Custom Special Commuter Rig

This was a bike we built to replace a beloved classic Tange frame from the early 1990’s. The Tange Prestige frame had thousands of random miles on it, many as a svelte but practical commuter, and many just logging pavement miles exploring where the road can take you. It succumbed to the rigors of time and eventually cracked on the top tube after plenty of abuse hopping curbs and pretending to be a gravel bike.

We wanted to keep it pretty classic, sticking with a lugged layout, but adding some nice touches here and there… a custom wishbone seatstay configuration, internal cable routing for the rear brake, and a specific 1x setup for the drivetrain cabling. We were working with an existing set of components for this rig so choosing the right color to make things pop was also pretty important. The original choice was a color called “Mermaid Candy” but our paint guys talked us into stepping a little sideways into a paint that was easier to work with that would have a similar outcome. As always, the professionals know best and it’s best to heed their advice. We were pleased with the outcome.

As always, we tried to strike a balance between classic and modern… of course, lugs always keep things locked into a pretty classic geometry, but we threw in the modern touches where it felt right. A 1x drivetrain and dual pivot caliper brakes always soup things up, but those Ciussi Inox cages are from days gone by. Everyone is chasing silly plastic bits these days, but those elegant, button-style stainless cages will always be a good touch to remind people that sometimes steel is just more… ya know, real.

Columbus tubing and Long Shen castings holding it together, this one is sure to get another 30 years worth of abuse like the frame it is replacing!