The temptation to draw comparisons between Cherubim’s handmade bicycles and katana, one of the swords used by the samurai of feudal Japan, can’t be ignored — they both share the same philosophies of spirit and manufacture.
This is Cherubim’s Uli, a club racer on par with their popular Sticky frame, and it doesn’t take a great stretch of the imagination to visualize this machine slicing through the air like the warrior’s sword.
Toronto’s Blacksmith Cycle store are the only designer and importer of Cherubim’s frames into North America, and they assembled this Uli in recognition of their role. The build goes a long way in proving how modern — yet individual — a steel bike can be.
Blacksmith Cycle are unique in that they “are the home of the small builder, and are especially proud to support more NAHBS bike brands than any other shop in the world”. Not a bad accolade to stick on the wall.
Cherubim use Japanese-made Kaisei steel tubing, a brand whose history dates back to the 70s and 80s. Kaisei was formed when Ishiwata folded in the early 90s and many of the staff founded Kaisei, continuing to produce a product comparable to Columbus.
These magnificent captures were taken by Jeremy Nathan of Life Is A Beautiful Detail, one of our favorite blogs. Head to his site for the full story of this heavenly machine.
Blacksmith Cycle Website | Facebook | Instagram
During a recent trip to Japan, Blacksmith Cycle visited the Cherubim workshop to personally experience their production facility. Here are a few shots from the tour: