Catching up with Tony Pereira (and a surprise from Chris King)
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on August 21st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
(Photos © J. Maus)
This afternoon I stopped by the shop of local bike builder Tony Pereira.
Tony has come a long way since I first made note of his arrival in Portland (via Salt Lake City) back in November of 2005. Since then, his business has matured, he’s moved into a new shop, and has won several “Best of” trophies at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.
Today, he was putting the finishing touches on four new bikes he just built that will see action in this weekend’s Single Speed World Championships (SSWC) in Napa California. Tony built these gorgeous, 29-inch mountain bikes for himself and three of his close friends from his former hometown.
While looking over the bikes, Tony pointed out one very special component — a Chris King bottom bracket. Chris King sponsored Pereira’s SSWC team and, as a wedding present (he was just married last weekend), decided to give Tony the first-ever, non-prototype versions of this long-awaited product (they unveiled a prototype at Downieville last month).
Most people won’t realize what a big deal a Chris King bottom bracket is… but this is a product Mr. King has been talking about, promising, and fiddling with for over a decade (at least). Tony wasn’t told too many details about from company spokesman Chris Distefano, and all he could tell me is that the bearings are serviceable and that, “it threaded on very smooth.”
See more photos of Tony’s new single speeds and listen to him talk about his friends, and how they helped him launch his framebuilding career, in the audio slideshow below (remember, the button at the far right of the player will launch it in full-screen mode):
Good luck in Napa Tony!
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August 21st, 2008 17:52
Now I know what to ask Santa for this Christmas!!!
(Yes, Santa, I was nice... honest!)
August 21st, 2008 18:15
Congratulations Tony and Lucy, and best wishes for your future!
August 21st, 2008 18:48
What Donna said!
August 21st, 2008 19:27
As my BB's fry, they will get upgraded to CK. If I find myself in the new frame market, Tony will be top of list.
Too bad both of these require funds that I do not have. {sigh}
Congratulations on both the wedding and success in the custom framebuilding world.
August 21st, 2008 19:43
"Tony built these gorgeous, 29-inch mountain bikes for himself and three of his close friends from his former hometown."
His former hometown of Salisbury, Connecticut?
August 21st, 2008 20:31
tony is a cool cat,
met him at a bike festival on my old 1919 mead ranger.
August 21st, 2008 20:32
tony is a cool cat,
met him at a bike festival on my old 1919 mead ranger.
August 21st, 2008 20:32
tony is a cool cat,
met him at a bike festival on my old 1919 mead ranger.
August 21st, 2008 21:19
Good for you Tony! Now can you ask Chris what the big deal is about making a fixed gear hub? I'd buy three in a minute if they made one!
August 21st, 2008 23:00
Yeehaw! Good luck in Napa!
August 21st, 2008 23:26
Still waiting for a Chris King fixed gear hub...
August 21st, 2008 23:52
HELL YEA! They read the comment on my warranty card I submitted for the two sets of hubs I uses from them (the best I have ever owned BTW).
I"m in the market for a new bottom bracket too.
CC support staff are great to work with BTW.
~n
August 22nd, 2008 08:15
I wonder what they see as 'what they do better' for their bottom bracket. The problem with that style bottom bracket (except for campy's) is that there is a lot of drag. The bearings I would think die pretty quickly no matter what due to their very small size. I'll be interested in reading their 'about' page for this whenever it gets put up.
August 22nd, 2008 09:40
Love ya Tony !!
August 22nd, 2008 11:56
Dear god,
Please let Chris King make track hubs.
Thank you for listening.
-Ben
August 22nd, 2008 12:54
A big congrats to Tony and Lucy!
I had the pleasure of getting to know Tony during Cycle Oregon last year - we shared a van down to Diamond Lake for a 'mini-show' during their rest day.
Only success is in his future.
August 22nd, 2008 18:10
A huge congratulations to Tony and Lucy, one of coolest, kindest couples ever! Here's to many good times to come (on bike!).
Cheers to the newlyweds!
August 22nd, 2008 21:39
I'm trying to remember where I heard/read this, but don't King and Woods have a deal where one makes loud hubs and the other makes heavy ones?
August 23rd, 2008 09:33
Oh yeah, think about all the ways you could express your sense of identity with all the possible of color combinations between anodized King hubs and Velocity Deep V's.
Yes, I am being sarcastic.
On another note those BB's would be sooooo great for some NW cyclocross mudding. I am sick of replacing my Shimano BB every time I am too lazy to clean it right after a race.
August 23rd, 2008 11:27
Is disparaging people for being concerned with the aesthetics of their bicycle reinforce your "sense of identity", Andrew?
August 24th, 2008 11:30
Andrew
We all have different reasons for doing stuff, and we have different tastes. and you're free to mock other's taste, but only if you're as funny as bikesnobNYC.
August 26th, 2008 17:31
iamges from sswc08 here carsonblume.blogspot.com
August 26th, 2008 18:25
This thread is probably dead, but here's my pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pereiracycles/sets/72157606970983282/
August 29th, 2008 22:02
Can't wait for the frames to come from King!