Bike Profile: John Elgart’s Custom Dragon-Themed Masters 70-74 National Championship Bike

One of the more interesting things about the smaller racing categories is seeing the diverse and unique equipment that shows up. John Elgart of California is no stranger to those races, having won the Masters 65-69 race in Bend in 2010 and finished second in his current Masters 70-74 category in 2016. This year, Elgart won the Masters 70-74 race aboard a very unique custom-painted A bike.

The frame features a distinctive dragon motif, with a scale pattern running down the main tubes and a copper accent on the head tube and seat cluster. A stylized dragon features prominently on the down tube.

Elgart’s friend Stefan Giachino, a Southwest Airlines pilot and artist, originally built the unique bike. "He made it for himself, it just happens to be my size," Elgart told Cyclocross Magazine. "When he hurt his back believe it or not he decided to sell it."

To be clear, Giachino only custom painted the bike. The frame, he acquired elsewhere. "The bike is the kind of bike you can get on some websites, Elgart explained. "It's light and of course, has a cool paint job and people ask me about it all the time."

The rest of Elgart’s setup is equally unique. He is running a Shimano 1x10 transmission paired to a SRAM Red BB30 crankset and a Wolf Tooth narrow-wide chainring. Interestingly, despite the use of a 1x drivetrain, the bike has both a second chainring and a Dura-Ace FD-R7900 front derailleur, which is attached to the front ST-R7800 shifter. Elgart explained that the shifter is set up with trim but is incapable of shifting to the smaller ring, and both function only as redundant chain catchers to ensure the Shimano chain stays in place over rough terrain.

The rear shifting is more conventional, with a Shimano Dura-Ace RD-R7800-GS short cage derailleur paired to a Dura-Ace ST-R7800 rear shifter. A SRAM 11-30 cassette is mounted on 32 hole alloy tubular wheels. Stopping is a rim brake affair, featuring Paul Mini Moto linear pull brakes with Jagwire V-Brake pads.

Challenge Limus tires were glued on for Reno, which was the deciding factor for starting on this unique bike. Elgart also brought a Redline disc brake bike with tubeless tires, but found his rim brake bike with tubulars to work better for the course. "This has tubulars on it. The [redline] is tubeless, this one had better traction going up the hill, and this one is lighter." Elgart said.

Elgart’s contact points are a mix of brands, with an FSA Wing alloy handlebar wrapped in orange Lizard Skins tape, Ritchey WCS carbon seatpost and, interestingly, a Terry Fly Ti saddle; the men’s version of the popular Terry Butterfly women’s saddle. Power is applied with Crank Brothers Candy pedals.

See the photo gallery below for a full look at Elgart's bike.

For more from Reno, see our dedicated 2018 Reno Cylocross Nationals page.

John Elgart's Custom-Painted Nationals Bike Specifications

Frame: Open Mold Carbon, custom paint, BB30, internal cable routing, cantilever brakes
Fork: Open Mold Carbon, custom paint, cantilever brakes
Shifter: Shimano ST-R7800
Brake Caliper: Paul Mini Moto, Jagwire pads
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace RD-R7900-GS
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-R7900, set up as chain guide
Crankset: SRAM Red, BB30
Chainrings: Wolf Tooth 36-tooth narrow-wide, inner ring as chain catcher
Cassette: SRAM, 11-30
Chain: Shimano 10 speed
Stem: Alloy
Handlebar: FSA Wing
Seatpost: Ritchey WCS Carbon, 20mm setback
Saddle: Terry Fly Ti
Pedals: Crank Brothers Candy
Rims: 32 hole tubular
Tires: Challenge Limus, 700x33mm

Photo Gallery: John Elgart's Custom-Painted Nationals Bike