The fifty-first FiftyOne was created for Melbourne based cyclist who approached us through one of our international representatives. He is a cyclist to the core. Born and bread. In his youth, he spent much of his time absorbed in the cycling psychosphere. The journey began in his school years at the age of 14 when he – accompanied by some like-minded pals – joined a racing club and started to take things seriously. When he wasn’t on the bike, he was sure to remain surrounded by them; spending his down-time in bike shops and learning the ins and outs of bicycle anatomy.
His racing days continued well into adulthood, but he always made a point of doing it for fun. The sport was something he enjoyed and didn’t want to jeopardize. Racing with the club at an A level – with the occasional dice roll in a few open races here and there – his time on the bike was never that of regret.
But cyclists are not immune to life, and like many who have come before us, life gets in the way. This cyclist settled down with his family, and time on the bike became less and less of a priority. This is an occurrence that has and will become a factor in many of our lives, but it is important to compromise. Too easy is it for one to simply give up on a passion rather than evolve. When life gets in the way, there is always an alternative to surrender and he found that very alternative.
When he approached FiftyOne, he knew exactly what he wanted. His days of racing were behind him, but that did not discourage him from his passion. He wanted a bike that was comfortable above all else, but more importantly he wanted a bike that was comfortable for him. It is all too common for an individual to seek an ‘industry comfortable’ bike, but how can a bike be absolutely comfortable for more than one? Taking his request for comfort and his history of racing into account, his build was produced with his passion for cycling at the core.
The flavoursome yet subtle artwork pays homage to a number of different influences throughout this cyclist’s life. The colour scheme of this build can be recognised in that of the 1978 Tour de France, when Tour debutant Bernard Hinault brought home the Yellow for Renault, a team that rocked a similar palette. A closer inspection of the frame will also reveal a Renault logo, inspired by both Hinault’s team and this cyclist’s first ever car – the iconic, quirky and reliable Renault 12. Fittingly, the young Hinault carried the 51 dossard throughout the 1978 Tour, making this build truly worthy of being our fifty-first FiftyOne.
