The Radavist

I’ve never owned a bike that receives as much attention from non-cyclists as a Retrotec. With comments ranging from “can I fit big tires like that on my cruiser?” to “how’d you put disc brakes on that cruiser?” Once I follow up with an explanation, they quickly lose interest, yet are still entranced with the bike itself. That connection is not too far from the reality of the Retrotec brand, however. Back in 1992, a builder named Bob Seals wanted to race his old cantilever cruiser frame. This frame, the Retrotec number one, still hangs in Curtis’ shop to this day.

Bob’s intent was to make modern-day cruisers, designed to be ridden and raced. The look of Bob’s builds really resonated with Curtis and in 1993, he moved to Chico, CA to work for Retrotec. In 1995, Bob had exhausted his framebuilding efforts, prompting Curtis to take over, relocating the business to San Francisco. This presented a problem for Curtis, who quickly realized that cruiser bikes weren’t really a thing – yet – and work was slow. Curtis chugged along in San Francisco, building frames part-time and experimenting with new Retrotec designs, while sharing a shop with the Sycip brothers.

In 1998 Retrotec moved to Napa, California and everything changed.

I’m here in Stillwater, Oklahoma at District Bicycles for the Land Run 100 where Salsa Cycles just launched a new all road bike platform, dubbed the Journeyman, which offers the 27.5 or 700c platform in an affordable package, opening this exceptional wheel size to a lower pricepoint. As someone who has thoroughly enjoyed the 27.5 x 2.1″ wheel platform on my personal bikes, I’m stoked to see a sub $1,100 bike adopting this platform.

The Journeyman comes in a 27.5″ or 700c option with drop bar models, or a geometry-tuned flat bar version. There are two pricing options, beginning at $899 for the Journeyman drop bar Claris, flatbar Claris 700c or 27.5″, and $1,099 for the Sora build kit options, which comes with a carbon fork. These frames come with all the provisions you could want, flat mount brakes and most importantly for events like the Land Run 100, ample mud clearance. The rear spacing is 135mm, with QR front and rear so even “older” wheels will work. The model I photographed is the Journeyman Sora 27.5″.

This bike has so much potential yet at the moment Salsa is not offering it as a frameset, so if you want to deck it out with a balleur build kit, expect to part out the Sora option. Other than that, I have no critiques of these pricepoint, path-finding bicycles. Head to Salsa for more information and your local dealer for test rides and purchasing.

For many, a New Year means time for reflection, and time for prospectives. For cyclists, this often includes planning out a build for a planned ride or perhaps updating your favorite bike with new gear. Perhaps that’s the motivation for many of you to visit this site. For us at the Radavist, we look at all the data from the past year’s content and begin to understand more what you, the readers, love to see here on the site.

Every bicycle on this list should come as no surprise. It was one of the most difficult selections in the history of this site, as almost all of these Beautiful Bicycles delivered similar metrics. We pulled these from the archives based on traffic, social media chatter and commentary. They’re displayed in no particular order. Omitted are bicycle reviews and completely bone stock production models – like the Jim Merz Sequoia and All-City Cosmic Stallion.

Thrown in, making it a baker’s dozen, is our top 2017 NAHBS pick as well. Without further adieu, here’ the Lucky 13 Beautiful Bicycles of 2017!

Mike ‘Kid’ Riemer’s Salsa Blackborow with Ode To Trout Cedaero Bags
Photos by John Watson, words by Mike ‘Kid’ Riemer

Editor’s note. I emailed Mike, requesting a few quotes about this bike, and received a novella, telling the tale of Mike’s interest in the outdoors. While I could pull quotes from it, I felt that as a whole, it tells more of the tale than I ever could…

I often tell my son, and my nephews, that there is nothing better than finding something in life that you are passionate about. 

I’ve been lucky in that regard, I guess.

I grew up in Korea, loving the outdoors and playing in the pine forest around our home and the neighboring hills, hiking the majestic Sorak mountains of the west coast, and living in the waters of the Yellow Sea for as much of my summer each year as possible. The outdoors became a passion for me, in many ways without me ever realizing it. It was inside me waiting for opportunities to come out. 

I first met Jay Petervary back when Salsa took me on the Cutthroat launch on the Tour Divide. Admittedly, Jay was friendly, but you could tell there was apprehension. He was about to embark on the TDR on a new bike and had plenty of other things to think about, rather than making small talk with a photographer / blogger. I hadn’t seen Jay in years, until this year’s Saddle Drive when he greeted me with a smile and a firm handshake. Jay’s like that. He’s the nicest guy you’ll meet, but like all athletes, before a race, he’s reserved and focused. Catch him post-race or at a Salsa event and he’ll wax poetic tales of racing, or just shoot the shit in an intoxicatingly positive manner. The dude has a smile as big as his accolades.

After hearing that he brought this year’s TDR Cutthroat to Saddle Drive, I really wanted to photograph it. There’s something telling about a bike, all dusty and sated, that you just can’t get from documenting a show bike, or something that’s brand new. This bike has character and best of all displays Jay’s personal choice when it comes to products. Industry Nine wheels, a power meter and a mix of Salsa and Bike Bag Dude bags. There’s nothing overtly corporate or branded about this rig. It’s punk rock from a dude who has nothing to prove at this point in his career.

