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First look: New book chronicles Oregon Manifest competition


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(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Organizers of the Oregon Manifest event are set to release a new book tomorrow. The book, BIKE CRAFT, DESIGN, INNOVATION, is a coffee table quality, 228-page publication that provides an in-depth look into the bikes and the builders of the 2011 competition as well as a recap of the inaugural 2009 edition of the event.

Here’s the official blurb:

This image-rich document of the competition features design details of each entry bike, the three designer/craftsmen Creative Collaboration bikes, on-the-scene shots from the Field Test and judging, and interviews with the winners, judges and the Creative Collaborators. Also included are portraits of the 2009 competitors.

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The non-profit Oregon Manifest organization put the book together as part of their mission to “celebrate and amplify bike craft, design and innovation.”

The heart of the book are the six-page spreads on each 2011 entrant. Readers get a close-up look at how the builders’ bikes lived up to the competition’s goal of producing the “ultimate modern utility bike designed for the everyday cyclist” as well as revealing Q & A’s with the builders themselves.

What I love about the book (and about Oregon Manifest’s work in general) is that it elevates “utility” — which for years has been something of a dirty word in the bike industry — to something beautiful and deserving of a high-quality coffee table book. The book is a fitting complement to the work of the builders it features and to the bright and exciting future of utility bikes. BIKE CRAFT, DESIGN, INNOVATION should be required reading not just for lovers of great bike design; but for everyone in the bicycle industry.

The book was designed and edited by Portland firm Grey Matter and the images come from a variety of photographers. It’ll be available online starting tomorrow via digital print-on-demand in both soft ($51.95) and hardcover ($71.95) versions.

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