The fixed gear bike culture was born from Keirin, Japanese track racing.
A thrilling ride through the streets using 'Fixed' gear is characteristic of track bikes. LEADER is a fixed gear bike specifically optimised for city riding. Its silhouette stands out boldly on the streets.
Still, I've always wanted to see the 735TR on a Keirin velodrome. With that thought, I customized it accordingly.
LEADER 735TR Complete Bike $1,700.00 USD / Frame Set $1,150.00USD
I built it with a clean look, inspired by Girls Keirin (In contrast to regular Keirin, women's races feature carbon frame). Personally speaking, aero frames like 735TR paired with low-depth rims look especially cool.
In Keirin, only NJS certified parts and frames are allowed, so this time, I customized this bike for city use with mostly NJS parts.
NITTO B123AA
When it comes to NJS parts, this handlebar is the one.
A true masterpiece, loved by track bike riders across generations and around the world. Its ultra-narrow, deep-drop design isn't exactly practical, but the style is absolutely one of a kind. If possible, I'd ride it in a solid style–without even wrapping it with bar tape.
The stem is also an NJS certified threadless stem to match the handlebar. Its simple and beautiful design, combined with a steep ±17° angle, creates the ideal silhouette that track bike riders look for.
NITTO NJ-89EX
There is nothing I don't love about this custom bike, but if I had to pick one, it would be the saddle. Not long ago, Selle Italia received NJS certification, so I thought it would be a perfect fit for this build's concept. A reissue of the beloved Flite1990 saddle–featuring the classic stitched logo–has been released, and it’s a favourite among many track bike enthusiasts.
selle ITALIA FLITE 1990 NJS embroidery
I think it would look incredible cool to ride this clean, pure white until it's completely worn out. In the world of fixed gear bikes, using your gear without worrying about dirt is what makes it real.
This custom bike is an 'homage' to Keirin.
However, just putting it together with all NJS parts wouldn't be very interesting. I aimed for a build that keeps the Keirin-inspired silhouette while making it more practical for street riding.
Keirin wheels use tubular tires where the tube and tire are a single unit. Because they run at extremely high pressure, they tend to transmit a lot of vibration on city streets, which can be quite rough. In addition, fixed gear riding involves skidding and other movements that wear out tires quickly, so I chose clincher rims for easier tire replacement.
H PLUS SON TB-14 "THE BOX"
Among clincher rims, I chose THE BOX, which has a relatively low depth, to balance a Keirin-like silhouette with a smoother ride. It's a must-have rim for any classic style custom bike.
And as many of you may have noticed, I made a small modification to the downtube of the LEADER. I considered boldly adding a white logo to match the saddle, but I felt it might end up looking a bit cheap.
I went with a three-dimensional logo design–subtle, but unique. One of the great things about a thick frame like the 735TR is that you can have fun customizing it with stickers. I encourage everyone to treat their frame like a canvas and enjoy expressing themselves in their own unique way.
Honestly, this isn’t exactly a mainstream custom by BROTURES standards, and it might not appeal to everyone, but that’s what fixed gear bikes are all about I think. Just riding a fixed gear already means you're going against the grain, and if you're always worried about what others think, you'll never do anything interesting. With the freedom to customize however you want, it’s a waste to stick with a plain, ordinary build. Even a rough concept or loose idea is totally fine—if you'd like, we're happy to help you bring it to life. Feel free to reach out to us anytime for ideas or inspiration!