The most vivid memories of my childhood have to do with bicycles. Like many children of the 60's and 70's, I began with a Schwinn Stingray. By the time my brother and I got finished with it, it was an unrecognizable smoldering carcass of its former self. I remember the last time I saw it, it was sitting in the corner of a dilapidated barn, stripped down to frame and fork and rattle-canned matte black. I felt ashamed.
Alongside it was another bike I had abandoned. It was a red,white&blue ten-speed Free Spirit. I had begged for a ten-speed for Christmas that year. What I had in mind and what my folks could afford were two different things. I had been in a real bike shop and had "seen the light." In reality, I was an ungrateful teenager that was about to be taught a lesson. You want it bad enough, get a job and buy it yourself, my parents had leveled.
So I did. I was overwhelmed by the desire to own a nice road bike. To this day, it is still puzzling to me. I was old enough to drive, yet I didn't want a car. All of my friends were shredding on bmx bikes, and yet I didn't want one of those. My mind was reeling from glossy steel tubes and shiny imported parts. I was whacked out on bikes and blaming the tubular glue. My life was consumed with everything bike.
And here I am, some 25ish years later and bikes are still like crack for me. Over the years I have become attached to a bike or two. There are bikes that are dispensable to me, usually my work bikes, and then there are the ones that will never leave the stable.
The coveted hand-crafted ones.
Which brings us to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.
I personally think they should change the name to Hardcore Porn for Bike Geeks.
The show is going on right now as we speak, February 25-27 in Austin, Texas.
From it's humble beginnings of 23 vendors and 700 attendees in 2005, the show has continued to grow and draw more attention each year.
A majority of the bikes on display are nothing short of stunning. Part of me wishes I could be there adding my fingerprints and drool to the mix. The other part knows I could only attend without a wallet. Nevertheless, there is some nice photo documentation going on and I can live vicariously via the internet.
Check it out for yourself. John is doing a nice job at http://www.prollyisnotprobably.com/.
My personal favorite I've seen so far - http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnprolly/5476704189/in/set-72157626011075451/ .
Enjoy!
http://www.2011.handmadebicycleshow.com/
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