The claim that Portland is the epicenter of handmade bicycles just got a bit easier to make. Two new builders — Belladonna Cycles and Sprout Cycles — have joined Portland’s already healthy list of custom bike makers.
Belladonna Cycles is run by Mark Simmons. Simmons has lived in Portland for ten years and says he’s been building bikes in a shop behind his North Portland home for two years. On his website, he writes, “I’ve always had a love for vintage bikes. Beautiful, italian, simple and classy. So for every frame I build these four elements play a role.”
A Belladonna touring bike.
(Photos: Belladonna on Flickr) |
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The man behind Sprout Cycles is Portland native Edwin Brown. On his website, Brown says he uses a combination of TIG welding and brazing to build steel frames (starting at $800) for, “people who’ve made riding a central fixture of their lives.” Brown also notes that he builds bikes for all occasions — cyclocross, road, track, mountain-biking or commuting.
Edwin Brown
(Photos: SproutCycles.com) |
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It’s great to see new talent coming onto the scene and I look forward to paying both of these builders a visit.
Go Edwin!
I enjoy dicing it out with Edwin on the \’cross courses in the fall. Good to see that he\’s got this going on too!
Italian!?
Can I get one with the bottom bracket threaded the right way?
three cheers for edwin!
i love that photo…
Yay, Edwin!!!!! He was definitely one of my early influences that led to be becoming a bike commuter (7 years with no car this Memorial Day!)… and he\’s been amazing at setting up many of our friends on bikes who didn\’t have them. I\’m very proud of him and hope to get on the list soon!
Right on Edwin, that\’s sweet!
keep it up and oh yeah, let people know who took your dope pix!
Good luck to you both. Glad to see bikes of color in the pix. I hope someday to ride one of your frames, hopefully, it will be a Eight-bike-team (mule-team), tractor-trailer-truck-bike.