North American Handmade Bike Show 2017 - Randoms
If you are into high quality bikes or are the kind of person that loves the art of building bikes you really should think about attending NAHBS in the future. There are some incredible artists, creators, builders and fabricators that show off some of the most beautifully hand built bikes in North America. Bikes built out of titanium, wood, bamboo and plastic are showcased and displayed with a passion that you don’t see at Interbike.
It's truly amazing to see one-of-a-kind bikes that have their own spin on what a bike should look like and be. The detail that is put into welding or the design that is put into creating extremely strong wood bikes is only something that a true craftsman or artist could do. Not only were the new bikes cool to look at, but having the Pro’s Closet display their bike museum and share the past was an extra treat. Some of the first mountain bikes made were on display, making it readily apparent how far we have come in developing bikes.
![Brett Flemming from Efficient Vilo Tools has the hands of a true master craftsman. This guy knows what Hand made means]()
![Just in case you get thirsty.]()
![Adventure machine. This bike looked like it can go the distance with all that storage.]()
![For the builders out there. Multiple booths had Jigs to build your custom hand made bike.]()
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![The Sweeb is Reeb s 29er that is an all mountain DH shredding machine. 130mm of travel. This bike looks very capable of hitting any kind of trail.]()
![This was Tim Moore Personal bike for his boy. Reeb Cycles builds some amazing bikes and this kid is one lucky boy with this 20 inch shredder.]()
![Proudfoot with its Proudfat. This bike is lighter than most peoples xc setups. This was one of the most fun looking fat bikes at the show.]()
![Eriksen bikes were strait up beautiful. The welds were so clean. I wouldn t mind taking this bike home.]()
![Flinstone bike this might have been the oddest bike at the show but Calfee did have some pretty slick Carbon and bamboo bikes that were more normal looking.]()
![Calfee had a number of bamboo bikes but this DIY kit they offer was kind of interesting. For 600 bucks you can get the parts and jig to build the bike frame. Using casting tape to bond the joints. For 300 you can buy the parts and rent the jig. Might be a fun project for the kiddos to build their own bike.]()
![Calfee instaled a generator in the hub to power lights on the bike.]()
![Calfee bamboo bike]()
![Who wants to ride this bad boy I wanted to try.]()
![Funk Cycles 29 plus titanium bike has a 1.5 inch travel rear end that is made up of a solid chain stay. The lower chain stay acts as a leaf spring and because it s made of titanium it has the ability to flex and not lose its strength over time.]()
![Funk Cycles chain stay is welded directly to the BB but acts as a moving suspension part.]()
![The builders at GRD created this bike completely out of sheet metal. All tubing was bent wrapped and welded to create this bike. They finished it off with a copper looking acid wash and clear coat. With it t gear box and belt drive this bike was really cool to look at.]()
![Maxwell Cycles was on the new builder row and had this old school moto inspired ebike. This is pure art and function combine. It is governed to top out at 30 mph so it can stay in the ebike class.]()
![This Mantis has one of the first dropper seats made. Made in the mid 80 s it had a cable actuated lever that opened and closed the seat post clamp on the bike. Thanks to the Pros closet and their museum for sharing the history.]()
![Anyone remember these grips I wanted some of these so bad for my BMX when I was a kid. COBRA grips.]()
![A fresh face in the carbon wheel game. Knight Composites showing off their newest 27.5 all mountain wheels. Looking forward to seeing more of these guys in the future.]()
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![Spent a lot of time just looking at the joints on some of these wood bikes.]()
![Love the wood work.]()
![For the skier in you that has to fat bike to the slopes. This saddle bag system looks really functional.]()
![This Sinner decked out with Box One carbon wheels bar stem shifter and deraillure.]()
![Box Components with their one lever shifter. The shifter has a down and in motion to shift back and forth. Its clean and eliminates more moving parts on the shifter. It might take a ride or two to learn the movement for your thumb but really a slick system.]()
![Steve Potts bikes with another leaf spring suspension style bike.]()
![Steve Potts rear suspension lower chain stay.]()
![Renovo bikes starts out with a 4 piece glued together solid wood frame that is cut to shape milled and hollowed out. It makes the bikes extremely light. They have hollowed out ports to run internal cables. These bikes are quite strong and are just beautiful to look at. But what is remarkable is the engineering that goes into the design. These wood frames are stronger than you would imagine.]()
![NAHBS]()
![The wood joints and beauty of these wood bikes was worth taking the time to look up close and pay attention to some of the detail.]()
![NAHBS]()
![If you are a shop or just love working on bikes and want some tools that will last till the end of time check out EVT. Some serious quality tools made by a serious craftsman.]()
![This dude wanted me to get a picture of him getting his butt kicked in an arm wrestle by this girl. You made the cut bro.]()
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![Lets ride Meow. Handlebar Mustache with some crazy Tee shirts and water bottles.]()
![Just had to take a picture of this one. Looks beyond heavy.]()
![A few booths had packable bikes. A few different designs that allowed you to break down the bike and put it in a travel bag.]()
![This bike might have been the sexiest bike at the show. Alchemy with its Smoky and the Bandit inspired bike was just plain beautiful.]()
It's truly amazing to see one-of-a-kind bikes that have their own spin on what a bike should look like and be. The detail that is put into welding or the design that is put into creating extremely strong wood bikes is only something that a true craftsman or artist could do. Not only were the new bikes cool to look at, but having the Pro’s Closet display their bike museum and share the past was an extra treat. Some of the first mountain bikes made were on display, making it readily apparent how far we have come in developing bikes.
