It has been a little less than two years since we started carrying them.
BASSI BIKES has firmly secured its spot as a regular member of the Circles lineup.
And now, the cleanup hitter of the BASSI team, the Hog’s Back, is back in stock with fresh new colors.
It’s a bike that is incredibly versatile, boasts specs that show respect for vintage bikes, yet remains cute and beautiful without being overly serious.
Two new colors are now in stock
Sparkling Beige, which highlights the catchiness unique to the Hog’s Back.
Matte Black, a more understated option that pairs wonderfully with the logo color.
As it turns out, both are re-released colors that were popular before we even started carrying the brand at Circles.
When I mentioned how versatile it is, I meant that it’s easily adaptable to any style of riding.
What kind of bicycle is the Hog’s Back?
The Hog’s Back is an all-road bike concept.
It is designed to conquer every type of road.
- A touring bike for riding long distances comfortably on many surfaces while carrying a lot of gear.
- A gravel bike for enjoying both paved roads and unpaved paths (gravel and dirt roads).
- A city commuter bike for short daily trips that prioritizes comfort and practicality.
What exactly is this bike like?
Let's introduce some of the bikes built by the BASSI crew and the ones we’ve put together at Circles so far.
The Hog’s Back as a touring bike
These are the bikes of Julian and Roberto, the sales team at C&L CYCLE who run BASSI. These builds were masterpieces, so let’s start with these two.
It’s a bike that travels with plenty of gear by making good use of the many eyelets. They rode these bikes all the way from Tokyo to Nagoya.
With its durable chromoly frame, long-distance touring is a breeze. True to its character as a gravel bike, the Hog’s Back accommodates wide tires to handle all kinds of roads.
The Hog’s Back as a gravel bike
Much like vintage MTBs, you can fit tires up to 2.2″ on 26-inch wheels, 47mm on 650B wheels, or 27.5×2.2″ or 700Cx45mm wide tires on L size or larger frames, allowing you to ride almost any surface with confidence.
The trick is to keep it as light as possible by using bike-packing style bags instead of racks and baskets.
For those looking for a bit more speed than a typical touring bike and wanting to enjoy a more adventurous ride, this setup is highly recommended.
The Hog’s Back as a commuter bike
This is a city bike. In urban areas, there are many times when a bicycle is more convenient than a car, isn't there?
There are many discoveries that can only be made by riding a bike. And that's no different in the countryside.
Building it with slightly wider tires, handlebars that sweep back for a relaxed riding position, and adding a stand and a basket for convenience—this kind of build fully draws out the strengths of the Hog’s Back as a commuter bike.
Bicycles are also beautiful as a simple means of transportation.
Learning from the past to understand the new
Julian from C&L CYCLE, who designed the bike, says that in the process of creating the Hog’s Back, he rode various bikes and deeply experienced their respective appeals and challenges.
"I was riding the latest (at the time) chromoly touring bike. I liked its sophisticated design and performance, but there were constraints with the cantilever brakes and limited tire clearance.
On the other hand, the 1990s rigid mountain bikes provided a fun ride, but lacked the comfort and practicality needed for touring. Also, single-speed rigid XC mountain bikes boasted speed and agility, but were not suited for long-distance riding or carrying loads.
While respecting the merits of each, I conceived a bicycle with the ideal geometry and functionality by complementing the missing elements, and that is exactly what the Hog’s Back became."
Combining the toughness of a classic mountain bike with the comfort and versatility required for modern touring bikes, this bike is truly an embodiment of "Onko-Chishin" (learning from the past to create the new).
The reason Circles, smitten with steel bikes, carries BASSI is precisely because we resonated with this philosophy.
Also, the fact that it doesn't use the latest standards is a plus—it's perfect for swapping parts from a bike you previously owned.
It's also a frame that excels at being a transplant from that old barn-kept MTB your dad used to ride.
Chromoly steel is a material that has played a crucial role in the history of mountain bike and touring bike evolution.
It’s not just about the bicycle itself, but inheriting bicycle culture and adapting it to the modern lifestyle.
We believe that chromoly frame bikes are a symbolic presence of this.
I said earlier that it’s nice that it’s not too serious, only to end up talking about it quite seriously, but it truly is a frameset that can be enjoyed in many different ways.
It really is a fun bike just thinking about the assembly.
We look forward to your orders!
【BASSI BIKES】
Hog’s Back Frame Set
Color：Sparkling Beige, Matte Black
Size：S(47cm), M(51cm), L(54cm), XL(57cm)
Price：¥165,000 (tax included)
We also have a small amount of 2022 stock in Cool Ade (red) and Pink.
That means there are 4 colors in total! Choose the one you like!
Of course, you can purchase them at Circles, as well as Circles Tokyo and the Circles Web Shop.
Also, a portion of this shipment is available at select CWD dealers.
Quantities are limited due to the small size of the shipment, but if you're interested, please be sure to visit your local retailer.
[Dealer List]
Nagoya, Aichi：Circles, Culture Club
Minato-ku, Tokyo：Circles Tokyo
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka：Happy&Slappy
Nonoichi, Ishikawa：Velow’s
Kyoto, Kyoto：Cycle Hatera(Eirin Marutamachi Branch Annex)
Osaka, Osaka：Bicycle Studio MOVEMENT
Osaka, Osaka：Hutte 8to8
Himeji, Hyogo：AYA BIKES(only stocking select old colors)
