The Radavist

The work of John Slawta is a lifelong pursuit of not only creating wild paint jobs but of bicycle design and engineering. Landshark is one of the most iconic custom framebuilders and even though they have moved away from steel frames, the spirit is still out there. One of the great things about Facebook – yes, I just said that – is the way in which communities come together to show support for others and in this case, appreciation for the work of Landshark. This Facebook group is all about Landsharks and is well worth the click-through to see some truly unique and well-used bicycles.

Jim C, one of the founders of Orange 20 and later, Cranky’s in Santa Barbara, held a swap meet sale at Golden Saddle Cyclery today, before moving out east. Jim brought along with him a unique Land Shark Time Shark frame. This frame was allegedly raced by Amanda Henry in the 1986 UCI track worlds in the Flying 250mm. While I can’t find any information on the bike, or Amanda Henry’s career online, Jim’s memory of this frame’s history will have to do.

The asymmetric seat stays were a common detail on these Time Sharks, as were custom stems, wild paint jobs, and beautifully-curved forks. A few more details of note include the Magic Motorcycle cranks, which were later purchased by Cannondale to become part of their Coda line. Check out that outboard bottom bracket! The home-made disc wheels are made from common plastic, mostly used in model airplane fuselage construction.

All in all, these “funny bike” designs are always a pleasure to document and admire. Jim passed this bike down to the team at the Cub House, so if you’re ever in their neighborhood, make sure you check it out. See more photos below.