The Radavist

Details, oh the details. This magnificant J.P. Weigle randonneur bike was propped up in the Bicycle Quarterly / Compass Bicycles booth at the Philly Bike Expo this year. And yet, for the life of me, I couldn’t make my way through the crowd to reach Jan Heine or Peter in order to photograph it the first day of the show.

Once I got their attention, I rolled this beauty out into the overcast skies for some lens love. Where do I begin? Herse cranks, SON hub, Mafac brakes, NOT Reynolds 531 decal. It’s impeccable. Even though I’m indifferent about 650B wheels on larger frames, I can surely confess my love for this piece of work. Somehow, the proportions work and this bike just pops. See for yourself in the gallery!

Since meeting the owner of Defiance custom cycles at the Philly Bike Show, I cannot find information about his company for the life of me. All I know is that he’s based out of Long Island and he makes gorgeous frames. Case in point is this ice blue singlespeed. Sure, it looks like a track bike, but the freewheel on the rear even threw me off. Throw a track cog on it and you’ve got a great winter trainer.

The build is lovely (Campagnolo GS cranks really set it off), the color is spot on and I even like the super graphic on the head tube. This one’s a winner. But one question: does anyone know a URL or a contact email for Defiance? In the mean while, check out more photos below.

One of my favorite bikes at the Philly Bike Expo was this Chapman Cycles townie. At first glance, it may look like a pretty standard parts build but when you look closely, you’ll notice a lot of vintage parts in a dark black anodized finish. Brian Chapman really took his time with this one and it shows. The custom anodized Honjo fenders did it for me but don’t overlook all the frame details!

Each year, the guys at Landlords always come to the Philly Bike Expo bearing vintage bikes, parts and chill dub vibes. This year, they set up a shrine to the cycling gods and demigods of yesteryear. Check it out!

For anyone that watched cycling in the late 80’s, this bike should look familiar. Before Merckx built the team 7-Eleven frames, Landshark and Serotta had built their fair share of “Huffy” team bikes. On a recent group ride in Milwaukee, Peter from COG Magazine found himself cruising next to Tom Schuler, of 7-Eleven fame. This 1987 National Champ still rides his team bike, which is in perfect condition. It’s hard to imagine someone holding onto a bike for that long in this day and age but when you were a part of a legacy, that’s all the reason you need.

Peter was kind enough to send over some amazing photos of this Serotta-built team 7-Eleven. Check out more below.

Click on the above photo to launch the gallery, or here to open in a new tab.

Velo Cult is easily one of my favorite shops in the States and their recent move to Portland from San Diego was far from easy on the guys but it’s been worth it. Their massive, sprawling storefront has a bar, a huge basement with a movie theater and one of the classiest mechanics area I’ve ever seen.

When they made the move, Sky and Anthony were literally selling bikes to build millwork. It’s been a slow process but the community is embracing these SoCal natives. If you’re in the Portland area, swing through, grab a beer, chat about touring, gravel and the next rando and if you can’t make it to Portland, check out my Shop Visit photos. And if you missed the Recent Roll, check it out here.

Click on the above photo to launch the gallery, or here to open in a new tab.

If there’s one thing shooting with the Hasselblad has taught me it’s selection. Velo Cult‘s new location in Portland is far too massive to capture in a roll (or in this case, less than a half of a roll) but I feel like these photos pick up on some of the highlights. For those who want a more comprehensive Photoset, don’t fret, digital is on the way. It just so happened that the analog photos were done before the digital.

This shop needs no introduction but for those looking for a background, I do believe Velo Cult’s San Diego space was one of my first Shop Visits. Check the original photos out here.

Click on the above photo to launch the gallery, or here to open in a new tab.