NAHBs: the Story

Two Friday's ago we made the trek through the fertile center of California to Sacramento in pursuit of the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show (NAHBs for short).  We made a small stack of mini business cards to see if we could promote ourselves to some venders in person, all the while getting to see some pretty pretty things.

This was our first trade show and we didn’t quite know what to expect.  We had perused the website and  gawked at  images of gorgeous bicycles.  Under the glint of a camera flash, we had no way to predict the climate on the floor of the convention center.

So we headed out early, cruising HWY 46 to the I-5. We were greeted by blossoming nut trees brimming against the surrounding  green hills tinted with the yellow of mustard.  Quivering with excitement and tentative anticipation we inched through Stockton with car seat fatigue.

Cruising down J Street we knew we had arrived when one by one all the bikey folks in their short brimmed caps and cuffed up pants dotted the streets of the city center. Trying to find parking in our capitol city was probably the most challenging moment of our trip. Too many quick, last minute turns and frantic lane changes followed by an ascent to the fifth floor of a parking garage, we confirmed (once again) why we will be traveling the world by bicycle.  Finally, after locating the first open parking spot, we practically leaped out of the car before coming to a complete stop.

The descent of the stairs was of dizzying length when we quickly realized that the lunch hour had silently passed us by.  Forgoing a sandwich for early admission we quickly paced towards the convention doors.  We grab up our tickets, stick on our bracelets and step inside.  Before us lay row after row of sparkling bikes, large logos and black sheets…where would we begin?

Aimlessly, or guided by some mysterious bike force, we picked a random row in the middle of the room. Too many things to look at, I began to focus on wiring routing and light mounting for dynamo setups.  Peering through the digital viewfinder I attempt to get as close as the lens would allow to see these intricate details on these metal masterpieces.

Curious, I began to poke the builders about their design features.  Some builders were more than happy to sate my bike dork appetite, some seemed only interested in convention goers that might actually order a frame.  

One of the first venders we stopped at was King Cage, the makers of my favorite bottle cage.  He had a whole interactive display where he would bend a cage right before your eyes.  

Other Notable visits:

Wipperman: the German employee and the US representative gave us their pitch, and when we gave them ours they bartered amongst themselves until we were offered  50% off two stainless steel 8 chains and a beefy chain travel chain tool. Thanks, Wipperman! we will give you a status update when we are underway.

Santana:  We had been altered by our tandeming experience so much that we wanted to geek out with the company’s founder. He was able to confirm for us that our beloved Santana was in fact built around 1978.

Chris King: We really enjoyed talking to them, but they were not to hopeful for sponsorship.  Since then, however, they have granted us a one time employee purchase for their famous bottom brackets and headsets.  Thanks Chris, we are excited to pedal with your precision bearings.


I think it was here that we bonked. Lauren tugged at my shoulder and indicated that eating had become imperative. As we left the building in search of a good sandwich we found this local man sporting his wares in the "auxiliary" section of the show.

After we had fueled up, we got ready for a second round.

Dirtrag: The man running this show was excentric, excited, and full of travel stories. His tip and key to fun travel: show up with a helmet and a bike light, and find some local cyclists. When you find them, ask if they have an extra bike you could ride while you are there.  He says it rarely fails him and that he ends up discovering the best of each city and its people. (Sounds like good advise!)

Frances Cycles:  Joshua Muir and his cohort were a relief in the midst of much consumer driven conversation. Their soft spoken, humble nature reflects the unpretentious, useful nature of their beautiful bicycles. (This was Lauren’s favorite builder, by far).

Cycle Monkey:  Neil Flock has been nice enough to answer my many questions about the Rohloff hub over the last year or so. With his steady stream of knowledge and the necessary parts and tools, he has enabled the proper assembly of the Rohloff test bike. Thanks for the technical support.

We left the show to spend the night at Lauren’s sister’s house, absolutely exhausted after a long day of shamelessly selling ourselves.