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North American Hand Made Bicycle Show
San Jose, California, March 2-4, 2007
Part 1 - Townies in abundance
By James Huang in San Jose, CA
Third running of North American Handmade Bicycle Show continues exemplary reputation
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Last year's NAHBS was a visual smorgasbord for all who attended and stared long enough to take in the multiple rows of stunning bicycles. Whether the appeal was immediately obvious on the surface or laid a few layers deeper, nearly every machine was utterly beautiful. This year's show certainly didn't disappoint, and if anything, many builders seemed to have bumped things up relative to last year in an effort to outdo one another in a game of friendly rivalry.
By its very nature, the handbuilt industry cultivates niche markets, especially ones that larger major manufacturers either have yet to enter, can not enter for economical reasons, or ones in which they no longer involve themselves. Last year's dominating segments at NAHBS were the randonneur tourers and 29" mountain bikes, but the 'lowly' utilitarian bike was clearly this year's canvas of choice. Fenders, racks, chainguards, internal transmissions and generator hubs abounded on one example after another and those accessories typically received just as much attention from their builders as the frames on which they were attached.
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To Mike Flanigan of ANT Bicycles (Alternative Needs Transportation), the townie bike's strong showing isn't much of a surprise. Flanigan has been producing dedicated commuter bicycles almost exclusively since he started ANT in 2001 and credits the handbuilt industry itself for the segment's popularity. "It's because the people that build bikes enjoy that type of riding, and now they're seeing that their customers will buy that type of bike. So they're willing to go out on a limb to produce those types of images and sell them. But I think it's really because of their own personal interests; most cyclists that are in the industry believe in bicycles for transportation"
If the population of bicycles at NAHBS is any indication, the demand for commuter bicycles is growing, if only at the upper end of the spectrum. "ANT has grown a lot, and I've got a big backlog of orders. People are placing orders for the bikes that I like to build. It's very rare for me to have to build a standard bicycle such as a road or cyclocross or what have you. Those do come occasionally, but the bulk of the bikes are the roadster types with racks and full accoutrements."
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One question remains, though: Why spend so much time and energy on a bicycle that will primarily be used for trips to the grocery store or other mundane errands? Those roles are more often filled by the most inexpensive bicycles, and it seems counterintuitive to pour your heart, soul, and money (often lots of it at that) into something that will see inclement weather and unfriendly parking meters.
For Flanigan, the answer is, again, quite obvious: "People are afraid to invest any money in their commuter bikes, yet that's the one that they're going to spend the most amount of time on. It's the one that you're going to suffer on, so why suffer 90% of the time and then ride your nice bike on the weekends? You've got to enjoy life now."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- Why just cap the stays, when you can do this?
- Ahearne Cycles' commuter, all dressed up and ready to go.
- Integrated lock holder means one fewer thing to hold on to.
- Ahearne Cycles uses several different head tube badges, including this beautiful flowery one.
- Joseph Ahearne supplements his now-trademark twin chainstays with an extra-curvy rear end.
- ANT Cycles equipped this "Basket Bike" with a utilitarian chainguard and classy Brooks leather fender flap.
- How many bags of groceries fit in there?
- ANT Cycles has been building commuter bikes almost exclusively since 2001.
- Cool copper ANT Cycles head tube badge will only look better with age.
- A little nicer than the rack you'll find at your local shop…
- ANT's "Rohloff B" commuter is ready for some serious nighttime action.
- Like many bikes at NAHBS, this rear rack on ANT's "Rohloff B" was fully custom-built.
- Who said commuters had to be cheap and ugly?
- Particularly distinctive fork crown on this Bilenky townie.
- Beautiful finish work and detailing on the Bilenky front basket.
- Not all of the embellishment is purely aesthetic. The front disc mounts have to be functional as well.
- The customer who commissioned this Bilenky townie bike isn't going to hang it up on the wall; he has every intention of using it as an everyday machine.
- Curvy stays and impeccible pinstriping.
- Polished stainless steel seat clamp. Note the small leather washer between the pinstriped rear fender and seat stay bridge.
- Long-term builder Bill Rider crafted this commuter for his own wife, Eileen.
- Cleanly curved tubing transformed from top tube into rack supports.
- DeSalvo offered up this version of the townie bike.
- Drum brakes were popular at NAHBS, and this DeSalvo also wore ultra-chic wood fenders.
- A rarely-seen NEW Sturmey-Archer internally geared rear hub.
- Engin Cycles is a new builder, but you couldn't tell by looking at this.
- Internally-geared Nexus hub and shifter from Shimano adorn this Engin Cycles commuter.
- Clever chainstay bridge and chainguard.
- Engin Cycles is based in Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love", so these hearts seem perfectly suited.
- I'm not sure what is meant to go on this Engin Cycles front rack, but it sure looks good.
- Head tube badge from Engin Cycles.
- Fraser Cycles offers its PackMule for heavy hauling.
- The PackMule is ready and able… for when watermelons go on sale at the grocery store.
- Custom-built rack on the PackMule.
- Hard to say how often the Fraser Cycles PackMule will be torn down for traveling, but this one is ready when the time comes.
- Custom thermos carrier from Independent Fabrications.
- IF's classic head tube badge.
- IF entered this titanium "Swoopster" into Shimano's Alfine competition.
- Who knew a stepthrough frame could look this good?
- Heavy duty rear rack on this Inglis doubles as a fender support.
- Curtis Inglis built this commuter for his wife. What have you done lately?
- Beautiful and purposeful townie bike from Inglis Cycles.
- Start loading!
- Ira Ryan is another new builder with a keen sense of style.
- Beautiful stainless steel head tube badge from Ira Ryan.
- Brake levers are integrated directly into the handlebar for an ultra-clean look.
- A little bit of adornment for the normally drab handlebar.
- Old Man Mountain took 1st prize honors in Shimano's Alfine competition with this entry.
- This aluminum handlebar was crafted mostly from billet aluminum and required "lots of sanding".
- Beautifully-profiled chainguard.
- Old Man Mountain designed the rear wheel attachment to not only be nice to look at, but difficult to steal as well.
- Front rack or cow catcher? Maybe a little bit of both?
- Peacock Groove's decidedly aggro commuter is covered in spray-on pickup truck bedliner material for a nearly indestructible finish. You may see it elsewhere later, but you saw it here first.
- Peacock Groove pride.
- Swoopy stays and bold styling characterize this commuter from Minneapolis-based Peacock Groove.
- When clamps are just too ugly to mount your fenders. Yes, it's a carbon fiber Wound-Up fork!
- Classic styling from Retrotec.
- Ultra-clean rear dropout and disc mount from Retrotec.
- Does this come in my size?
- Perfectly curved tubing on the Retrotec.
- Rock Lobster's entry in Shimano's Alfine contest took 2nd place honors.
- Clean and purposeful with little unnecessary embellishment.
- That big red thing is a motor for when Sycip's townie is carrying a little too much gear…
- Battery packs are located in the trunk atop the rear rack.
- Electric motor drives the crank directly, not the rear wheel.
- Sycip's cute front rack, already pre-loaded!
- Sycip's commuter is a little bit nicer than the one I used to use…
- Tom Oswald crafted a clean custom fender mount.
- Cool double crown and light mount from Oswald Cycles.
- Beautiful long-point lugs.
- Giant Schwalbe Big Apple tires help Oswald Cycles' townie roll over just about anything.
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