If I could place an order for any hand built bike in the world it would be for a Fast Boy. Ezra is one of my all time heroes. He has one of the most beautiful outlooks on life, which has been tempered by an experience that no-one should have to go through. Read his blog for more information on that trial. Needless to say he is an individual who, like the steel he works with, has been tested in fire and, like the bikes he produces, are works of Art in the true sense of the word.
This is one of his older builds, from 2009, but still one of my favorites. After spending a precious afternoon of my weekend convincing a disagreeable derailleur to derail correctly, I’m convinced single speed bicycles are advanced technology. Taking that one step further, this Fast Boy utilizes a White Industries DOS Freewheel mechanism, which allows two cogs on a SS freewheel. Hence, ‘dingle-speed’. Not only that, the chain ring has two sets of teeth. It’s a dual dingle-speed. Now, the rear Phil Wood hub is a fixed/free flip-flop hub. So it is, in fact, a double-dual-dingle-speed. Ezra has an given it an even more colloquial title, check it out on his Flickr. After that mouthful, it’s much doubly appropriate.
The other feature that makes this bike stand out above others in this genre is that stylish paint. Like a white linen Ermenegildo Zegna suit with a silk tie, Ezra has masked off two stripes to let the raw metal achieve a rich patina with age.
Please, have a read of the Fast Boy blog. Thanks Ezra.
