Adam Eldridge of Stanridge Speed wears many masks these days, refusing to be categorized as a particular style of custom frame builder. 2012 has already seen his ultra-modern Highstreet Pursuit track bike win the Red Hook Crit, while the latest of his creations featured on The Spoken was a classically-styled path racer collaboration with Nonetheless Garments. ‘The Goblin’ is the result of another partnership — this time with Chicago’s Heritage Bicycles — and one which takes Stanridge Speed in yet another direction.
Heritage Bicycles is an initiative of Michael Salvatore that’s helping to promote the benefits of cycling in Chicago. What better way is there than to combine beautiful and locally manufactured bicycles with great coffee? The Goblin is the second addition to the collection and is primarily influenced by early Schwinn cruisers, originally a Chicago local. I can also see a nod to another iconic American, the Worksman Cycle, and Adam informs me the riding position is designed to enable flat-footed contact with the tarmac and an upright posture — which remind me of the fiets that are native to Amsterdam.
The Goblin’s frame is built by Stanridge Speed and has been fitted out with vintage chainguards that have been pistriped by hand. They retail for US$2,300 and are available through the Heritage Bicycles website. For the real experience, however, drop in for a coffee to help inspire your purchase. And if you like the look of the grey one, wait till you see the blue Goblin.
