Handmade Bicycles at Interbike

Some say that Interbike and NAHBS (the North American Handmade Bicycle Show) have begun to overlap in the past couple of years, and that was certainly my impression last week. I saw lots of handbuilt bicycles at the show - some familiar, and others by builders whose work I had never seen in person before, which was pretty exciting. But the funny thing was that most of them were being used to display components and accessories, rather than shown off in their own right. I admired an unusual bike by Signal Cycles, only to learn that its purpose was to demonstrate a motorised lift. I examined an unfinished frame, and was grimly told it was used to demo polishing tools. Nonetheless, as a lover of handmade bicycles I took the opportunity to photograph the ones on display and would like to share my favourites.

I could not believe my good fortune when I spotted the Shelly Horton mixte by Bilenky Cycles. Made for a collector, this mixte has an interesting story.

The mixte was part of a Phil Wood display, featuring their stunning custom crankset, bottom bracket, hub shells (housing Rohloff guts in the rear and Schmidt dyno up front), cogs, toe cages, etc. - all made as one-offs especially for this bicycle.

The custom Italian wheel rims feature actual wooden inlays. Pretty much every part of this bicycle is a one of a kind.

And then, of course, there is the art-deco inspired lugwork.

Though I would not choose this colour scheme for myself, it works well to set off the intricate lugs.

Custom stem, lugged and painted to match the frame.

Seat cluster. And notice the Columbus "Donna" decal.

What do you think, would you ride this bike to the grocery store? Having read all about the Shelly Horton mixte, but never expecting to see it in person, finding it at Interbike was a wonderful surprise.

But now for something completely different, allow me to introduce "the pencil bike."

On display at the Kryptonite booth, this is a lugged wooden bicycle made by Sylvan Cycles. I cannot help but think of it as "the pencil bike," because - well, the faceted wooden tubes resemble pencils. It's a good thing; I think the bicycle looks friendly and approachable.

The Townaround is their hub-geared city bike model with upright handlebars.

Having briefly written about Sylvan Cycles earlier, it was a real treat to see one in person. It looks great and I understand the frames are very durable: One of their bikes was apparently ridden in the D2R2!

Close-up of the stainless lug sleeves. The tubes are maple.

One of the interesting things about this model is that it is a belt drive, which I would love to try in of itself.

The curved chainstays are elegant, almost delicate-looking.

And the socketed drop-outs are just beautiful as well.

Will it fit fenders?

From the faceted maple frame to the belt drivetrain, the Igleheart fork and the handlebar setup, I like everything about the way this bicycle is built up. Maybe some day a shop in Boston will carry a demo model. And I would love to see people riding them on the streets.

Finally, I would like to tell you about this bicycle at the Ritte booth. It is a handbuilt trackbike by framebuilder Megan Dean (Moth Attack!), and she made it for her boyfriend, Jack Lindquist.

Megan and Jack are from LA and I met them at Cross Vegas the previous night (yes, I went to a cyclocross race!), where they were introduced to me as a framebuilder and a track racer. They are both so modest and low-key, that I was imagining something small scale (to be fair, half the cyclists I meet in Boston either race or build frames at least on occasion). In fact, Jack is a sprinter for Ritte Racing and Megan builds bicycles that crowds gather around in worshipful swarms.

I mean jeez. When I heard that "Megan's frame is in the show, you should see it!" this was not what I pictured. This thing gave out a glow and energy that rendered spectators speechless. There were so many people gathered around the bicycle that getting a clear shot was almost impossible, but I didn't want to drag it away from the appreciative audience.

The frame is fillet-brazed steel, with a carbon fork. The joints are so smooth, they look liquid.

The process of making frames with tubing and angles like these is completely alien to me, and I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that this was built by hand - especially since everything looks so flawless.

According to Megan, the frame was not difficult to build overall, except for the tricky seat stay attachment.

Not difficult! My hat's off to you, Megan.

Although Interbike was not about handbuilt bicycles, the ones on display undoubtedly stood out against the backdrop of mass produced wares, and I felt it only right to honor them. Handbuilt bicycles inform industry trends down the line, and the influence of custom randonneurs, mixtes, and other unique creations exhbited at NAHBS earlier could be readily observed in booth after booth at Interbike. Should we expect a line of "pencil bikes" from one of the big manufacturers in the near future? Time will tell.

