Howdy Folks,

Today I took out the Breezer Ignaz X for a spin around the neighborhood and realized that it's had some upgrades since I last photographed it in 2020. 

For those not familiar the Ignaz X was a throwback model produced by Breezer bikes as a tribute to the cruisers that started it all: According to Breeze "The "Iggy" is my tribute to Ignaz and Frank W. Schwinn.  They gave us the balloon tire and the legendary Excelsior X bike.  The mountain bike was built around these two elements, and it was Schwinn that developed them. In the 1970's some young cycling fanatics, looking for a new thrill, discovered the soulful but stout bikes in old bike shops and junkyards and resurrected them for the joy of riding off-road on Marin's Mount Tamalpais. I was one of those people and, believe me, we were just havin' fun - loads of it!  The "Iggy" takes you back to the early days of the sport.  I have tried to retain the look and feel of the Excelsior X as it existed when Charlie Kelly and Fred Wolf held the sport's first timed races at Repack in 1976.  At the same time I've made the bike even more enjoyable to ride.  Shedding 15 pounds and adding seven speeds can be helpful."  

It originally was priced around $700 and came with cruiser bars, a chain guard and a Shimano Nexus 7 speed internal hub. I had been lusting after one for a long time when the opportunity to pick up a single speed version from a buddy came up. The only thing remaining from his build are the Crupi cranks and the Thomson post. I've rebuilt it with parts from my bins to my mount whenever "Coaster Brake" rides are organized. 

Over the last few years I've upgraded the wheelset, adding a Coaster Cooler from Mone bikes, one of their hopped up Shimano coaster hubs, a White Industries front hub and raw brass nipples from Sim Works. I really like how the spoke washers on the rear hub, and the brass nipples complement the gold accents on the logos. I also swapped out the headset for a Chris King 2nut. In my eyes, it's just about perfect now. 

Breezer Ignaz X
Headset: Chris King 2nut
Stem: Nitto Golf Club
Bars: Surly Sunrise
Brake Lever: Shimano XTR M950
Grips: Milwaukee Bicycle Co. 
Front Brake: Shimano XTR M950
Wheels: Front Hub White Industries, Rear Hub Shimano Coaster hopped up by Mone Bikes, Rims Sun Rhyno Lites
Cranks: Crupi 175mm
Pedals: Odyssey Triple Trap
Seatpost: Thomson
Saddle: WTB