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North American Hand Made Bicycle Show
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, February 27 - March 1, 2009
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Part 4 - March 3: Endless eye candy from Indianapolis
By James Huang
Calfee takes bamboo construction idea in a new direction
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Craig Calfee’s recently-launched Bamboosero project applies his bamboo and hemp fibre frame construction to something much bigger than just one-off show bikes. Calfee is now teaching residents of third-world countries how to build similar bikes but for utilitarian purposes.
Much like SRAM’s admirable World Bicycle Relief programme, Bamboosero seeks to equip local residents with bicycles that can be used to greatly enhance mobility to places like places of employment and schools, ease access to necessary resources like food and water, and seek medical care in far-off locations.
In Bamboosero’s case, however, the bikes are built by local residents and use locally-available bamboo. Calfee has already shown the bamboo is capable of hauling heavy loads and feels that having the residents build the bikes themselves fosters the development of sustainable local economies.
Calfee’s Bamboosero frame design is obviously much simpler than the showpieces we’re accustomed to seeing from him at NAHBS with its traditional frame layout and substantial built-in rear rack. While the parts spec is decidedly modest, the ambitions of the program are anything but. Shops are already running in Ghana and others reportedly nearing completion in Zambia, Mexico and Uganda.
Courage tackles the Portland ‘cross scene with good ol’ steel
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Carbon fibre and aluminum ‘cross bikes dominate the mass market yet many builders such as Portland, Oregon-based Aaron Hayes of Courage Bicycles - 'best new builder' of NAHBS 2008 - still feel that modern steel alloys can offer comparable levels of performance but with far superior ride quality.
Hayes built up his latest 1450g (3.2lb) iteration into a race-ready 7.2kg (16.0lb) machine for the show with a mostly sensible mix that included Edge Composites carbon tubulars and carbon 'cross fork and a SRAM Red 1x10 drivetrain fitted with a chain guard of his own design. Save for the sketchy carbon saddle we certainly wouldn't hesitate to take one of these to our local series.
Sitting opposite the 'cross bike was a white steel road bike, both of which bore Courage's latest dropout design. The previous stainless steel-sandwiched plates have now been replaced with stiffer units that offer more weld area for the stays, replaceable aluminum derailleur hangers, and even replaceable aluminum faces on the non-driveside.
Engin Cycles chugs along
Engin Cycles’ booth was populated with the usual array of beautiful yet functional bikes covering a wide range of genres that included a conventional road racer, a 29" fully rigid singlespeed, a 26" full-suspension mountain bike, and perhaps our personal favourite of the lot - a 'cross bike covered in deep fire engine red paint.
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Engin proprietor Drew Guldanian kept the embellishment to a minimum here as its owner, Denny Yunk of Hayes Bicycle Group, plans to use it as a full-blown racer. Still, an elegant pointed sleeve on the top tube extends just below the top tube and the semi-integrated mast terminates in a sweet cast head of Guldanian's own design.
The front brake is routed straight through the matching custom stem and the slim steel fork sports surprisingly tight clearances around the crown. Guldanian says this was by intent though; according to him, most of the 'cross bike he sees in muddy conditions have a build-up of mud behind the crown no matter how much clearance is there, and the shorter blades of his fork stiffen things up and minimise brake chatter.
Though fairly traditional in appearance, the full-suspension mountain bike actually incorporated a number of thoroughly up-to-date features. The Reynolds 953 front triangle uses a BB30 bottom bracket shell, an oversize head tube fitted with a Chris King InSet, and the aluminum rear end is borrowed from Ventana.
Guldanian squeezes in plenty of classic aesthetic, too, courtesy of the pointed sleeves and partial lugs, the nifty plate-style lower shock mount with twin reinforcing cross-tubes, and masked windows in the main triangle allowing the natural stainless steel to shine through. All in all, the look is stunning from any angle.
It’s still winter in the Inglis and Retrotec booth
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The star of Curtis Inglis' joint Inglis-Retrotec booth was undoubtedly a custom snow bike built for a customer that intended to use it for everything from trail riding on both snow and dirt (Inglis sized the clearances to also work with standard 29" wheels) to heading off for errands thanks to the sizeable front rack.
In spite of the eponymous badging, the bike drew some obvious design cues from Inglis' Retrotec line, notably the uninterrupted arc of the down tube and seat stays and the style of the peach-and-cream paint. Fitted out back is a Rohloff 14-speed internally geared hub.
Parts kit and finishing work aside though, one of the most striking aspects of the bike were the custom-made wooden fenders. Spanning the full width of the massive snow tyres, they also provided a uniquely expansive canvas for some neat artwork by their builder, Jeff Hantman of Halfwheel Fenders.
Intricate transfers were applied on the outer surfaces (even wrapping around the sides of the fenders) and one of the Inglis mascot was even slapped on the inside of the rear fender. Hantman sealed all of the details beneath a thick coat of lacquer so hopefully it’ll all last a while, too.
KirkLee and Dave Sem team up for a unique job
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Texas painter Dave Sem's work is well known in the industry but outdid himself for a special KirkLee carbon road frame at NAHBS. According to company founder - and frame builder - Brad Cason, the owner wanted a finish that mimicked an oil painting made by her mother, who is unfortunately succumbing to Alzheimer’s.
