SPECIAL PROJECTS
limited-edition bicycles
SOPHIE Beach Cruiser
(commissioned project)
March 2009
Specially designed and built classic beach cruiser. Made for our friend, Karen.
BUGS II Speedway Roadster
(commissioned project)
March 2009
Custom designed and hand sculptured bobber-style inspired ride. Made specially for a client.
OREGON single-speeder/fixed wheel bike
(commissioned project)
January 2009
Specially hand-built and designed single-speeder/fixed wheel classic commuter. Made specifically for our friend, Warren.
Vintage British Military Scout Bike
January 2008
We spent two fun months customising and sourcing for parts from around the world for this bike.
KATANA Messenger bike
(commissioned project)
September 2009
[Chrome, Red, Yellow & Blue]
A fully-fabricated and custom-built fixed gear ride, Katana is Vanguard’s latest commissioned project for our friend Akira. Inspired by the BMX craze of the 80s and Tokyo’s avant garde fixie culture, Katana is redesigned and built using a 1970s Bridgestone Multi-speed racer frame. An ultra-light and fast free-styler, Katana is ready to slice the streets. Osu!
BAXTER Messenger Bike
(commissioned project)
November 2009
[Matt Black. Chrome & Brown]
Our friend Claire commissioned us to build a bike as a wedding gift for her fiance. Claire told us that her special guy is 1.95m tall, likes vintage and classic bikes, and plays the guitar. We took cue from there and conceptualised Baxter as a tall, classy and handsome bike in matt black, chrome and brown. Built up from a. restored, re-fabricated and chromed 1970s Panasonic multi-speed racer frame and fork, with vintage British and Japanese components, Baxter is a timeless vintagent that runs on classy 27-inch tires, a rear safety coaster hub brake and dressed in leather gear.
ESTELLE Velocommute Bike
(commissioned project)
March 2010
[Baby Blue]
Estelle was specially commissioned as a birthday gift for our friend John’s special girl Maryanne and her house-mate, Room-ey. Estelle is designed to pair with John’s Vanguard bike Islington. Meticulously restored and custom built using a classic 1970s Bridgestone step-through city bike, Estelle is sweet ride that cruises through the city with comfort and ease.
Go Maryanne and Room-ey!
‘CHINATOWN’ and ‘LITTLE INDIA’
Hybrid Choppers for ‘Many Ways of Seeing’ Workshop and Exhibition
November 2006
Check out these two crazy bicycles for this fun workshop project and exhibition, which was organised by the DesignSingapore Council and Singapore Polytechnic in 2006.
NICOLE Velocommute Bike
(commissioned project)
March 2010 [Baby Blue]
Specilally built for Kristian’s wife, Nathalie, who had an affection with the baby blue of Gabriela bike and the wood accents of our personal bike Suzy, Nicole (personally named by Nathalie) was meticulously fabricated, restored and re-designed from a 1980s Bridgestone News-Kuru Chari frame. Staying with the clean lines to accentuate the form of this bike, Nicole now runs with a coaster brake, handmade wooden fenders, wicker basket and classy 26-inch brown tyres.
NEW!
ARAFURA Street Cruiser
(commissioned project)
May 2010 [Copper & Matt Black]
Arafura’s inspiration stems from the agressiveness of urban assault street bikes as well as the forgotten downhill cruisers of the early 1970s. Fully-restored, re-fabricated, and custom-built using a 1992 Alphinestars Cromega, this ultra smooth street cruiser craves for all things dirt, grass and gravel. We’ll like to thank our brother Fandi for the opportunity to give this sweet ride a new lease of life.
TOFFI Velocommute Bike
[Purple & White]
May 2010
Toffi is built as a perfect city companion. Fully handcrafted and painstakingly built by Vanguard, this little chic mini velo comes fitted with a 5-speed internal geared hub, 20-inch city tyres and quinessential Brooks leatherwear. We added a rear rack and matching canvas panniers, and we are all set to travel near or far!
ARTEMIS Messenger Bike
[Chrome]
July 2010
Artemis is the epitome of speed and light. Fully hand-crafted by Vanguard for one super cool girl – Yishu, Artemis is a sleek urban sprinter in full chrome that is built up using a 1960s collector’s Raleigh Sport frame as a canvas and fiited with puncture-resistant 700c tyres. This classically proportioned fixed gear ride also received a touch of contemporary chic with new glossy rims, bar grips and saddle.
Go Yishu!
![PEU Messenger Bike
[Gloss White & Gold]
August 2010
Given free rein with the design process for John’s new whip (with the exception of a black frame ;) we’ve decided to look back on our previous minivelo builts (Axl & Ginger) as design references. Incorporating the proportions and geometries of the two bikes, we designed a groovy ‘disco/funk-inspired’ bike to match the funky person that John is himself! With anodised rims and colour dyed bar grips, Peu is set up as a fixed gear urban rider with the option of a freewheel for those sunny coastal days.](special_projects_files/shapeimage_23.png)
BETSY Messenger Bike
[Baby Blue]
September 2010
Betsy is simple stylish cycle chic at its best! Commissioned by our good pals Mark and his fiancé Phuong, and custom designed by Phuong herself as her pre-wedding gift from Mark (Mark chose Bryon as his gift ;), we specially restored and custom-built a single speed urban cruiser for this sweetest girl ever! Using an Ishiwata constructed touring frame as a base built, Betsy now comes with Pasela White tyres, coaster hub brake as well as a LED converted headlamp.
