The Radavist

Melbourne has so many nice track bikes on the street at any given moment. It became kind of overwhelming. To the point where I just stopped trying to shoot photos of them. Then I saw Tristen‘s Guerciotti at Saint Cloud and had to shoot it. The build is a mix of old and new, with a peculiar grip situation on the bars. The Phil Wood hubs to Velocity Deep V’s are a wheelset we’ve probably all had at one point but this noble steed gets ridden and locked up everyday, not hung on a wall. Click the image above for the gallery.

In all the time I’ve been posting about Firefly‘s work, I’ve never actually ridden one. It took me traveling to Australia to finally get the chance to ride a frame in my size and man, what a rocket. Let’s face it, Tyler and Jamie know what they’re doing. Their stainless and titanium bikes are awe-inspiring and that takes a special mechanic to do the build justice. Luckily, Justin knew where to go: Shifter Bikes.

Where do I begin with this bike? The Rotor Rings, affixed by the polished Hollowgram cranks? Or the entire group, which was polished by none other than Fyxomatosis? Then there’s the EE Cycle Works brakes with their made in America, tech aesthetic. As a complete piece of art, Justin’s Firefly is molten lava. See for yourself below!

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Speaking of Saint Cloud, while I was in Melbourne last month, I spent a good amount of time with Nick and the crew. Since my last visit, Nick’s picked up both track racing and road cycling, all while still trying to get in as much time on the FGFS as he can. The space itself has gone through some changes as well, sporting a new, much more open floorplan. I barely missed the 2-year anniversary party too! What a busy year and in that time, Saint Cloud has been pushing forward with such momentum that I wonder if he’ll have to move to a bigger shop soon? From here, it looks like Melbourne’s got a good thing going for it. See for yourself in the gallery.

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How about a nice change of pace? Let’s leave NAHBS for a second and travel to OZ. Melbourne is a cyclist’s haven for rich, vibrant culture and South Yarra seems to be the epicenter. You’ve got Shifter Bikes, FYXO Hub and Northside Wheelers all in the same area, running completely different businesses and yet, they’re all contributing to the greater good. With big-brand concept stores everywhere, it’s hard to find a shop that shows cycling history and sells part of the insignia that goes along with it.

The golden age of cycling is still alive, but in small circles. Northside Wheelers is a shop that sells cycling apparel and goods. Think of it as a clothing shop for the bike fanatic in your life. From Creux to Rapha, books, magazines, goods and even some vintage apparel, Malachi Moxon over at Northside Wheelers has everything you need to get you styled out for a ride.

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