Today, a frame with plenty to say: for its tenth anniversary, JRI Fixed released the Grit and sent me a frame to support my new build. Planning a dream bike is one thing; making it real is another.

Front view of the bare frame and fork against distant night lights.

Frame specifications

Component Build at publication
Frame and fork CroMo Steel + Double coat of clear / Tig welded
Headset FSA 1 1/8 in Black
Brake mounts Front and rear drilled brake bosses for V-brakes / Hydraulic / Cantilever
Seat post size 27.2mm
BB BSA 68mm English – Square taperer cranks recommended
Tyre Clearance/size 700/45c

What is this frame for?

The Grit was designed for tracklocross and freestyle. With a freestyle fork, it offers barspin clearance; the room for different tyre sizes and the brake-mount options make it a versatile starting point. Check the actual frame and fork’s compatibility before choosing brakes.

Bare steel frame standing beside the river at night.

Lightweight

Easy enough to carry on your back, as you can see. The appeal is that mix of lightness and stiffness. This one deserves to be ridden, not left on a shelf…

Person carrying a bare steel frame over a shoulder at night.

A closer look

There are details on the Grit that are hard to resist: TIG-welded and brazed tubing, a raw finish and oil-slick colours around the welds. It looks like it has nothing to hide.

The Japanese decal reads “バイク”—baiku, or “bike”, as @spooky_tsuki taught me. It suits the frame’s raw character.

Here are a few close-ups. The dropouts were still burning when we took it out of the box. Obviously 🙂

Person carrying a bare frame and backpack along a riverside railing at night.
Head tube and fork of a bare steel frame photographed at night.
Close-up of the steel frame’s front tubes and welds.
Vapour rising beside the bare frame’s rear dropouts.
Head tube and fork of the bare steel frame against a dark background.
Seat tube junction and seat clamp on a bare steel frame.
Rear triangle and dropouts of the bare steel frame.

Where to find it

I found this frame in the JRI Fixed online shop alongside other frames, complete bikes and components.

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