#Mars-Cycles

tag

2021 Philly Bike Expo: Junkyard Cats Tracklocross

Reportage

2021 Philly Bike Expo: Junkyard Cats Tracklocross

Junkyard cats are notoriously difficult to wrangle, which is why we don’t have any portraits of Casey Sussman or Stephen Bilenky from this year’s Philly Bike Expo. What we do have, however, is a photoset documenting the duo’s new Tracklocross bikes from their collective endeavor Junkyard Cats. Paying homage to Junkyard Cross races of yesteryear, bikes that Sussman (Mars Cycles) and Bilenky (Bilenky Cycle Works) build together will feature the Junkyard Cats name, including a five-size, five-color run of handmade, lightweight steel, raw, un-filed fillet brazed Tracklocross bikes. Jarrod Bunk pulled one of these Tracklocross builds aside to photograph at this year’s Philly Bike Expo, which we’re looking at in detail below.

2016 NAHBS: Mars Cycles Trailside Companion 420 ‘Cross Bike

Reportage

2016 NAHBS: Mars Cycles Trailside Companion 420 ‘Cross Bike

420-friendly themes in cycling were abundant in the early years of mountain biking, yet I don’t recall ever seeing a bike actually become a pipe. Mars Cycles went there for NAHBS this year, making the Trailside Companion a functioning smoking device, carb and all. Personally, I think this is a brilliant use of a show bike…

Also, that spraypaint job is insane!

2015 NAHBS: Mars Cycle ‘Cross

Reportage

2015 NAHBS: Mars Cycle ‘Cross

Casey Sussman from Mars Cycles‘ work has been featured here on the site before. Coincidentally, it was during last year’s NAHBS that I bumped into him on the street and shot his track bike. This year, he had a booth in the “rookie” hall and brought this icy cross bike.

With paint by Jordan Low, leather work by Mark Christian Bolick of Suture Saddles and a mix of Columbus tubing, including a stainless downtube with stainless blades, Casey’s work really stood out in the hall. Maybe that’s what landed him the People’s Choice award?