A Meteorite is defined as a meteor that survives its passage through the earth’s atmosphere such that part of it strikes the ground. The bike you see before you is an ode to a specific meteorite that impacted the Earth over 77 million years ago and created a lake that now gives life to millions of creatures who call the lake and its surrounding areas home.
In Finland, there is a lake called Lake Lappajärvi. This lake was formed in the impact crater of the aforementioned meteorite that travelled many millions of miles to arrive at a particular spot on our small ball of cosmic dust. The impact structure of the lake is estimated to be between 77.85 and 78 million years old. It has a surface area of 56.17 square miles and a max depth of 118 feet. The 2 towns that sit near the shore of the lake are Lappajärvi and Vimpeli. This particular Sage will be residing the town of Lappajärvi.
The genesis of the paint scheme for this bike came about as an ode to the meteorite that helped to create the lake as well as the life that is supported by it. When designing paint schemes for bicycles, there are certain constraints that you must work with. First off is the fact that you are working with round tubes and small ones at that. Most people think in a 2D style of imagery when imagining artwork, but a round tube is a 3D canvas that will be viewed from multiple angles. As such, the artwork needs to tie together and blend in such a way that the viewer is able to take in the full breadth of the artwork and see the details within the design to help them better appreciate the concept behind the vision.
As meteors enter our atmosphere, they compress the air in front of them. This compressed air can reach temperatures over 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, the outer layers of the meteor begin to vaporize in a process called ablation. It is here that our artistic design for the frame begins to take shape. The front of the bike is the meteor entering the atmosphere and heating up while it’s outer layers vaporize. As we move further back on the bike, we see the cool end of the tail of meteor that is being protected by the front as it flies through our atmosphere. Beyond that is the blackness of space and twinkle of the stars who bear witness to this fiery act.
As always, it is nice to hear from the proud owner of this particular bike and the inspiration for the creation of it.
What is the inspiration of the paint scheme?
“Generations of my family have lived and grown up in a small village named Lappajärvi. So have I. Lappajärvi is located in southern Ostrobothnia region in Finland and It has been named after Lake Lappajärvi, Europe’s largest impact crater lake. Lake Lappajärvi truly is a piece of heaven. My dream was to have the paint scheme capturing the moment when the meteor impact crater Lake Lappajärvi was born.”
What is your personal connection to that inspiration?
“Childhood home for sure. As a kid we would swim during the summer time a lot. One of our favorite hobbies as kids was to dive and gather pieces of crater lava stones from the bottom of the lake. Holding a piece of heaven by your own hand was something unforgettable. Nice to be able to create new memories with my new rolling piece of heaven.”
Why a Storm King GP?
I have been slobbering for titanium gravel bikes for some time now. My old CX bike needed replacement and I was looking for a new durable all-road, all weather adventure friend. I have been following @sagetianium for a while now and I was convinced of the professionalism of creating artistic titanium bikes. As I wanted to be on the crest of a wave in the gravel scene, the Stormking GP was a natural and perfect selection because it’s one of the first titanium gravel bikes designed to be using suspension forks.
What are your passions that connect you to the bike?
I have been sporting my whole life. As usual, injuries forced me to look for alternative sports and thankfully I found cycling about a decade ago. Originally, my biking career started as road / time trial specialist, while today I basically ride my bike year round for fun. Someone sane could probably diagnose me as being “bike addicted”. Riding a bike is counterweight to my daily work and exceptional way to relieve stress. It is also a way for me to stay healthy and to stay fit.
Overall I have noticed that I tend to set personal bike related goals on a yearly basis. It is an amazing feeling when you are able to achieve those goals. When you can’t ride fast anymore, you ride further and anywhere you want to go. The Sage StormKing GP helps me to achieve this goal.
A nice coincidence is that “Sage” is a commonly used nick name of our beloved daughter Saaga. Saaga translates to fairytale. Sage makes fairytales come true. Long live The Son Of Meteorite!
- Build Spec:
- Frame: Storm King GP with custom Cerakote finish (“Son of Meteorite” theme)
- Fork: Rock Shox Rudy Ultimate in Gloss Black with 40mm of travel
- Headset/ BB: Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Headset and T47 Bottom Bracket
- Cockpit: Enve Carbon stem/ Gravel Bar/ Seatpost/ Bar Tape, Sage Beccus Saddle
- Drivetrain: SRAM XPLR AXS 1X Drivetrain with Quarq Power Meter
- Wheelset: Enve AG25 Wheelset with Panaracer Gravel King SK+ 700×35 Tires
- Accessories:
- Silca Imperio Pump custom painted to match the frame
- Silca Securo Titanium Cages custom painted to match the frame
- Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders (not shown)