Bike Check: Lettuce-San’s Samson Challenger
Last month, I was finally introducing you to Shuhari Bike Works. So it’s now time to start the long sequence of all the bike checks I did over there, and what better bike to start with than the one some people call “the Japanese Laser”? This handcrafted Samson Challenger was purpose-built for Hashimoto Seiko in 1992 for the 1000m time trial. Wwhen Seiko-san let cycling for ice-skating, the Samson did its fair share of traveling before ending up in Letuce-san’s hands.
This is his all-time favorite pursuit bike. It went through a couple of builds, but what you’re seeing today is probably the final version, and it’s also how Harada-San would have wanted it. If you’re not aware, Harada-San (a.k.a. Mister Samson) has a big passion for Campagnolo. Hence, the two Ghibli discs, this very shiny Campagnolo headset, pantographed Cinelli Stem, and "bullhorns." Why the quotation marks? Well, it's technically not a bullhorn-bar. It started its life as a Cinelli road drop that was "the perfect shape" if you just flipped it and did a bit of trimming.
Coming back to the frame, there are a few details you might want to notice that aren’t immediately apparent due to their subtlety. Starting with this incredibly tight lugless fork, mere millimeters away from an already very thin tire. Another detail is that small piece of tubing extending the top-tube.
Let’s call it “The Butt.”
The Butt wasn’t always like this. The Butt used to simply be part of the top-tube, as the seatpost clamping system. (As you can see in the picture I linked previously) But UCI regulations required otherwise, and this part of the frame had to be revised, including cutting The Butt and crafting a new seatpost clamp. Fortunately for all of us, The Butt still exists as an aesthetic feature, and we love seeing it.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Samson Challenger
Chainring and Cog Sugino 10 Pitch 48T, 14T Cog
Crank Sugino 10 Pitch
Seatpost and Saddle
Sugino 75 carbon seatpost, Corima ultra pro
Stem and Handlebar
Pantographed Cinelli stem and “bullhorns”
Wheels Campagnolo Ghibli
The cherry on the cake s probably the drivetrain. A full Sugino 10 pitch set with some Sugino 75 pedals to finish it off. Apparently the Sugino 10 pitch cog and the Campagnolo Ghibli don’t have the same thread, but somehow (like it’s usually the case at Shuhari) they made it work.
Is it easy to ride? No. Does it make any room better by just being there? Definitely yes, it does. This is a performance frame that also has all the bells and whistles of a frame builder who enjoyed himself. Pursuit geometry, rear wishbone, fully custom fork, a little shark fin, and no seat tube! Gotta keep that wheelbase tight!
Yeah, it doesn’t fit too bad with a laser next to it…
🎞: Kodak Portra 400
📷: Nikon F100
📍: Okinawa