Brett Flemming from Efficient Vilo Tools has the hands of a true master craftsman. This guy knows what handmade means!
Just in case you get thirsty.
Adventure machine. This bike looked like it can go the distance with all that storage.
For all the builders out there. Multiple booths had jigs to build your custom hand made bike.
The Sqweeb is Reeb's 130mm 29er that's designed to be an all-mountain shredding machine. This bike looks very capable of hitting any kind of trail.
This was Tim Moore' Personal bike for his boy. Reeb Cycles builds some amazing bikes and this kid is one lucky boy with this 20-inch shredder.
Proudfoot with its Proudfat. At 29.6 pounds, it's extremely light for a fat bike. This was one of the most fun looking fat bikes at the show.
Eriksen bikes are straight up beautiful. The welds were so clean. I wouldn't mind taking this bike home.
Flinstone bike? This might have been the oddest bike at the show, but Calfee did have some pretty slick carbon and bamboo bikes that were more 'normal' looking.
Calfee had a number of bamboo bikes, but this DIY kit they offer was especially interesting. For $600 bucks you can get the parts and jig to build the bike frame. Using casting tape to bond the joints. For $300 you can buy the parts and rent the jig. Might be a fun project for the kiddos to build their own bike.
Calfee installed a generator in the hub to power lights on the bike.
Who wants to ride this bad boy? I wanted to try.
Funk Cycles' 29+ titanium bike has a 1.5" travel rear end that is made up of a solid chainstay. The lower chain stay acts as a leaf spring, and because it's made of titanium it has the ability to flex and not lose its strength over time.
A closer look at the Funk Cycles' chainstay.
The builders at GRD created this bike completely out of sheet metal. All tubing was bent, wrapped and welded to create this bike. They finished it off with a copper looking acid wash and clear coat. With its gear box and belt drive, this bike was really cool to look at.
Maxwell Cycles was on the new builder row and had this old school moto-inspired e-bike. This is pure art and function combined. It is governed to top out at 30 mph so it can stay in the e-bike class.
This Mantis has one of the first dropper seats made - the Hite Rite. Made in the mid 80's it had a cable actuated lever that opened and closed the seat post clamp on the bike. Thanks to the Pro's Closet and their museum for sharing the history.
Anyone remember these grips? I wanted some of these so bad for my BMX when I was a kid. COBRA grips.
A fresh face in the carbon wheel game. Knight Composites showing off their newest 27.5" all-mountain wheels. Looking forward to seeing more of these guys in the future.
I spent a lot of time just looking at the joints on some of these wood bikes.
Love the wood work.
For the skier in you that has to fat bike to the slopes. This saddle bag system looks really functional.
This Stinner was decked out with Box Components' carbon wheels, bar, stem, shifter and derailleur.
Box Components' PushPush shifter. The shifter has a down and in motion to shift back and forth. It's clean and eliminates more moving parts on the shifter. It might take a ride or two to learn the movement for your thumb, but it's really a slick system.
Steve Potts bikes with another leaf spring suspension style bike.
Steve Potts rear suspension lower chain stay.
Renovo bikes starts out with a 4 piece glued together solid wood frame that is cut to shape, milled and hollowed out, which makes the bikes extremely light. They also have hollowed out ports to run internal cables. These bikes are quite strong and are just beautiful to look at, but what is remarkable is the engineering that goes into the design. These wood frames are stronger than you would imagine.
The wood joints and beauty of these wood bikes was worth taking the time to look up close and pay attention to some of the detail.
If you're a professional mechanic or just love working on bikes and want some tools that will last till the end of time check out EVT. Some serious quality tools made by a serious craftsman.
This dude wanted me to get a picture of him getting his butt kicked in an arm wrestling match with this girl. You made the cut, bro.
