Up the Road: NAHBS

 At a mere month and a half away NAHBS has appeared just up the road. If you didn't know, NAHBS stands for North American Handmade Bicycle Show, and this year, the show will be held in Sacramento, making it especially accessible. I've got to tell you it has me quite excited. As you are aware, I have been a media-credentialed attendee at Interbike for a few years now and while I, without question, look forward to all that latest and greatest extravaganza has to offer, my favorite bike show (to date) was the small(ish) San Diego Custom Bike Show way back in 2011, when I was writing as the Claremont Cyclist. That show had many of the premier custom and handmade bicycle makers in the country, some of whom will be at this years' NAHBS. That show opened my eyes to an entire side of the bicycle industry that I had little first-hand knowledge of, or experience with.

In its immediate aftermath, Interbike, generates a lot of posts here, as it does on most media. The rest of the year I like to favor the custom and hand-built side of the bicycle manufacturing industry. Kualis, and Sabrosa are among the hand-built bicycles that have been featured here recently, along with the University of Iowa Handbuilt Bicycle Program; I hope to have an interview with Sabrosa's Jon Hanson soon.

The more time passes, the more I find myself drawn to hand-built bikes (much of that may have to do with how much fun I have these days on the Ibis) - I believe there is something to say for the custom fit and the performance advantages that brings that cannot be replicated in a mass produced factory bike.

Anyway, if the custom side of things is of particular interest, or mere curiosity, check out NAHBS in Sacramento. I think you will find it interesting, and maybe eye-opening.