Or maybe yours looks something more like this:
If the latter got your imagination galloping then you might want to chat to Jim Junky from Jube Customs about his Chook’s Tooth range of custom fixies, because he’s the man making custom fixie dreams come true. What’s more, most (if not all) the fixies you’re going to see below cost the owners less than a grand.
Here’s how it works. First you have to loosen up your imagination a bit. Go on, shake it out. Getting loose? Too loose? Imagination throwing up a million combinations? Or you suddenly drawing a blank, even though you’ve fantasised for years about your custom fixie? Okay then, consult Jim’s Book of Chooks.
Like any collection fit for a gallery the curator has released a catalogue of his collection. The Book Of Chooks. Inside recorded for posterity are each of Jim’s creations captured in print just before getting released back into the wild.
Now that you’re inspired and your mind is doing free associations on bikes you chat to Scott at Jube Customs (apparently Jim is too weird or just plain crazy to speak to public) and describe to him in detail what you’re after. If you’re in Brisbane you can consult colour charts and your lucky eight ball with him in person. If not, you use the technology (apparently there’s this new thing called the internets, I dunno, I still print this blog on papyrus scrolls). Either way you dream it and Jim makes it. Here’s some examples of his creations:
First up is the NY taxi cab. I’ve put this one first because it was my entree into the mad world of Jim’s custom fixies. I went up to Bris to review the stock fixies for Jube and this guy lounging insouciantly in the corner caught my eye. He was like the guy who hangs out slightly in the background but knowing all the time that he’s the centre of attention. He now calls Melbourne his home and takes no fares.
You can get just about any finish and colour combination you want from Jube Customs. The fixie Joe Ker above is a good example. Cadbury purple frame with cabanna green forks and colour-matched stem mate to white handle bars. It’s a bike rich in detail, with colour-matched cranks and an orange brake cable. I know from talking to Scott that Jim doesn’t like to miss a single detail, from choice of tyres right down to valve caps. If his genius doesn’t destroy him first he’ll go down in fixie lore one day.
All the fixies you see here are sound-blasted and custom sprayed. The process elevates the frames, smoothing the welds and bringing new lustre to the paint work. Fixie Monte Carol above is based on the Monte Carlo by Chevy circa 1970. Given that I know 2/5ths of sweet FA about cars I’ll have to take their word on that.
The customizations don’t stop at handlebars. If you want to go the full retro look you can get a custom leather seat with springs like the Trickie Dickie above. Many of these guys have custom stickers too. (The process was explained to me, and these aren’t exactly cheapo stickers that peel off, but most of it was lost on me. I’m just going to call them stickies.)
Above, close up of the Trickie Dickie fixie sticky.
All of the bikes are absolute one-offs and will never be repeated. Many are bespoke but some, like the GI Jim above, come from the twisted imagination of Jim Junky. GI Jim was newly minted and wanting a home when I saw him last Saturday. They don’t hang around long so if you want to be sitting on the pointy end of the zeitgeist then get in quickly.
Wordsworth was inspired by the British countryside, DaVinci by chicks with crooked smiles, Timothy Leary by drugs and Keiran by Super Mario. Enter the Fixie Mario with Mario-blue frame and red cranks colour matched to the red tyres and chain. Super.
I started with a picture of the Boilermaker and so I’ll finish with one. The Boilermaker above features wonderful hammer-coat paint and the pedals change colour when exposed to UV light. It’s a testament to the level of detail and imagination you get with a Jube Customs custom fixie.
If this has your imagination running wild you should go forth immediately to
Jube’s custom fixie page and get your order started. I’m very impressed by what Jim’s putting together for the coin involved and really don’t think you’ll get to indulge your imagination to this degree at this price anywhere else. That was the reason I approached Jube Customs to do this article. Many thanks to Jube for their assistance in providing pictures and details for publication (on my papyrus scrolls). Keep an eye on
Jube’s Facebook page for more inspiring rides as they’re produced.
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great article JP – I’ll check it out when I hit the city lights this Satd’y. j customs, niiice.