Reportage

2024 Philly Bike Expo: Artefact, Básica Estudio, Shovel Research, and Significant Other

Rounding out our 2024 2024 Philly Bike Expo coverage by Brad Quartuccio, we have four phenomenal bikes from the Diversity Scholarship winners, ARTEFACT, Básica Estudio, Shovel Research, and Significant Other, all of which brought very unique and awe-inspiring work. We’re elated to feature some high res images of these on the web! Let’s check them out.

ARTEFACT

The ETERNA is a modern rim-brake road bike. Although this is a luxury build with parts provided by the sponsors of the scholarship SRAM and I9, I believe rim brakes and mechanical drivetrains are the key to building accessible bikes and getting people into the sport. Most people don’t have access to endless gravel roads or MTB trails. Road cycling is still a fantastic way to train your body, clear your mind, and make lasting friendships.

The other highlight is the EC37 headtube and headset. I believe EC37 is the correct headset standard for steel and titanium drop-bar bikes. The slim head tube is a better match for the down tube and top tube of metal bikes. With the support of Paragon Machine Works, I hope to see more builders using this standard moving forward.

PBE was a soft launch of my new project, ARTEFACT. The mission is to design and build the best metal bikes in the world in order to create simple, elegant, and timeless machines. I am building these bikes with Nick out of the Neuhaus Metalworks shop. If you want to support the mission, please go to the website and sign up for updates.

Básica Estudio

Tiene un doble tubo como tubo superior que se entrelaza con herrajes finamente diseñados por mi gran amigo @magma.ce
La soldadura es fillet brazing limada hasta unificar las intercepciones. Básica Estudio es el taller de Ciudad de México que está viendo nacer a nuevos constructores, un espacio para aprender y experimentar en el tema de la bicicleta, un espacio con el único fin de compartir conocimiento y pensar sobre las bicicletas. Quiero dar un agradecimiento especial a @juanitoenburra por su soldadura TIG para el inox y el apoyo para garantizar el tiempo de construcción acordado, logramos tiempo récord. También a @reichcrew.mx por el increíble proceso de pintura y su paciencia con mis manías.

Gracias a Bina, Freddy, Amanda, Brooklyn y Coco por su apoyo.

Hi, of course I put it in English and Spanish. Thanks for the pictures :) I would like them to also name my construction company name since “basic studio” has more new construction companies. My name is Eli from Básica Bike Studio. The Snake bike is inspired by curved lines and whimsical knots. It is a geometry designed for all terrain but with a comfortable touch for distances and long trips. It has a double tube as a top tube that interlocks with hardware finely designed by my great friend @magma.ce. The weld is fillet brazing filed until the intercepts are unified.

Básica Estudio is the Mexico City workshop that is seeing new builders born, a space to learn and experiment on the subject of bicycles, a space with the sole purpose of sharing knowledge and thinking about bicycles. I want to give a special thanks to @juanitoenburra for his TIG welding for the stainless steel and the support to guarantee the agreed construction time, we achieved record time. Also to @reichcrew.mx for the incredible painting process and their patience with my quirks. Thanks to Bina, Freddy, Amanda, Brooklyn and Coco for their support.

Shovel Research

This bike consists of the second frame, second fork and first stem I have built. It’s a rim brake all-road bike made for mechanical or electronic shifting and paying homage to Alex Singer’s double pulley rear brake routing style. Having only seen this fixed cable style in pictures, I was curious how it would work—especially paired with traditional cantilever brakes as opposed to Singer’s own brake style. Any excuse to make small turned parts in brass is fine by me, and what better platform than a show bike for a feature that is sure to germinate public opinions.

In addition to being energized by the work of fellow craftspeople, I tend to look deep into the past for inspiration when it comes to bicycles—modern corporate practices have thoroughly relieved so many products of any charm or style. What I am searching for is not exactly aesthetic differentiation, but rather the sense of play that is so often missing from production bikes.

Shovel Research is and will remain a one-person business with the main objective of funding my constant education, and I can’t wait to make more bicycles to explore visual and mechanical ideas I’m curious about.

Thank you to Bina (PBE), Freddie and Amanda (Industry 9), and Brooklyn (SRAM) for providing the platform and parts for this scholarship. Big thanks to my friends Ron and Patz (Ultradynamico) for constantly providing me with excellent tires, and Rie and Steven (Sim Works USA) for the parts and being the newest Shovel Research dealer. Steven also deserves an XL thank you for a very last minute expert paint job without which I would have been lost at sea.

Significant Other

The Significant Other bike shown at this year’s Philly Bike Expo was a 27.5″ titanium hardtail custom designed for Fernanda, a bike messenger based in Mexico City, with paint work graciously provided by Krysten Koehn. Outfitted with an adjusted 120 mm Pike Ultimate fork and providing 2.8″ tire clearance and 710 mm standover, this bike was fabricated to help her tackle the terrain of Ruta Del Jefe, a bike-centric event focused on exploring the cultures and biodiversity of the borderlands through riding and interpersonal connection, as well as the roads and trails beyond her city.

This bike was a gift to Fernanda, which was made possible by the Philly Bike Expo x i9 x SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship, Oveja NegraParagon Machine WorksCOBRA FramebuildingFlux CustomsWTBApplemanWolf Tooth ComponentsThomsonFSAKing Cage, and Rockgeist. Special thank yous to SarahKarla and Daniel for linking me with Fernanda, and Noelle and Sean for their help getting the bike on its way to Mexico and building it back up on the other side. It takes a village! Biggest thank you of all to my own significant other, Myles, and his constant emotional and physical support. I couldn’t imagine this journey with anyone else.

Significant Other Bikes is a personal venture created by Ashley; a creative outlet to channel her experience as a framebuilder for several notable high-end titanium and steel brands. SigO is her own space to play with and push the boundaries of bicycle design and performance while always striving to fabricate two-wheeled works of art that demand attention.