Jack’s Ground Up Speed Shop Track Bike
Words and photos by Spencer Harding
At this year’s annual Fixed Gear Classic at the NSC velodrome near Minneapolis there was a whole field, literally, of the fastest, meanest, slickest bikes from all of our forgotten fixed gear dreams. Although, one truly shone out, like a beacon, and to say this bike sparkles is an understatement. Jack Lindquist’s track bike is without comparison.
Eric Baar of Ground Up Speed Shop is known for his outlandish bikes combining multiple frame materials as well as exquisite pinstriping done by the man himself, and this bike does all his skills justice. After being introduced to Eric’s work by a fellow sprinter, Jack wound up crashing with Eric after a race in Colorado back in 2012. A few years later Jack was looking for a new bike and Eric was just the builder to call on for such a machine. It needed to be the stiffest bike possible with geometry to give someone of Jack’s proportions a low position while sprinting.
The frame started out as a tandem tube set, with the massive 3-piece seat mast acting as the backbone of the bike. The top tube is made from rare Easton Rad tubing, possibly the only appropriate tubing for such a frame. The custom CNC machined Ti dropouts are permanently bonded to the bmx chainstays with a second set of mini chainstays just to make sure no efficiency is lost. In the end, there is over 25 feet of welding stitching the frame together.
The finish is a combination layers upon layers of 13 colors of large flakes over a dark red base which was then covered by enough clear coat for 4 tandem frames. With the multiple layers of metal flake the bike gives the illusion that you could almost reach into the clear coat and stir the flakes around. The logos and racing number were hand painted in gold leaf and 1 shot by Eric.
It is amazing to see this much fun being had with the finish of such a purpose-built racing machine. While the mechanics of the frame are purely and seriously speed-focused, the finish is flamboyant and ostentatious. To quote Eric, the frame is, “part weight lifting equipment, part race car, part welding challenge, party crazy custom paint challenge, and part social experiment.”
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Follow Jack on Instagram and follow Eric at Ground Up Speed Shop on Instagram
