Post by bendo on Jun 23, 2021 14:01:43 GMT
I don't know anything about this bike shop other than their Instagram. It's a great introduction to the depth of Japanese custom bike building.
If you're not familiar with them then you might not know names like Cherubim, 3Rensho, Nagasawa, Katakura Silk, Alps, and others. They are the Japanese equivalent of Mercian, Jack Taylor, Thanet, etc. Cherubim in particular are famous for innovative, slightly crazy but amazing steel-framed road, track and touring bikes.
One of the things that set these makers apart is that most of them make frames for the NJS Keirin circuit, which means they are building bikes for pros. Keirin racers only have one bike which they must service themselves. Their livelihoods depend on the bike, so they are exacting in their demands of the framebuilders. Keirin bikes have to be made from steel, and have to use only NJS-approved parts. Standardisation in keirin bikes is strict because the keirin is a huge betting sport, so the only thing allowed to separate the riders is their racing form as cyclists. This love of steel seems to be a feature of the majority of framebuilders in Japan.
The thing that makes this account so good is how often they post and how many amazing builds they do. Nearly every bike is decked out in the most amazing gruppos you've ever seen, often 20, 30 40 years old and all fresh out of boxes. It's jaw-dropping really. Where have they been hoarding all this stuff? b
