So, as i was saying... this past weekend was the annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show. Awesome chance for me to see old friends, make new ones, and garner bits and pieces of knowledge and connections to step up my game. The handmade bike industry and social scene is super unique. It is like very few other niche businesses; in that at a trade show of people stand side by side competing with each other while simultaneously sharing their most talented secret's on a better way to get the job done. In the past decade, this niche industry has gone from a handul of builders, to many hundreds of diffrerent names building every type of velocipede under the sun. This is all thanks in large part to the advances in communication and information sharing that the internet has provided, and the reemerging popularity of bikes for recreation and utility.
The show was in Austin, TX this year, a city i've always wanted to visit, so it was supermulti-faceted weekend, bikes and raging 24/7! Check out the photos, let me build your next custom bike! The partying in austin is first rate. From it's blossoming super hipster, ultra short denim shorts man, bicycle enthusiast gentrification explosion, to its down and dirty super short mini skirt wearin' southern belles of sixth street, it's a great place to be when it's 85 degrees there and 20 in brooklyn.
Upon arrival I immediately ran into my friend and former co-employee at the Spooky Cycles factory, Mickey Denocourt. Mickey Started the defunct brand back up a few years ago and has garnered much interest in the famed bikes and it's legacy. He was in need of a hand at the booth all weekend, being down a man, and since I used to make the bikes, i know the models and the ideals of the company pretty well, so I had a spot to post up and look professional.
Standouts of the show for me were the Geekhouse crews setup, Marty and the geekhouse crew are super nice, positive and approachable people, and their bikes are fuckin awesome. Naked Bicycles concept bike, and the countless new niche manufacturers who are now supplying more diverse and better tubing (stainless steel is an affordable option!), framebuilding fixtures, tools and brazing and welding materials. I could go on and on about all the cool shit i saw, Hit me up if you have any questions. check the pictures.
Billy Boscoe
The Beautiful detailed lugwork of one of the originators of the American handmade bike scene...
His booth was very prominently positioned and contained several excellent examples of his work at varying stages of the process.
"Goodbye horses, i'm cryin' over you"
Beautiful Headtube badge of the extremely detailed and visually appealing Winter Bicycles
Another Winter Frameset. Winter is based out of Portland oregon and are Individually tailored for each customer. Check them out here
As i go through and edit my photos i ill continue to post a new set with information and links for each builder following each photo, so... check back soon!
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