CH Edition: Budnitz Bicycles Model No. 1 Scorcher
Our latest collaboration results in the ultimate city bike, and we’re giving it away
The contest concluded Wednesday 19 June at 4PM EST. Thank you to everyone who entered.
In recent months we’ve teamed up with Tumi to design our ideal travel backpack and 3×1 for a denim apron worthy of the finest cook-outs. And now, to inspire further outdoor exploration in the coming summer months, we’ve collaborated with our friends at Budnitz Bicycles to create the ultimate single-speed city bike, the Model No.1 Scorcher. An iteration of Budnitz Bicycles’ founding model, our No. 1 has been re-imagined in steel with an upgraded drive train, custom Cool Hunting green Chris King components and a matte-grey powder coat finish. And the best part of all: we only made one and we’re giving it away.
“The CH + Budnitz Scorcher is specifically designed for riding on asphalt, gravel, single-track, stairways, curbs, sidewalks and flower beds” – Paul Budnitz
Known for their hand-built, shock-absorbing cantilevered frames, Paul Budnitz and his team spared no expense when updating their designs to our specifications. To achieve our joint goal of designing a beautifully understated, urban assault vehicle we beefed up the bike with Schwalbe Racing Ralph knobby tires, custom Budnitz titanium seatpost, stem, spacers and flipped riserbar—for a more aggressive riding position—and an ever-reliable Gates belt drive, powered by a daVinci crankset. Never again will you fear cobble-stone streets. In fact, as Budnitz himself sees it, “with a handmade cro-moly frame and many parts borrowed from top-of-the-line cyclocross bikes, the CH + Budnitz Scorcher is specifically designed for riding on asphalt, gravel, single-track, stairways, curbs, sidewalks and flower beds—whatever.”
For the wheelset, we went with an elegant and ever-so-sturdy combination of Velocity Blunt SL rims laced to custom Cool Hunting green Chris King hubs, held securely in place with Pitlock wheel locks. Connecting the stop-on-a-dime disc brakes to the Paul brake levers are artful Yokozuna cable housings, which thread through the bike frame with beautiful precision. And as nod to the classics, we chose a titanium-railed Brooks Ti Swallow saddle and matching black leather grips.
As the one and only of its kind, no detail has been overlooked. We’ve even attached a Budnitz Beer Wrench for cracking a cold one. Aside from just a few components from Japan, England and Germany, almost the entire bike is made in America. This bad boy has seen a little street time, but only for quality control purposes (and a little fun racing against NYC’s new Citi Bikes). We can attest to its smooth ride and head-turning abilities—accentuated by the signature buzzing of the Chris King hub and Gates drive combination.
Enter to win the CH Edition Model No. 1 Scorcher by signing up for the Budnitz Bicycles newsletter. The contest will run one week, from 12-19 June, with the winner selected at random. For a closer look at this handsome bike, have a look at the slideshow. Today Budnitz is also releasing a slightly less modified, CH Edition-inspired Model No. 1 Scorcher Limited, available in a range of colorways for between $2,700 and $5,000 (depending on preferred material and color).
The contest has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who entered.
Lead image courtesy of Budnitz Bicycles, all others by Graham Hiemstra
