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Cyclo-cross

US CX Nats race tech: One of Fisher's finest shapes up

published 17 December 2009

Trick-looking Gary Fisher prototype 'cross bike spotted in the pits at nationals

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Conventional headset spacers help lock in the saddle height in addition to the conventional seatpost clamp.(Image credit: James Huang)

Press-fit cups as seen on some production Gary Fisher frames make for a lighter assembly overall while the wider shell allows the chain stays to be spread further apart for superb mud clearance.(Image credit: James Huang)

Just as with the front end, the seat cluster looks like a lugged joint from afar but actually comprises a combination of brazed sleeves and TIG welding.(Image credit: James Huang)

The rear brake cable is fed straight through the extended seat tube.(Image credit: James Huang)

Sliding dropouts with built-in tensioners make for easy drivetrain setup while the split design allows belt drive compatibility.(Image credit: James Huang)

The fork is made of lugged steel, too.(Image credit: James Huang)

Gary Fisher brand manager Travis Ott says that something this intricate isn't likely to make it into the consumer catalog - that is, unless the company receives enough of a positive response to justify its production.(Image credit: James Huang)

Spotted in the pits at this year's US cyclo-cross national championship was this one-off Gary Fisher belt-drive singlespeed.(Image credit: James Huang)

The Gary Fisher mountain icon is integrated right into the head tube lugs.(Image credit: James Huang)

There were plenty of kitsch touches to this Gary Fisher frame.(Image credit: James Huang)

Check out the decorative milling - and the geometric fish patterns - cut into the lugs.(Image credit: James Huang)

Bcycle isn't a bike brand per se - it's a bike sharing initiative that aims to reduce the use of automobiles for short-haul journeys or urban commutes.(Image credit: James Huang)

The prototype Gary Fisher frame uses a semi-integrated seat mast, complete with a modified Bontrager post for a stub up top.(Image credit: James Huang)

Resting peacefully in the pit area at this past weekend's US cyclo-cross national championships was an innocuous-looking white Gary Fisher singlespeed machine that turned out to be anything but a standard rig upon closer inspection.

Race tech: US cyclo-cross national championships

More US CX Nats race tech: Single or nothing

According to Gary Fisher brand manager Travis Ott, it was a "we did it because we could sort of bike", built by an employee at the company's Waterloo, Wisconsin headquarters.

"They were just playing around with their capabilities back there in the shop and they wanted to see what they could actually do," said Ott. "They wanted to see what would happen with the belt on a 'cross bike."

Special features include faux lugwork with machined-in Gary Fisher mountain logos and geometric fish icons, slider-type dropouts with integrated tensioners and a split driveside stay that allows the use of a Gate belt drive, and trick rear brake cable routing that passes right through the semi-integrated seat mast.

Aside from the brazed-on sleeves at the ends of the tubes, the bike is fully TIG-welded.

Press-fit bottom bracket cups and an extra-wide shell are pulled straight from Gary Fisher's production 'cross machines though, with the same benefits of lighter overall weight and superb mud clearance thanks to the extra-wide chain stay spacing. Fender mounts are also included front and rear.

At least for now, Ott says the special bike was a pure one-off and isn't indicative of future consumer products. However, he doesn't rule out the possibility, either.