Keirin Culture has a rich and boring history. After spending several years working in bike shops after college I took a job with a small racing bike distributor. The Taiwanese owner of this company put on a race in Taiwan that my boss and I attended (maybe 2004, it’s a little hazy). There were two S-Class keirin racers there. We immediately became great friends and still are today. Later that year they came to Virginia to visit and we came upon the idea of them sending me their used keirin frames to sell in the US. The main goal was to get them and their friends money because keirin doesn’t pay like it used to. Business got good and stayed that way for a few years. I wanted to take it in a new direction, though. Business is like racing a crit – if you’re not moving up, you’re moving back.
The next step was making a my own brand. A big problem with keirin frames was that they are so hard to get in large sizes. My new frames would be inspired by keirin geometry and available new in all sizes. The name “Kazane” came from my Japanese friend – it’s his daughter’s name and means the sound of the wind. Kazane frames are built by the same small builder who makes Toyo’s Taiwan frames. The first ones were built in 2008 and they seem to be doing pretty well. I consulted my friend Jeff Hopkins and his dad Kerry on the geometry. Jeff won a junior world track title on a bike his dad built back in the day. In addition to the track frames I brought out track cranks, wheels, hubs, and a bunch of other stuff.
This year I decided to get back to road. I love road riding and racing and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I could have come out with a Kazane fixed-gear freestyle bike but decided to stick with what I know. The frame is a no BS light alloy with a crit geometry (this is the East Coast). The wheels are solid, light, and affordable.
Here’s the no BS part. Kazane is one of the smallest brands you’ll find in this industry. Keirin Culture is the smallest shop in a pretty small city. Despite all of this I still devote a ton of time and resources to making our cycling world a little better. Every t-shirt I’ve donated to a courier race is money I could be buying beer with. The shop number is my own number and I’ll probably answer it whenever you call if I’m not sleeping or riding. Here’s some examples of stuff I’ve gotten involved with:
- Team Mountain Khakis. I’m supplying road frames and wheels to Team Mountain Khakis. They are a real-deal professional cycling team with a focus on teaching young pros how to race. They are a bunch of great guys and are killing it this year – 1st SE Speed Week team, individual, and two stages for instance.
- Richmond Pro Cycling. Another national-level racing team on Kazane. These guys race bikes and work with a school for autistic children.
- Race Promotion. Through my Richmond-based racing team I put on some of the best crits in the state, including the three night Kazane Racing Working Man’s Classic.
- Major Race Sponsorship. Kazane and No Brakes team up to bring you the Keirin at Dick Lane Velodrome in Atlanta.
- Alleycat Sponsorship. I supply prizes to about a dozen alleycat races a year.
There’s a lot more I can list (collegiate sponsorship, local alleycat, etc.). I just like bikes and want to do what I can to help the world of bikes. I hope you’ll consider supporting my shop and brand.
-Stratton