Kumo Cycles displayed this stunning Combini-Chaser touring bike at the Australian handmade show Spoken last weekend, and this week, we’re featuring it as a Readers’ Rides. Read on for Keith’s words and photos of this neo-classique steel steed!

If you’ve ever cycletoured Japan, you will know the feeling of cresting yet another mountain pass only to be greeted by the delightful sight of a combini (convenience store). After parking your bicycle and entering the sliding doors, you are transported to a world of carryable calorie heaven! This bike is built to chase that feeling. Designed for all-day touring on mixed surface roads, this frame was built to be sprightly and nimble.

This is the first Kumo that has been close to completely built in-house, from cutting the spokes for the wheel build, through the full frame construction, and finally painted in-house in the new Kumo paint shop. The bike is built with air and train travel in mind, so the frame is S&S coupled for easy disassembly. The racks are a super-light yet sturdy three-piece collapsible design.

To round out the build, I have worked with Hungry to fit out a full custom suite of one-off rando bags. The frame is fillet brazed from Columbus Zona tubing, using smaller diameter tubing to give the frame some spring. 28.6mm TT and ST, 31.8mm DT. It features a low trail design for front luggage loading, for longer tours I’ll use the panniers as well as a small saddle bag and a half-frame bag.

The frame is hung with parts from various manufacturers that I’ve been working with over the years. White Industries VBC crankset gives a versatile chainring selection for touring, and has been given a Kumo touch with pantograph-engraved chainring bolts.
White industries also features on the build-in the rear hub and headset.

Paul Motolite brakes bring the stop, and give the option of running 700c rims with a smaller tire for more tame road surfaces and the option to run mudguards. Simworks standalone rims pair perfectly with the Volummy 1.9″ slicks. I’ve built the wheels using the Simworks Peregrine single butt spokes which are strong and light. Simworks cables, seatpost, and Wild honey bars tie the build together with quality silver parts.

My friends from Blue Lug supplied the MKS EZY travel pedals. They can be removed without tools in seconds, perfect for rinko travel on trains. The Koma USB rechargeable rear light is also from Blue Lug and gives tidy and pragmatic rear lighting. No need to run dyno wiring through the couplers in the frame. Front dyno light comes from Sinewave and is powered by the SON SL plug-less system. The dropout is the dyno contact and means there are no cables to snag when you are breaking down the frame.

Shimano 11-speed cable groupset for ease of repair wherever the bike takes you, bar end shifters made running the long pull Motolites possible as I can use the Tektro long pull road levers. Handlebar tape is made in Australia by Busyman. I find it durable, comfortable, and beautiful.

All front rack work, including the custom quick release decalleur, is made in-house. Racks are modular and easy to pack down. Stainless plates are brazed on to protect the paint work.

The final touch on the bike is my made-in-house, manually machined guilloche brass top cap. This is my new domed design, always available on my web store.

Thanks to Keith for sending this in, and check out all of what Keith makes at Kumo Cycles!

We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!