I once read an article where someone made the remark that everyone thought Vincent van Gogh was mad, and that his paintings of the Netherlands were wild fabrications of the landscapes he painted. This was of course thought up by people who had never been to the Netherlands, or maybe never stood in the fields in spring, at sunset. The intense greens and yellows in the evening mix into the blues, pinks, and purples of the early morning light... All contrasted with the stark mix and contrasting presence of water. Water everywhere. It's just too intense to be real, right? Well that was the argument made for van Gogh not being mad, and that he was merely painting what he saw around him, and that it was in fact the landscapes that were truly unbelievable.

To put that into perspective, I took these photos without a filter, on albeit a cheap mirrorless camera, and STILL "had" to desaturate them to make them appear "normal". The Netherlands is very silently and quietly absolutely gorgeous.

Oh yeah, the bike. I like to call it the SS Compliant. The steel frame, tight yet relaxed geo, combined with the godly eeSilk seapost and flexy carbon handlebars mean this allroad bike is a KM-munching racing-lounge-chair.

Carbon Rodeo rims holding onto OG Compass Bon Jon Pass tires, laced to the venerable Chris King R45d mean this bike rolls noticeably smooth on all the roads, as well as "roads", the Netherlands has to offer.

Check below for the gallery and detail shots. Keen to know more or start a build of your own? Don’t hesitate to send an email today!