Some Interesting Bikes of NAHBS 2017
Originally posted on March 13, 2017 at 1:14 amThere was no shortage of cool bikes to be seen at NAHBS this year. While it’s impossible for me to pick my absolute favorite, there are definitely a number that I noticed and appreciated for one reason or another. Here are just a few of them, with more to come.
I really liked all the bikes that Oddity was showing off in their booth, but this particular one stood out to me. Maybe it was the color aesthetics—anodized purple on a cream-colored frame, or maybe it was the adventure-ready vibe it was putting off. The builder, Sean Burns (aka Burnsey) made this one for himself as a 27plus endurance rig, though he won’t get to ride it til after the show. One of the prominent features of this bike is the uniquely-shaped bars, which are a prototype that Oddity is currently testing. The Industry Nine wheelset, Paul components and matching Porcelain Rocket bags tie it all together into one sexy, but highly functional steed.
University of Iowa School of Art and Art History
The University of Iowa Hand Built Bicycle Program in the School of Art and Art History is comprised of art and engineering majors, and it was the first student organization to show bikes at NAHBS in 2014. There are two levels of classes available for students. They start out by learning to work with steel, and then move on to the material of their choosing, which often turns out to be titanium.
This year, they had a wide variety of different bikes on display, including this ti fat bike. Some unique features include a super long chainstay and breakaway rear triangle to make it easier to pack and transport. The double-tubed fork design helps with dampening. This fattie is set up singlespeed with Endless Bike Company cogs, and the front wheel even has an extra cog attached for mid-ride gear ratio changes (they’re one tooth apart—24 vs 25).
Portus Cycles is Alex Clauss and his wife Maria. The couple is based out of Germany, where they began building frames in 2013, when Alex attended a framebuilding course and was hooked. He worked as an apprentice for Wiesmann Bikes for a while before starting his own project. He now also offers his own framebuilding classes, as well as manufacturing custom frames and small batches of production models.
This steel mountain bike is the builders tribute to his father and Ezra Caldwell of Fast Boy Cycles, both of whom passed away of cancer about two years ago. It features several German-made components, including the Pinion Gearbox with Gates Carbon Drive and a Vecnum dropper. A Fox 34 fork and 27plus tires make this bike look like a super fun shredder.
Stay tuned for more NAHBS coverage this week! And if you missed it, check out our Day 1 Photo Dump for some of the first bikes that caught our eye at the show.