What would your dream bike look like? For the team at The Cub House in San Marino, California, just outside of Pasadena, they specialize in curated, custom dream bike builds ranging from Firefly road bikes like this one to basket bikes and everything in between. One of The Cub House‘s most recent builds was for a customer named Sheldon who wanted to put a bit of himself into this custom machine. We’re lucky to host Sheldon‘s words below, so read on to see what he did and why with this specific build…
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Radar
The All-New Speedvagen Autumn Road: a Titanium Rim Brake Road Bike
Today, we’re pleased to host the latest to roll from The Vanilla Workshop and Speedvagen, a titanium rim brake road bike dubbed the Autumn Road.
Speedvagen has always been about serious racing machines with beautiful hues and paint schemes that are rarely seen in the bike world. Tied together by great stories, hard rides, and good friends. From the gun, there was that dichotomy of a beautiful machine produced from grit and grime, with trusty old tools.
It’s ingrained in us and our roots and our employees’ roots. Sacha and Woody were bike messages during their formative years. Most of us spent the majority of our earlier years on either BMX bikes or Skateboards. These gritty beginnings influenced us from the start, up until this day.
Coming into our shop feels a bit like heading to a show, there’s a buzz, a vibe, energy. When it’s on, things just flow and it’s a damn party of getting shit done. Wanting to end the year on a strong note, we wanted to capture this energy and feeling and put it into one unit. How do you touch on our beginnings, where our heads are now, and what’s inspiring our future?
What does that look like in bike form?
Radar
Ignite’s New Made in the USA CNC Catalyst and Inferno Cranks
Ignite Components designs, tests, and manufacturers its cranks in-house here in the USA. Allamuchy, New Jersey to be exact. At this year’s Philly Bike Expo Ignite unveiled its two crank models: Catalyst MTB cranks (pictured) and Inferno Road cranks. These cranks are CNC’d in house and come in 155-175mm lengths, a plethora of custom anodizing or cerakote color options, and have a lifetime warranty. The Catalyst mountain cranks are shipping now and the Inferno road cranks are currently available as a pre-order. Head to Ignite Components for more!
Radar
Mission Workshop: New Toro Handlebar Bag is Made in the USA
Mission Workshop has an extensive catalog of apparel and packs and today it added a cycling bag to its line. The Toro handlebar bag is a small, burrito-style bag that fits compactly on your bike, regardless of the cockpit. These made in the USA bags have Mission Workshop’s design DNA as they come in a broad range of UX and standard fabrics and colors.
Specs:
Universal fit for any handlebar and stem combo
Frame sheet stiffener maintains structure and shape
Super stable / Zero bounce
Suitable for Road, Gravel, MTB, Townie
Weatherproof
Internal Key Clip
YKK Aquaguard Zippers
Hypalon accessory lash points
Subtle laser etched logo treatment
Made in the USA
Retail is $89 and shipping today from Mission Workshop.
Reportage
Embrace the Analog: Hunter’s Affinity Anthem with Campagnolo Chorus 12 Speed
In an age where rubbing disc brakes, dead electronic shifting, and fussy integrated cockpits rule the market, the idea of a simple bike with none of the above starts to look very appealing. A steel frame with a mechanical groupset has an analog quality to it that is hard to beat. It has undeniable panache, aero and weight don’t matter. I introduce to you my Affinity Anthem, a stainless steel workhorse of a bike mated to a groupset that is as timeless as they come.
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Sam’s Late 1980s New Zealand-Built Pertini Ten Road
For something a little different this week, we’re bringing in Sam from Christchurch, New Zealand and his unique late 1980s New Zealand-built Pertini Ten Road. This one has some patina but a great story and as Sam puts it’s “all just old as hell.”
Reportage
FAIL 6 with Rui Pedro Tremoceiro
As am packing for FAIL 6, am looking at my notebook, it has an old map of Portugal’s front cover.
I traced my lines on that map, all the routes I made, I feel satisfied to see they go through most of the country already.
I have been in Portugal for about two years now. There is a lot to see and yet it is a tiny country, about the size of Indiana.
My map doesn’t show the extreme South of Portugal, so my pencil has to stop before the end of the next ride.
I don’t like that, am not a firm believer in signs but am a firm believer in signs.
For a minute there, I was tempted to change the route. Maybe I should just change the map…
Reportage
A First Timer’s Take on Sea Otter
There’s dust, cold, chaos, and bikes. Bikes everywhere. Almost more bike tracks than footprints in the thick dirt of the Laguna Seca Raceway paddock, where rows of tents and more flags than the eye can count have taken over for the weekend – this is The Sea Otter Classic. It’s my first time not only to Sea Otter but to a bike expo- having gotten seriously into cycling during the quarantine this first wave of events post- pandemic is also my first wave of cycling events- period. I did my first bike race two months prior, and while there was an expo there it nowhere near compares to this ocean of logos. Being a photographer in the cycling world this weekend is a chance to connect with clients I haven’t seen in a while, touch base with connections I have prior only talked to through emails and DM’s, and hug the bejeezus out of the rad gravel ladies I photographed for ‘The Leaders of Gravel’, a series here on The Radavist.
