Why Shintaro Sato Continues to Choose Panasonic Order System: 1 mm Precision and Trust Behind a Decisive Moment

Victory or defeat can be decided in a single instant. In the final phase of a race, when both physical strength and judgment are pushed beyond their limits, what can an athlete ultimately rely on? In the middle of competition, when the senses become sharply refined and a person is at their most fragile, the question is whether there is something they can trust completely without hesitation. Shintaro Sato, who has continued to compete at the top of the keirin world, has chosen Panasonic Order System, or POS, for eight years. What is the reason behind that choice? This article introduces the previously untold relationship between Shintaro Sato and POS, as well as the technology and craftsmanship that support that trust by facing precision down to the millimeter. Shintaro Sato was born on November 7, 1976. He is a keirin cyclist from Fukushima Prefecture and a graduate of the 78th class of the Japan Keirin School, now the Japan Institute of Keirin. A veteran athlete, he has remained active at the highest level for many years. His riding style is known for powerful late charges, sharp finishing speed, and strong race adaptability. His major achievements include winning the KEIRIN Grand Prix 2019, winning GI special keirin races, and reaching 500 career wins in 2026, a record achieved by only a limited number of riders since the establishment of the S-class system. Because he has continued to compete at the top national level for many years, he is widely known as one of the representative figures of keirin and as a legend of the sport. Since 2018, POS has supported Sato with equipment, backing his challenges through frames in the extreme environment of racing. In general, equipment used by top athletes is often updated frequently. Against that backdrop, Sato’s continued use of POS frames over many years reflects a relationship of trust built over time. What Sato seeks in a frame is not temporary performance or trends. In the extreme environment of racing, it must match his own sensations completely and become something he can entrust his power to without doubt. POS has met that condition. In an interview, Sato said of POS: “First of all, they make it exactly to the dimensions. There is no deviation down to the millimeter. As a professional, that is truly important.” Producing a frame exactly to the ordered dimensions, consistently and without variation, may sound obvious, but maintaining that level of stability over many years is not easy. Stable delivery schedules are also an important factor for top athletes who continue competing throughout a season. “What I imagined comes out exactly as it is. If something is even slightly different, I can tell the moment I ride it.” Sato is extremely sensitive to feel, to the point that he can detect minute differences in a frame. Within that context, POS has continued to reproduce the same feel at a high level every time. “They reproduce the same ‘flavor’ every time. Even when I ask for another one, they properly deliver the same flavor.” This reproducibility is the biggest reason Sato continues to choose POS. Because he trusts the quality, he does not hesitate during a race or wonder whether the equipment will be all right. The confidence of riding a professional-grade frame supports his concentration and performance. “When I ride POS, my results are somehow good. It is difficult to explain logically, but sometimes I feel it is because the ‘soul’ of the craftspeople who make the frame is inside it.” The reason POS continues to support Shintaro Sato is not simply that he is a top athlete. Throughout his long career, he has known both the weight of victory and the harshness of defeat, yet he continues to face the sport directly. POS holds deep respect for that attitude. His attitude toward frames is the same. He listens to subtle changes and builds a relationship through long-term use. That approach overlaps with POS’s own commitment to craftsmanship that faces each bicycle individually and over the long term. That is why this is not merely equipment support. POS continues to support Sato with the desire to back his challenge through craftsmanship. What POS has valued is quality that can be used for a long time and trust that continues, without being swayed by trends or temporary performance competition. POS will continue to support those who keep challenging themselves through sincere craftsmanship. Panasonic Order System, or POS, was born as a custom frame brand that responds to each person’s body and riding style. Since its launch in 1987, POS has stayed rooted in the idea of frame building that stays close to people. As it approaches its 40th anniversary, that stance remains unchanged and continues to earn the trust of top athletes.