R. Cunningham

Portland, Oregon played host to the 2008 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, where an international cast of part-suppliers and both new and established bicycle makers played their best cards for the world to see. Those of us who predicted that 29-inch wheels would take over the world would have thought that event had already occurred after a few laps around the exposition floor. In fact, there may have been more 650 B format mountain bikes present than all the 26-inch models put together. I'll begin with Sherwood Gibson, the founder of Ventana Cycles, who has been building mountain bikes of every discipline since the mid 80s. Sherwood welds, fits, heat treats and even paints his frames--and sells 26ers, 29ers and 650 B models too.

Sherwood Gibson has been there and done almost everything mountain bike.

On the wild side, Jeff Jones explained that his 29er uses curving titanium tubing to give the frame its suspension action--and his girder fork employs the same treatment. Jones remakes Shimano XTR cassettes into six-speeds to move the rear hub flanges to the right. This arrangement provides a perfectly dished rear wheel which strengthens the larger-diameter 29-inch rim significantly.

Jeff and his Jones titanium 29er

Jeff Jones eliminates three cogs from the freewheel for better hub spacing.

Years before mountain bikes came on the scene, Cruiser-Class BMX racers were heavily influenced by motorcycle chassis design. Mike DeSalvo, of the frame shop that bares his name, crafted a TIG-welded version of a popular '80's BMX design into a single-speed 29er.

DeSalvo's triangulated replica racer.

We'll take a break from 29ers to show you the Moots Rigormootis--a low-geared snow bike with massive tires that managed to weigh less than 24 pounds, thanks to its titanium frame and fork. The folks at Moots claim that it was fun to ride the Rigormootis on any surface--especially the gravelly or sandy stuff that repels traditional mountain bikers.

Moots Rigormootis.

Fred Cuthbert is a relative newcomer to the biz who makes his home in Ashland, Oregon, and specializes in fillet-brazed steel frames. Fillet brazing looks similar to a weld, because the brass is built up at the joints to form a reinforcement, but the softer filler material reduces stress buildup. It's almost a forgotten craft. His "Wolfhound" brand 29er frame has a low stand-over height for smaller riders and a curved seat tube that makes for a shorter (more conventional-length) chainstays.

Wolfhound bottom bracket detail: forking the lower seat tube makes room for tire clearance required for short, 29er chainstays.

Pedro's began life as a lubricant supplier. The company then expanded into environmentally green cleaners and bicycle accessories. Pedro's showed its expansive lineup of shop-quality tools for bike shops and frame-builders.

Pedro's shows off its tool selection

There were a handful of female builders on hand in Portland Margo Conover of Nederland, Colorado specializes in TIG-welded steel frames for women of any stature or cycling discipline. Luna Cycles was packed throughout the three-day show.

Margo Conover of Luna Cycles

Kirk Pacenti, the father of the new mid-sized 650 B wheel format was on hand, with a beautiful Ventana that was designed around the Pacenti's special rim and 2.35-inch tire. There were a half-dozen 650 B bicycles in the show, and a lot of buzz about the concept.

Kirk Pacenti and the 650 B format Ventana mountain bike.

Independent Fabrications was formed from a consortium of frame-builders who found themselves unemployed after a buyout left them in the cold. They circled their wagons, formed a new company and now crank out custom titanium frames. We loved the single-speed "Roadster," with its carbon fiber tubes bonded into custom-made titanium "lugs." They have no plans to produce copies, as the effort to craft the bi-material masterpiece was greater than that required to make one frame of each material.

Independent Fabrication's Roadster looks like a Formula One version of a circa-1980 Lawwill-Knight Cruiser.

Engin Cycles (AKA Drew Guldalian) hearkens from Philadelphia. Drew used butted stainless steel tubes, silver soldered to chromoly steel lugs to produce this gorgeous hardtail. Paint and detail work like this must truly be appreciated in person. The NAHBS is open to the public, and we would recommend you to attend at least once in your life.

Engin Cycles head tube detail.

Engin Cycles mother-of-pearl inlaid stainless steel seatpost

Natalie Ramsland was a bike messenger who decided to make bikes. Sweetpea Bicycles was bustling, proving that the call to action for female-specific bike makers has yet to be fully answered.

Natalie Ramsland holds court at Sweetpea.

Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster fame poses next to the single-speed race-bike carrier that he built for their team mechanic. The device hods two bikes by the fork blades, with the wheels stowed on the top of the rack.

Paul Sadoff poses beside his bike carrier rack.

Rock Lobster rack detail.

Jay and Jeremy Sycip make anything that the brothers can imagine. This time, they showed a bottom-bracket disc brake, and a townie with hand-made stainless steel skirt protectors. We could go on and on, but we would just be encouraging them.

Sycip skirt guards welded by hand from stainless steel wire.

Bottom bracket brake

Care to go rigid? Steve Potts was there when mountain bikes began to take shape as true off-road vehicles. He does it all--welding, fitting and design in his Northern California home. Steve still makes the rigid unicrown fork that gave his original steel frames their magic ride--but now for 29ers. Steve's work is understated, and simply beautiful.

Steve Potts and the rigid fork that works miracles on the trail.

By far, the pivotal moment of the show was Nick Crumpton's seminar on how to make tube-to-tube carbon fiber frames. The talk was standing room only--and most in attendance were accomplished builders or industry members. His message was loud and clear: "any competent frame builder with simple tools and the correct materials can make a carbon fiber frame that rivals or exceeds those made for the big brands in Asian factories. Questions were fired like a battleship's broadside as Crumpton spelled out the techniques, the proper adhesives, and where to get, and how to use the carbon supplies.

The bottom line? Carbon bikes are labor intensive, but quite simple to make. Armed with the same materials and techniques, the only difference between big-brand contract-built carbon bikes and custom built ones is that one pair of hands made the custom frame--and only the custom builder knows exactly what's under the clear coat of every frame that goes out the door. We anticipate the carbon technology gap between the two dominant S-Companies and the little-guy builders will be nonexistent in less than two years.