NAHBS Sunday news

By Yokota Fritz

2009 venue announced

During the award ceremony Sunday afternoon, Don Walker announced that Indianapolis will be the location of the 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show. “It’s a great venue, plus I live there,” said Don Walker.

Record year

This fourth NAHBS has been said by many to be a coming of age year for the show, with exhibitor and attendance records shattered and an amazing excitement and buzz on the show floor. The standard of bicycles presented at the show seemed to have taken a step up from last year in San Jose, with many builders going the extra mile with their show bikes. The result was a feast of creativity, craft work, and healthy doses of humor and soul.

More than 6800 people streamed through the doorways of the show, which at one point on Saturday exceeded capacity, forcing the city fire marshal to order the doors closed to keep people out. In addition to the usual array of builders who've supported the show along with component suppliers such as Chris King and White Industries, industry heavyweights SRAM and Shimano also had booths to display their wares. Shimano also provided important sponsorship along with Chris King and Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams.

Suppliers used the show as an opportunity to meet with the builders. SRAM OEM account manager Mike Stejskal said, “In one day here yesterday I had more valuable customer interactions than I have in a week at Interbike.” Linda Brown, representing the U.S. distributor for Continental Tires, Fizik and other European brands, also told me she received valuable feedback on the U.S. bike market that she forwarded back to Europe.

2009 2008 NAHBS Awards

Best Lugged Bicycle - Bruce Gordon
Best Fillet Brazed Bicycle - Dave Kirk
Best TIG Welded Bicycle - Mike De Salvo
Best Paint Job - Brian Baylis
Best Carbon Fiber Bicycle - Nick Crumpton
Best Titanium Bicycle - Black Sheep
Best Road Bicycle - Bruce Gordon
Best Track Bicycle - RetroTech
Best Off-Road - Engin
Best Tandem - Calfee
Best New Builder - Courage
Best City Bike - Ahearne
President Walker’s Choice - Naked
People’s Choice - Naked
Best of Show - Naked

Watch this space for followups from the 2008 NAHBS.

Photo Credits: Hummingbird saddle/Independent Fabrications by Cecil Reniche-Smith; Sweatpea chainstay by Gino Zahnd; Thien Dinh of Road Bike Review by me.

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