As many of you are aware, The North American Handmade Bike Show just concluded in Austin, Texas. I took the long plane ride back to the homeland to check it out and to meet up with some old friends and colleagues of The Frame Builders’ Collective. No doubt, the bikes are always works of art. What really makes my yearly pilgrimage to NAHBS, however, is the friendly faces of cyclists and builders that make this small industry our home. Jet-lag is catching up, so I’ll just post some quick pics here with the hopes of giving you a flavor of the show. If you have any photo requests, I may have what you need in the archive. I’ll be adding some more photos here shortly but for now I’ll sign off to get some work done in the shop. Ciao!
Anvil Bikes is a magnet for enthusiasts and professional alike. Don makes the best stuff out there and to see it all in one place is a special event. Here you can see the new file rack that would make any workshop look professional. Right next to that are the Notorious BBG jigs that will align and position your rear triangle braze-one with NASA-type precision.
The Type III Journeyman and the Super Journeyman are some sick looking fixtures. I probably have the 1st generation J-Man and I couldn’t be happier. Don has unveiled the “right-handed” version as of late which will be a welcome addition for getting those head tube tacks done quickly and with little yoga preparation.
If you don’t recognize the artwork, it comes from the master framebuilder Dario Pegoretti. He made 200 of these beauties to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Needless to say, they were snatched up quickly once the doors opened.
Dromarti shoes will make you look like a classy s.o.b. at the local coffee shop. Don’t be fooled, though, as they have a carbon sole for getting it done after that espresso makes it into circulation.
Here’s a shot from the lunch table. Austin is known for its music scene, but is also better known (at least to me) for micro-brewing and beer selections that are hard to find. Good stuff and well needed after a bike-porn overload.
More to come..stay tuned….!