The 2019 North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) rolled through Sacramento, California last weekend and we're now left trying to wrap our heads around the unfathomable amount of elbow grease required to make the show happen. We're not talking about the event itself, though we're sure the organizers had their hands full as well. We're talking about that countless late nights that builders spent in their shops in order to ensure they showcased the best of their skills and techniques.
We understand the counterpoint that an unimaginable amount of hours go into the research, development and manufacturing processes of mass-produced frames. Those dialed geometries, innovations and affordable prices require considerable resources, but in the end, the final product usually materializes from nothing to something in a matter of minutes. All function, with minimal personality. The custom bikes you see below materialized slowly as frame builders toiled away in their garages to provide one-off geometries held together using masterfully executed lugging, welding, brazing, etc. Not to mention that the finish alone often ends up requiring considerable more time than the entire frame fabrication.
We'll be highlighting some of these builders, and their beautiful bikes, in the coming weeks, but until then here's a compilation of some WTB favorites from the show.
All photos by the incredibly talented Abner Kingman @abnerkingman
McGovern Cycles
Builder: Chris McGovern of Nevada City, California.
Io̍klîn Frameworks
Builder: Io̍k Lîn (Marc) Tsiu of Taipei, Taiwan.
Black Cat Cycles
Builder: Todd Ingermanson of Aptos, California.
Montenegro Manufacturing (MMFG)
Builder: Hernan Montenegro of Los Angeles, California
Hunter Cycles
Builder: Rick Hunter of Davenport, California
Drift Bikes
Builder: Nick Jirsa of Rochester, Minnesota.
Mosaic Cycles
Builder: Aaron Barcheck of Boulder, Colorado.
Civilian Bicycle Company
Builder: Tyson Hart of Portland, Oregon.
Caletti Cycles
Builder: John Caletti of Santa Cruz, California
Mooro Cycles
Builders: Chris Morgan of Perth, Western Australia. Also pictured is US importer Chris Andruscavage.
Rex Cycles
Builder: Steve Rex of Sacramento, California.
W.H. Bradford Designs
Builder: Brad Hodges of Rancho Cordova, California.
Olivetti Bicycles
Builder: Peter Olivetti of Boulder, Colorado.
