There are plenty of reasons to lay down a deposit on a Speedvagen. They ride brilliantly, they’re disruptive, and they look great — which is thanks in no small part to their Surprise Me paint option. The flag just dropped for the 2019-20 season.
You can spot a Speedvagen a long way off, thanks to the silhouette of their S-bend seat stays and standardized paint designs. The Surprise Me concept leaves the color choice of that design up to the paint shop at Speedvagen. “No hints, no regrets”.
Initially, the inspiration came from the distressed paintwork on Sacha White’s 140 Series Volvo. It may sound obtuse, but when applied professionally to a fresh frame with the contrast of super-clean racing stripes, the result is arresting.
For the 2019-20 season, they’ve upped the ante and created a design that combines the buff aesthetic of American muscle cars and racing autos with an effect that looks like the rear triangle has been taken to with a grinder.
The result is again arresting, although this time it might be for a speeding violation. Selecting the Surprise Me option is a bold statement of personalization, like selecting the racing stripe upgrade on a new Mustang.
Like those racing stripes on a new muscle car, the Surprise Me scheme looks fast. It’ll make it yours and announces that this one’s a keeper — because not everyone may want them after you’ve decided to move it on. Although really, why the hell would you?
Up until now, Surprise Me was only available as an option for a limited time after its annual release. Well, not anymore. Starting with this new release, you’ll be able to select it right up until the day the next one is announced.
We here at The Spoken wouldn’t hold back. This edition is the best iteration of the Surprise Me program we’ve seen. In Speedvagen’s own words: It’s “A nod to the garage builds, rat rods, mods, and all things speed. It’s about learning with your hands, getting dirty, and producing a full-on race machine.”
Naturally, we would also request the hubs to be painted to match. All the other Speedvagen upgrades are still there to choose from. Although on this example we spotted a new stainless steel chainstay protector that is particularly awesome.
You’ve got to hand it to Speedvagen. They’ve turned the Prancing Unicorn into a brand that demands attention. Where else can you opt for a skate deck painted to match your new bike? Sign us up.