Sem recreated the style of the painting based on provided digital images, even down to the unique textures usually unattainable with conventional frame painting methods. The paint also had to cure longer than usual before applying clearcoat to avoid smearing but the result of the extra time and effort is one of the most unique looking frames we’ve seen.
Lying beneath it all is KirkLee’s all-carbon frame with custom tubing by Edge Composites and smoothly blended carbon lugs.
‘Anyone up for another glass?’ asks Signal Cycles
Custom racks are always a big part of NAHBS and if such a category existed, Portland builder Signal Cycles would probably have taken the prize with its superbly brazed wine bottle carrier.
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Two bottles are securely housed in perfectly fitted receptacles, bracketed by a wooden shelf below, leather padding at the edges, and looped elastic straps to hold it all down. In case some cheese is also involved, there’s also a small wooden shelf up top.
Before you pigeonhole Signal as a rack company, though, the company also displayed complete bikes such as an elegant randonneur machine and a sweet yellow townie. The randonneur bike also sported rather unique fender mounts and a neat rear brake housing stop, and both bikes were fitted with gorgeous dropouts.
But yes, both also had custom front racks, too.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- Calfee is seeking a greater purpose these days with the launch of his Bamboosero project which seeks to put locally built bamboo utility bikes in the hands of third-world residents.
- The design is intentionally simple to build yet can supposedly carry an incredible amount of weight.
- Naturally, Calfee can still use bamboo to put on a good show.
- Down tube? Top tube? Middle tubes???
- We've no idea how functional this is but no matter; it looks fantastic!
- We're guessing the omission of a seat tube makes for a particularly comfortable ride.
- This way!
- We can't help but wonder how long it took Calfee to find bamboo that had a perfect 31.8mm outer diameter.
- Courage takes to the barriers with this lightweight steel 'cross racer.
- Courage's new dropouts are apparently stiffer than the original design with more weld surface area and newly replaceable derailleur hanger.
- The show bike was also fitted with an outer chainring guard of Courage builder Aaron Hayes' own design.
- Courage also showed off this gleaming white road bike.
- The road frame uses similar dropouts as on the 'cross bike but are milled all the way through for a different look and to save a few grams.
- Engin Cycles had its usually diverse range of bikes on display at this year's NAHBS such as this dedicated 'cross racer built for Denny Yunk of Hayes Bicycle Group.
- The mitered seat stay bridge adds a bit of style and the semi-integrated mast makes for a clean look.
- The semi-integrated design isn't just for show; in 'cross it also guarantees that your seatpost won't slip during remounts.
- Engin builder Drew Guldanian routes the front brake cable through the thicker part of the stem and brazes in a full-length sleeve to eliminate water contamination.
- We're not so sure about the lack of clearance here but Guldanian says even 'cross forks will lots of room build up mud anyway and the shorter legs reduce brake chatter.
- Engin built this full-suspension machine with a Reynolds 953 main triangle and a rear end borrowed from Ventana.
- The bottom bracket uses the BB30 standard. Check out the trick lower shock mount!
- The custom lugged stainless steel stem directly incorporates a spacer while the head tube uses Chris King's new InSet design.
- Masked sections allow the stainless steel shine through.
- Engin Cycles' cast seatpost head can be adopted and customized for a number of applications.
- This Engin road bike was perhaps the most eye-catching of the booth.
- The boxed pinstripes are carefully faded where they overlap.
- Bare stainless steel is exposed on the interior of the rear dropouts.
- Here the Engin seatpost head is bonded to a carbon shaft and has a window added in up front.
- Guldanian built this 29er just for the show.
- The highly curved seat stays presumably add a bit of cush.
- We still love this head tube badge design.
- Rigid forks were littered throughout this year's NAHBS.
- Curtis Inglis brought along this beautiful snow bike, built for a customer to fulfill a wide range of purposes.
- Viewed from the side, the top tube and seat stays form an interrupted arc.
- The front and rear ends have massive clearance to fit the 3"-wide snow tires.
- Who wants to go pick up the pizza?
- Laminated wooden fenders were handmade by Jeff Hantman of Halfwheel Fenders.
- Hantman applied these transfers then sealed them in beneath the lacquer.
- This isn't the most visible place for a logo but it's still cool.
- There's a lot going on back here.
- Inglis' other brand, Retrotec, incorporates trademark curves into the frame designs.
- This ain't no beach cruiser.
- Top-notch finish work is featured throughout.
- The rear brake is moved down here not for aerodynamics but to preserve a clean look to the seat stays.
- Texas painter Dave Sem recreated an oil painting for a special customer's KirkLee carbon road machine.
- Notice the resemblance?
- Careful masking work lets the bare carbon underneath to peek through.
- This paint job has a very special meaning to this owner.
- Another KirkLee creation
- It's safe to say that your cycling significant other would rather get one of these than a bouquet of flowers.
- Wow.
- Signal Cycles has you all set just in case you're planning to attend a party by bike and need to bring some wine.
- The rack nicely complements the Signal fork.
- The artist's sketchbook - where this apparently all began.
- Signal also showed off this lovely randonneur bike.
- A front hub dynamo is connected to a single front lamp.
- Nice.
- Signal Cycles' elegant rear brake housing stop.
- This is the cleanest fender mount we've seen by far.
- Bikes like this practically encourage you to do your errands by bike.
- Why use spacers when you can build them right into the stem?
- The rear dropouts show off some careful paint work.
- Ready to get a few days' worth of groceries home.
