gaucho777 

More photos from Friday: https://photobucket.com/2012_NAHBS_Sacto

I was surprised to see so many belt drives (though I admit I don't keep up with the new stuff too much). Lots of cyclocross bikes as well. Beautiful work all around. Still lots more to see tomorrow.

Personal highlights from day one include a stunning Steve Rex (below). All stainless steel, which was masked and then blasted leaving logos (see photobucket album) and lugs that very much resemble chrome.





Ritchey's first frame.



Fancy lugs on this Vendetta.



Galmozzi (this is C&V after all!)



Ventus (with etched logo Campagnolo RD, crankset, and levers)



Cool reproduction bike.



John Slawta of Landshark showing off some skills.



Della Santa



Kirk Frameworks entry in the fillet brazing competition.



You get the idea...

-holiday76

Here now, just was literally havIng a conversation with Tom richie and Gary fisher at the same time. They keep paging Richard Sachs but he's Mia. Bike nerd nirvana....must go now..

FlatSix911

Great Photos ... more pleaz ...

Orrery

Thanks for the great pics!

toytech

The Vendetta and stainless Rex I think were my favorites!

cuda2k

Kirk's blue bike looks quite similar to the color I'm having my JKS-C painted in a few weeks. I'm going to to have to ask Joe Bell what color that is.

ColonelJLloyd 

What's the one in the background? I like what I see.

gaucho777 

Lots more photos added to the same photobucket album: https://photobucket.com/2012_NAHBS_Sacto

While I was lingering at the Kirk Frameworks stand, I mentioned to David how I had been following with great envy an internet thread about one of his framesets and he quickly deduced it to be yours. His framsets are even more impressive in person. You are in for a treat!

The stainless Rex was definitely one of my favorites as well.

I also kept going back to this DiNucci. The monotone metallic gold was easy to overlook in the blitz of composites, colors and commotion, but it kept looking better the longer you looked. Perhaps the thinnest lugs in the room?







Everything in the Bishop booth was gorgeous.





Bruce Gordon with carbon tubes and hand-crafted, eye-popping titanium lugs. Note the custom titanium brake calipers.



The Cerubin was simply *****in'!

gomango

DiNucci and Chris Kvale are the lugmeisters as far as I am concerned.

That is an amazing DiNucci.

Check out Kvale's.

gaucho777 

That one, an offering from Map Bicycles, was also really cool, although you'd think they could get the chaingaurd more in line with the chain. (I'm guessing it was an entry for the fillet brazing competition, hence unpainted.) Note the shifter on the top tube.

vjp

That Ventus posted above is fugly imo. I love bikes, I have been a nahbs attendee and supporter but I think that the shark has been jumped.

tugrul

Is that the stem on the Cherubim that slides into the top tube extension when going straight?

If not, I have no idea how that thing steers.

gaucho777 

You can't please everyone.

vjp

I guess not, what the designer should try and do is find an aesthetic balance and not just bolt on a bunch of "retro" parts and think it adds up. And if you are going to polish the cranks at least mount the toe straps properly.

gaucho777 

One last shot of the DiNucci before I go to bed.

ElliotSF

Hi Everybody: In comment #57, what is the bike in the foreground (green with the two red stripes)? I think I'm in love.

gaucho777 

Bike from post #57 is a Map (Map Bicycles, Portland, OR).

ColonelJLloyd 

I suspect it's in a position as to not interfere with the chain as it moves along the cassette. Those fenders are awesome.

gomango

I'm constantly amazed at the talent out there.

Bishop, DiNucci, Anderson, Map, Signal, Kirk, and the list goes on and on.

Is there enough business though for all of these talented builders to make it though?

I really do hope this bubble doesn't burst, as I could easily imagine ordering from some of these guys after we get the boys through college.

....and in a greater sense, it is fantastic to see people out riding these beauties and enjoying them, that's for sure.

cuda2k

Anyone know if Southwest Frameworks is showing this year and if he has anything new this year?

gaucho777 

Here's another angle. There is a small gap between the top tube and the stem, allowing it to turn freely. It looks as if it would rub, but the back of the stem just barely slides by the front edge of the top tube.

Scooper

Jon, I didn't see Southwest Frameworks at the show this year, and they're not listed in the program as an exhibitor.

I did run into Joe Bell at the Dave Kirk booth, and he said you're on the very short list. I think he wants to talk to you about some details.

Scooper

One thing that really impressed me this year was the number of builders who have been building with 953 and have KVA stainless frames at this year's show. Dave Anderson had two frames using KVA, Naked had one, and Dave Wages had one he entered in the competition for "best steel bike"...

cuda2k

Thanks for the info Scooper. Sent Joe an email this morning inquiring about the color on Kirk's blue bike. I'll most likely stick to my original color plan, but that blue is very close to what I had in mind, just a bit lighter than I want as far as I can tell from the pictures I've seen. Oh, and as soon as someone hears where next year's show is please post it up. and of course - MORE PHOTOS!

vjp

I heard some chatter before the show that this may be the last.... I am not sure if that is true.