This isn’t really a review or anything, but I figured I’d take the liberty of sharing a few Steamroller builds from overseas that have been living rent-free in my head for years.
First up is the Steamroller belonging to my friend Danny from California.
He’d been riding it fixed for years, but when he visited Japan, he got to ride Minmin’s Crust Floridaman, which was set up with a freewheel. He loved the way it rode so much that he transformed his Steamroller into this: fat tires, relaxed handlebars, and a freewheel.
I especially love how he casually secured the brake housing with a mix of Voile Straps and zip ties.
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Next up is a Steamroller belonging to a customer of the now-closed Golden Saddle Cyclery, a bike shop that used to be in LA.
This build made me fall in love with the B903 Bullmoose Bar and want to try one myself.
In fact, when I first started customizing my own Steamroller, this was one of the builds I used as inspiration.
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Next up is this absolute workhorse of a bike.
I can’t get enough of its rat bike vibes. The beat-up frame, the massive messenger bag, the rear rack—everything about it just screams utility, and I love every bit of it.
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Here’s another build I came across on the Instagram page of Hope Cyclery, a bike shop in Pennsylvania that unfortunately closed a while back.
I still remember how blown away I was when I first came across the words “fixed gear bikepacking.”
The beat-up ESI grips, Phil Wood track hubs, MASH front rack, and that mysterious fork.
Everything about this bike means business, and I’m absolutely here for it.
(Via: The Radavist)
You can tell right away that this isn’t your average Steamroller.
A Steamroller built around a Crust Clydesdale Cargo Fork.
Upside-down swept-back handlebars, sandal pedals(?), a gigantic Nalgene bottle, and 700x42C Rose tires that were apparently squeezed in.
So many things to question So many wonderfully unconventional ideas packed into one seriously nerdy build.
This is the kind of freedom I love about bikes. Absolutely incredible. LOVE IT.
(Via: The Radavist)
At first glance, you might think it’s just a Steamroller with a custom paint job.
But here’s what it originally looked like.
Apparently, this was one of the OG Steamrollers with a 1-inch threaded headset.
And here’s what it looks like now. One more time.
They welded in frame couplers so the bike can be split apart for easier transport, then finished it off with a splatter paint job.
The fork has also been converted to a threadless setup. Apparently, it’s an old 1-inch threadless fork from an early Cross-Check.
I love how ridiculously niche this whole project is. It feels like someone just kept chasing every little idea they had until they ended up with something completely one of a kind.
Some of these builds might not exactly be practical references, but hopefully they’ll spark a little inspiration for your own Steamroller build.
