Watch the slideshow below
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
The Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show has once again shown that the bicycle building industry and craft is alive and thriving in Oregon. Despite steady rain, the aisles were full of people interested in meeting the hands behind their favorite bikes and getting up close and personal with some of the finest bikes in the world.
I caught up with many of the builders and have a lot of notes to share; but for now, sit back and watch the slideshow below. Check back later for an updated post with more details about the builders and their bikes… If you were there, leave a comment with your feedback about the show, your favorite bikes, etc…
This is great and all but I find it rather amusing that a city like Portland embraces such expensive custom built bicycles that are for the most part out of reach of the bulk of cyclists out there.
Red Five,
Thanks for the comment. In my experience, Portland embraces all types of bicycles…. from cheap, used singlespeeds to carbon racing machines and custom built dream bikes. Isn’t it great that people have so many choices and that we have many small builders here that have thriving independent businesses?!
It’s also important to keep in mind that everyone has a different idea of “expensive”. Many people have no problem affording $4-5,000 for a bike… especially one that is handmade by someone they know to their exact specifications and that they’ll own for a lifetime.
Personally, I’d rather drop $5000 on a bike than a car.
Mr. Pereira may be wearing a plaid suit, but I’m awfully certain that he’s not going to try and sell you a lemon…
Notice how many of the bikes are designed for transport.
So another question is not “are they within the reasch of the bulk of cyclists?”, but “are they within the reach of the bulk of car buyers?”
The average price for a three year old small sedan is around $13,000. Ditch the family’s second car and get two handmade bikes and $7 grand.
Downgrade one trim level on a new car and you have the price of a handmade commuter bike.
And yes you can get bike finacing in Oregon too.
Cheers, Alistair
I have gone to the Handmade bike shows in the past and I really looked forward to going this year; however, when I arrived today I realized it was $10 admission. Unfortunately I cannot afford that at this time and opted not to go in. While I am very disappointing at missing the show, I realize it cost money to put on, I just cant see paying that much on a very fixed budget.
I never should have gone away. The show looks like it was sweet!
The show WAS sweet. Two trends I noticed were larger (like 650-B) tires on a lot of bikes and a lot of new frames decked out with vintage parts. Lots of Campy NR and SR stuff hung here and there. Some really nice solid looking chrome steel racks on several bikes. Also like the flat red paint on of the Aherne bikes. And the three identical geometry Blaze frames, each with a different tubing so potential customers can ride each and choose the best for them. And Strawberry and DiNucci for us old timers. And the beautiful Keith Anderson Crescent renovation looking almost (LOL) as the one in my basement
Very disappointed in this year’s show. Not much there, and what was there was rather ho-hum. Won’t be back next year unless it shapes up to be like the one held at the Convention Center a few years ago.
@Mike
That would have been the North American Handbuilt Bike Show in 2008. No wonder you were disappointed!
10 bucks to get in almost turned me away after my long wet ride into Portland, But was kinda happy with the show, I have a question the bike parking was un-cool, kid slid my bike all the way to then to park his ” polo bike ” or whatever, then wanted to start a fight.. I said hey man I’m just talking to you.. Some of the Culture these days lack respect, My bike handmade BTW
have had this for years, Almost thought someone stole my bike when I came out.
Great show! Plenty of room in Portland for hand-built bikes by master craftsman. In terms of design and detail, these are as much pieces of art/sculpture as transportation vehicles. Many of these details will wind up on cheaper, mass-produced bikes in years to come.
I ride a beater to commute but, wow! Some of these bikes were too cool!
Best ” I like to ride bikes not work on them all the time ” one of the builders told me.. we think alike dude 🙂 oh and he had 3000 miles on one of the bikes..
This was a great show. It was more than a bike show, it was a show case of local sustainability, from the artisans of frame building, manufacturing (Chris King, Rolf) and other local area companies.
The question should be asked is not how expensive the bikes are, but how expensive is it to ‘out source’ manufacturing base overseas.
KWW ppl sell out all the time my friend.
Following that thought on outsourcing, does anyone know who are the largest frame or component manufacturer that produce in the US?
Cheers, Alistair
P.S. I prefer local, though I also have no problem with things being made around the world (I’m a Scot, born in Africa living in the US). For me the danger is becoming disconnected (and then indifferent) from how things really get made; exploitation of one sort or another often follows.
Great show. True, these are not cheap bikes — especially after the the last couple years when increasing commodity costs pushed up tubing prices and forced quite a few builders out — but they don’t have to cost $4-5k either. I haven’t looked up prices for all the vendors, but not all of these guys are charging $2000 per frame.
I’m pretty sure you can still get a Thursday for under $1000, in fact, and I really think that guy is onto something with slack seatstay angles. And at least Milholland, Vulture, Sprout and English are all in the low to mid teens. Even the spectacular Renovo wood frames can be had starting at $1500.
As a (mountain bike) customer myself from a few years back, I can’t help but put in a plug for Vulture here. At $1400, Wade’s frames are among the more affordable in the world of full-custom, and he’s really great to work with. He really listens to his customers’ needs, has lots of great ideas and stands by his work.
@ Alistair
That’s tricky. First, I assume your talking biggest in terms of dollars, not raw materials or weight or number of units?
Does Trek still produce their top-end carbon bikes in Wisconsin? Chris King?
If I had to guess, I’d say Worksman.
Custom frames are expensive to make as well as sell. I personally would love to be able to compete dollarwise with imported bikes but since I cannot I choose to offer attention and details you can’t get with mass production. I am not sure if Portland necessarily embraces the expensive bikes, Portland may just be embracing the people who make them.