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Bleak Prognosis for the Dutch Bicycle?

While I can't say I did not see it coming, it was nonetheless a surprise to spot one of the latest offerings from Trek at Interbike.

Meet the Trek Cocoa: a "Dutch-inspired" 3-speed. Loop frame, chaincase, dressguards, vintage-style graphics and even - believe it or not, some lugwork (despite the allegedly aluminum frame?).

Here is an Interbike anecdote for you: Upon seeing Trek's Dutch bike, I naturally wanted to examine it carefully: to feel the weight, to move it to a location that would make it easier to photograph, maybe even to test ride it. But the bike was locked up to a display stand, so I asked a representative in the booth about it. He looked confused, as if I'd brought him some weird bike he'd never seen before and wants nothing to do with. "I don't really know anything about this," he said, "but let me see if I can get someone who does." I waited, but no one came, and so I ended up photographing it as it was, then moving on. It made me imagine that perhaps there were these warring fractions at Trek, with one adamant on designing European-inspired city bikes and the other disgusted by the idea and insisting that all resources be focused on Madones. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes over there, but the bottom line is that a Trek Dutch bike now exists.

If you are waiting for me to tear this bicycle apart, I will have to disappoint you. While I have not test-ridden it, visually and structurally it is not bad. The frame is partially lugged and the welded bits are not as horrendous as on other bikes I've seen. Though the frame size is smaller than typical for a Dutch bike  and the wheels are 26", the proportions - from the thickness of the tubing to the curve of the looped top tube - come across as convincing. The graphics are attractive. There is no lighting, but perhaps they will add that as an option once the bike goes into production.

While the Cocoa is not an authentic classic Dutch bicycle as far as geometry goes, it is much nicer than I what I'd expected Trek to produce in this genre - especially after their take on the French mixte. I look forward to a test ride in 2012.

At this point you may be wondering about the bleak title of this post. Well, in order to explain it, I ask you first to have a good look at the above photo. Then turn your attention to the photo below:

Do you see much of a difference? Because you are now looking at the latest model from the Dutch bike manufacturer Gazelle - namely, at a rather crudely welded unicrown fork. Seeing this at Interbike, it made complete sense as the finishing touch after a number of other changes Gazelle has undergone over the past few years, such as switching to welded chainstays and loop connector. Given that Batavus underwent the same changes a few years earlier, it seems that what used to be known as the two major Dutch bicycle manufacturers are essentially no longer differentiated from bikes mass-produced in Chinese factories by the likes of Trek and Republic - which is not surprising, because as of several years ago they are being produced in the same Chinese factories. While I am sure the geometry is different - at least for now - I see less and less of a distinction in construction and quality between the big name Dutch bikes and their imitators.

All this is to say, that the idea of the Dutch bike as it was first introduced to the North American market - as a timeless design, lovingly hand-made by specialists who'd been producing it in the exact same way for generations - is quickly becoming a marketing myth. The only manufacturer I can think of who still makes Dutch bikes entirely in that manner is Achielle, and they are based in Belgium. Correct me if I am wrong, reassure me, give me examples - I am open to it. But having seen the latest offerings at Interbike, I can hardly feel optimistic. If the likes of the Trek Cocoa ride decently, I don't really see a reason why an American consumer would want the more expensive Gazelle - the difference in quality is rapidly disappearing.

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GB Components Are Back! ...And You Can Have Their Cycling Cap

One of the things I was truly excited to see at Interbike was the GB display. GB Components (the initials stand for the founder Gerry Burgess) are known to vintage bicycle lovers, particularly the handlebars. Well, the company is now re-establishing itself under the ownership of the original founder's son (Jeremy Burgess), and the prototypes of their new, made in the UK components were modestly on display.

These include a gorgeous lugged stem (both quill and threadless models),

sculptural-looking wingnuts, handlebars, and other components. I have more photos that I will include in my big Interbike write-up, but these should give you an idea of their beauty. I spoke with the GB representative for a while, and may get to review some of the components as they go into production - will keep you posted.