Reportage
A Look at the New VYNL Bikes: /rd rim – Rim Brake Road Bike and /gr Disc Gravel Bike
Last year marked a sea change for the cycling industry. On one hand, cycling saw a boom with many companies shifting to a work from home model, and employees looking for a new outdoor hobby to spend their free time. On the other, supply chain shortages ran rampant throughout the industry and suddenly the supply couldn’t meet the demand. Depending on who you talk to, parts shortages happened for a number of reasons but the bottom line is if you have the ability to sell bikes, or even frames in 2021, consider yourself lucky.
Before the pandemic, Sabrina and Max Clauson wanted a change of pace from their normal day-to-day lives so they purchased VYNL Bikes. Now they’re running it as a passion project from their home in Boulder, Colorado. While I was in town earlier this year, I swung by their house to take a look at the new VYNL brand and to shoot Max’s /rd Rim brake bike along with Sabrina’s /gr Disc Gravel bike. These no-nonsense machines come in stock geometry, have the option for custom paint, are made in the USA, and are perfect for a rider looking for a straight-up utilitarian bike for pavement or gravel.
Let’s take a look at these two builds below…
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Surly Midnight Special Review – Christopher’s Raw Custom All-Road Build
This week’s Readers’ Rides comes from Christopher in NYC and his Surly Midnight Special which he customized. It’s a real beaut, so let’s check it out in detail below!
Radar
What’s the Story with This Columbus Tubing Repete Reason Road Bike?
The Repete Reason is a steel road bike, built with Columbus tubing but this special edition has a unique story behind it:
“The Repete Reason is a road model made of high-strength Columbus steel, complete with disc brakes and a carbon fork. The bold combination of colors and graphic elements in this special edition bike captures the spirit of both brands. While Repete symbolically pulls Rap’s street fashion out of the city, Rap brings the road bike into the city environment. This model is now available in Repete’s running collection. “The base is our handmade Reason frame, which is then fitted with components according to the desires of the customer. The specificity of the collection is a certain openness. Each customer has the freedom to choose and compile a series of diary photos which will be imprinted permanently onto the frame.” — says co-founder Repete Robin Fišer.”
Check out the full story and how you can buy one at Repete.
Reportage
A Preview of the Kromvojoj Event: Road Touring in Catalonia – Stronger than Vinegar
For me, riding a bike has always meant three things; experience, adventure, and escape. From childhood, it’s given me the opportunity to experience new, it’s given me the freedom to explore, to embark on adventures near and far, and it’s also given me a much-needed escape from my battles with mental health. Cycling has also introduced me to a community of amazing people and this for me is perhaps the greatest benefit of riding because they never fail to enrich the three reasons I love the bike.
Radar
Jet Fuel: Kosuke Masuda’s Custom Aethos
Today we’re honored to feature the latest from Japanese artist Kosuke Masuda for Specialized. Read below to see his latest work…
Radar
The All-City Cycles Zig Zag 105 and Ultegra Models Get New Colors
The Zig Zag is an endurance road bike from All-City Cycles and for 2022, these models got a refresh in paint and two build kits. The 105 model, pictured here, retails for $3,050 as a complete or $1,550 for a frameset while the Ultegra model is priced at $4,199. These frames have custom dropouts with replaceable derailleur hangers, fit a 35mm tire, have hidden fender mounts, and flat-mount brakes with a Whisky fork.
Roll on over to All-City to check out the new Zig Zag in detail…
Reportage
The Westfjords Way: Bicycle Touring One of Iceland’s Most Remote Areas – Part 03
There’s a place to get soup at the halfway point. We’ll stop there. They might have some dried fish and rugbraud to pack for dinner– traditional Icelandic bread; dark, dense, and sweet. In the past, the locals dug holes and used the heat from geothermal water to bake the bread. We pack a sandwich to go, throw a leg over the top tube and let the wind carry us down the way. When the wind is your friend, there’s no feeling like it.
Radar
Real Bike Girl Shit: A Year+ Into the Pandemic
This article is a follow-up to Cinthia‘s piece she penned for us last year entitled Bike Racing, White Privilege and the Coronavirus. Read on for a somber reflection on the time that’s passed from Cinthia below…
Reportage
John’s Eddy Merckx SLX Telekom with Dura Ace 7400
It’s a Merckx! On a Monday! … and it’s been a while.
During a period of frustration with parts shortages as I was trying to build up a forthcoming review bike, I began browsing eBay looking into building up a classic timepiece. I figured if modern parts are in short supply, vintage parts have to still be available. I wanted a bike that would be a centerpiece in my office that I wasn’t afraid to ride. Something that I could do easy road rides on, not pushing myself or the bike to the limit at all, but rather just a simple machine with downtube shifters, a steel fork, and 7 speeds. Kind of like driving an older, vintage vehicle; stripped-down elegance and damn sexier than anything “new” on the market. With my longtime love of Merckx frames, I knew where to begin, but I wasn’t expecting to find one of my favorite liveries, in such great condition. Check out an in-depth look below…
Radar
The Amazing Chase
Jack Thompson set out to ride the 2021 Tour de France route as fast as he could. 3,552km divided over 21 stages, chasing down the pros on his way to Paris…