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NAHBS comes to Indianapolis

The fifth North American Handmade Bicycle Show kicks off in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 27- March 1

Published: Feb. 27, 2009
The NAHBS features the work of North America's best craftsmen.
The NAHBS features the work of North America's best craftsmen.
Photo: COURTESY OF NAHBS

The night before the North American Handmade Bicycle Show begins, bikes are unpacked, booths are built, and one of the newest trade shows in the country begins to take shape.

Held last year in Portland, Oregon, the annual NAHBS comes to Indianapolis, Indiana, for 2009.

The change of venue does not seem to have hurt attendance, as pre-registration numbers have outstripped those of last year's show. Exhibitors will number 116 for this year's NAHBS, and attendance is projected to top 6500. The show has grown rapidly in four years, from 23 exhibitors and 200 attendees at the first show in 2005.

Handmade town bikes from A.N.T go on display.
Handmade town bikes from A.N.T go on display.
Photo: COURTESY OF NAHBS

Exhibiting this year will be builders that meet a new, higher standard. After the 2008 show, policy changed to screen builders more carefully and permit only those with product liability insurance, who had completed at least 50 frames, or been in business for two years.

In a press release, Don Walker, the founder and director of the NAHBS, said the change was needed to protect the mission of the show.

“It is always a risk to introduce a policy that raises the bar like this, but NAHBS is a show that presents the best of the best in bicycling, and to be true to this goal we needed to have only the more accomplished frame builders there," said Walker, who runs Speedway Handmade Bicycle Works out of Speedway, Indiana.

A Richard Sachs cyclocross bike is unpacked and on display.
A Richard Sachs cyclocross bike is unpacked and on display.
Photo: COURTESY OF NAHBS

Featured this year are the so-called "Original Six," those builders who have shown at every NAHBS since it began. Sascha White, Don Walker, Richard Sachs, Mike DeSalvo, Craig Calfee, and Nick Crumpton are the group that has been with the show since 2005. The list of exhibitors also includes classic names like De Rosa, Serotta, Zullo, and Moots, along with component makers SRAM, Shimano, Chris King, HED, and Zipp.

Also new this year is an effort by Richard Sachs and seven others to unite professional framebuilders in a trade group. Working for two years, they have created "The Framebuilders' Collective" to both honor the heritage of framebuilding craftsmen, and also ensure the future success of the trade. The group, currently representing three countries and eight builders, hopes to attract membership and become a permanent showcase for the talents of professional framebuilders.

Look for show coverage on velonews.com throughout the NAHBS.

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