In the meantime, I would like to give you their cycling cap. These were being given away as promotional items at Interbike, and they are rather nice.

The cap is white summer-weight cotton, with a single black ribbon stripe and an embroidered GB logo on the underside of the visor. The crown is rounded. The size is what I would call a Medium.

I have exactly one of these to give away. Leave a comment saying you want it, and I will select the recipient at random. Deadline is Sunday, 18th September, 11:59 pm US Pacific time (which is also the deadline for the Touring Bike entries!) Thanks as always for reading, and enjoy your weekend!

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Song, Dance and Bicycle Romance: The Interbike Fashion Show 2011

bicycles: Linus, outfits: Chrome, models: unknown

Now in its 4th year, the Interbike City Style Fashion Show, presented by Momentum Magazine, was a production in true Las Vegas style. The models - all real bicyclists with healthy body mass indices and mischievous grins - didn't just cycle down the runway. They pranced, twirled, froze in fetching tableaux, and performed choreographed little dance numbers worthy of a small scale musical - against an ever-changing backdrop representing North American cities.

model: Susi Wunsch of VeloJoy, dress: Nona Varnado, bicycle: unknown 

Each model would begin with the standard runway walk, then, seemingly spontaneously strike an outrageous pose or break out into a full on dance routine. Could this have been inspired by Glee?

bicycle: Sun Atlas, outfit and model: unknown

Whatever the inspiration, it was a great display of showmanship, keeping the audience entertained and energized.

bicycle: Bella Ciao Superba; panniers: Basil, outfit and model: unknown

After doing their thing on the stage, the models would ride down a ramp and proceed along a cycle path marked with sharrow decals that wound through the spectators' area, adding an interactive element to the show and creating multiple focal points.

The DJ did an excellent job keeping the energy levels high, and even while taking photos I found myself moving and snapping to the beat.

bicycle: Christiania cargo trike; model and outfit: unknown

It was all great theater, though on a critical note I am not sure how well it worked as a fashion show per se.

bicycle: Gazelle Basic, model and outfit: unknown

I found it surprising that the designers were not named and the pieces worn by the models were not vividly described. If the point of the fashion show was to exhibit new lines of cycling-specific apparel and introduce the audience to new designers, I did not really feel that happening. It's possible there was a brochure I missed where this information was provided [edited to add: yup, there was - someone's just emailed me a copy and I've posted it here], but even then I feel that it should have been a prominently vocalised part of the show itself.

bicycle: Biomega, dress: Sheila Moon, model: unknown

This neo-Edwardian dress - which is difficult to photograph but looks stunning in person - was my favourite piece, but unfortunately I did not know who made it or anything else about it at the time of the show. I've since been told it's by Sheila Moon, but I do not see it on her website - link to the dress anyone? I have a dozen photos of it, but as luck would have it most of them came out blurry!

bicycle: Handsome Cycles, trench: Madame de Pe

Another piece that stood out was this cape-like trenchcoat, with its unusual tailoring. I imagine the tent-like shape is to keep the knees dry in the rain.

model: Will of BoxCycles, bicycle: Styriette Pedelec,  outfit: unknown

In general, I would have loved to learn more about the clothing, and to know what exactly makes each outfit conducive to cycling - especially since some of the designers must have worked hard on that aspect.

bicycle: Yuba, outfits and models: unknown

All in all, I think the show was more about fostering a positive, even romantic image of the bicycling lifestyle than about displaying specific pieces of apparel - which I don't have a problem with in the least, but which I don't believe is technically a fashion show. Then again, who wants to be technical about it if the audience is having a good time.

bicycle: Electra, outfit and model: unknown

One concept that the show brought across quite successfully, I thought, was the possibility for variety. Some pieces did seem to be bicycle-specific designs, while others appeared to be just regular clothing. Some models were wearing helmets and others were not.

It seems that many manufacturers are trying their hand at cycling-specific street apparel nowadays: everything from jeans and dressy trousers to button down shirts and blazers. And while some believe that to ride for transportation one need only look in their closet, others welcome these bicycle-specific inventions. The Interbike Fashion Show seemed to embrace both views - encouraging cyclists to wear whatever makes them comfortable and to have fun with it.

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