#Kinfolk

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Akira’s Yeti Homage Kinfolk ‘Cross Bike

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Akira’s Yeti Homage Kinfolk ‘Cross Bike

Akira is our friend from Kobe, Japan and every year he comes to visit us in Los Angeles, usually bringing a new Kinfolk frame with him. He works for Kinfolk in Japan, coordinating the frame construction and paint design, as a side job. During the day, he goes to a very traditional office job in Kobe, so working for Kinfolk offers him creative expression, as well as a little extra money to keep his love of cycling funded.

Akira and His Kinfolk ‘Cross Bike

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Akira and His Kinfolk ‘Cross Bike

Kinfolk Bicycles began making track frames in the mid-2000’s. They tapped into the Japanese Keirin community and began working with Kusaka-san to make frames for the US market. Years passed and rider’s interests grew to road and finally ‘cross bikes. Now Kinfolk primarily works with geared bikes and in Japan, they employ Akira, who finds himself in LA usually once a year during Japan’s “Golden Week.”

This year, Akira brought this super slick Kinfolk ‘cross race bike. As you flip through this Gallery, don’t miss that Shimano crank beausage photo. I think that, along with the Paul skewers are my favorite details on this bike.

It’s been fun having Akira in town and I look forward to seeing him in Japan soon!

Trackosaurus Rex: Kinfolk Road with Sugino 75

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Trackosaurus Rex: Kinfolk Road with Sugino 75

Photo by Chris Lee

To commemorate the opening of Kinfolk’s new store at 94 Wythe in Brooklyn, Sean from King Kog commissioned Kinfolk‘s Kusaka-San to build a vintage-inspired road bike to compliment the rare Sugino 75 road group he acquired. Down to the disc wheel! This bike is insane and Kyle at Trackosaurus Rex has a great story on Kinfolk that you should really check out, along with more photos of this machine.

New Kinfolk Kits

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New Kinfolk Kits

My friends at Kinfolk Studios in Brooklyn have just launched a pre-order of their new Endo Customs cycling kit. We all know that Endo’s kits are the best in the US, so there’s no debate over the quality. Put in your pre-order at Kinfolk!

Also, check out a short video the guys made below.

Jesse’s Kinfolk Bosco Fixed Cruiser

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Jesse’s Kinfolk Bosco Fixed Cruiser

While a track bike with drops and a negative stem look great in photos, the reality is, at a certain point in one’s life, you just wanna cruise. If anyone knows about cruising, it’s Rivendell Cycles and that’s where Jesse picked up these Nitto Bosco Bullmoose bars for his Kinfolk track bike. Personally, I love it. I’m sure it’ll rub the purists the wrong way but they’re not the ones riding in style like this!

Kicking Around Kinfolk Studios in Brooklyn

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Kicking Around Kinfolk Studios in Brooklyn

Kinfolk Studios is a space that change every time I visit Brooklyn. I remember when Maceo and Ryan ambitiously signed a lease to the space and began the lengthy process of construction. They busted their asses for a year, getting the space ready. With the Kinfolk Studios bar and restaurant open and cracking, the design offices upstairs are bustling with new creative projects.

While most of the space was a bit cluttered with work, the stairwell and Maceo’s Kinfolk track provided more than enough inspiration to get some lens love. I still love that Kinfolk Brooks saddle…

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

Cobalt Blue Kinfolk Complete

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Cobalt Blue Kinfolk Complete

Kinfolk produces some of the nicest track bikes. They’ve been doing it for so long that there are no surprises. You’re buying a handmade in Japan, Keirin-inspired machine and now, you can hack away at an eBay auction. Start your bidding here!

eBay shut the auction down, stay tuned via this post on Hypebeast