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Every time I travel, I always end up with scrap photos. Maybe they fit into an article, maybe they don’t. Usually they’re airport shots, which I like because it shows the weather of the departing and arrival city, or maybe they’re random portraits. Just hanging around a shop for a week often brings about unique moments. This batch from NAHBS is a little bit of all that.
I’ll narrate these as well, because the people in Denver are RAD!
Mamiya 7ii
80mm
Portra 400 / Velvia 100
NAHBS. For some, it represents a culmination of a year’s efforts and creates unbearable stress and deadlines. For others, it’s a place to see all your friends, have a drink, or twenty and dork out over bikes. Then there’s the media, scrambling around with mini recorders, LCD lighting for their DSLR rigs, flashes, notepads and sweaty brows. Somewhere in between all of this, I fall into place.
Over the years of covering NAHBS, I’ve gone from taking it very seriously to finding a middle ground (thanks to Tracko for always talking some sense into my bull-headed mind). Halfway between the all-nighter, hot tub hopping, bourbon binge fest and the casual conversation in a pizza restaurant is where NAHBS fell for me this year. I didn’t stress about how to cover what, I just showed up and went with what I felt was right.
This Recent Roll is an amalgamation of my time in Denver. Mixed in are some convention center shots, some party pics from the #OutsideisFree event, a few from the Mile High Messenger Challenge alleycat and some around the town photos.
I already can’t wait until next year! Again, this photoset is a little long, so I narrated each photo.
Leica M7
Zeiss 28mm f2.8 T* ZM
Neopan 400
Yashica T4
Neopan 400
For me, the best part about NAHBS is being submerged into the host city’s community and getting to know some of the local names. I first heard of Avery County Cycles through a video that I posted about a year ago. Josh seemed like a good guy, with attainable aspirations and a love for frame building. One of the things that struck me in his interview was his commentary on “more frame builders are a good thing”. That’s a weighted statement but in Josh’s eyes, and as something I can understand, having a local framebuilder that serves the local community is important. In today’s world, everyone orders frames from all over. You simply email in your fit information and 6 months later, your bike arrives. It’s great for business and no builder would ever complain about being busy, but that statement really struck me.
In the two years Josh has been building frames, he’s been catering to his local community. Starting out with frames for friends to practice his torch skills and moving up to a full fleet of single speed cross bikes for Pearl Velo. His space sits next to Berkeley Supply Co and Pearl Velo, just up the hill in Denver. The energy of these three storefronts is intoxicating. Honestly, the only comparison I can draw is how the old FYXO Hub and Shifter Bikes shared a space. A couple of motivated young men, looking to just do shit right. Josh’s work is very much localized to the Denver / Boulder area and he’s just one of the many faces building bicycles in Colorado. I honestly believe what he’s doing is legitimate and his community respects him for that. His work won the Rookie of the Year award at NAHBS, so he’s doing something right!
Check out some photos I shot of Josh working during my stay in Denver in the Gallery.
Leica M7
Leica Summicron 50mm f2
Zeiss 28mm f2.8 T* ZM
Neopan 400
Mamiya 7ii
80mm
Portra 400
If I had to guess off the top of my head, which model bike has been featured the most on the site, it’d have to be the All City Nature Boy. Whether racing it singlespeed cross, or commuting or messengering on it, the Nature Boy is the people’s choice and when I saw Rob’s, I had to give it some lens love. Lots of street grime, character, stickers and yes, a top tube pad, make this one of the more unique builds I’ve seen. Technically, this isn’t a singlespeed though. Rob got a bit crafty with his setup. Look closely…
I don’t know about you, but I would have much rather been swimming, soaking in the sun during NAHBS weekend, instead, we all found ourselves stomping through snow. Denver in the winter isn’t exactly warm (although the locals say it is) but that didn’t stop us from going on a quick little ride the morning after NAHBS wrapped up. Ty had his Stinner, I took my new IF 29’r, Josh from Avery took his award winning bike (in jeans and work boots), Tyler from Pearl Velo had his Karate Monkey SS and Kerry had his Gunner (probably the least equipped tool for the job and yet he still crushed it). It was a pack of grown-ass-men goofing off, getting pitted in snow drifts and that’s all I wanted to do the whole time I was in Denver…
Yashica T4
Neopan 400
Usually, when I shoot a portrait of a rider and their bike, it goes at the end of a post but I really liked how these photos of Rob came out so he’s getting two galleries. Rob is quite the character. He came into Pearl Velo the day after NAHBS while I was working, snot dripping from his nose, bag all crusty and his bike was filthy. I couldn’t help but pull of the Mamiya 7ii and fire off a few shots. Rob helps throw a lot of the alleycats in the Denver area and has put in some serious saddle time on his Nature Boy. A full bike check is coming but for now, let’s admire this red-bearded brethren. Ladies, don’t get too hot and bothered, he’s taken!
Mamiya 7ii / 80mm
Portra 400
I’m still on kind of a Denver high and no, I’m not talking about the altitude. I really fell in love with that city and believe me, that’s a big deal considering it was under snow most of the time I was there. In Roads is the aforementioned documentary on handmade bikes in Denver and Boulder. Featuring Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop and Mosiac, with music by Trout Steak Revival. Great work Tyler!
Now I need to make it back when it’s warm!
