{"id":184293,"date":"2026-11-07T18:15:14","date_gmt":"2026-11-07T09:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelug.com\/blog\/?post_type=review-global&p=184293"},"modified":"2026-11-07T18:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T09:15:26","slug":"a-little-story-about-steamroller","status":"publish","type":"review-global","link":"https:\/\/bluelug.com\/blog\/review-global\/a-little-story-about-steamroller\/","title":{"rendered":"A little story about Steamroller"},"content":{"rendered":"

This isn’t a review or anything. Just wanted to write down a little story.<\/p>\n

Something recently brought back a flood of memories, so I figured I’d share a little throwback.<\/p>\n

I first discovered the Steamroller back when I was completely obsessed with track bike culture. I was digging through all kinds of footage from around the world, famous riders, unknown riders, you name it. I just couldn’t get enough of it.<\/p>\n

One thing about my taste in riding: then and now, I’ve always loved riders who are insanely good but have this slightly awkward, almost clumsy-looking style.<\/p>\n

You know, that kind of beautifully rough, not-quite-perfect riding. A little weird, but full of character.<\/p>\n

There were a few riders like that who always caught my attention.<\/p>\n

And one of them was riding this bike with a purple frame and a white unicrown fork.<\/p>\n

That was my first encounter with the Steamroller.<\/p>\n

I remember trying so hard to figure out what the bike was from some incredibly low-resolution footage. After digging around, I finally figured out that it was a Surly, and the model was called the Steamroller.<\/p>\n

Man, those were the days…<\/p>\n

Back when I was riding every chance I got, barely sleeping or eating because I was so obsessed with bikes, none of my friends rode Steamrollers. Honestly, it wasn’t a bike I was very familiar with.<\/p>\n

It was more like one of those dream bikes I’d only ever seen on a screen.<\/p>\n

Sometimes I’d spot someone riding one around Shibuya or Harajuku, or see one at BLUE LUG, and I’d think, “Wow, so this is Tokyo!”, haha.<\/p>\n

Fast Forward to 10 Years Ago…
\nNot long after I joined BLUE LUG, about ten years ago, a batch of Steamrollers arrived at the shop.<\/p>\n

And then…<\/p>\n

(Kaneyan-san)<\/p>\n

“Tommy-chan, hey, don’t try this at home! Hahaha!”<\/p>\n

CLANG!!<\/p>\n

Right there in the Hatagaya shop’s workshop, Kaneyan-san was taking a massive pair of bolt cutters to the rear dropout eyelets and cutting them clean off.<\/p>\n

Yep. Literally chopping them off.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u2191chopped off this part<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2193with this thing lol<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Kaneyan-san)<\/p>\n

“Well, the one I used to ride didn’t have those! What if I end up regretting this so much?! Hahaha!”<\/p>\n

I believe those eyelets were added sometime around 2015, though don’t quote me on that.<\/p>\n

Anyway, this guy had just built up his brand-new Steamroller after ten years, and the first thing he did was start hacking away at it.<\/p>\n

As a rookie, I remember thinking:<\/p>\n

“What kind of crazy person have I ended up working with…?”<\/p>\n

Haha.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2026…
\nAnd then, all these years later…<\/p>\n

Turns out there’s someone with exactly the same energy on the other side of the ocean.<\/p>\n

I couldn’t help but laugh.<\/p>\n

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\u3053\u306e\u6295\u7a3f\u3092Instagram\u3067\u898b\u308b<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mack\u2019s Bike & Goods(@macksbikeandgoods)\u304c\u30b7\u30a7\u30a2\u3057\u305f\u6295\u7a3f<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n