Switchcraft Cycles is Jakub Junek. Hailing from the Czech Republic and specialising in steel machines with really short back ends. 390mm chainstays anyone? #lovesbackwheel
Jakub sent us in a few pics of his latest creations and we thought you ‘d like to see them. That’s it really. Who doesn’t love one-off bike creations?
The pics that landed in our inbox were of three bikes: Switchcraft’s second single pivot with 420mm chainstays, a dirt jumper with 29in wheels and super short 390mm chainstays, and finally a more or less ‘ordinary’ flat bar gravel bike.
Watch the video above (turn on the English subtitles) to hear how Jakub got started in framebuilding.
Jakub: “I started without any background or experience. I had a vision of a bike that would resemble a BMX but with 29” wheels. Then I started to learn what I need to know to make bikes. I got a job as a welder to properly learn welding. Then step by step my builds got better.
“Before I decided to go with a single pivot I was looking for the simplest and most durable way to make a suspension.
“I took almost a half a year of drawing a frame, then two more months to build it. Since I like to jump a lot, I used the strongest tubing I could find.
“For the pivot I machined a BMX bottom bracket so it could fit massive 41mm bearings and 24mm axle from hardened steel.
“To keep the bike agile I used a yoke to fit the wheel closer to the BB. Final dimension is 420mm which is not bad for a 29er.
“Every bike I’ve built is different. I like them simple but not ordinary.”
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