The Cherubim Bike Legacy: From Tokyo’s Keirin Culture to Street Art

Featured as this week’s Japanese Bicycle of the Week, the Cherubim bike Triplecrown represents decades of craftsmanship. Initially, Hitoshi Konno founded the company in 1970s Tokyo, drawing inspiration from Japan’s competitive keirin racing scene. Subsequently, while working at C-Sprint workshop, Konno transformed Cherubim bikes into a distinguished name in custom steel frame manufacturing.

Moreover, each Cherubim bike requires a precise silver brazing process at 750°C, which ensures cleaner joints and superior control versus brass brazing. Furthermore, the frame features distinctive minimalist lugwork and clean lines, purposefully contrasting traditional European designs.

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Finally, the frame undergoes multiple alignment checks using traditional Japanese tools, maintaining tolerances within 0.5mm. Consequently, the Triplecrown’s geometry (53cm seat tube, 52cm top tube) exemplifies these standards while offering practical features such as increased tire clearance and minimal toe overlap for urban riding.

Premium Drivetrain Components

At the heart of this Cherubim bicycle drivetrain sits the legendary Sugino 75 crankset, which is perfectly paired with a Phil Wood bottom bracket, renowned for its exceptional durability and smooth operation. Furthermore, the classic 49-tooth Sugino 75 chainring operates harmoniously with an EAI Deluxe 19-tooth cog, establishing a gear ratio of 2.58:1 (or 70.1 gear inches).

Subsequently, this ratio enables the Cherubim bike to achieve an optimal balance of acceleration and cruising speed in urban environments. Moreover, power transfer is optimized through the Izumi V Super Toughness chain, which is widely regarded as the gold standard in track bike chains due to its superior tensile strength and precision manufacturing.

Additionally, the MKS Sylvan Stream Next pedals complete the drivetrain with their innovative sealed bearing design and replaceable pins for enhanced grip. To understand the gear calculations further, this Cherubim bike’s ratio translates to approximately 5.45 meters of distance traveled per crank revolution. In practical terms, when riding at a comfortable cadence of 90 RPM, the bike can maintain a speed of roughly 29.5 km/h (18.3 mph).

Wheelset & Control Points

The Cherubim bike’s core features Dura-Ace 7600 NJS hubs with 32-hole drilling. These incorporate cup-and-cone bearings for optimal smoothness. High polished flanges and sealed units protect against weather. The hubs connect to Araya RC-540 rims via Hoshi NJS double-butted spokes. Drive side tension maintains 120-130 kgf, while non-drive side holds at 100-110 kgf.

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Control begins with Nitto B259 Riser bars at 50cm width. A Nitto Pearl 8 NJS stem secures these bars. The setup on this bicycle offers 60mm rise with 12-degree sweep. The Chris King GripNut headset uses 27 precision bearings. Its two-step locking mechanism ensures zero play.

The front axle spans 15mm, while rear spacing measures 110mm to NJS standards. Araya RC-540 rims feature 36mm depth and 19mm internal width. These specs allow tire pressures between 95-120 PSI. The Cherubim bike’s wheels maintain lateral trueness within 0.3mm. This precision ensures stable cornering at high speeds.

Japanese Bicycle Performance Accessories

The Cherubim bike’s cockpit centers on the Nitto Pearl 8 NJS stem, a piece that exemplifies Japanese craftsmanship. Forged from premium aluminum alloy, this 90mm stem maintains a classic 73-degree angle. Furthermore, its distinctive four-bolt faceplate design ensures secure bar clamping at 8Nm. The pearl finish, achieved through a specialized anodizing process, provides both aesthetic appeal and durability

Comfort meets tradition as this Cherubim bike employs an Ergon SR Men saddle, featuring a pressure-relief channel and orthopedic foam with specific densities: 8 ILD in the rear, graduating to 14 ILD in the nose section. Additionally, the saddle mounts to a Nitto Jaguar NJS seatpost, precision-machined from 2014-T6 aluminum with a zero-offset design. The post’s distinctive single-bolt clamp mechanism delivers 4-5Nm of torque for secure saddle positioning.

For practical urban use, the Cherubim bike incorporates several key accessories. A hand-hammered Spurcycle Raw Bell, tuned to 98 decibels, provides clear audio signaling. The Nitto Type R bottle cage, crafted from 0.8mm titanium wire, securely holds bottles while weighing only 29 grams. Finally, a traditional traffic charm from Nikko Toshogu Shrine, dating back to 1617, adds cultural authenticity and, according to tradition, protective properties to the build.

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