Shinya Tanaka has built a small empire with his Sim Works brand in Japan.
Tanaka has 20 employees, and brought 12 of them to the States to see NAHBS, San Francisco, California, and Portland, Oregon. With Sim Works, his business interests include a bike shop, a paint shop, a component brand, an importer of frames and components (including bringing Hunter, Sycip, and Cyclocross Magazine into Japan) and a restaurant. And now the company exports its products into the States and has an office in Portland, Oregon.
Sim Works names its steel stems after Beach Boys songs. This Dirty Rhonda model eliminates the cable hanger for those using cantilever brakes. Fits 31.8mm bars, six lengths. $130. NAHBS 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine
Sim Works sells handlebars and stems manufactured by Nitto, the partnership featured in the video, below. The Nitto-made wares feature Sim Works whimsical branding and unique shapes. Sim Works also sells a versatile frameset called the Dopo that accepts 650b or 700c wheels, designed for touring, commuting and/or gravel.
Other small parts are available as well, such as their Sim Roll leather bar tape that comes in a number of colors, including a Michelin green, the same color of the company's gravel tire, as well as hex-bolt locking bar end plugs.
Doppo means "walk along" in Japanese, and Sim Works says the frame is the cycling equivalent. It's built by Japanese frame builder Shin. $1400.00 USD for the frameset. NAHBS 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine
Finally, Sim Works is also importing Honjo fenders to the States, and promises better pricing than what's currently available.
With their purpose of distributing products "in order to fit all the bicycle rider's life style, create their needs to the shape, and support all the craftsmen who produce excellent items in the world," Sim Works seeks to fill a niche for those looking for the unique.
With their partnerships and products, they are poised to do just that. Watch the video below and check out the slideshow of images from Sim Works' NAHBS booth, below.
More info: sim-works.com/en
Factory Visit to NITTO from Ryota Kemmochi on Vimeo.
Sim Works also offers a number of alloy handlebar options in a number of different unique bends. All made by Nitto. NAHBS 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine
