The Radavist

For a two-man operation, Nick Neuhaus and Daniel Yang have their systems dialed. Or, maybe the manpower limitations of being a small team have been the motivating force behind the duo’s streamlined Marin-based, framebuilding operation, Neuhaus Metalworks. Hailey Moore and John Watson spent some time talking shop with Nick and Daniel on their innovative 3D printed components and how these parts lead to higher efficiency in their US-made frames. Read on for a closer look at Neuhaus’ exciting approach to making steel and titanium mountain bikes.

Happenstance saw Hailey Moore traveling through Knoxville, Tennessee over the weekend of the second annual Southeastern Appalachian Bike Swap (SABS), hosted by the local shop, non-profit and community hub, Two Bikes. Scroll on for her photo-heavy recap of the gear swap, Goldsprint roller-bike race bracket, and bike show good times that went down last weekend at YeeHaw Brewing Co.—good things comin’ out of the Southeast right now!

It’s that time of year again! The Chris King Open House returned to Portland this past weekend and, with it, a showcase of seventeen custom bikes. Let’s check them out in detail below!

Continuing on with our 2021 ENVE Builder Round Up coverage – we posted the first Gallery on Friday – today we’re featuring the show-stopping work of Prova Cycles, Naked Bicycles, 44 Bikes, Spooky, Retrotec, and Argonaut Cycles. Each of these builders brought something special to the showcase and a few raised the bar considerably in various ways. There’s a lot to go over here so let’s get to it!

When one thinks of Esker Cycles, the Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail (reviewed here by Locke Hassett) quickly comes to mind – and in many ways, the Hayduke served as the launchpad for the design of Esker’s latest model, the Japhy.

While the Japhy looks like considerably “less bike” than the 140mm Hayduke with its 120mm fork and 29″ wheels, don’t count it out yet: the Japhy is scrappy and is willing to claw its way through just about anything!

Over the past few months I’ve been riding the Japhy all over our local trails here in Santa Fe and while at first I was hesitant about taking it out on some of the more technical terrain, I found it to be an exceptional climber and a surprisingly fun descender.

So, let’s get into it!

Nils had a beloved Chumba 29+ mountain bike that he rode everywhere. Road rides, mountain rides, social rides, it didn’t matter. He pedaled that bike all over Los Angeles. Then one day he got hit by a car and the Chumba was beyond repair. After insurance money came in, he was on the hunt for a new bike. Something that would be able to tackle easy mountain singletrack and still be nimble enough to ride on the road as well.

Then he found Bantam Bicycle Works, located in Portland and was hooked. He loved the way Bob built his bikes and contacted him for a 650b tourer, with clearance for the Compass Switchback Hill 48mm tires. All the minutia was handled and the final details were decided, save for one. The head badge. At the time Bob was making head badges of various animals for his bike. Nils chose a goat, because, goats are metal.

The guys at Golden Saddle Cyclery helped Nils with the product selection, including White Industries, a SON hub, specially polished 650b Blunt SS rims and working out how to make the SRAM shifters work with the front and rear derailleur.

As I’m sure your eyes have noted the lack of the front derailleur. There’s a story there. After some problem solving, the guys at the shop realized they needed a specific derailleur, which would require a shim at the clamp, prompting Bob to machine one up. At the time, Nils was just shifting by hand while the shim was being made and since then, the bike’s been completed. I just liked the vibes from this photo shoot and didn’t want to redo it.

Nils has taken this bike all over California and then some. It’s been the best all ’rounder for him on his journeys and I can’t wait to see where he goes next!

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Follow Nils on Instagram, Bantam on Instagram and if you want a custom build like this and live in Los Angeles, hit up Golden Saddle Cyclery.