Let's ride Meow. Handlebar Mustache with some crazy t-shirts and water bottles.
I just had to take a picture of this one - it loks beyond heavy.
A few booths had packable bikes. A few different designs that allowed you to break down the bike and put it in a travel bag.
This bike might have been the sexiest bike at the show. Alchemy with its Smoky and the Bandit inspired bike was just plain beautiful.
Author Info:
Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Must Read This Week
or were you being sarcastic
There's so many amazing bikes and neat innovations that deserve more coverage. Thanks for posting this!
If by extremely light you actually mean "heavier than any other common mountain bike frame material" than you are correct.
How can you possibly guarantee a bike is safe and rides well, with so many variables, without such a generous conservative margin for error that the bike becomes overbuilt/ heavy?
Funk, Potts, eriksen, mantis are top... all the Rest in the pics here are either a regurgitation of the fixie foo lifestyle or just weird but respectable - the wood bikes.
There were tons of historical bikes besides the mantis... the Cunningham, salsa, breezer... it would be cool to see those rather than a fat bike with a flask mounted in ejection place and rf next crankset- I mean it just looks silly....
PNW/BC designs still rule to this day! Evil, Transition, Banshee, Chromag, Rocky Mtn....etc. All killer.
Overall, the comments are opinions and that's fine but most don't seem to realize that you can't see the *purpose* of the build in just one picture. Most of these bikes at NAHBS are for customers, built for someone that wanted it to ride and fit a certain way. That fatbike was ridden on ungroomed snow the tuesday after the show, taking the rider over an area no bike had been before in winter. That's damn cool in my opinion, whether you like fatbikes or not they have a unique purpose. Take the time to not just look and heckle, but listen to PVD's interviews to see what went into these custom purpose-built bikes.
At least for the 2XL fatbike i brought to the show, it had a ton of design going into it with little consideration of it looks, how much it weighed, or how much travel it had (which is how most people buy stock bikes it seems). The customer wanted certain features and I delivered. It fits a 26x5.2" (135mm) wide tire or a 27.5 x 4.7" with 440mm chainstays. The elevated stays make this possible with the narrowest Q-factor and chainline possible. Sure it's a dated design but with a new take on it to solve a new problem. Most of the bikes at the show aren't just pretty paint jobs but designed and fabricated with more care than one photo can indicate.
www.b3woodbicycles.com
Love the NAHBS. I volunteered when it was in Portland and ended up with the guy who ran it. Got to meet Tom Ritchey, Gary Fisher and that a$$hole Lance. So many sweet bikes. I was in heaven. Black Sheep not there anymore? They usually bust out some wacky bikes for the show.
Fbm, standard, s&m, profile, TERRIBLE ONE (!!!!!) etc, have been grinding out "Handmade" for years... Plus, Crandall would be a personality shows like this would kill for.
I got ask: are you invited only if you're frame built into a complete bike sells for over $3000.00
Flex stays? 1.5" travel. Unbelievable.
www.peterverdone.com/who-are-you-and-why-are-you-here
I don't think we'll see fully 3D printed frames any time soon though, since it doesn't make any sense from an engineering standpoint - tubes work really well in the load conditions a bike experiences and are can be relatively easily adapted/ assembled with varying cross-sections, wall thickness and anything else bike designers want.
3D printing's random grain structure and the high cost of the machines, combine with a long process time to make the whole idea sub-optimal in performance, weight and cost/time, compared to more traditional methods. 3D printing's strength is in how it allows you to change designs without retooling, which means you can prototype, or manufacture on a small-scale, but that isn't too useful for the model of standard sizes and large-volume production that's common in the bike industry.
My dog considers those a chew toy.
www.b3woodbicycles.com
www.instagram.com/b3woodbicycles/?hl=en
Maybe I'm the oddball?
Most of the stuff at NAHBS doesn't have any innovation and is just welding/craft porn. That Stinner could come out of the huge brands or anyone else and perform exactly the same. If you are into that sort of thing, cool, but it's more art (because looks are place WAY ABOVE performance) than design.
-The Renovo two piece "monocoque"ish wood thing is cool working around the constraints of wood.
-The DIY bamboo kits out there is actually really rad with the PVC jig
-Flexbars are dumb, you are leaving the frailest part of suspension still in.
I took the liberty of making my own generalisation too!
It's a Handmade bike show.... What is the problem with welding/craft porn? I never realized that the small makers at this show were supposed to be the sole innovators and brainchildren of the bicycle industry. I thought they were supposed to hand-make bikes and show their skills for those that appreciate that kind of thing.
www.b3woodbicycles.com