Manual For Speed. Where is this manual? How can I get ahold of one? Is it only for existing speeders, or will it take my general slowness and hit it with a “BAM” of speed like Emeril? I have so many questions.
But, dear reader, if you’re deep into the Cycling Internet, MFS needs no introduction. You already know and love MFS. And when you see these three custom, outrageous, radical MFS bikes drop on TPC, you knew. Oh yes, you knew this was a major, major deal. So here’s a look at the three one-of-a-kind MFS bikes now available for sale. And, of course, we had to rely on Daniel Paisley, the provocateur who runs MFS, for no-nonsense, completely self-explanatory descriptions of these rare rides.
“Reach for the Dream” Argonaut
Daniel, were you on an intergalactic trip when you came up with this paint scheme? His take:
“A lot of people admire this bike. Which makes sense to me as it’s the most beautiful bike ever made. It’s funny because I think it probably rides good but I don’t know because I’ve never ridden it. Ever."
"I’ve tried to explain why I’ve never ridden it to so many different people in so many different ways from so many different angles on so many different occasions. And never not once satisfactorily.”
“Continental” Breadwinner
Daniel, is this actually the first gravel bike known to mankind? Here’s what he said:
“People are always calling me the Grandfather of Gravel. They're like dude, Daniel, you literally invented gravel riding and the gravel category which has been for over 10 years now the hottest, biggest, most epic trend in cycling since basically the wheel. And I’m like whoa whoa whoa sure, yeah, I mean, I guess I did give birth to the Rapha Continental from my brain in 2009 which does predate basically everything including Instagram and legit tire clearance. And as part of that project, we did collaborate with a bunch of handmade bicycle builders to build us a bunch of almost-proper shred sleds so that we could do things like ride through a mile of hub-deep Mississippi overflow and cross over knee-deep snow banks on unnamed gravel roads in the Wind Rivers at sunset on the way to a hot spring. Which, I suppose, ipso facto, does mean that I invented gravel. Obvs I’d never say that but … Anyway, gravel fans, you're welcome.”
“Road to Rad” Specialized Tarmac
Daniel, if there’s actually a “Road to Rad,” why isn’t it showing up in Google Maps? The answer:
“In 2016 we launched Road To Rad; a project to save the future of cycling one super inclusive group ride at a time. The Tarmac, raced once or twice, ridden to the top of a very tall hill somewhere in Taiwan, then, just like that, forgotten, doomed to a dusty pointless life in the back of a temperature-controlled basement. Then, in the summer of 2021, overwhelmed by guilt and a systemic lack of resources, I decided to release this cultural artifact and Cat 3/Knife Fight winning machine into gen pop. Now you can personally own a piece of race-ready museum-quality Road To Rad.”
Needless to say, these one-of-a-kind bikes will go quickly. First come, first served. And as Daniel might say, VENGA VENGA VENGA!
