Sometimes, when we open the Readers’ Rides inbox, we exclaim, “WE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE!” and that certainly is the case with this submission from Peter, who sent in his tracklocross bike made from a Standert “Stichsäge” frame…
Who doesn’t know it. As a child, you believe in Santa Claus, as a teenager you think you know everything better and still keep biting the dust, in your 30s you believe you’re finally doing everything right, only to be lying flat on your face again in your 40s. How? .. Check for yourself: Tracklocross is all about it!
That’s just how it is with belief. It always has to prove itself…even with the most brainless idea I ever had
I believed… to have built or at least ridden everything already. But suddenly, those brain voices:
He: Yes! Do it!
Me: no. NO!
He: Look at the Japanese (Blue Lug Tracklocross Race)
He: You think you can ride something like that?
Me: No uh YES! I have to!!
And then it happened as it had to. The new Standert cyclocross frame “Stichsäge” set the best geo and the mega-retro colorway… but also brought a real challenge with it: frame with thru-axles and T47 bearings… actually totally brainless to convert this thing to a fixie, where a singlespeed from Soma, Mash, Surly, 8Bar, etc. can do quite easily…
So it was quite dark for a long time during the creation. Until the eccentric bearing from First Components first appeared.
…and then Christian from CyberCycles came along… and there was light with this mega retro “Crypto” Stem and those cool “Cyber” Cranks. Just look at these parts Made in good ol’ Germany. Insane.
Gary Klein’s spirit suddenly also hovers over me like a halo. I had seen the KLEIN bikes as a youngster in the showroom of a master painter with a bike-collecting obsession. Attitude, Androit, Quantum…. oh they were so beautiful. And that paint job! No wonder why the master painter was so into it. I just thought it would never be that important for me.
Then came the drivetrain and I had to sin again… so often I cursed the stuff. A fixie/track hub threading is not always the same. What were they thinking? Track/Fixie/Trial… well, all niches. They’re allowed to do THAT. Dura Ace track cog 16 to 32.
Speaking of hubs… the project got my first custom wheelset, including aluminum rims from Duke. And I tell you, repent, because there’s nothing better, especially for a tracklocrosser, than stable, non-screaming legs. Hence, the hubs from Pope Paul (Components) are the Great, and laced by David, the Best! Amen.
Sitting on a wildly comfortable Berk stool and a reliable Lightweight seatpost.
Drivetrain the 2nd.
When you curse into the heavens and despair over and over again, then the next absurdity comes your way: Gemini from Spain with their 42 GRAM (not teeth) carbon blade Rigel and the handlebar lever Wässat – the 130 g performance variant… not the 86 g ultralight, I want to survive the ride. No matter what you believe, or know where the meaning of life is… these parts give the certainty: IMPOSSIBLE does not exist. Neither makes sense. But pure joy over technology and implementation power.
Drivetrain the 3rd.
White chain, Black pedals, White straps, I think to myself while assembling, everything for the sake of art, for art’s sake. The Tiny Bubbly pedals by Sim Works/MKS are pure Japanese precision engineering. They do their own thing, instead of going off the shelf.
Drivetrain the 4th.
Tires. TIRES, T-I-R-E-S. I had to change multiple times. The Ultradynamico 43? Have been already Ok and fit in. 5 tires later, 2 WHITE!!! Gravelkings from a small bike shop in “Hinterturkistan” arrived.
… but a homage to the colorful and flashy 90s was needed… with the eponymous turquoise-green profile from Sim Works/Made by Panaracer.
…and then finally, after 2 months, it was presented to the family.
Result: A >Hallelujah< in chorus – all sins (incl. another frame purchase) are forgiven :-D Amen > < So be it
PS.. how I also pray to the heavens every time I set off, because there’s nothing more brainless than riding a trail fixed. But also nothing that makes me smile all the time.
I believe I can do it (eventually)
I believe I need this (now)
I believe, and all is well.
Have fun with the project of belief!
Best, Rapapongi
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!
