Tern’s Roji portfolio goes global with new distribution
Previously a Japanese market exclusive, Tern’s Roji portfolio will now go global with stockists carrying the bikes starting Spring 2017 in cities including New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei and Buenos Aires.
“At Tern, we’re committed to building one of the world’s leading urban cycling brands,” said Joshua Hon, Founder and Team Captain of Tern. “As we develop more product offerings in folding, electric and cargo, it’s a natural progression to bring our design philosophy to classic city bikes as well. The Roji collection has been a runaway success in Japan, and we can’t wait to bring it to the rest of the world.”
The 2017 Roji lineup builds on last year’s 650c and 700c offerings with two new 451 mini velos, the Tern Crest, and the hydroformed Tern Surge. Mini velos, a hybrid design combining traditional road frames and compact wheels, have seen an explosion of popularity across Asia’s megacities, where space is at a premium. The Surge delivers the benefits of 451 wheels, including punchy acceleration and portability, with the rigidity and light weight of a hydro-formed diamond frame.
“Our new Surge and Crest bikes are
optimized for urban riding,” continued Hon. “What makes them great for Tokyo — size, performance, maneuverability and style — makes them perfect for Paris too.”
Together with the international launch of Roji, Tern is piloting a new project for 2017 — small batch productions of limited Roji designs, sporting radical styling and specs. The Surge LTD, the flagship of the new project, features tri-spoke carbon fiber wheels, custom drop bars, and a global production run of only 50 units.
“Every time we post a teaser of the Surge LTD to our Facebook or Instagram accounts, it breaks the internet,” said Hon. “The showpiece tri-spoke wheels are a bit of a flourish, but they shave grams off the stock model, and offer a significant improvement in overall aerodynamics. They look pretty good too.”