When Claude came to us and wanted us to make a bike for him he was not yet quite sure what exactly the main use case could be for his new Fern. Offroad riding, Bikepacking, Randonneuring, Classic Touring, Commuting,....maybe everything?
And so we did, we just build a bike for everything! The frame can be fitted with super large Monster Cross Knobbie 700C x 55mm Fleecer Ridge Rene Herse tires mounted on Ryde CSS rims for extreme offroad riding capabilities. We even managed to maintain a super low q factor of 140mm with our custom drawn Columbus chainstays which perfectly sneak their way around the big tires, the vintage Dura Ace crank arm and the Wolftooth chainring. The 1x11 Gevenalle shifters are super reliable and easy to maintain aswell as the bity V-Brakes are. In real life cycling this all you need to have on a bike!
We laced a second wheelset with the slick and quick 700C x 44 Snoqualmie's and Gilles Berthoud Fenders and the bike is completey transformed into a very elegant randonneur type bicycle, ready for serious long distance riding aswell as for daily commuting. Our own brands ALLYGN Diamond Rack can take a handlebarbag or other luggage and if you Install a front lowrider rack the bike will be transformed again into the perfect travel compagnon. Take your full set of Gramm Tourpacking bags and you can cycle around the world on this bicycle!
The amazing two face colour sheme, softtouch anthazite grey paint on the lower and the right in your face disco 3 colour flipflop paint on the upper part perfectly resembles this slightly split personality bike!
We hope the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde bike will serve you well on all your adventurous ways up ahead Dr. Claude ;)!
Photography: Florian Haeussler / FERN Bicycles.