Continuing our 2024 Philly Bike Expo coverage with more Reportage with words and photos by Brad Quartuccio, featuring Fine Bikes, Royal H Cycles, and La Marche Bike Co. Let’s get to it!
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Reportage
2022 Philly Bike Expo: The Show and Custom Bikes – 44 Bikes, Bishop, Breadwinner, Coast, Hot Salad, Junkyard Cats, Maiorossé, Royal H, and WZRD
When I lived in New York City, we rode our bikes to Philadelphia every year for the Philly Bike Expo. At the time, the event was hosted inside an old armory in the city, and featured a handful of framebuilders, makers, and companies with roots mostly in commuter cycling. Back then, the Philly Bike Expo felt like a family. I moved out of the Northeast shortly after and was really looking forward to reconnecting with old friends.
The last time I made it to an Expo was in 2012, and a lot has changed. While the same soul is still very much present, the venue, size, and impact of the Philly Bike Expo have grown. After a two-year pandemic hiatus and a relatively subdued 2021 year, it was back and bigger than ever for 2022. Cari and I flew to Philadelphia to get out of Santa Fe for a few days, soak in some big(ger) city food, and take in the Expo, so let’s get to it.
Reportage
2021 Philly Bike Expo: Royal H Cycles Bed of Roses Neo-Randonneur
Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H Cycles has shown bikes at each Philly Bike Expo since its debut in 2009. And he always brings the heat. This year, Bryan returned with another stunning creation, the Bed of Roses, which blends classic randonneur elements with modern accouterments. Bryan walks us through the design impetus for this artistic build below, along with Jarrod Bunk‘s illustrative imagery.
Radar
Win a Royal H Cycles and Raise Money for National Bail Out
Royal H Cycles, Black Magic Paint, Nova, Paragon, and True Cyclery would like to give YOU a custom Royal H Cycles and raise money for National Bail Out. All you’ve gotta do is make a $2,000 to the organization, screen shot the receipt and message Royal H Cycles on Instagram to win a custom frame (made to your TT and ST specs), painted by Black Magic in one of their stock colors, and then pay to ship for your frame from Black Magic to you!
Keep on eye on Royal H Cycles’ Instagram to see if there’s a winner!
Reportage
Philly Bike Expo: Royal H Cycles 10-Year Anniversary Bike
Bryan Hollingsworth from Royal H Bikes has attended every Philly Bike Expo since its inception to display his works of art under the Royal H brand. For the 10th anniversary, he knew he had to make something special, so with that goal in mind he built and displayed this beautiful lugged road bike. Some of the finer details include top-eyes with windows built-in and a very special bottom bracket, that was filed to perfection, but everywhere you look on this bike there’s something special going on.
With a build kit based around Campagnolo Chorus mostly, some nods to the past include the Stronglight Headset, quill stem, Turbo saddle, but Bryan chose to use White Industries hubs for a reliable handbuilt wheelset. Check out more of the images above, and if you got any other questions for Bryan, drop them in the comments.
Reportage
2018 Philly Bike Expo: Bass Boat Sparkle Disc Road
Bryan Hollingsworth started Royal H Cycles in 2008. It’s now his 10-year anniversary of the company and at the Philly Bike Expo, he brought just the bike to celebrate, a deep purple sparkle-painted disc all road with elegant lines and modern functionality.
While the SRAM Red eTap, Easton Wheels, Zipp components, a Columbus fork, and Cane Creek Headset make for a completely balleur build, the detail in the wishbone seat stay steals the show. What a way to celebrate 10 years of framebuilding!
