Local builder roundup: A carbon ‘cross collaboration and a new builder

Bike maker Joshua Bryant.
(Self portrait)

Welcome to the latest edition of our local builder roundup. With such a thriving crop of bike makers here in Portland, there’s always news to share about what they’re up to. Today we’ll share more on the continuing carbon influx and a new, emerging builder.

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Introducing Joshua Bryant of Cycles J Bryant
In the last roundup we said goodbye to Mitch Pryor and his classicly-styled randonneuring bikes.

Today we introduce you to a new builder in a similar vein, Joshua Bryant (in a recent interview, Joshua actually named Pryor as one of his influences).

Based in southeast Portland, the 33-year-old Macon, Georgia native says his goal is to make bikes that, “disappear underneath their riders.” Below is a photo of one of his recent builds:

Joshua is self-taught (he studied how-to videos by the legendary Tim Paterek) and has been building frames, forks, and racks since 2007. Check out his website, CyclesJBryant.com for a peek at his latest builds, his process and philosophy, and more.

A Carbon ‘Cross Collab
One of my favorite things about Portland’s builder scene is the strong relationships that exist between the builders. A recent collaboration that caught my eye was a carbon cyclocross frame commissioned by southeast Portland resident Shetha Nolke.

Shetha’s bike was custom fit and designed by Natalie Ramsland of Sweetpea Bicycles. Natalie then worked with local carbon fiber expert Shawn Small of Ruckus Components to fabricate the bike and it was given the name “Tactical Boom Boom”. Natalie says this is her second collaboration with Ruckus and that, given the lack of women’s specific, custom carbon bikes, she’s “Excited to see where this takes us.”

Shetha has spec’d it out with high-end parts like Chris King hubs and headset, TRP brakes, a SRAM Red drivetrain, and more. The eye-catching, “color blocks” paint scheme was designed by her friend Erik Luebkert. How does it ride? I’d say quite well, given Shetha’s exultations on Facebook and Twitter, and her great results in her first season of cyclocross racing.

If you love handmade bikes and want to learn more about our local builders, this weekend is the big Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show. It’s going on Saturday and Sunday down at the Vigor Shipyard on Swan Island. Don’t miss it!

— If you are a local builder and have news to share; please drop us a line so we can include it in the next edition of the Local Builder Roundup. Thanks!