Ketta and I (1).

Ketta and I (1).

The 2006 San Jose NAHBS. My fate was sealed.
Meeting Rick Hunter—a very tall, generous, slightly laid-back guy who is nevertheless acknowledged by every cyclist in the San Francisco area as a super cyclist—showed me exactly where I wanted to go.
He’s a cool young American in his Levi’s, Pendleton shirt, and desert boots. Seeing the answers and meaning behind the idea that bicycles are "fun tools"—which radiate from the bikes he creates—made me rethink what I had admired and felt up until now, and forced me to ask myself if I had truly made the most of everything I’d gained. (It is an undeniable fact that I spent almost all of my time at the Hunter booth starting from the second day.)

In the seven years since I was captivated by the bikes he makes, I’ve built countless Hunters, but this is a particular recent favorite.
This bike, in a "Sportif Style" dubbed the "RoughRider," can swallow tires up to 35c and fenders. Beyond just weight or performance, I think of it as a "go-anywhere" bike for cyclists who love to plan where they're going to ride tomorrow.

The wheels are hand-spun with tied spokes using King hubs.
For the cockpit, I’ve naturally adopted SimWorks by NITTO parts, which I have the privilege of designing myself.

And while I’ve treated it to Ultegra Di-2 just to see how it goes, I’m convinced that it’s ultimately destined to go back to mechanical cables. (And I’d like to talk about why I like Shimano on another occasion.)