There was a time, not so recently, when the only bicycle to be seen dead with was a Japanese Keirin frame built up only with NJS-approved components—that is, the manufacturers of the wheels, seat post and saddle, drive train and cockpit had been ordained by the Nihon Jitensha Shinkōka, the governing body of the sport.
That may no longer be the case, but at least there’s more people riding bicycles as a result, seeking out bikes more suited to everyday needs. In some cases, those magnificent racing machines have been re-configured in a more practical, albeit oddball, format. The purists are still out there, so it will be interesting to observe the reaction to Pratama Radityo’s 3Rensho frame.
If you’re not attending regular racing events at your local velodrome, it only makes sense to stick a rack on the front to assist grocery-getting or a pub run, and Jakarta’s Pancalen Cycles, a husband-and-wife operated bicycle shop, took care of the installation. Luckily, Pancalen Cycles specialize in high-end rebuilds and anomalous requests.
The new format started with a fork by Wound Up Composites that supports a Gamoh rack. There’s still a few NJS stamps here and there, appearing on the Superbe cranks, Sugino Aero Mighty chain ring and Nitto seatpost. 3Rensho roughly translates as ‘3 Victories’, referring to the rare occurrence in when a racer would place first on 3 consecutive days of racing: qualifiers, semi-finals and finals.
Find out more on the Pancalen Cycles website. Special thanks to Rangga Panji for the photos.
