The North American Handmade Builders Show was held in San Jose, California from Friday to Sunday. The show’s intent is to highlight the work of small, custom bike builders. Portland had an impressive contingent on hand, showing off a tremendous flair for craftsmanship and aesthetic detail. Notably present were Joseph Ahearne of Ahearne Cycles, Tony Pereira of Pereira Cycles, and Sacha White of Vanilla Bicycles.
I really wanted to be there, but I was tied up with other things. Fortunately some photos have found their way onto the web.
(Photo: Cyclingnews.com)]
Joseph Ahearne showed off this beautiful lugged stem and new, twin-chainstays on his 29 inch mountain bike.
Tony Pereira paid homage to his name with this gorgeous pear detail on a custom stem.
Besides his crazy new Trike, Sacha White of Vanilla was up to his usual tricks. Here’s a few shots of his latest creations from an MTBR.com gallery.
Check out Cyclingnews.com for more coverage of the show.
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I made the trip to San Jose with my son, Evan, to cover the event for RoadBikeRider.com. I put up a rif on the Show at my Blog, which includes about a half-dozen of Evan’s photos, and a link to about 40 more photos at his NAHBS Gallery. Check it out: http://www.readytoride.blogspot.com.
BTW: Sacha’s booth was jam-packed throughout the show. The story will feature a piece on Sacha, and eight other frame builders including Richard Sachs, and J. Peter Weigle to mention just two.
Cheers.
Excerpts from Scott Martin in the RoadBikeRider.com newsletter:
“Calling this a bike show is like calling Donald Trump confident. It was a tribute to the bicycle as art — beautiful, elegant, whimsical, awe-inspiring, ridable art. More than 60 builders showcased their masterpieces in steel, aluminum, carbon, even bamboo and copper.
Eat your heart out, Interbike: There wasn’t a $300 hybrid or chain-smoking Taiwanese sales rep in sight. Instead, visitors feasted on booth after booth featuring stunning lug work, pristine fillet brazing, luscious paint jobs, curvaceous carbon tubing, gleaming stainless steel and etched titanium.
My favorite had to be J.P. Weigle’s gorgeous randonneuring bicycles. Or Rock Lobster’s no-nonsense Scandium-and-carbon cyclocross bike. Or Richard Sachs’ classic steel road machines. Or Brian Baylis’s stunning blue-and-white touring rig, complete with quick-release fenders and racks. Or Co-Motion’s fanciful “bedknobs and broomsticks” tandem with tubing that resembled sculpted wooden chair legs. Or the beauties from Bruce Gordon, Calfee, Independent Fabrication, Waterford, Vanilla . . . .
Heck, I want ’em all. Never mind that some cost five large and have a two-year waiting list. Imagine riding a frame built with such passion and craftsmanship and flair.”