Search Term – Change
After this year’s NAHBS coverage, let’s just say I was relieved when I went back to the Austin Convention Center to find the 2011 Texas Custom Bike Show in a small, cozy ballroom. The show brought together about twenty framebuilders from all over Texas to show off their latest work. There were mostly mountain bikes and camping bikes but I was really stoked on the work of Cameron and Gallus bikes. Totally classy and original!
Check out more photos below!
Man. 2011 was the year to be a cyclist in Austin, Texas. First the NAHBS and now the NACCC. Last weekend was a blast and it’s safe to say that the 2011 North American Cycle Courier Championship was a huge success. On Sunday, a hungover mass of racers made their way to the Driveway to compete in the final event. I wasn’t working a checkpoint that day, so I managed to get a lot more photos. These six are just a sample of what awaits you below in a rather large slideshow.
Take a few minutes and check out more awesome photos below!
Remember that killer Anderson road bike I showed you from NAHBS? Or Aaron from Six-Eleven‘s stainless track bike?
Sweet!
Both are stainless and both were made from KVA Stainless. KVA is unique in that they’re not just rebadging Chinese tubesets. KVA is made in America and before their presence, there weren’t many options for builders who wanted 100% made in the USA materials. They’ve developed patented technologies to produce stainless steel tubing, MS2™ bicycle tubing, stainless steel pipes and other components and this year, they’re giving away two custom framesets to the winners of the 2011 NACCC.
That’s one custom for the men’s winner and one for the women’s.
You think you’re fast? When’s the last time you had a custom bike? Get your ass to Austin now and win that! I hear some talented framebuilders will be making these!
Everyone wanted to know why I didn’t post the “Phil Wood track cranks” a few weeks back. My answer to them was that I already covered them in my 2011 NAHBS coverage and they aren’t track cranks. At least the ones they currently have aren’t. Bilenky included some single speed cranks on their Horton collection NAHBS bike. These cranks had a road q-factor, which were intended to clear a chain guard. While Phil Wood is currently developing a proper 144 bcd track crank, there’s no finite date on when they intend to launch it. Now enough of the track talk, one of the other items Phil Wood displayed was their Campy cassette for their road hubs. Simply unthread the Shimano splines and replace it with this elegant beauty. Neat huh?
Also, on a side note, I wanna thank Phil Wood for the killer road wheelset they sold me. It’ll look sick on my Eddy Merckx MX-L! More on that later.
About time! I think it’s awesome that Profile Racing, one of the few made in the US BMX companies have branched out to road and cross cycling. These pretty beauties sport one mean buzz, practically muting the competition. I wanna hear these laced up to an ENVE rim! Maybe I’ll put them on my Bishop NAHBS road bike! SOLID!
Photos by Heather McGrath
This is, by no means, a new Geekhouse project but these photos are. Heather’s Rockcity track bike was on display at this year’s NAHBS. It was the first time that Marty used any sort of lug work on a Rockcity and the custom bar and stem was the icing on the cake. Check out more photos at the Geekhouse Flickr!
Not many people can thin a lug like Chris Bishop can. His bikes are a prime example of quality and Jo’s track frame just screams style. Chris went with a similar paint job as the MS Bike from NAHBS this year but chose a KVA stainless rear triangle.
Check out the full shot below!
From time to time, I get emails from readers who are willing to shoot photos for me. When Alexei Popov offered to document the workshop of Legor Cicli, I took him up on it. Alexei was heading to Brescia, Italy to get fit for a bike. When he showed up, a local TV station was interviewing Mattia.
Check out more photos below!
Photo by Skoota88 on Flickr
Polo bikes are quickly becoming the split in the branch on the tree of urban cycling evolution. What were once janky junkyard bikes have turned to custom-build, solid as hell war machines (made to travel). 14 Bike Co’s newest Polo Bike exhibits just that. We saw a similar bike from Geekhouse at NAHBS this year and the Horse Polo Machine a few weeks back. Are custom polo bikes the new custom track bike? Check out more at 14 Bike Co‘s blog!
I can’t sleep for the life of me. So I’m just going to put it to good use and post a few things before I head off to NYC for the BFF.
Aerodinamica has a preview of what’s to come from Cinelli in 2011. You already saw some of the products in my 2011 NAHBS coverage (Giro d’Italia, Criterium and Cinelli 1a reissues) but they’ve got catalog shots. I just wanna convince them to reissue the CdM’s because that’s what more track and road racers rode! Perfect bend for street or racing and the Cannibal ain’t wrong!
Check out more here at Aerodinamica!
Previously:
2011 NAHBS Recon: Cinelli Products
Like Max from Tokyo Fixed Gear, I first saw the work of Philosophy Bags at this year’s NAHBS. Their handmade in the USA panniers and bicycle bags are elegant and just what you need to class up that rando or touring build. But as Tokyo Fixed Gear shows us, they look great on a Tokyo Fixed Bikes Dream Machine! The thing I love about their panniers is the use of the modern rack mounts. No one wants to use buckles and straps anymore, so why bother with an antiquated technology on such a classy bag. These panniers are simple and clean.
Pick these up at TFG if you’re in London!
This was aired at the 2011 NAHBS here in Austin and I would HIGHLY recommend watching it. The Rapha Continental traveled through North America in 2010 and these stories are from their journeys. Seriously, don’t miss this one!
Hey, that’s not a saddle bag! Technically it is, but the folks at Zambale designed a full line of saddle bags to fit on either your handlebars or your saddle rails. I picked up the 7 Litre Saddle Bag from this year’s NAHBS. At the time, I was stoked to find such a nice bag with a DSLR case integrated into it and the reps (who at the time I mistook for the owners), were extremely helpful. It wasn’t until the past few weeks that I finally got around to installing it on my Merckx road and while it doesn’t match the aesthetic of the bike, I found it to be a highly useful accessory to accompany me on my rides.
Check out more below.
Kyle sent me on a recon mission to photograph Brad’s Tracko sticker on his non-drive crank arm. After I peeled dozens of Tracko stickers off my Woodville at NAHBS, I had to pay him back. Sorry Kyle!
Photo by Dave Trimble
Having friends in Italy has its perks. Dave Trimble emailed me some photos of a package of NOS Campagnolo rims he received from Legor Cicli. I wanna see some of these laced up to some Mavic track or Campagnolo pista hubs asap! Knowing Mattia’s taste in bike builds, he’s probably already done just that.
Check out the inventory below.
One of the bikes that I missed out on photographing at the 2010 Philly Bike Expo was Chris Bishop‘s own singlespeed cross bike. I wondered why Chris hadn’t posted it up sooner but in a recent post on the Bishop blog, he refers to himself as “not much of an internet guy“, so he relies on his wife to handle much of his PR movements on the internet (hats off to her!). One of those PR movements is finally posting photos of this bike.
Check out more photos of Chris Bishop’s singlespeed cross bike below.
Losing a button sucks. Especially one like this. I picked up a Save the Track Bike! button two years ago at NAHBS from Kyle. Two months ago, I thought I lost it. I looked everywhere. Surely my bag had caught hold of it and ripped it from the chest pocket of my denim jacket. As I was cleaning out my bike room today, I found it stuffed under my dresser. I reworked the pin so it would stay this time and here it will stay.
If you slept on getting one of the first batches, Tracko has more for sale in his web shop. Grab one up!
Superb has some new 6 panel caps for sale at their site. I love these caps, if they’re anything like the hats that Geekhouse had for sale two years ago at NAHBS, they’re perfect for spring weather. Swoop one up here at Superb.
