How big is Portland’s framebuilding reputation?

With 24 builders (at last count) currently plying their trade in Portland, this city is the epicenter for America’s bike-making renaissance.

What do builders from other places think about that? Ask 15-year framebuilding legend Curtis Inglis of Napa, California-based Inglis/Retrotec Cycles. Or better yet, check out the T-shirt he was wearing at the Oregon Manifest show…

Oregon Manifest Bike Show Day 1-134

UPDATE: Here’s my current list of Portland-based bike builders. If you know of others not on this list, please let me know.

  • Ahearne Cycles
  • Argonaut Cycles
  • Belladonna Cycles
  • Cascadia Bicycles
  • Courage Bicycle Manufacturing Company
  • Hufnagel Cycles
  • Ira Ryan Cycles
  • Lucky 13 Bikes
  • MAP Bicycles
  • Milholland Bicycle Company
  • One Ghost Industries
  • Palmares Cycles
  • Pereira Cycles
  • Renovo Hardwood Bicycles
  • Signal Cycles
  • Sprout Cycles
  • Stites Design
  • Strawberry Bicycle
  • Sweetpea Bicycles
  • Tonic Fabrication [Group]
  • Tsunehiro Cycles
  • Vanilla Bicycles
  • Vertigo Cycles
  • Warrington Cycles
  • Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

    Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

    Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, contact me via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a paying subscriber.

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    Peter
    Peter
    16 years ago

    funny. i’m starting to wonder if the rising cost of living in portland will eventually catch up to the bicycle-building trade.

    Minster Of Erosion
    Minster Of Erosion
    16 years ago

    Really more like 33 or 34 frame builders in town.

    matt
    matt
    16 years ago

    Peter,
    I think cost of living will catch up. However I think they will remain what they are; The custom car of bikes. As more folks get into cycling as a way of life the broader the consumer base will get. I would think most people really want something that is a one of a kind, something created specifically for them. If you look at the cost of a custom frame with carved lugs, the personal paint job and a good component set up comared to the average luxury car…well ones under 5000, ones not. You also have the ability buy the frame then upgrade compmonets. Not so easy with motorized transpotation. Moreover, it’s functional art.

    Matt F
    Matt F
    16 years ago

    Is there a list of all the Portland framebuilders with links to their websites?

    thanks,matt

    Adams Carroll (News Intern)
    16 years ago

    “Is there a list of all the Portland framebuilders with links to their websites?”

    I’ve got one on my links page Matt… but i just realized after my recent software upgrade the page is not longer organized like it used to me.

    for now, you can see a list of the portland-based builders in the sidebar just to right of these comments.

    BURR
    BURR
    16 years ago

    there are links to the websites of all the builders that participated at the Oregon Manifest web page.

    Eileen
    Eileen
    16 years ago

    But when the economy collapses, everything will be handmade right? Don’t worry about cost of living… buy local.=)

    Curtis
    16 years ago

    Hi Jonathan
    Just to clarify. I have been building bike for 15 years and not all of that was full time.
    It was good to come up and join all the Oregon builders at the show.

    Adams Carroll (News Intern)
    16 years ago

    thanks Curtis. i’ve edited the story. great chatting with you at the show by the way. keep in touch.

    chris
    chris
    16 years ago

    if the economy collapses, everything might be handmade, but no one will be able to afford it. We will ALL become craftpersons at that point. =)