Keith Haring inspired Coarse Monster CX
We have been fortunate in recent years to ride from beautiful frames out crafted by the Garneau Dream Factory. Featuring custom paint and compelling performance we have raced Garneau bikes across the country and ridden them around the globe. But over the years team members have also collected some truly one-off machines. As we prepare for the brutal winter months when there is less racing to write about plan to share some of these ‘other’ bikes in a series we’re calling ‘The Best Bikes’ (TBB). And we’re going to feature some of the unique bikes from friends of the team as well. Some will be fancy, some will be workhorse machines, and some will have more sentimental than aesthetic value. But all pique our curiosity as riders and thus will find their way onto the TBD Journal. To kick it all off we are starting with a Keith Haring inspired trail bike that was built way back in 2014:
Designed and constructed by Coarse Cycles in New York City, the concept for the bike was to craft a true “Monster Cross” rig that was more at home on singletrack than on a cross course. This meant absolutely massive tire clearance (before doing so was all the rage) enabled in part with adjustable dropouts that extended the wheelbase as required. Following through on this concept the final build was CX1 focused but with all of the shiny Chris King bits you could imagine and extra beefy 42c tires laced to HED Belgium rims. When finished it was a fairly unique build but what really set it apart was the Keith Haring inspired paint scheme - developed after hours of brainstorming and untold hours in the paint booth.
In person the finished product was an absolute beauty to behold. And on the trails it performed exactly as intended - solid and ready to swallow just about any terrain remotely possible on a cross bike thanks to the 42c tires. Unfortunately few bikes are indestructible and one unlucky day while being ridden by a teammate a minor tumble impacted the frame in just the wrong way and compacted the top and downtube, ending this beautiful bike’s run on the trails. But in honor of the spectacular paint job it has been converted to wall art and hangs, damaged but still beautiful on a New York City apartment wall.
A New York City based cyclist and sometimes photographer. Part adventure rider, part crit racer, and fully obsessed with an English bulldog named Winifred.
Instagram: @photorhetoric
E-mail: matthew@tobedetermined.cc
