049: N a h b s: Chris King and Cielo

See, I'm guessing you like it better this way. Spread out the content a little bit, that way you don't have to sift through it all at once. I'll just keep working under this guise for a while.



This is Chris Aguirre (Wrath of God) who took the time to walk me through what the fine people over at Chris King have been working on for a while now. Apparently Chris (Aguirre, not King) is a fan of sneakers, just like me. So, we had a lot in common. This guy knows his stuff.

045: N a h b s : Wrap-up. Part One. Of Many.

I realized while looking through the photo and video content that I obtained from the handmade show that I would have to post about three times a day for the next...ok, so I didn't think it through that far. What I'm trying to say is that I've still got good stuff from the land of handmade bicycles. I'll just keep dipping in to it as things get boring.





A video of Sacha White talking about his new Speedvagen Track Bike. Pretty hot stuff. But then again, that is kind of what we all expect from Vanilla right? That's just the way that it goes.

I started a 'channel' on vimeo to put these things.
Check it out.

As I was watching this video I came across this little article by Amy Walker over at Momentum Magazine. They had a very nice booth at the show and took some great photos as well. I think that somewhere they had a booth set up...

The last part of her article she talks about the five things that could be done to enhance the Nahbs experience for next year. I'm a big fan of this. I'm glad that she has opened the dialogue as to keeping these things not only fun and exciting but working to expand the cycling audience.

I'm a big fan of her #4. Thanks Amy.

I would also like to add one on as well.

6. Expand the awards to include a number of other artistic diversions that happen throughout the show. There are all kinds of things happening in the periphery that are easily overlooked each year. Like, as Amy mentions earlier in her article, the lack of women builders.

So, here's what I've got for you.

NAHBS: The Other Awards. And the Other Winners.

Award:
Best Underground Club Formed During the NAHBS
Winner:
The Hot Tub Club.

You thought I was going to say the Framebuilders Collective didn't you? Nope. I don't think this one got the same amount of hype, but who knows where they will be in a year. My guess is that they're going straight to the top.

Letsee...who have we here: I think all the major food groups are represented. Signal Cycles, Villin, Courage, Seven Cycles, Cambridge Bicycle Shop, Chicagoland Racing (Ben Popper), Hufnagel Cycles, and if you look closely even Sachs in the background. (Thanks to Molly for the Photo.)

Award:
Best Guerrilla Marketing Campaign
Winner:
Independent Fabrication

What is guerrilla marketing anyway?

Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing tactics are unexpected and unconventional; consumers are targeted in unexpected places, which can make the idea that's being marketed memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally.
- Wikipedia.

Novel concept.

This was their campaign. Taking over bathrooms everywhere.

What I would be really curious to see though. Is photos from bike shops everywhere. Because they gave out these posters at their booth and I'm sure that they have made their way to gracing the walls over more than one fine bicycle purveyor? This might actually make a good photo spread for an upcoming Embrocation: Bike Shop Bathrooms. I could see that.


Award:
Best Sock Puppet.
Winner:
Pucket, the official Artbike Puppet.

Pucket is the one on the left. I believe that she was given out as part of the raffle that Artbike was holding during their Goldsprints event. I don't know why someone would want to give up such a wonderful prize/pet, but who am I to judge. All I know is that she's got a good home now. I don't know what happened to the creepy blue sock puppet.

Award:
Best Nahbs T-shirt
Winner:
Duh.


I used the same image for the intro to the Speedvagen video above. There are still some available. You can get them here.

——

Now, maybe some of these would be considered "joke" awards. I wouldn't consider them in that fashion, but whatever. But I think that it brings up a good point, and that point being that there needs to be more going into the Nahbs awards and award ceremonies. For example and in all seriousness now:

Paint - These guys work their asses off to make sure that all the bikes look good. There could even be individual awards. Best Paint Job, Best Painter, Best Thematic Paint Job?

Booths - I've seen a ton of work go into each and every booth that goes up at these things. Why is there not an award for this? It might also make it interesting to see where they go from year to year. Maybe get a Home Depot to sponsor this award and give out a gift certificate for the winner to use for their booth next year? Just another little idea.

Best Use of An Old Thing in a New Way - I don't know if you saw the Signal wine rack, but that is what I'm talking about.

039: N a h b s

I don't know where to begin. I mean, I guess the logical place to start would be at the beginning. That makes sense right?

Or does it?

I've been anxious to fill everyone in on what happened at the show this year, but a few things prevented me from doing so. The first was the simple fact that Indianapolis has decided, collectively, that they're not interested in making wireless internet easy to utilize for the general public. The Official NAHBS Media Office cited "too expensive" for their reason behind not offering internet services to their media outreach. Whoopsie.

So, now that I've made the trek back from Indy, through the arctic blast that is New England I'm ready to start thinking and talking about the NAHBS show.

First off. It was great.

But what is the best way to do this? Break it up in to three days? Slam it all out on one post? Maybe find a few relevant things and just kind of go for it? In any case, here's what you've got to look forward to in terms of photo, video and written exploration of the 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show:


Video:
-Sacha White Explains the new Speedvagen Track Bike.
-Cielo. Chris King's new line of bicycles comes to fruition. Red Herring much?
-Lex from Villin Cycle Works talks about hitch-hiking in Alaska. Beardy.
-Broakland Bicycles get weird with Teddy Ruxspin.


Photo:
-Lots of close ups. Yes Carbon does look that good up close.
-Spent too much time looking at Speedvagen Brass Knuckles.
-Have now determined that my city bike (which I don't have, but will when I move to Portland) most definitely needs a wine rack. How else am I going to get my wine around?
-Spent a good amount of time looking for the show stopping T-shirt.
-Other weird shit going on in Indianapolis.


Writing:
-Essays on love (ie bicycles.)
-Apologies. Not really. I don't have anything to apologize for. Or do I?
-What happens when a bicycle company that isn't known for its carbon bike wins "Best Carbon Bike" at a handmade bicycle show.
-Other weird shit going on in Indianapolis.
-How to throw a "Secret Party" and have everyone come. A field guide.
-Nothing on the Frambuilders Collective.
-Are beer coasters the new business cards?
-Can I let celebrities on the Embrocation Cycling Team? Should I? Can we handle it?


So, in the next few days, I think that you can expect to see all and more of these things.

Promise.

And if there's something there that you don't see, or you don't see me keeping up my end of the bargain, well then let me know. Seriously. I wouldn't want to fail anyone like that.

I'll leave you with a quote from my friend Ira Ryan:
"It can't be all Unicorns and Cupcakes every day." But we can still try can't we?