2024 MADE Bike Show: Bike Rack Spotting!

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2024 MADE Bike Show: Bike Rack Spotting!

While the 2024 MADE Bike Show was filled to the brim with fantastic custom and bespoke builds, we needed to stretch our legs a bit and look outside the event facility as well. The bike racks around the event’s perimeter were filled with patina and beausage, contrasting the clean and polished builds inside the show. Did your bike make it into our Rack Spotting gallery? Check it all out below…

Fine Bikes, Charles Thomas, and My Enamel Road Bike

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Fine Bikes, Charles Thomas, and My Enamel Road Bike

Over the past few years, Mitchell Connell has fallen in love with road riding with his friends – but he never felt at home on his Scott Addict road bike. He turned to Charles Thompson of Fine Bikes to design a dedicated road bike from the perspective of a fellow commuter, bike mechanic, and racer. Read more about their design process, visiting Charles’ shop, and how his bike turned out.

La Chouette Bike Shop: Adding Color to the City of Lights

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La Chouette Bike Shop: Adding Color to the City of Lights

For nearly ten years, La Chouette Bike Shop has been serving Paris, France – and an ever-growing online customer base – with a finely curated selection of bikes, components, and products from some of our favorite brands. In a continuation of Reportage from his time visiting Paris earlier this month, Josh checks in with La Chouette owners Pierre, João, and Jacob, who are on a mission to add a bit of international color to the streets of their fine city…

2024 LA Invitational at the Cub House: Where Everyone’s Invited

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2024 LA Invitational at the Cub House: Where Everyone’s Invited

Today, we present a recap of the 2024 LA Invitational put on by all the lovely folks over at The Cub House in Los Angeles, CA. In a slightly different format than our typical event Reportage, the team gathered stories from various participants, who recounted harrowing and ecstatic experiences while out riding the event routes. Then, they conclude with a gallery of drool-worthy two- and four-wheeled machines from the bike and car show portion. Let’s check it out below!

DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 and 50 Wheelsets and US Factory Visit

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DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 and 50 Wheelsets and US Factory Visit

DT Swiss recently invited Travis and Spencer to their US headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado, to take a spin on the new GRC 1100 DICUT 30 and 50 carbon wheelsets. While at the facility, the pair were treated to a tour of the Swiss brand’s US operations, offering more than expected. Below, let’s take a look behind DT Swiss’ Colorado curtain, check out some eclectic employee bikes, and ogle their new top-end gravel wheelsets….

Rob Roberson Retrospective Party Recap: Past Meets Present

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Rob Roberson Retrospective Party Recap: Past Meets Present

Rob Roberson has had a storied career as a bicycle builder for over fifty years and, until relatively recently, despite his incredible craftsmanship, he’s flown under the radar. A few weeks ago, Rob’s longtime friend and colleague, legendary painter Joe Bell, organized a party at his paint shop that was part Roberson retrospective (with nearly a quarter of Rob’s 100ish custom bikes on display) and part celebration of San Diego‘s cycling community.

Josh stopped by the festivities on his way home from Sea Otter to document this momentous event. Check out the full gallery from the party below, including detailed looks at several bikes on display.

藝術 (Art), 手工藝 (Craftsmanship), 製造 (Manufacture): Taichung Taiwan is a Bicycling Manufacturing Mecca

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藝術 (Art), 手工藝 (Craftsmanship), 製造 (Manufacture): Taichung Taiwan is a Bicycling Manufacturing Mecca

Coming off our Dust-Up article on (Most) All Bikes are Handmade is a deeper dive… It is easy to take for granted how products from around the globe end up in our hands. When it comes to bicycles, many of us have no idea how they are made. Our Instagram feeds are filled with romanticized images of artisans building intricate frames one at a time, but what about the production bicycles that the vast majority ride? Much less information is available, leaving our imaginations to conjure up images of robotic welders and dirty, fast-paced production. This often leads to uninformed debates on where, who, and how products are made.

The authors of this article offer a unique perspective on bicycle manufacturing. Daniel Yang, a talented engineer working with Neuhaus Metalworks and his own brand ARTEFACT, is changing how artisan framebuilders build bikes through 3D printing and 3D modeling innovations. Adam Sklar has over a decade of experience building high-end custom bikes by hand. He recently brought his production to Taiwan, working together with factories to produce his signature designs. The factories and people you see in this article produce Sklar Bikes, which is why we were given the opportunity to share this experience with you all.

First Ride Review: Tumbleweed Titanium Mini Pannier Rack

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First Ride Review: Tumbleweed Titanium Mini Pannier Rack

Today, Tumbleweed Bicycle Co launched a revamp to its Mini Pannier and T-Racks.  The CroMo racks (T-Rack $140 Mini Pannier $150) are lighter and stronger than the previous versions and have improved features. Today, we’re discussing the all-new Mini Pannier Titanium. Weighing in at only 258 grams (confirmed), Tumbleweed’s Titanium Mini Pannier Rack ($400) is a new option, now available, for those looking for an ultralight rear carrier option. John got one ahead of its release and has a First-Look Review below…

SLOWRIDER Presents “Always & Forever”: A Custom Classic Retrotec

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SLOWRIDER Presents “Always & Forever”: A Custom Classic Retrotec

Following up on “Groove Chronicles” which recently introduced the PAL x SMITH “Crossing Paths” Group Art Show, Matthew Mata-Aguilar is back with the custom Retrotec he built for the show.

The stunning “Always & Forever” truss fork Retrotec is a collaboration with PAUL Components and Ultradynamico, in addition to Jaime of Fabrica de Rosas who helped with the build.

Continue reading below for Matthew’s rundown of this special project!

Radar

VIDEO: A Rat in the Hand is Worth Two on the Tracks

Speaking of Rivendell, if you read the brand’s newsletter, you most likely caught this video Will shot on his 8-mm camera of a ride he and his mates did a little while ago. The name of the video is from an attempt to update old idioms for a more urban lifestyle.