Folding Bikes - SillGey - Mini-Velo at NAHBS

Check out the SillGey Mini-Velo frames that were at the North America Handmade Bike Show last weekend in Indy. Very colorful ... very cool ... very affordable. Frame, fork, and matching seatpost - these were under $300.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27209537@N00/3323567776/sizes/l/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/3323567776_028b66cfe0_m.jpg

The drive side being on the left on some of them is pretty unique.

The drive side being on the left on some of them is pretty unique.

And requiring both a highly custom cassette and a highly custom hub. An amazingly bad idea. Pretty colors though.

Presumably only for fixies.

Wow, also Independent Fab made a Minivelo:

http://urbanvelo.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/if202.jpg

Maybe one day they will have the Folding and Small Wheel category at NAHBS...

BTW, minivelo might be a better fit for certain urban ares, especially when you have to get into elevators with your bike. For that a fixie is good but a fixed minivelo might be better.

Very nice - seconded on the left-drive thing. Only possible with fixed gear bikes as there's no freewheel. I hear fixed riding is very much in vogue with the 'kids' these days... :)

I think I saw a pic of a wicked clean Cherubim mini-velo fixie as well, one with a carbon seatstay assembly.

The Sillgey bikes are way cool. But not handmade in the USA--how do they get to show at the NAHMBS? Only disappointing thing is that the minis are not lug construction like their full-size offerings. Upshot is that they don't have the clunky lugs of the cheaper full-size frames. I like the looks of them a lot. Awesome that some company is bringing in some mini-velo frames; doubly so because they are actually affordable.

My guess is they didn't build the minivelo frames, hence no lugs. They are trying them out to check out the popularity.

Unfortunately with the UCI banning everything except double-diamond frames, this has so effectively stymied innovation that I would think the mini-velos would remain nothing more than an interesting side note, at least for the foreseeable future.

My understanding is that they are actually quite respectably popular in Asia. So maybe a footnote in our hemisphere, but not globally.

My understanding is that they are actually quite respectably popular in Asia. So maybe a footnote in our hemisphere, but not globally.Yep sorry that is exactly what I meant, in the west, US and Aus. Especially over here, if it doesn't have a racing pedigree it is discouraged etc.

Yep sorry that is exactly what I meant, in the west, US and Aus. Especially over here, if it doesn't have a racing pedigree it is discouraged etc.

You're very right there Jur, as both of us know, having taken our small wheeled bikes on fast "full size bike" bunch rides......the demeaning comments, the ridiculing looks, the general attitude towards SWBs... until we hit the front and show 'em different :D

just found this.

http://www.cycleurope.co.jp/2008/bianchi2008.htm

i don't think it folds.

20 inch, non-folders are common in asia. At least in Kyoto where its the standard rental bike. These would be filed under "circus bike" in the states. As far as I know, these frames require standard OTS components. Nothing unusual.