The view after a 360° turn might look different
There’s a common idiom about doing a "180-degree turn," which means a total change in one's life perspective or way of thinking.
So, what happens if you turn another 180 degrees from there? You’ve made a full 360-degree rotation and returned to your original spot, but I don’t think the view ahead after a full 360 is necessarily the same as it was before.
Embodying that kind of feeling is this SURLY Steamroller.
SURLY Steamroller Ver.650b
COLOR: Banana Candy Yellow
SIZE: 49 (suitable for a height of approx. 160cm)
SPECIAL PRICE: ¥250,000 (tax included)
This is a frame I’ve sold plenty of, telling people, "The Steamroller is great, really!", but I never actually bought one for myself. (I regret it a little bit.)
I’ve seen Steamrollers in all sorts of guises. It’s a super-simple bike that changes to match the times and trends while its specs remain virtually the same.
Is the Steamroller adapting? Or are the trends coming to match it?
No, it’s not that it's adapting—it’s that the Steamroller is paving the way for the times and trends. It really is a "steamroller" of a bicycle.
I like to think that by flattening out every era and every trend, the Steamroller creates a "Steamroller trend" suited to each new generation.
The Trend Called "Steamroller"
What is this "trend called Steamroller"?
If we’re talking about now, I think building it with 650b wheels is one of those trends.
The frame was originally intended for 700c wheels, but thanks to the "roominess" of the Steamroller—or should I say its generous tire clearance—you can run 650b wheels if you use long-reach caliper brakes.
Since these long-reach brake calipers can also accommodate 700c wheels, it might be fun to have both a 700c and a 650b wheelset to swap out depending on your mood!
Building it with 700c is fun for picking up speed. With 650b wheels and wider tires...
The hub is threaded on both sides, so once you get used to a freewheel, trying out a fixed gear is another way to play. Since our roots in cycling are fixed-gear city riding, leave these kinds of customs to us.
As for the rest, I added a few Keirin parts as a homage to the history of the Steamroller, or past trends. The cockpit setup is purely my own personal taste, ha!
Don't worry, though—it doesn't sacrifice any rideability.
The View After a 360° Turn
Given the season, it’s fun to cruise leisurely through the city, and it’s just as good to ride it stoically.
In short, this is a bike you'll keep riding, no matter how many times the trends rotate.
Was that conclusion a bit too sloppy?
It’s fine—a little roughness makes it easier for people to ride without feeling too much pressure.