(More photos below.)
This morning I stopped by Joseph Ahearne’s shop to see what he’s put together for the North American Handmade Bike Show.
Ahearne is NAHBS veteran who has come a long way since strapping a few of his custom cargo racks and stems to a backpack and walking around the inaugural show in Houston Texas back in 2005.
At last year’s NAHBS, Ahearne’s lovingly crafted mixte took home “Best City Bike” honors and this year he’s got another urban machine that is sure to turn heads…
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Joseph built this gorgeous bike for a customer in Pennsylvania who wanted a commuter rig that could “do everything”. It’s got clearance for knobby tires, a custom front rack, a rich, dark-orange finish, and all the famous Ahearne touches (like coin-capped fork legs).
Other bikes you’ll see in Joseph’s booth are a very classy track bike, a lugged commuter, a secret rando/touring frame he was tight-lipped about, and a fire-engine red urban machine (you might recall I spotted it last June).
The bike has curvaceous lines and seat-stays that come to a sharp point. Ahearne has installed chrome-finish fenders and has made a new front basket rack that continues the twin-tube aesthetic seen on the top tube.
To get a sense of how it all ties together, check it out from above:
design continues with the rack.
For more shots of Joseph’s shop, his NAHBS bikes, and the cargo racks he’s working on, check out all the photos from my visit.
Learn more about Ahearne Cycles on his website (which he says will be completely new in a few days).
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks from local builders. Next up: Renovo Hardwood Bicycles and Signal Cycles.
BikePortland.org’s coverage of the 2008 NAHBS is sponsored by Reynolds Cycling.