NAHBS: Independent Fabrication Mini-bike

[4cmd3]

And I mean high-end frame builder "Independent Fabrication" (tm) ... not the generic term.
http://www.ifbikes.com/

Seen at NAHBS (North American Handmade Bicycle Show) 2008:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2008/tech/shows/nahmbs08/index.php?id=/photos/2008/tech/shows/nahmbs08/nahmbs084/IF_Moulton

It looks *freaking* awesome... I'm just trying to decide how large the wheels are.
The picture makes the rear wheel look larger than the front - surely that is wrong.

If anyone can find any details - please post! :)

[Foldable Two]

Interesting - we missed this one completely.

Of course there were so many people there on Saturday missing something wasn't hard to do.

[kb5ql]

That looks more like a mini-velo rather than a true folder. If I were to guess, maybe 451s in front and 24" in the rear ala the Airnimal?

Well, looking at the HED site, it appears they don't make 24" wheels. It might be 406 in front and 451s in the rear (or it could just be the camera angle)?

http://www.hedcycling.com/wheels/recumbent.php

[invisiblehand]

And I mean high-end frame builder "Independent Fabrication" (tm) ... not the generic term.
http://www.ifbikes.com/

Seen at NAHBS (North American Handmade Bicycle Show) 2008:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2008/tech/shows/nahmbs08/index.php?id=/photos/2008/tech/shows/nahmbs08/nahmbs084/IF_Moulton

It looks *freaking* awesome... I'm just trying to decide how large the wheels are.
The picture makes the rear wheel look larger than the front - surely that is wrong.

If anyone can find any details - please post! :)

I recall Alex Wetmore writing that the wheels are either 406 or 451.

[4cmd3]

BikeRadar confirms that the frame is titanium (which one might have guessed...)
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/handmade-bike-show-craftsmen-go-carbon-14516

I wonder what it weighs...

I bet they would fit break-away couplers if you wanted, after all it is custom...
Then it would be a Dahon Hammerhead beater...

[invisiblehand]

By the way, here is Alex's photo of the same bike from a different perspective.

http://alexandchristine.smugmug.com/photos/252364510_pcCaF-M.jpg

[LittlePixel]

It is sweet and I'd say that they're 451s

[Bacciagalupe]

I'd say it looks OK. I'm pretty sure of 2 things though:

1) It's probably a one-off that one of the IF employees made for fun / personal use
2) People will post that picture here with questions about the "IF Folder" for the next 2 years. :D

451 HED wheels, egads. :P I think those are custom.

[4cmd3]

The best pictures of this bike so far...
http://urbanvelo.org/nahbs-2008-friday-feb-8th-2/#more-676

Whether or not this particular bike interests you, the best NAHBS photos are at:
http://www.urbanvelo.org
(http://www.urbanvelo.org)

My only question at this moment is - who has the best eyeballs?
How many gears are on that cassette? Capreo?

I agree... seems to be 451 (I measured using the crank arm as a reference ~ assumed it was 170). Whether it is 406 or 451, Hed does make both sizes (link (http://www.hedcycling.com/wheels/recumbent.php)) so probably not custom. However the rear has 28 spokes and the front has 24 - Hed's site lists their 406 as 28 spokes and 451 as 24 spokes. Maybe that much is custom then... IIRC a fully tricked out Hed 406 wheel is like $500-$650. Each.

Who is savvy enough to identify what tires that thing is wearing?
:)