, CA-based operation that manufactures some of our favorite racks out of 4130 chromoly steel. On the front of his Falconer is the mainstay 5-Rail rack with cargo cages. The rear rack is a prototype currently undergoing some revisions that Matt hopes to launch in time for the MADE show in August.
See more at Pass and Stow.
Bixxis Fronda Steel Gravel Bike
Bixxis was started in 2015 by Italian builder Doriano De Rosa and his daughter Martina. Doriano’s experience dates back much further than Bixxis, though, as he learned the art of bicycle fabrication alongside his legendary father Ugo De Rosa. Bixxis bikes are available in the US through Bciclista, which also works with Italian component brand Ingrid. The Fronda is the Bixxis’ gravel/all-road frame that boasts a refined geometry and clearance for up to 38mm tires. Finished in a medley of Chris King and Ingrid components, with color-matched Columbus carbon fork, this blue and silver Fronda was a head-turner at the event!
Sycip Bikes Custom Titanium Gravel Bike
Builder Jeremy Sycip made this titanium gravel bike for a local customer in Santa Rosa. Built to her specs, it features a curved top tube and S-bend seat stays, rather than the normal Sycip wishbone shape. It’s what the customer wanted and, like Burger King, you can have it your way with Mr. Sycip. It’s built up with room for up to big 2.2 tires, Enve Adventure fork, Enve bars, Shimano Limited Silver group with White Industries crankset. Three bottle mounts, top tube bag mounts, a custom Sycip Ti seat post, and Sycip Ti stem round things out. This customer lucked out in getting the Chris King Grd23 wheelset with all-new 3D Viloet bits throughout. Additionally, this customer requested Jeremy’s original script logo from back when he started building bikes in 1992. Again, Sycip let’s you have it your way and this custom ti creation is a Whopper of a build.
See more at Sycip Bikes.
Stinner Frameworks Titanium Tunnel MTB
Santa Barbara, CA-based Stinner Frameworks was stoked to show off their Titanium Tunnel hardtail MTB. The Tunnel is Stinner’s 29er hardtail frame that is built to rip going both uphill and downhill. This frame has been in the prototype stage for some time, as Stinner’s hardtails have traditionally been built from steel, but the brand wanted to switch over to titanium for the material’s superb ride quality. With that came a new dropout design that is UDH/Transmission compatible and can also run a 160/180mm flat-mount brake. With clearance for up to 2.6″ tires, 140mm of front suspension and the smooth ride of titanium, this bike looks ready for anything.
See more at Stinner Frameworks.
Curtis Bullock Painted Santa Cruz Stigmata
Curtis Bullock is a Portland-based artist known for using vibrant colors and complex patterns in his intricately painted bike frames. He custom painted this Santa Cruz Stigmata in collaboration with Chris King, Santa Cruz Bicycles, and SRAM to launch King’s new 3D Violet component color. Don’t worry, this gorgeous piece of art will likely be on display for some time and won’t likely be ridden…. much. Curtis is doing amazing work within the world of cycling and beyond. We highly recommend you check it out!
Retrotec Classic Road Bike
It’s been 30 years since Curtis Inglis built himself a Retrotec Classic Road bike frame and, recently, wanted to revisit this style of road bike with modern geometry and parts including a collection of 3D Violet Chris King components. Traditional steel road bike tubing diameters give the bike a lively, compliant feel. Curtis, as you might guess from looking at the tall headtube and lengthy shapes, is a tall fella which helps accentuate the swooopyness of his personal bikes making this one pretty much as Retrotec as it gets.
Retrotec is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and Curtis commented that he enjoyed using the important occasion to build himself this classic frame style for the road instead of a mountain or gravel alternative.
See more at Retrotec.
Chris of Old Man Mountain’s Vulture Cycles Touring MTB
We really dig that Old Man Mountain took this classic bike down from the rafters and breathed new life into it for this show. Wade Beauchamp used to build frames in Bend, OR before taking on a full-time position with Argonaut Cycles. This one was made for Chris of Old Man Mountain waaaay back in 2008. The geometry was made to match his MTB bar position when he is in the drops. The toptube and downtube are Tange Prestige Ultimate Ultrastrong that are internally and externally fluted and butted. Eccentric bottom bracket, Ignite Inferno cranks, AARN 28t chainring are some of the standout componentry, along with the eye-popping hits of 3D Violet Chris King parts. The rear hub, however, is the same classic Chris King that Chris rode on the Great Divide in 2003. The front rack dates back to that same trip as well. Astral rims are laced to a front SON dynamo hub powering a SON taillight and Sinewave headlight. And, oh so cleverly, the XT Di2 drivetrain – with Alfine brifters – has its battery and junction box in a bandanna and Voile strap attached to the seat tube.
OMM also used this show, and the upcoming Sea Otter Classic, to debut some new rack products. The new panniers seen on this build look very nice and we’ll have more details on their expected availability soon. See more at Old Man Mountian.
Community Hang Time
Bikes bring people together. In our post-pandemic world, this has become more apparent than ever and it’s what makes gatherings like the Chris King Guest House so special. We greatly appreciate the Chris King crew for facilitating, Santa Cruz Bicycles for letting us take over part of their parking lot for the day, and everyone else that came together to make it great. Be sure to pair your morning coffee with a scroll through the good times captured in the gallery above!