The first Fairdale bike samples have arrived! I’m so happy and excited to see this project starting to come into reality.
After a while of working at Odyssey’s design office here in Austin, TX, I have been given the opportunity to turn Fairdale into an actual brand.
It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years and years and I think even my hardcore BMX-only friends will be able to relate to some of the motivation behind it.
Fairdale is the brand for all my friends who ask me what kind of bike they should get just for riding around town. In the past, I always struggled to find a good answer for them. So many bikes are too focused on racing, extremeness, trends, are dorky looking or just bogged down with too much flakey technology. On the other hand, BMX, with its simple functionality, has taught me that the technology of a bike rarely increases the fun of riding it.
It has been my experience that the simplicity of a bicycle is actually the magic of it. Who wants a bicycle that is too complicated to maintain without the help of a mechanic, or too “raced” out to be comfortable for a leisurely after dinner cruise? And how many people really need a carbon fiber space ship bike just to have a fun day pedaling or to get to school on? Fairdale is my opportunity to design bikes based on my 30+ years of experience and my love for simple and reliable bikes. As a bonus, I also get to work with the Odyssey design and engineering team, whose capabilities have been proven for a long time now.
The first samples to arrive are a couple sizes for what will be our single-speed road bike. It’s a classic steel frame design that incorporates room for a tires that are wider than what you would find on the average road bike. It also has mounts for both fenders and front/ rear cargo racks. It works well with drop bars and riser bars and although production is still a ways off, we are thinking that we may offer the bike with both configurations. Made from reliable, trustworthy and affordable double butted chromoly steel, the frame and fork are light and durable. The components are spec’d with what we would ride if we built them ourselves (because we did) and every effort has been made to keep the bikes affordable and easy to maintain. Simple things like flat protected tires and common sized, proven parts can make such a difference in how much time you can actually spend riding your bike instead of fixing it.
We also have a few other models planned:
-A mixed-style 700c cruiser with a more relaxed riding position, fenders, and rack standard.
-A simple 26 inch wheeled single speed all around ultra affordable-adaptable bike.
-My personal bike; a 29 inch BMX cruiser, perfect for a chilling ride around town or on a trail with the occasional curb hop thrown in.
-Whatever else we feel like doing. Austin is such a bicycle city that we have endless inspiration.
Also, for my skateboarding friends, I just completed the prototyping of a cool pannier rack that will hold a skateboard for easy transportation. I realize the irony that my BMX friends will see in me making a big-wheeled bike with a skateboard on it! Ha ha. I love it!
We’ll keep you updated on these things… won’t be available for a good while yet, but we are working on them!
Oh yeah, we’ll have some new soft goods out very soon. Mostly keeping with the silly graphics on our online zine here, but some will be more clean and classic like the bike’s graphics too.
Note: We’ll spec our single speed road bikes with freewheels and brakes to make them easy to ride and good for getting places, but you can flop the hub and run it fixed if you like.
