2016 NAHBS: Bike Nerds One and All

Yes indeed, we were there. If you were anywhere in the vicinity of the Sacramento Convention Center you could not have missed us if you tried. We packed the foyer, crowded the doors, chomping for that moment the doors would be flung open, granting access to a wonderland waiting inside. More nervous, anticipatory energy you would be unlikely to find outside a pack of dachshunds awaiting their dinner. Once inside we crowded around the makers, like Tom Ritchey, Steve Potts, Kent Eriksen, Paul Price, as they explained this or that feature, their build process, shared words of wisdom, or maybe just cracked a joke. And it wasn't only the masters we crowded around; we were just as interested in the newcomers, those with dreams and goals of making their own space amongst the pantheon of makers. We stopped in the aisles to share our finds - artistic lugs, steels frames that fooled us into believing they were carbon, sparkly finishes, single stanchion forks and single stay frames. We waited our turn to snap a photo, stopped passersby with questions about their rides, and were not the least bit surprised when the makers themselves got down on hands and knees to cast an inquisitive eye. 

Tom Ritchey

Steve Potts

Kent Eriksen

Paul Price

Steve Bilenky