As I await for my film to get processed and scanned, I figured I’d post a little bit of love for these two parties: Pearl Velo and Avery County Cycles. Last year, when Josh from Avery was hanging around Pearl Velo, he and Tyler chatted about making a run of singlespeed cross frames for the Pearl Velo ‘cross team. This one’s Tyler’s personal frame, the first from the batch.
He prefers his cross frames a bit smaller, with a positive rise stem to put him at the proper riding position. Built with Columbus Spirit tubing and a sparkle clear over the olive drab paint, this is a no-nonsense race machine.
Since the moment I arrived in Denver, Josh from Avery County Cycles has been an exceptional host. He picked me up from the airport, took me to a whiskey sipping night, then dinner and let me crash at his place. I’ve spent a lot of time around his shop and today, I took some film photos of him working. As we were having a beer tonight, he pulled out his cheater bar. Every shop has one, but few have a story like this.
Josh is a self-taught frame builder. Which, these days you rarely hear about. With dozens of frame building schools sprouting up all over the US, you don’t need to spend countless hours by yourself, figuring the ins and outs of brazing but he did anyway. This piece of tubing is where Josh learned how to use a torch.
Of course, there’s no easy way to venture into building bicycle frames. Just a lot of practice and patience. Over the past year, Avery County Cycles has built numerous frames for friends and even a single speed cross team with Pearl Velo. On Sunday, his hard work paid off, when he won Rookie of the Year at NAHBS (he even sold his car to pay for the show’s fees).
There’s more to come here on the site but I just wanted to congratulate Josh on his award!
Saturday night was a blur. The anxiety of having a photo show had subsided and as the clocked moved closer to the opening hour, all that was on our minds was “will anyone actually come?”. Forecasts were calling for 10″ of snow and there were tons of other events happening. All the worries subsided when the house was packed at 8pm. Then, Lauren surprised me with an unexpected flight in from Austin. The Outside is Free show was a ton of fun. Thanks to everyone who came out, drank, dodged flying dildos and had to sit through my awkward public announcements.
Many thanks to Avery, Pearl Velo, Berkeley Supply and PBR for making the night a success. I’ll have zines in stock this week, for anyone who wants to pick up a copy. I didn’t shoot nearly as many photos as I wanted to but check out a select few in the Gallery. Also, if anyone has photos, link them up in the comments!
Hey, it’s been over 10 years since I had a mountain bike and I couldn’t resist… More on this later. For now, I’m having too much fun in the snow.
Tonight after NAHBS, the Outside is Free show is happening at Pearl Velo. We were all there late last night hanging our work, sipping bourbon and trying to stay warm. Dustin from Cadence has a pop up shop and will be selling gear, alongside Poler and Pearl Velo’s own merchandise.
Swing by Pearl Velo from 7-10pm. Attendance is limited to invites as long as it doesn’t get too crowded. Check out some previews in the gallery.
This year, like before, I’ll be working hard and partying harder at the 2013 NAHBS. I’ll do my best to bring you the bikes with the most class and sass as well as something a little different. I’ll have Flag Hatchet stickers on me, as well as passes to the Outside is Free party, so come track me down. Bourbon sips are appreciated!
If you want some eye candy from last year, check out the 2012 NAHBS archives!
Here’s the official NAHBS Framebuilder Party flier for this year’s event. Like I said, there are a bunch of parties happening Saturday but this one’s for the exhibitors, VIPs and media, at the Colorado Convention Center.
Another related note is the radness that’s been going on in the Velocipede Salon’s Thursday Night Lights thread. Definitely check that out. I wish I had more free time to poke around that forum more often…
Here come the parties!
“Are you going to be in Denver for NAHBS this coming weekend? If not you should book your tickets, hop a train, rent a car, hire a mule, ride a bike, or just start running because we going to have great booth with all of our newest Chris King and Cielo offerings on display at the convention center. As if that wasn’t enough we would like to invite you to an amazing party that we are throwing Friday evening at Salvagetti’s Annex where chef extraodinaire Chris DiMinno from Portland’s renowned restaurant Clyde Common will be serving a delectable array of sliders, New Belgium will be providing an array of intoxicating suds, and all of our pals will be talking shop, telling stories, and having a good laugh.”
There’s going to be a lot of parties going on Saturday night during NAHBS weekend in Denver but this is the one I’ll be attending. Brian Vernor, Jeremy Dunn, Chris McNally, Dustin Klein and I compiled some photographs and art to display under the theme “Outside is Free”. The show will be at Pearl Velo & Avery County Cycles. We’ll be selling prints, zines and there will be bourbon to be consumed. I’ll try to bring some Texas warmth with me!
The only catch is, there’s a pesky fire permit involved, so at most, 300 people are allowed. If you’re interested in attending, find one of the exhibitors, Tyler from Pearl Velo, or Josh from Avery County Cycles at NAHBS for a free invite.
Get there early, because I’ll probably be wasted at 7:15. Serioulsy.
The second annual Mile High Messenger Challenge is coming up on Saturday, February 23rd in Denver, Colorado. Check out more information at the event’s Facebook page.
Colorado seems to be the place to be for alleycats this year. Here’s a video recap from the Boneshaker Winter Alleycat. Don’t miss out on the next race from Denver Chain Chase!
Future races:
King of Colfax – February 24
Team Alleycat – April 6
Velo Smash 2: Full Moon Time Trials – May 25
Mile High Criterium – June 22
Friday Night Fury – August 30
