Commuter bicycles, classic bicycles and custom bicycles

There’s a magic happening with cyclocross bikes. They really are the perfect vehicle for tackling both dirt and tarmac. Interest in the sport is soaring and can, to a certain extent, be attributed to the design and aesthetics of the modern cyclocross machine. Independent Fabrications are a familiar name amongst hand built bicycle aficionados, and the Massachusetts workshop has a strong cyclocross heritage. Their Planet Cross frame is a proven performer, and lends itself well to stylish customization. A German customer commissioned this one to coincide with a ’cross race between Dresden and Leipzig titled Critical Dirt. Tasty features abound, including Chris King hubs, SRAM Rival drivetrain and a 3T post and cockpit. One of the more subtle details is the custom stainless pig badge on the headtube, which is the race’s logo. This Indy Fab is surely one of the tightest looking ’crossers around, but I’m wondering whether it’s irony or co-incidence that the colorway is the same as Gulf Oil’s team scheme? [Special thanks to selectagold and Robert Gebler for the fine photography, visit his flickr for more well-shot cyclocross action.]