Black and White - Shifterbikes & fyxomatosis

A fresh start, and some clarifications.

Back in the daze.

In 2003 a cyclist handed me an invite to the Singlespeed Worlds in Castlemaine. We were both on the Critical Mass ride that went through Burnley tunnel.

The man was Dan, riding the sweetest Malvern Star townie I'd ever seen with a suitcase on the rear. I was riding my red track bike.

Dan came to my first photography exhibition back in 2004, but we didn't really deal with each until 2006 when he helped finish off my brakeless fixed Cross bike.

Yes, 4 years ago.

Not only did he 'get it' - the idea of wanting such a ridiculous bike, but he took the time to make it 'ebb' filling out a road fork to accept 32mm knobbies, perfect chainline. The overall ride I have to admit was sharp and pretty nuts for off-road riding, but I wanted to experiment. I raced this same bike with 23mm slicks and drop bars at the 2003SSWC so I figured knobbies just as fun.

I was working for a courier company that shall remain nameless, and developing my own on the side. I would run express deliveries between the city and Malvern for him as all other couriers wouldn't ride to Malvern and back to the city for just one job.

That was then.

Over the past 4 years Dan and I have continued to support each other, to the point where you the viewer sitting at your computer, or receiving this on your iphone in Japan might think we are the same thing, the same person

Here's just the latest example.

This was shot BY fyxomatosis (Andy White) AT shifterbikes (Dan Hale)

The components were supplied by fyxomatosis, the magic wheel building, detailing and assembly by shifterbikes.

Due to the watermarking (on the window) you may rightly perceive that we are one and the same.

This is the reality.

Dan has hair, tattoos and a penchant for wearing black.		I, Andy White have no hair, no tattoos, and a penchant for wearing bright clothing.
Dan loves punk music and it's as much as part of his website as the bikes.		I love Radiohead and a whole string of other musicians that I'm Dan would gag at - but we both love old Metallica.
Dan has been known to take the odd photo.		I am a photographer. Hence there are very few photos of me. Many of Dan.
Dan is one of Australia's best bespoke mechanics.		I have been known to assemble the odd bike
Dan builds wheels to last		I built A wheelset that lasted.
Dan has raced for Australia as an Elite mountain biker.		I have raced as a courier and have won a few Alleycats.
Dan was at the forefront of the Singlespeed movement organising and attending events since 2001		I've been at the forefront of the fixed wheel movement organising events and attending events since 2001.
Dan loves Jack and coke.		I love coffee.
Dan loves Mike Giant		I love Michaelangelo
Dan is meticulous in everything he does.		I'm a little rough around the edges.
Dan loves to ride his bike.		I love to ride my bike
Dan has been the heart and soul of Shifterbikes since 2004.		I have been the heart and soul of fyxomatosis since 2004.
Dan has a studio located at 364 Chapel St, South Yarra		I have a website hosted at 128.11.444.21
Dan has strict hours of operation at his studio.		I have been to known to work odd hours and the site is always online.
Dan stocks new parts for road, track and MTB builds		I stock used/ vintage parts and frames for builds
Dan anodises BREV FYXOMATOSIS chainrings for me		I polish aluminum components for Dan
Shifterbikes is black		fyxomatosis is white
Dan is a one man band.		I am a one man band.

Pics from 2006. Dan has more tattoos, I have less hair.

We are different.

I could go on and on about what I thought about Dan, you'd probably get sick of hearing it. To be honest I often wonder if you 'read' fyxomatosis or just scan over the images.

If you'll indulge me, Dan is the best bespoke mechanic I know. Not to say there ain't great machinists, fabricators, wheel builders on par with Dan, but Dan does it all. Everything. Without compromise.

Take him out of the shop, and onto the dirt and you'll find this mechanic will blow your doors off in the way a fox darts through the woods silently escaping it's predator. You won't catch him.

To describe him as a mechanic doesn't even scrape the surface to be honest. His style, sense of design, music and fashion in intrinsicly weaved throughout everything he does. His work is so clinical it inspired me to shoot this.

Again at shifterbikes (former location).