Sacha White and the Vanilla Workshop has been around for over a decade and in that time, they’ve shaped what it means to be not only a frame builder in the US, but what it takes to be a successful brand. Whether it’s a custom, hand-built by Sacha, Vanilla frame or an in-house production Speedvagen, you’re going to get the best frame possible.

Inside the Southeast Portland workshop, Sacha and his team have made best use of the seemingly tight working conditions. Programmatic elements are stacked on top of each other, as a series of staircases and passageways lead to various stages in the framebuilding process. Each station is occupied by a specialist, who continued to work as I hovered about, shooting photos. It felt as if I had unlocked access to some secret stage in a video game.

Everything in this process, from the design, milling, welding, painting and finishing fits inside a nook that falls into a footprint which feels to be approximately 1000 sqft. With lots of natural light and lively working conditions, the team at Vanilla crank out some of the nicest frames available in the industry.

It was my first time at the Vanilla Workshop and I was more than impressed at the use of this space and individuality of each employee. All of which really love cycling, frame building and of course, Portland.

Check out some quick photos in the Gallery and expect much more from the Vanilla Workshop in the forthcoming weeks.