Everything that has form is always changing, and nothing in this world remains in the same state.

In this impermanent world, it is an unavoidable path.

The beauty of new things is wonderful, but we prefer the beauty that comes from using something over time and watching it change.

For example, with a bicycle, the paint might chip from flying stones, or the top tube might dent from hitting the handlebar. The more you ride, the more the beauty of the product changes, but that too becomes a memory of your ride and feels like part of the experience. No matter how mass-produced an item is, the marks and wear it acquires become a special trace, telling the history you’ve etched into that object.

Even if the frame gets dented or the paint chips, that’s the history created by you and your beloved bike. We find beauty in that change.

While it is generally seen as degradation, we personally believe that it also means a new sense of value and attachment is infused into the product.

A well-worn White Industries crank owned by Shige from Circles.

For example: worn-in jeans, a well-used leather saddle, or your favorite jacket. Even if each of these was mass-produced, they show different expressions depending on who wore or used them, and that becomes the value of each individual item.

We wanted to create bicycle parts like that, which is why we commissioned MKS (Mikashima Pedal Manufacturing), a Japanese pedal factory with a proud heritage, for this special edition.

After 3 years since the conceptual stage, it’s finally being released.

MKS Pedal Black Paint

The shape of the product is based on MKS’s classic models: Promenade, Sylvan Stream, and BM-7. This time, we had the side plates of these three models made from brass.

Then they were given a black paint finish. Unlike anodizing or electrostatic coating, the paint will peel off quite easily as it gets used.

As you use it, the black paint peels off, revealing the raw brass beneath the pedal.

For some, the change will happen on the pedal surface, while for others, the brass will start showing where the pedal hits the ground.

As the exposed brass becomes oxidized, it will gradually become dull. Depending on the usage environment, verdigris may start to form.

But that’s what’s great about it.

Black Magic

Black paint over brass. Those familiar with this aesthetic might notice a likeness to Leica.

In fact, we were inspired by Leica, an optical manufacturer founded in Wetzlar, Germany. This legendary company invented the 35mm film camera, which became the standard for film cameras, by repurposing movie film.

Before Pentax recently released their new half-frame film camera, Leica was the only company in the world still manufacturing film cameras.

The silver bodies of Leica cameras are also made of brass.

The Leica M series is a masterpiece of humanity, continuously produced with model updates from 1954 to the present day. Amazingly, lenses from 1954 are compatible with the digital bodies from 2024!

When the M series Leica was first released, silver chrome was the mainstream finish. However, at the request of journalists who needed the cameras to be less conspicuous, a small number of cameras with brass bodies were produced, finished with black paint. The aging process of these cameras is incredibly cool.

Due to their rarity, original black-painted models are traded at high prices in the second-hand market. They’re seriously out of reach now.

Putting the price aside, the beauty lies in the fact that no two are the same due to aging.

The initial condition is the same, but as you use it, each camera develops its own unique expression. Circles Creative Director Masashi loves the world of Leica so much that he even bought a digital camera with the M series black paint in mind.

Masashi’s camera may show signs of wear, but it’s a tool – and tools are meant to be used.

As Masashi says, “When it comes to bike parts, and products in general, I’m the type who thinks they’re coolest not when they’re new, but when they’ve been used so much that they reflect my life. I love that way of using things, and since a bicycle is just a tool, riding it carefully and with love doesn’t mean keeping it in pristine condition – it means riding it every day without worrying about scratches and truly using it.”

The box was also specially designed for this item.

Masashi continues, “I’m really sorry for bringing in my personal tastes so much, but many bike enthusiasts are also into photography, so I thought maybe I could share this perspective!

By the way, I love black paint so much that I even had the SimWorks brass fender Turtle58 black-painted too! Look at that beautiful patina…”

Raw Brass

We may have gone a bit overboard with the camera talk, but for all the brass lovers around the world, we also offer a raw brass variation with no paint.

Just like with the black paint version, we have three raw brass pedals available: Promenade, Sylvan Stream, and BM-7.

This finish is simply lightly polished raw material.

These too are made with the intention of aging gracefully over time.

As you can see, the bottom Promenade is before use, and the top BM-7 is after use.

We purposely didn’t polish it too much, leaving it with the raw, brass feel. It will dull over time and look really fantastic. On the other hand, it might be fun to polish it yourself and make it shine…

This well-worn brass fender belongs to Mat, a SimWorks user based in Hokkaido.

The quality is reliably MKS. Each part of each pedal is carefully handmade and finished.

We know that raw brass is probably in higher demand, but we just couldn’t help but talk about the greatness of black paint, so we apologize for the heavy emphasis on the black paint in the description!

One of our goals at SimWorks is to create products that, even though they’re ready-made, change over time and develop a unique sense of attachment. And if you want, you can even polish or otherwise customize them yourself and make each component your own.

Raw brass is great, and the black paint version is also well done. Please make one yours!