Jay, you keep on ramblin’ round the world, doing your thing and I’ll catch up to you again in the near future. High fives, buddy!

Eathan’s Tahoe Rim Trail Salsa Timberjack
Photos and words by Jarrod Bunk

“Fresh of an 8 week collarbone recovery, I felt the call of the woods and passing up the spectacular views and world class trail that the TRT has to offer just wasn’t an option. 4 day and 170miles with some of the best riding and hardest Hike-a-bikes, I circumnavigated my way around Lake Tahoe to Northstar for the Kick off of another rad Saddledrive! Covering some 24,000 feet of elevation gain left quit a toll on not only my body but also my gear. TJ was the perfect choice, confident on the descents and still perfectly at home loaded down. And though I may have push it up more trail then I would have liked I can’t think of a better way to spend 3 nights under the stars!” – Ehtan Frey

We’ve all been there, the feeling of spending time off of your bike, when its all you want to be doing, sometimes it can be the daily grind, or some thing outside of your control, like breaking your collarbone.  Ethan defintiely made the most of the time before Saddle Drive this year, he took his custom Timberjack, outfitted with everything he would need to naviage the TRT.  After I talked to Ethan about his trip he said if he had the choice he would do it over with a dual sus bike.  The combination of a dead silent Onyx Hub, Whisky Carbon Rims, and a SRAM Eagle build peg this as anything but stock, to me its really cool to see how a stock bike could be transformed over time as your riding styles change.  From the trail to the tour this Timberjack is ready for anything, and Ethan proves that bicycles are the best medicine!

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Follow Jarrod on Instagram, and follow QBP on Instagram.

We’re here in Tahoe at Northstar for QBP’s Saddle Drive!

The Salsa family of fatbikes didn’t change much this year, aside from more kit offerings and what I would consider a great bang for your buck, in terms of a full-fat expedition rig. In this family tree, the Beargrease is the more nimble of the two, yes, even for a fatbike, making it the ideal race machine. Yet, for expedition-style riding, or bikepacking, the Mukluk reins supreme. This year’s model has four pricepoints, ranging from the balleur Mukluk Carbon XO1 Eagle build for $5,399, down to the alloy Mukluk NX1 for $1,799. Resting between those two kit options is the Mukluk Carbon SLX 1×11 for $2,699 and this model, the Mukluk Carbon GX Eagle for $3,499. The paint remains earth-toney and muted this round, but these build kits, especially the GX, offer versatility to a go-anywhere expedition rig.

There’s more to come from Salsa next week and in the near future, unfortunately, with so many of their bikes under embargo, we’ll have to wait until September to see more.

Raymond wanted a bike. One that wasn’t available from any of the touring brands. He wanted a 29+ tourer with rack mounts and provisions for extra water carrying capacity. Sure, there were the Salsa and Surly offerings but they weren’t quite what he wanted. That prompted Raymond to contact Rich at Moustache Cycles, his local builder in Flagstaff, Arizona to build his dream tourer.

Moustache Cycles is located at the base of Mt. Elden in Flagstaff and is capable of designing and fabricating some truly unique bicycles. What Rich built Raymond is a very interesting rig. Complete with a custom bullmoose bar, a truss-supported rack and a plate chainstay yoke. For bags, he contacted local maker Rogue Panda. Raymond and this bike are heading to Australia today to tour with the boys from Crust Bikes and as you can tell, he’s stoked!

You boys be safe down there. Watch out for the drop bears and hoop snakes.

The Adventure Cycling Association Bikecentennial Salsa Marrakesh Touring Bike – Kyle Kelley
Photos by Kyle Kelley, words by John Watson

When June and Greg Siple teamed up with Dan and Lys Burden to found the Adventure Cycling Association, I doubt they anticipated their impact on the bicycle touring world. Now, 40 years later and the ACA helps cyclists from all over the world navigate the trails, roads and dirt tracks all over North America with their route maps and magazine.

The ACA exists solely to grow the spirit of cycle tourism and a large portion of its funding comes from memberships and the sales of their maps, along with donations. Some of those come in the form of projects like this: the ACA Bikecentennial Edition Salsa Marrakesh. Between now and December 31st, 2016, each cyclist that you refer to ACA will land you a chance to win this bike.

While in Montana at the Bikecentennial celebration, Kyle got access to one to photograph it in an attempt to stoke the fire for the ACA and bicycle tourism! Head over to ACA’s Share the Joy website to find out more information and to enter for your chance to win this bike.

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Follow Kyle on Instagram and Adventure Cycling on Instagram.

Editor’s note: Jarrod recently attended Saddle Drive, Quality Bicycle Product’s outdoor showcase for their forthcoming products. This included components, accessories and complete bicycles from brands like Salsa, Surly and All City. Jarrod spent two days there, photographing new components on day one and on day two, complete bikes. Here’s that gallery.

The New Bike Models from Saddle Drive
Words and photos by Jarrod Bunk

Northstar at Tahoe is the perfect venue to showcase product, for day two I set aside most of my day between seminars to shoot some of the new bikes from Salsa, Surly and All City, Including the new BigBlock, Warbird Carbon/Alloy and Woodsmoke 27.5+. If I could I would’ve stayed the rest of the week just to be able to swing a leg over all of the other bikes. Check out the gallery for some of my favorites.

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Follow Jarrod on Instagram.