Handmade bike show coming to Portland in ‘08
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on March 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Ending five months of speculation and courting by City of Portland officials, Don Walker, founder of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) just announced that the event will be in Portland next year on March February 7-10 at the Oregon Convention Center.
The announcement was made at the culmination of the third annual NAHBS in San Jose, California.
I spoke with Don a few minutes before the announcement and he said,
“Portland has been pursuing us since last September…and now they have really stepped up and basically said, ‘what can we do to help you.’ We had a few bumps in the road, but we overcame those and I am very excited about ‘08.”
The saga of his decision started early last October, when the Portland Development Commission made clear their intentions of trying to lure Walker and his popular event.
Walker was ready to sign on the dotted line after a visit to Portland, but when Eurobike made their big announcement to hold a major bicycle trade show in Portland, Walker decided to walk away from his Portland plans.
Walker was “heartbroken” that he was not told about the Eurobike show plans (the company behind Eurobike did not manage their communications well). Walker wanted to be the only game in town so he looked for other options and was leaning toward Providence, Rhode Island as a possible host city.
Then, when Eurobike Portland was officially called off, Walker and Portland officials from the PDC, Commissioner Adams’ office, and the Portland Oregon Visitor’s Association re-entered negotiations.
Portland is a natural choice for the Handmade Bike Show. We have arguably the largest and most talented pool of custom bike builders in the country and a community that not only loves bikes, but also appreciates the do-it-yourself attitude and skilled craftsmanship of these builders.
Rumors have been swirling around the show all week that Portland would be next year’s location and ideas and plans are already taking shape.
It’s safe to say next year’s event will have a uniquely Portland flavor.
One thing is certain, whatever bar is the official watering hole will get a huge boost in business. Last night at the official hotel of this year’s show, the bar ran out of glasses and one bartender told me she “couldn’t pour fast enough for all the cyclists.”
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March 4th, 2007 20:16
Ladies and Gentlemen - Start your drooling! Bike porn in the metal! Gee whiz! Good job to all of our bike builder guys and gals!
March 4th, 2007 20:26
This deserves a BEER or TWO tonight!!!!!!
March 5th, 2007 01:30
this is very good news...
i'm very happy about this...
everybody should be very excited.
March 5th, 2007 05:56
Is NAHBS open to the public? In other words, do they sell tickets to one and all? Or is it an insider-only event ala Interbike?
March 5th, 2007 06:49
NAHBS is all about the public coming to see the bikes.
March 5th, 2007 07:23
Yes, it's open to the public. This year's show had a $18 admission fee.
March 6th, 2007 16:01
Wow -- I was very excited to go to this. But if it is $18, um, you've got to be smoking something. I guess if they can get it, they will charge it. But damn that is crazy expensive.
March 7th, 2007 05:51
For what you get to see $18 is cheap, last year I flew
from Nebraska, spent 3 nights, 9 meals, lots of beers
bought a pereira and still feel its worth it. Were
coming back next year.
March 7th, 2007 07:29
CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The eqivalent AUTOMOBILE CONCOURSE in Carmel charges $175 General Admission.
But the concessions ought to be torched charging $3 for a soda (no ice).
March 8th, 2007 10:15
After watching this show from afar these last two years I told myself "for sure in '08!" And voila. The universe has spoken. ¡Hot damn tamale! This is great news.
March 15th, 2007 18:30
[...] I attended the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in San Jose nearly two weeks ago. I went because I’d heard there would be a number of longtails being shown, and also a bike integrating Stokemonkey. Actually I thought there might be more than one of the latter at the time I bought my tickets, but maybe next year, when NAHBS comes to Portland. Better late than never I hope, here’s my report. [...]