NAHBS gets ready for another great showTwo show floor expansions, booth spaces sold out, equals record year SACRAMENTO – The North American Handmade

   

NAHBS gets ready for another great show

Two show floor expansions, booth spaces sold out, equals record year

SACRAMENTO – The North American Handmade Bicycle Show will open its doors in Sacramento, California, March 2-4, to a feast of the finest artisan products in the cycling world.

With 172 exhibitors, including 12 rookie builders, this almost equals the largest NAHBS in the eight-year history of the show, with only two exhibitors fewer than the Austin show in 2011.

Don Walker, the show's founder and president, said "It was not our original intention to make the show this large. Last year in Austin we had a significantly larger show hall, but demand for booths was so strong this year in Sacramento that we ended up increasing our floor plan two times. And we still have a waiting list. It just goes to show how much strength and vitality there is in the artisan manufacturing sector of the cycling industry. It's not shrinking, not at all, it's getting quite a lot bigger."

Visitors to the show are advised to spend two days or more since there is so much to see and do, it is likely to be difficult to discover all of the design, engineering and fabrication treasures as well as attend the many social functions and cyclist parties taking place outside show hours.

Please view the online Media Briefing for the extensive list and timetable of NAHBS activities. Below is a digest of key features.

NAHBS Awards
The majority of NAHBS awards will be given around 12 noon on Saturday, March 3. Listen for the announcement of the winners' names at 1 p.m. On Sunday, March 4, at 3 p.m. are the awards for NAHBS Best of Show, Rookie of the Year, People's Choice and President's Choice.

Gates Carbon Drive Contest
Judging for this new addition to the NAHBS program takes place Saturday morning, with the awards made at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Acel and Oskar Blues at the NAHBS VIP Party
Oskar Blues is the official brew of NAHBS. The maker of America's first hand-canned craft beer will provide their celebrated brew at the NAHBS VIP party (for exhibitors, media, VIPs) on Friday night. Thanks to Acel tubing for sponsoring the party!

NAHBS rides
According to NAHBS tradition, bicycle rides will take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Both are sponsored and fueled by Clif Bar and Company. Saturday's ride is organized by deVere's Irish Pub and starts from there at 8:30. This is a 14 miler to the US Bicycle Hall of Fame in Davis. Cyclists can ride back or catch Amtrak.
Sunday's ride is Sheila Moon's Mimosa ride, a leisurely 7-miler that stops at Revolution Wines for mimosas and other refreshments. This one departs from outside the NAHBS show hall, 9 a.m. Sunday morning.
Full information on the NAHBS rides will be available at http://2012.handmadebicycleshow.com/2012-show/diary/

ArtBike! Party
March 1, 6-9 p.m. at Hot Italian. Dancing, music, art bike contests, hilarity.

A FEW NAHBS STATS

Of the 171 exhibitors, 43 are from California. 18 exhibitors are from other countries. 7 countries are represented: USA, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Czech Republic. Between 7000-8000 people will attend NAHBS over the three days of the show, and some 30-40% are likely to be from out of California. More than 100 journalists will cover the show, representing media outlets in five continents. MTBR.com/Roadbikereview.com will once again conduct a series of builder video interviews, and a Japanese video crew is making a documentary at NAHBS, for national broadcast in Japan.

EXHIBITOR TIPS

Tom Ritchey is building 40 frames this year to celebrate his 40th year as a frame builder. Also he will be showing a pre-production model of the Breakaway tandem, the final version which will be on display this September at Interbike. Additionally Tom will be giving a seminar on Saturday morning, entitled ‘The Way We Were’ a retrospective about the US handmade scene in the 1980s.

Steve Rex, the Sacramento builder, celebrates his 25th year as a frame builder in 2012, and a tribute event to him will be held by the Sacramento Area Bicycle Association on Saturday evening.

Don Walker, the show founder, broke his ankle a few weeks before the show, which put a damper on his bike building activities. He will still have some bikes on display.

Sam Whittingham, of Naked Cycles, and his assistant, trials star Aran ‘lolo’ Cook, are making an eight-day cycle tour, named ‘The Road to NAHBS’ part way from the Naked Cycles hq to Sacramento for NAHBS. They are riding on the bicycles they will display in the Naked Cycles booth and will be blogging about it on www.timetogetnaked.com.

Rafi Ajl, of Raphael Cycles, realized his true vocation and left Harvard Graduate School of Design to become a frame builder.

KVA Stainless. Some talk about the cost to the environment of building a bicycle. KVA Stainless is using recycled stainless steel to provide cyclists with “the feel of steel.” KVA Stainless will deliver a seminar Saturday at 3 p.m.

Rolf Prima is introducing at NAHBS its first mountain bike wheels, the Ralos, in 26” and 29.”

Boo Bicycles’ bamboo and carbon road bicycle will be raced at major events this year, including The Redlands Classic, Tour of the Gila and Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Richard Sachs. Writer Nick Czerula will appear at the Richard Sachs booth to present a book he wrote during 14 months shadowing Sachs. Also at the Richard Sachs booth are the new investment cast dropouts, named Piccoli Gioielli, and his new UOS, Ueber Over Sized tubing based on the PegoRichie pipe he co-designed with Italian builder Dario Pegoretti.
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King Cage will conduct onsite bottle cage-making demonstrations. Ron Andrews made the cages for one Lance Armstrong when he won the world championships back in 1993.
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Funk Cycles will launch their La Ruta CTI, a full-suspension 29er weighing 20lbs for the XL size.
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Burro Bags, US maker of handmade messenger bags, gear and cycling apparel, will launch their newest product, the GRINDER, at NAHBS.
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Form Cycles will display a new, atypical, full-suspension bike.
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Retrotec turns 20 in 2012 and will have numbered 20th Anniversary cups for sale.
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Vibe Cycles will show bent and colored bamboo tubes in its frames, and a sculpted carbon lug.
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Paketa introduces the Double Wac 2-speed belt-drive magnesium mountain bike, and racing tandems as light as 21lbs.

About NAHBS
The world's number one handmade custom bicycle show, the North American Handmade Bicycle Show moves from city to city each year. In 2012 it is scheduled for March 2-4 in Sacramento, California. NAHBS showcases the talents of frame builders around the world whose functional art form is the bicycle. It aims to be a meeting point, both online and in person, for frame builders and consumers looking for custom-made bicycles, for the sharing of ideas, and the promotion of a special industry with a rich history dating back to 1819. Since its first year in 2005, NAHBS has grown from a show with 23 exhibitors and 700 attendees, to 174 exhibitors and 7300 attendees in 2011.

Media contact:
Paul Skilbeck
415.516.1444
pskilbeck@o2sm.com

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