[SHIN / Hattori Seisakusho] A Framebuilder Quietly Goes On Reflecting Things

Words & photos: Tsubasa Uno
BIKE PHOTO: Tsuyoshi Sato

This is my favorite photograph in the world.

This is the workshop of SHIN / Hattori Seisakusho, in Oguchi, Niwa District, Aichi Prefecture.

Go there, and there is the smell of a person, and the gentle sound woven by a person and their tools.

The person earnestly polishing a piece of steel is Shinya Hattori (known as Shin-san)

Seen from the outside, you might hear voices asking, “What is he holding a single rod for?”

I, too, might well have been on the side that thinks so.

Why am I taking photographs in this workshop, I wonder.

Why was my heart stolen by Shin-san's overflowing passion, I wonder.

Having thought that through, I visited the workshop to hand in a single order form.

Just as a made-to-order suit is tailored, in the world of bicycles, too, there are tailors all over the world.

Through Circles, I too have seen all kinds of framebuilders in person, held beautiful frames in my hands, hung them up neatly in the store, and watched them take shape for customers, and every time I thought, someday I want to ride a cool bike like that..

I kept that feeling sealed away inside, and the place where I finally dug in, spoke up
and acted on it is here. I asked Shin-san of SHIN / Hattori Seisakusho to build one for me.

I sat on a chair in the workshop and talked with Shin-san about the frame I wanted to make.

Working from the actual order form: my height and weight, my inseam, the length from my armpit to the center of my palm, and so on.

Aiming at the one frame I pictured, in fine and careful detail, we talked it through in earnest, with some friendly chat mixed in.

As for its purpose this time, a track frame was the only choice, and since I want not just to ride it but to actively take part in cyclocross races and tracklocross races, too, we worked out the geometry (the frame's dimensions and shape) from there.

My goal is to set foot in every kind of place on the SHIN TRACK BIKE.

Within Japan, of course, but overseas as well; I'm thinking how good it would be to write my future reports alongside a bike like that, one I can enjoy traveling with.

Going to collect the finished frame

With an excitement I could hardly contain, I hurried to the workshop on the OMNIUM Mini-Max.

The scene unfolding there was one I had never once seen before.

As the finishing touch, the head patch of a pair of glasses, which is also Shin-san's motif, is brazed on, and it's complete.

Somehow, a scene like this was a first for me, and it was a strange stretch of time.

Perhaps I was being shown, right before my eyes like this, that tools, too, have life.

At that moment I felt a great warmth in my chest, and the tears came naturally.

Seeing the look in the eyes of Shin-san, the maker himself, I thought: whatever happens, I will never come to dislike bicycles.

I felt that strongly.

Or rather, I thought I want to be someone who's called the kind of cyclist who is stronger and kinder than anyone, and who can reach out a hand.

As if taking a deep breath

All sorts of things come back to me.

Ten years gone in a flash under the big roof that is Circles.

The fun things, the painful things, being told off, being saved.

All of it was time that had meaning.

Am I really living my life understanding that and digesting it, I wonder.

Things it's fine to forget, things that must not be forgotten, all of it; in doing my work, I hope not to forget to keep striving steadily, as I am now.

I believe in Kyutai Paint.

At Circles, we offer a service that adds joyful paint to bicycle frames and makes customers' wishes come true.

Purely by giving it color, the feeling when you actually get on the bike changes many times over.

First, there is what's called powder paint.

This is what's known as powder coating; it gives a very durable finish, and its strengths are a low price and a short turnaround.

At present, however, we're grateful to be receiving orders from many customers, so delivery does take a little time, but we'd be glad if you could spend the wait imagining your cycling life to come.

Second, there is what's called urethane paint.

This time I, too, had mine done as a multi-color scheme in urethane paint.

It's a paint service that excels at more complex paintwork than powder paint, and that can also add various special paints.

Seeing the finished paint, I'm really excited, too.
I won't say my interest in color was ever that slight, but honestly, I'm overwhelmed by the color.

Won't you all try believing in Kyutai Paint, too?

A tool for achievement

The bicycle gave me a goal.

Pressing on toward a goal may not be easy.

There are times when the weather is fine, and times when you're beaten down by hard, cold rain.

Or again, you may get caught up in some incident or accident while pedaling.

And yet, pedaling to the place you want to go.

Pedaling to go and see the person you want to see.

Pedaling out to a wide riverbank because there's a race to prepare for, and riding until you're worn out.

With that alone, achievement through the bicycle is fulfilled.

A bicycle comes with wheels.

I cut the spokes and carefully apply prep to each one.

Working in the mechanics' pit space for the first time in a while takes me back to my beginnings.

Those looking at the photos will have noticed already, but I'm finishing the wheel with the “CCB-001 CK Hub Fixed Gear Converter” that I'd wanted to try for so long.

I can't get away from 120mm rear spacing.

As long as the CHRIS KING ISO AB Front Hub and the CCB-001 CK Hub Fixed Gear Converter exist, I'm convinced that we track bike lovers will be eternal and indestructible, with not one of us lost.

Maybe I'd like to take on a track bike, maybe I'd like to enjoy one?
If you're going to daydream like that, you should just get on one right away.
That's what I'd like to urge.

There's nothing to be afraid of.
If even a little curiosity has sprouted, I think you should go for it.

Emotion and excitement you can only taste on a single speed are surely waiting.

The beauty that is the bicycle

Perhaps I've never thought much about beauty.

What, after all, is beauty in a bicycle?

Is it the assembly of the bicycle's parts?
Is it the coloring of the bicycle's frame?
Is it starting from a complete bike?
Is it boldly choosing a bike built up from scratch?
Is it this, is it that..

I think it over while gazing at my own bike.

In the end, it's a vehicle that a person rides for their own enjoyment.

So my bet is that being able to get to the point of playing freely and to the fullest becomes one form of beauty.

The other day I joined a ride organized by Yoshimoto, a member of the Circles Tokyo staff.

I missed the chance to take photos there, but my first ride, in the superb location of the “Kita-Fuji Maneuver Area” in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, was overwhelming and exceptional.

I'd like to go riding with everyone again, for a second-helping ride.

Really, no flattery, the Kita-Fuji Maneuver Area was an absolute blast!

In closing

If you keep riding a bike, good things are sure to happen.

The older you get, the more it's about the experience that comes from action, and the final results.

A sense of responsibility for the things you've decided for yourself.

I think these are very, very important matters.

I want to work hard so that I can properly fulfill such things, and carry out each day's conduct accurately.

There's still plenty I haven't managed to write, but I send my words of thanks to everyone who has been involved up to now.

Thank you very much.

I'll keep striving earnestly so that I can go on writing Uno-chan's travelogues.

From Uno-chan