The bike started it’s life as a sweet fixie bike, a Band Wagon, in the early 2010s. Coincidentally during the time I was riding an awesome dark green Paddy Wagon I’m still missing. Anyway, apparently at some point riding fixed gear wasn’t, as the kids would say, “cool” any more. Luckily, rather than languishing in some graphic designers attic, the frame has been modified to suit the changing times, it has been painted olive drab and customised by an artesan in Turku, Finland for brakes of the future – cantilevers.
For me the bike is a relatively recent build, I’ve had this sweet Easton EC70 X fork and blue Frogglegg cantilevers stashed away for a while now waiting for the right frame. When I saw an interesting v-brake-equipped Kona single speed pop up for sale I knew it was the one. A friend offered to deliver the bike to me, and soon I had replaced freewheel with a track cog and turned the bike into more of a cyclocross inspired build.
My plans for the bike include replacing the 18t cog with a 17t to go faster, putting on some lighter knobby tyres after the winter, and riding it. I’m not delusional enough to claim I would be taking this to some epic fixed gear bikepacking around the world trip, but it’s a really fun bike to shred the local trails and to commute with in the slushy Hellsinki.
Notable components:
Frame: Kona Band Wagon 59 cm, repainted and modified with cantilever bosses
Fork: Easton EC70 X, carbon fiber
Brakes: Frogglegg cantilevers
Wheels & tyres: Miche XPress, Continental 37-622 tyres
Drivetrain: FSA Gimondi chainset, Gebhardt 42t chainring, Surly 18t cog, KMC chain.
Others: Selle Italia Flite saddle, FSA seatpost & stem, Specialized handlebar
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