| Quick Answer: The Cherubim Silver Flyer is a hand-brazed steel track frame built by Cherubim, the Machida, Tokyo workshop founded in 1965 by Hitoshi Konno and now led by his son, Shinichi Konno. It belongs to Cherubim’s Track lineup, built to order from steel tubing with a 1-inch chromoly bent fork, and reflects the same welding and geometry philosophy that produced Japan’s 6th-place 1000m TT frame at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. |
By James Hickman, former USA Cycling Expert-level coach and Masters-category racer
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A Half-Century of Frame Building in Machida
Cherubim isn’t a bike brand in the way most riders think of one. It’s a small workshop in Machida City, Tokyo, where Shinichi Konno and a handful of staff braze steel frames by hand, largely to individual order. The shop’s roots trace back to 1965, when founder Hitoshi Konno built a frame that helped set a Japanese national record — 6th place in the 1000m time trial at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, an early proof point that Cherubim was a serious track builder, not just a custom-frame novelty shop.
What’s Under the Silver Paint
A lot of that cost goes into details most factory-built frames skip entirely. Cherubim machines its own dropouts and sleeve work in-house, rather than buying stock parts off the shelf, so the small connection points on the frame are treated with the same attention as the main tubes. The shop’s move into mixing its own paint follows the same logic — a finish like Silver Flyer isn’t a catalog color option, it’s part of a build process the workshop controls start to finish. As with all Cherubim builds, geometry and tubing are matched to the individual rider, so a “Silver Flyer” isn’t a single fixed spec — it’s a paint and build designation within a frame built to your numbers.
What’s Under the Silver Paint
Cherubim’s Track frame line is built from steel tubing and paired with a 1-inch chromoly bent fork. Base pricing for the Triple Crown track frameset runs ¥330,000 including VAT, though final cost depends on tube choice, lug work, and paint specification — Cherubim publishes a detailed spec sheet for buyers who want to see exactly what they’re paying for at each tier. As with all Cherubim builds, geometry and tubing are matched to the individual rider, so a “Silver Flyer” isn’t a single fixed spec — it’s a paint and build designation within a frame built to your numbers.
Cherubim’s Track Pedigree Beyond the Olympics
The 1968 Olympic result wasn’t a one-off. Track racing has stayed part of Cherubim’s identity for decades since, and the shop’s Track lineup — including the Triple Crown frameset the Silver Flyer belongs to — reflects lessons carried over from building for velodrome racing rather than road use. Stiffness under hard sprint efforts, precise rear-triangle geometry for fixed-gear handling, and a fork built to hold its line at speed are all things a shop with track-racing roots tends to get right by default, rather than as an afterthought bolted onto a road platform.
Riding a Cherubim Track Frame
Steel track frames built this way tend to share a family trait: a stiff front triangle for sprint efforts, paired with just enough compliance in the rear to keep the ride from feeling punishing over a long session on boards or concrete. Because Cherubim builds to the rider rather than to a size chart, the handling characteristics — quick or stable, low or upright — are a conversation with the builder rather than a spec you pick off a menu.
That’s a different experience than most riders are used to coming from a road frame. A dedicated track bike has no brakes, no freewheel, and a much tighter relationship between rider input and what the bike does — there’s no coasting to mask a geometry mismatch. On a custom-fit frame like the Silver Flyer, that directness is the point: every angle is chosen for how you actually ride, not for how a stock frame accommodates an average rider.
How to Order a Cherubim
Cherubim sells direct from Japan — in person, by email, or by video call — and also works through distributors in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Canada. Buyers outside those regions order directly with the Machida workshop. Communication is available in Japanese and English, and international buyers can pay via PayPal, while domestic customers can use bank transfer, PayPay, or major credit cards.
Is the Silver Flyer Worth It?
A Cherubim isn’t a bike you buy for the badge. It’s a bike you buy because you want a track frame brazed by a shop with a 1968 Olympic pedigree, built to your exact riding position, and finished in a paint the shop mixes itself. That’s a different value proposition than a production track frame — slower, more expensive, and more personal. For riders who want a frame that fits like nothing off a rack, it’s hard to find a more credible Japanese track builder.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cherubim Silver Flyer Track Bike
What tubing does the Cherubim Silver Flyer use?
It’s built from steel tubing as part of Cherubim’s Track frame line, with final tube selection matched to the rider and build spec.
How much does a Cherubim track frame cost?
The Triple Crown track frameset starts at ¥330,000 including VAT, with final price depending on paint and craftsmanship level.
Can I order a Cherubim outside Japan?
Yes. Cherubim ships direct to countries without a distributor, and works through distributors in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Canada.
Who builds Cherubim frames today?
Shinichi Konno, son of founder Hitoshi Konno, leads the Machida workshop, continuing the shop’s custom steel philosophy.
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