Reportage

Philly Bike Expo 2019: Pedalino Bikes

For the tenth anniversary of the Philadelphia Bike Expo, PBE introduced a diversity and inclusivity scholarship to support women, trans, and POC frame builders who have been underrepresented at bike shows and the industry at large. SRAM is stepping up to sponsor the PBE Inclusivity Scholarship whose inaugural class consists of Moth Attack, Pedalino Bikes, Schon Studio, and Untitled Cycles.

I was introduced to Julie Ann Pedalino a few years ago by Anna Schwinn. I’m pretty sure it was one of the “you’ve got to see this” moments that year at the Philly Bike Expo. When I first saw Julie’s work I was blown away. I didn’t understand exactly how what I was seeing was accomplished, I thought maybe hand tools and a hell of a lot of time; later I found out that Julie, who has a background wielding a jewelers saw, was rolling up her sleeves and tackling some lugs with a CNC machine. The robot approach may be anything but traditional, and that’s what’s pretty rad about the newer crop of frame-builders, they shy away from the norm in favor of expression.

This mullet build isn’t quite the same as Danielle Schön’s, utilizing a mixed drivetrain in lieu of wheels. This build features a smattering of SRAM AXS Eagle, SRAM Red e-tap AXS Shifters, a 1x SRAM Red crank, with Quarq power meter, Zipp 404 Firecrest wheels and even some Paul Component thru-axles to finish off the build.

Her Philadelphia Bike Expo People’s Choice award-winning bike is constructed of bead-blasted stainless steel, with some polished stainless bi-laminate lug-work, and anodized titanium forms, her signature heart hanger, and CNC chainstay yoke is anything but the ordinary in a world that follows the traditions, from this artist-turned-frame builder.