Cycling Edge is one of Australia’s most exclusive bicycle showrooms and workshops, offering some of the world’s leading brands under one roof. Their regular output consists of ultra lightweight carbon fiber weight weenies but when we spotted this beautiful monstrosity our jaws dropped. While it hasn’t actually got a title, it could very well be slapped with the moniker, ‘Purple People Eater’, as it’s themed with late 60’s and early 70’s muscle cars in mind.
That purple, for instance, is a direct reference to a trademark color Chrysler applied to the Dodge Challenger, a pony car built from 1970 to 1974. Dubbed ‘Plum Crazy’, the hue now inspires the same kind of passion as Bianchi’s ‘Celeste’.
As is to be expected from Cycling Edge, the attention to detail and quality of components are second to none. Assembled by master Melbourne mechanic Dan Hale, the build consists of orange anodised Tune hubs laced to 1.65 Edge clinchers, Chris King headset and bottom bracket, DEDA stem and bars, titanium Moots seat post, ‘candied’ SRAM Force gruppo and matching purple HIVE brakes. Simply, horribly immaculate.
What really finishes this whole bike off, however, is the custom embroidered leather saddle by Mick Peel from Busyman Bicycles, a bespoke bicycle upholsterer also located in Melbourne. Mick has collaborated with Cycling Edge on quite a few projects now, and the results are always spectacular.
This bike is like all family portraits from the early 70’s, enough to make you cringe. Can’t help but love them.
