【BIKES OF MINE】The luxury of finding the perfect balance

Hello everyone, nice to meet you! My name is Yoshimoto! The staff call me Yoshi!

I’d like to think I’ve settled in pretty well at the shop, but let me take this opportunity to introduce myself properly. As you might have guessed from the title—where I was trying to make it obvious I’m from Kansai to build a character—I’m from Kyoto in the Kansai region. As mentioned in Tanaka-san’s blog the other day, after a few twists and turns, I’m currently training here at Circles.

I moved to Nagoya from Kansai for my previous job and started using a bike for my commute. That led me to start coming to Circles, where I became captivated by the appeal of parts as tools that I could swap out to fit my specific needs. Before I knew it, I was deep down the rabbit hole—hit by the desire to go anywhere under my own power—and eventually, I placed an order for what is often called the ultimate: a handmade bike.

My Sycip Bikes order, which I’d been waiting for for quite some time, is now complete and I’ve had a chance to put it to the test. So, I hope you’ll bear with me as I share a humble brag report on it, and hopefully convey a little bit of the charm of handmade bikes.

Seeking that "Just Right" Balance

I’m 174cm tall with a fairly average build—not particularly long-armed or long-legged (or so I’d like to believe). In that sense, a production bike would be perfectly capable of fitting my body. You might ask, is it really necessary to go for a bespoke handmade bike if you can just measure your body and buy off-the-shelf? Not necessarily.

So, why order one? For a hobby rider like me who spends weekends riding around 100km, enjoying the scenery and food, a pure road bike feels a bit "too salty"—too aggressive in terms of speed. On the flip side, a gravel road bike feels a bit "under-salted" for someone like me who wants to spend most of my time on the road. For me, an all-road bike that fits 30c or 32c tires, meant for 90% road and 10% gravel, is the "just right" balance, and that’s exactly what I was looking for.

When I started looking, there were plenty of "endurance road" bikes from big manufacturers, but carbon fiber is a bit "too salty" for me since I crash often. Steel is the "just right" material—it's durable enough that even if you treat it a bit roughly, it'll keep going with proper maintenance. Plus, it had to be an American brand. When you put all that together, the choices are surprisingly slim!

I eventually got motivated to go for a custom frame, but that was just the beginning of a trial-and-error process. Because you can adjust every little detail, the "seasoning" is entirely up to you. It's only natural that you'd get hung up on the decisions.

The Agonizing Bike Selection

Circles offers a lot of options for handmade bikes. That makes choosing quite difficult, but the big difference compared to picking a normal bike is that you can see the face of the builder who will actually craft your bike, and each of them has such a strong, unique approach to bike building.

After doing a fair amount of research—looking at past blogs and hearing stories from staff members who have met the builders—I was drawn to the gentle personality I imagined for Jeremy Sycip, the soft silhouette of his curved top tubes, and the "spice" of the vintage coins embedded in the seat stays. I decided I wanted to ride a bike built by him.

Once the Builder is Chosen, Just Lay Out Your Wishes

Once the builder is set, you measure your body stats and fill out an order sheet like the one above. On top of that, you define your specific "flavor" preferences—from your riding style (racing vs. endurance) to whether you prefer climbing by standing or sitting. You can even specify things like where to place bottle bosses or which parts you want to use (for this build, I wanted to use SRAM eTap, so I ordered a clean setup with no cable stops, only for the brakes). Then, you join the queue while the builder works out the frame geometry based on your input.

As for the color selection and assembly, I used a certain car as inspiration, but that's a whole other story—if you ask me at the shop, I'll be happy to talk your ear off about it!

What I realized through this experience is that the whole process—from calculating the geometry based on body measurements and riding style, to carefully welding the tubes, to the special paint job and part assembly—is a profound luxury. It’s all the time and effort dedicated solely to achieving that "just right" feeling I envisioned.

The "just right" feeling is different for everyone. It doesn't have to be a custom frame; even a custom complete bike can achieve your ideals if it hits that perfect spot. I’d love to help you find your "just right" balance. I’ll be waiting for you!

The Ideal, Taken Shape

After about a year of waiting, my one-of-a-kind bike was finished, featuring a custom Gulf-inspired paint job by Kyutai Paint. I took it for a ride immediately, and I was shocked at how much easier it made long-distance riding. It soaks up bumps as if it were wearing 650b×47c tires, even though it's on 700x32c. Naturally, my cruising speed has increased too. But when you step on the pedals, the stiffness of the drivetrain, paired with the characteristics of the chromoly frame, gives you that whip-like acceleration—it’s razor-sharp.

The tires I chose for this all-road concept, the Goodyear Vector 4-Seasons, have been a perfect match for this bike in terms of durability and tubeless performance. Combined with the compliance of the frame, I get great traction without bouncing, even on forest roads where tree roots have buckled the asphalt. On river paths with loose fine gravel, it smooths out the unpleasant vibrations. It has truly become the "just right" bike that makes every road I want to ride taste delicious.

Everyone’s taste for "saltiness" is different. Whether it's a custom frame or a modified complete bike, if you can achieve your ideal, that is the "just right" balance. Let's find your "just right" balance together. I'm looking forward to it.