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Reportage
2018 NAHBS: Royal H Cycles Classic Road
No matter how high tech the road bike gets, nothing beats the lines and elegance of a classic road bike. For this year’s NAHBS, Bryan of Royal H Cycles brought this beautifully-lugged road bike with equal parts practicality to functionality. At first, I didn’t even notice the Di2…
Radar
Royal H Cycles: The Road to Technology and the Prova Ti / C Road
Photos by Eric Baumann
It’s always fascinating to hear people’s perception of framebuilders and its alignment is usually something like: bearded dude, welding steel together in a garage. While that might be somewhat true, for brands like Royal H Cycles, embracing technology is one of the challenges of maintaining a successful company. Consumers like titanium and carbon, two materials that are easily joined together… With the right experience. Seven, Firefly and other Boston-area builders have mastered this art, making it possible for others to ride the road to technology.
Head over to Royal H Cycles’ blog to read about the Prova, a ti and carbon road bike.
Radar
Royal H Cycles: John’s Belt Drive Rohloff
Photos by Eric Baumann
Belt drive commuters make a lot of sense in cities like Boston and New York. Road grime, dirt, salt and other contaminates hardly effect the system and personally, it’s always interested in seeing this technology paired with a Rohloff on a custom steel bike.
Royal H Cycles keeps me tuned in and this recent project is maddeningly beautiful. See more of it at the Royal H Flickr!
Radar
Royal H Cycles: Concerning Show Bikes
Photos by Eric Baumann
While the 2014 Philly Bike Expo is this weekend. Bryan from Royal H Cycles has decided to share the tale of his show bikes from last year. This is the first time I’ve seen these two bikes, both of which are incredibly unique, so it was nice having a back-story to the framebuilder’s influence and inspiration.
Head over to the Royal H Cycles blog for more!
Radar
Royal H Cycles: Bad Larry SSCX Bike for Sale
Yikes! This bike looks like a real ripper. Bryan from Royal H Cycles built up this exquisite singlespeed ‘cross bike for the Bike Cult show in NYC and it’s now available for sale. The price is $3500 as shown, with a 57cm seat tube and 56.5cm top tube (center to center). I think that’s a great price, especially for such a unique frame. I’m really loving the lugwork and paint detailing. See more at the Royal H Flickr.
Great work Bryan! If you’re interested, holler at Royal H Cycles.
Radar
Royal H Cycles: Tom’s Chrome Randonneur
Photo by Eric Baumann
Wow. Just wow. Royal H Cycles‘ latest customer build defies time. As Bryan says “It’s like the last 50 years never happened”. Aside from a few details, I’d say that’s accurate. I love the bi-lam headtube, the impeccable vintage parts selection and the red bar tape.
See more of this absolutely stunning bike at the Royal H Cycles Flickr. Sheesh… I’ve got the vintage bug again.
Radar
Royal H Cycles: Ben’s Grinder
Photos by Eric Baumann
For a frame builder, being able to create something unique for one of your friends has got to be one of the best experiences of the job. Ben wanted a cross-ready, dirt road eating machine with provisions for a rear rack. Highlights include the seat tube cluster, custom stem and a battleship grey paint job. Royal H really killed it on this one! See more at the Royal H Flickr.
Radar
Royal H Cycles: Pete’s Hardtail MTB
Photo by Eric Baumann
When I came across this bike on the Royal H Cycles Flickr, I found myself geeking out over it. This thing looks like a trail ripper! I love steel hardtails.
Radar
Royal H Cycles: John’s Randonneur
Right now, this bike has no stories to share, save for its tale of a birth from torch and steel but in a year, it’ll have many miles under its saddle. John’s randonneur is the latest from Royal H Cycles. See the full set here.
Radar
Royal H Frames: A Road Bike’s Road Bike
Photo by Eric Baumann
I really, really love this bike. Bryan did a great job on it and Eric’s photos aren’t too shabby either. See the full set here.
Reportage
Royal H Cycles Fixed Gear
It’s kind of sad to see fewer and fewer frame builders showcasing track bikes and fixed gears at shows like the Philly Bike Expo. There’s nothing more elegant than a cleanly-proportioned bike meant to travel around the city and this Royal H Cycles fixed gear is exactly that. The colors just pop in these photos. Check out more below.