Congratulations you two! – from us at Vanguard
AMARELO Messenger Bike
[cream, mocha, chrome]
A special commissioned build for our friend Leon, Amarelo is a classic bike that we used a collector’s 1960s Raleigh Superb Sport frame for and crafted it with similar colourways as Leon’s favourite Vanguard ride – Hedford. We built Amarelo as a single speed ride with a basic mechanical setup. Amarelo is fitted with classic 700c tyres, coaster hub brake, Brooks saddle and a pair of handmade maple wood fenders.
BECKHAM Messenger Bike
[Matt Black & Fire Red]
A special commissioned build for our lovely friend Wei who named his new ride ‘Beckham’. This stylish, edgy piece is an all terrain urban warrior that has been custom restored and fabricated using a 1970s Bridgestone touring frame. Working through the customisation with Wei, we took references from our earlier bikes named ‘Triton’, added a Sturmey Archer 2-speed kick shifter, integrated a foot brake hub and fitted it with 700c knobby tyres, riser handlebar and laced it with a pair of Velocity Chukker rims. Behold!
CINELLI SUPERCORSA PISTA
[59cm frame, fixed wheel]
[Azzurra Blue & Chrome]
A fully-restored 1970s Cineeli Supercorsa Pista! This steel beauty was specially built up for our buddy Daniel, who scoured the globe for all its period correct NOS parts for over 6 months. Fitted with Campagnolo Super Record componentry, ultra sleek Nisi tubulars, Veloflex tyres and a Vintage Unicator saddle, this special ride is now being flat packed ready to be shipped ‘Down Under’ where it will hit the velodrome again!
BIANCHI REKORD
[54.5cm frame, 10 speed Campagnolo Valentino]
[Celeste]
Fully-stripped, cleaned, tuned and reconditioned, Matthew’s freshly built up 1970s Bianchi Rekord comes fitted with Campagnolo Valentino group set, ultra sleek Nisi Tubulars and a Ciussi bottle holder. Bringing sexy back!
SE FIGHTER
[Cruiser Class BMX]
[Wood Grain Finish, Gloss Black & Gloss White]
Custom-built and powder-coated with 80s parts and componentry have transformed this classic OM FLYER into an urban beast. Specially done up for our man Budi, be sure to catch him rolling hard and fast wicked style!
CINELLI SPECIALE CORSA PISTA
[57cm frame, fixed wheel]
[Silver & Chrome]
Vanguard’s guest-of-honour comes in a meticulously restored and classically rebuilt ride comprising a rare1968 Cinelli Speciale Corsa Pista frame. Fitted with period correct componentry from the very best in track performance – Fiamme Red Label rims laced with tied and soldered spokes, Clement Criterium Seta Extra tubulars, Campagnolo Super Record hubs, Campagnolo Inch Pitch crank, a Unicator saddle... just to name a few. To top it off, this authentically pure bred Italian stallion comes with two beautifully patinaed Cinelli badged headtube and stem. And what better way than to have our buddy Daniel ripping it in his hometown velodrome!
TANGE INFINITY MTB
[17inch, 16 speed Deore XT]
[Cream]
Re-used, re-designed and recycled – Gloria’s 1980s Tange Infinity MTB has been given a classy, cycle chic street-style makeover. With a fresh coat of paint, re-conditioned XT components, vintage gum-wall English threaded tyres, matching grips together with that quintessential ATB saddle from Brooks, this spruced up baby is ready to go!
ROBIN HOOD II
[50.5cm frame, single speed coaster brake]
[British Racing Green]
Specially reconditioned and custom built frame for Chris, this beautifully patina-ed 1970s Robin Hood frame is overhauled with new bearings, 3 headed Heron crank, custom laced Araya rims, a Brooks Swallow saddle and matching bar wraps.
OLMO SLX
[52.5cm frame, single speed]
Custom built and fitted for our mate Zaidi, this rare Olmo SLX frame in green now runs on wooden rims and incorporates vintage Japanese components including a Dura Ace Pista Bottom Bracket shaft, Alloy seat post as well as a MX brake lever rolling single speed style.
+ email us at info@vanguard-designs.com to find out more about customising your bike.
ZEZE
[48cm frame, single speed]
[Gloss Black]
A humble Shimano road frame with a makeover! This 48cm ride now sport classy alloy crank set, Panaracer touring tyres, a vintage LED converted headlamp for country roads and a little Millbrook saddle bag for the day trip essentials. Be sure to cheer its owner Priscilla on when she does the coastal to Desaru!
F MOSER
[59cm frame, fixed gear]
[Hot Pink]
Matthew’s fully re-conditioned and custom built 1980s F Moser has been given a super spunky new look with Campagnolo Record parts, anodised blue Origin 8 crank and cog, Izumi NJS chain, baby blue moletti straps, Gransport brakes, neon pink tyres and Cinelli bartape. Be sure to check him cruising by the quay side!
