NAHBS 2009 Friday Part 1

While we’ve been posting photos from Thursday, the North American Handmade Bicycle Show did not officially open until Friday. Over eight hours of shooting later, we have some more images to share of the amazing bicycles on display. For bike lovers, this is the show to see everything you’ve ever dreamed of and beyond. Check out another 80 images after the jump below, with more to follow this weekend.

Chuck Schlesinger of Sadilah is a dentist by day and framemaker by night with a love of ‘cross as evidenced by this bike, and some past ones I’ve seen of his. While some would cringe at getting bikes like this filthy, that is what they’re made for. Thrash it.

Caletti may seem a new name to some, but he’s been building frames for a few years now and just recentl;y changed to his surname for the branding. Note the cut out seat post reveal on the collar.

Joseph Ahearne is perhaps best known for his flask holders, but those people are overlooking his exceptional skills in making commuter/touring/randonneur bikes, or whatever you may call a comfy bike with custom racks. The first bike with S+S couplings? The racks even break down, with the whole package, with fenders, fitting in an airline legal case. Now a veteran of the industry, Ahearne is at the top of the game.

Kirk brought by this beautiful lugged ‘cross bike to the lights. This year is potentially the year of ‘cross, while it has never been absent form the show before there is seemingly even more on display, with the builders prouder than ever of their creations.

October is a newcomer to the show, having broken off from Dean in the recent past. Titanium fabrication is the deal, with suspension designs licensed from Ellsworth.

Serotta generally needs no introduction, they’ve been around forever at the top end of bicycle fabrication. Few know that they make just about everything in house, they form their own tube profiles, lay their own carbon tubes and even forks, and machine their own dropouts, seat clamps and cable stops. The red carbon cranks and lugs are not really red, but black with a red overcoat.

Bilenky may be from Philadelphia, home of the Eagles, but even as Steelers fans we like them. Some of the nicest folks at the show, they have no shortage of creativity in their staff, turning out all sorts of bicycle designs and are the leaders in S+S coupler retrofits to existing frames.

Carl Strong is another frame making veteran, having made countless frames over the years. The finish on the front of this titanium frame is done with a sander or sorts roughing up the surface prior to the paint masking. This is a show bike that just happens to fit Carl, one way or the other this one will see some miles in short order.

Check out the Ducati inspired paint on the first bike featured from Rich Adams, featuring a race number on the seattube even. Like all of his bike, this one is a lugged steel creation that has the ride quality that only lugs can offer. The second on here has a unique wooden chainguard and custom front rack. Rabbit not included.

We had the opportunity to show off some of Alexi Dold’s Villin creations yesterday, and we’re back for another round with this double top tube mountain bike made for a large, abusive rider. Note the Damascus steel plate accents and the seattube that stops after the weld, leaving nothing for a big rider to stress and eventually break off above the top tube.

Calfee is fairly well known for their bamboo bicycles and this time took the very bamboo groves as inspiration for a frame. Built for a customer who agreed for it sight unseen, this bike is meant to emulate the look of where the raw materials originate.

Cielo is a new introduction at the handmade show from Chris King, their first foray into production bikes. They’ve recently hired on Jay Sycip to help build these bikes, look for road bikes first and ‘cross frames by fall available in numbers that hope to hover around 100 framesets per year. This is the blowout intro of the show and is sure to make waves as the news spreads.

Signal was new last year, but not so this. Their grasp of color and design is evident, just look at the tones of this bike and the way the colors truly play off of each other to bring it all together. Some of the finiest looking bikes on the floor in my opinion.

Crumpton is the rare manufacturer that makes custom carbon bikes. There are only a few out there doing such things – Crumpton does it through custom spec tubes that he then assembles into the proper geometry bike for the end customer. The army green ‘cross bike just screams fast.

Don Walker is the man behind all of this, five years into a very successful tradeshow that is truly a DIY operation. Don has no shortage of frame making experience and brought these four bikes by the photo booth, each with their given riders they were created for in tow. Yes, the road bike is Don’s personal ride. The others will go fast on the local Major Taylor Velodrome and beyond.

An appropriate place to wrap it up for this evening, look for more updates from the show throughout the weekend and beyond as there are more pictures to upload than time in the day. Thanks for viewing!