Ketta and I (Extra Edition)

Ketta and I (Extra Edition)


Well, I never learn and keep owning too many bikes. This Hunter is a touring bike that has probably gone beyond simple attachment for me, because the origins of the frames and parts I use are my history itself.
The Hunter frame is a hand-me-down from Rick’s aunt (the terrifying feeling of being able to ride the same geometry as an American woman—those guys are way too big). The fork is an early Hunter super crown model, where the lower reinforcement is a pipe rather than a plate—a piece that really lets you feel its history. As for the parts, the STIs are 8-speed 105s, and the 7700-series D/A rear derailleur is an SSG for triples. The Campy Veloce is a square taper, but it works exceptionally well for me. (The key might be the hated YUMEYA titanium-coated 9-speed chain that I had sitting in my stock forever.)
Speaking quite personally, this is the type of thing I love most. Because it allows me to always feel my initial impulses, and it’s something where I can really think about the meaning of continuing to use things and the significance of the bicycle itself.

When I worked at a shop before starting Circles, I saw so many people discard parts when they swapped them out. (I suppose this was one of the perks of working at a bike shop.) Those parts were still fully functional and could have been used in many ways, yet people would throw them away. At first, I was quite stunned and even felt a little resentment toward the customers, but I started assembling these parts onto fairly inexpensive frames (limited to ones that were still perfectly usable) and selling them to friends for 20,000 or 30,000 yen. That eventually led to Surly, which is now at the heart of our shop; perhaps that’s why it’s the origin of the philosophy I built during the very fun "CircleCycles" era (my business name before Circles).
To elaborate a bit further, Surly is a brand that shops in the US can carry almost anywhere. There are so many shops where people who have talent but no money, or those who have just started their business, combine used parts with Surly frames to do everything they can to ensure people can enjoy riding bikes cheaply but safely. I always think it's quite hard to find people over here who possess that kind of initial impulse and purity—that, what should I call it, business model? (You see plenty of them in mature fields like music or cooking, don't you?)

Anyway, it is incredibly important to think for yourself and build things up for your bike, which is why I really wanted to offer a workshop rental service at Circles. (It’s a great deal for everyone, so please make use of it! Details here!)
At the end of the day, it’s something you entrust your life to, yet it’s so light, easy to use, occasionally throws a tantrum, but returns to normal if you give it a little attention.
They really are quite lovely, these things.