If you attended the 2013 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, you may have encountered a track bike with a pink mirror finish that was more spaceship than speed bike. It was presented by Czech brand Festka, who employ a Mr. Hrubý to assemble their frames. Before Festka, Hrubý built frames under his own brand of Rozzo. This is a restored Rozzo—now named Prefestka in homage.
Prague’s Urbanvelo Unlimited came across this Rozzo in a rusty, beaten-up condition hardly befitting the skill and local respect of its builder and brought it back to life. A respray and a new set of decals with the clever Pre-Festka title later, the frame was ready to be built up. Urbanvelo assembled it with period-correct components from Shimano’s 600 range.
Prefestka’s story doesn’t end there. Peter Pech, a Slovakian photographer, had been riding downhill and freeride MTB for years, until he came across the lugged steel beauties on The Spoken, pouncing upon the Prefestka when it was offered for sale as a first foray into the world of the skinny tire. Peter made it more familiar by converting it to a single chainring, adding a MTB cassette and flat pedals.
Needless to say, Peter’s been having a helluva ride upon his new Prefestka—although from the looks of Urbanvelo’s other builds, photographed in the snow, I’d probably prefer fatter tires. The rear brake mounted fore of the seat stays is my favorite detail, as well as Urbanvelo’s ‘Prasumbus’ tubing sticker, featuring a flying pig instead of Columbus’ dove. See more on Peter’s website.
