NAHBS 2016 Bikes We Likes, part 2

Round 2! More bikes that impressed me at NAHBS 2016

Collin Schaafsma – Matter Cycles

“Single pivot 4 life” award

I’ve spent a lot of miles on good old single-pivot mountain bikes, including the most recent incarnation of the Santa Cruz Heckler. In my opinion the single-pivot is still a viable option in a world of linkage bikes. The Two-Stroke shown here is a good example of why. You can get a U.S. made full-suspension frame, with custom reach and stack and a Cane Creek DB Air shock for $2,800. Sure it weighs more than a carbon-frame, but this thing will probably be around for your grand-kids to find in the barn. Check out the pivot, which uses headset bearings to simplify replacement. More info: Matter Cycles

Curtis Inglis – Inglis and Retrotec

“Dollar shave club” award

Retrotec makes some amazing bikes with the bendy tubes. Proportions are hard to get right. This bike nails it.  I dig thie double top tube that transitions into a wishbone, with the curve tightening a bit through seatstays to the rear axle. Unlike some cruiser-style mountain bikes, this one is a proper ripper, with 27plus tires, a dropper, and new fork from X-Fusion called the Macqueen. I’d ride this in a second. More info: Retrotec and Inglis Cycles

Ventana Mountain Bikes

“Most modern bikes, least updated website” award

I didn’t get a chance to snap a portrait of Sherwood Gibson, Ventana’s founder, but I did grab this bike for a quick photo shoot. Obviously the big deal here is than Pinion gearbox. The Pinion was on a few bikes at the show, and I expect a few more at Sea Otter. The swoopy aluminum frame stood out among all the steel and ti bikes, and I liked the lines with the belt drive, and single cog and chainring. Ventana is always quick to market with new technology. More info: Ventana Mountain Bikes USA

 

Alchemy Bikes

“Did this bike get lost on the way to an EWS race” award

To say this bike stuck out at NAHBS would be an understatement. Not only was the Arktos a full-suspension carbon bike, it also looked ready for enduro racing at a high level, something I wasn’t expecting to see at the show. The main triangle and linkage is made in Colorado, with the swingarm coming from overseas. The dual-link suspension is called Sine, after the wave that is formed when graphing the rear shock rate. For $3,800 you get a frame and shock with two-tone paint job with a choice of a dozen stock colors. More info: Alchemy Bikes

Adam Sklar -Sklar Custom Bike Frames

“Lemme see some ID, kid” award

Sklar was a new brand to me, but I really dug his bikes. While it is thoroughly modern, this 27plus mountain bike really took me back to a time when one bike did it all. Singletrack, commute, tour. This bike looks ready for just about anything. It is also full of custom touches including the dropouts, racks, fork and handlebars. More info: Sklar Bikes

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If you missed part one of our NAHBS coverage, find it here.