An Evil Dead II track bike from Peacock Groove Cycles of Minneapolis catches the eye of Kris Klima of Sacramento. [Photo Paul Kitagaki Jr.]
I love these photos from the recent North American Handmade Bicycle Show. In the last few years, while a lot of people have donned lycra and climbed onto carbon fiber frames, they have also seen a resurgence of handmade bicycle building. What used to be the norm of stubborn old men, artisans, and aesthetes has been embraced by more people then ever.
Those attending the show suggest it’s a dynamic convergence of several groups: young people in urban areas riding fixed-gear bikes and seeking clothing with street functionality but without the clingy Lycra; folks who enjoy long-distance bike touring where strong, well-made frames are more important than lightweight ones; a growing number of commuters who claim the bike as a major transportation option; the old-guard riders and curmudgeons who never gave up on the heavier but more compliant ride of steel frames; and those who see the well-made bike as something to covet and show off, whether it’s on a speedy road bike or during a slow-down-and-socialize “tweed ride.”
Brad Quartuccio of Urban Velo magazine studies a bike built by Don Walker Cycles at the recent North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Sacramento. [Photo Paul Kitagaki Jr.]
A Cherubim Hummingbird and its builder, Shin-ichi Konno, third from left, draw an admiring group that includes Phillip Stout, right, and his father, Perry, at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. [Photo Paul Kitagaki Jr.]
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Enthusiasts crowd Sacramento Convention Center for 3-day Handmade Bicycle Show.
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