San Diego Custom Bicycle Show 2010: A Photo Essay

The 2nd-annual San Diego Custom Bicycle Show was one of those events which further increases your appreciation for bicycles and riding. The craft-work on display was stunning. The frame-builders were diverse in age--ranging from legendary builders to up-and-coming ones. Builders came from Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and throughout California. Everyday of the show was a blast and I'm sure there wasn't a single builder or attendee who regretted making the trip. I was at the show Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and I'm ready for more. Here are some photos I snapped:


(Welcome to San Diego, California. Jeremy Shlachter, frame-builder/owner of Gallus Cycles, ventured out from Forth Worth, Texas for the show. Jeremy and I befriended one another last year. This year, Jeremy, and his friend Jared, and I rode around on a mission for the best salsa in town. Over the course of the weekend, we probably consumed half of SD's chips n' salsa supply. No crumb left behind!).


(Mark DiNucci of DiNucci Cycles shows off his frame which won the Best Lugged Frame Award at the North American Hand-built Bicycle Show a couple months ago).


(Beaming).


(Fierce).


(Mark DiNucci, based in Sisters, Oregon, built this bike for himself in 1985. It was probably my single favorite ride at the show. DiNucci worked for Specialized for 13 years and now he's focusing more on DiNucci Cycles. It's also worth mentioning that he was giving out his own brand of DiNucci Brand Cycles hot sauce mini-bottles at the show. Don't even bother checking Ebay for this item because I'm keeping mine...Salsa seemed to everywhere last weekend; and appropriately so).


(When I read on Mark DiNucci's blog that him and Bruce Gordon have been friends and colleagues since the 80s, I wasn't all that surprised. The two are not only legendary, master frame-builders but they're also both witty tells-it-like-it-is characters. According to DiNucci's blog, he helped pioneer the carbon-framed bike w/ titanium lugs at Specialized 22 years ago. That Specialized frame was bonded on Mike Lopez's table. 22 years later, Bruce Gordon's impressive carbon frame w/ titanium lugs (above) was bonded on the exact same table. In case you're wondering, Mike Lopez was also at the SD Custom Bike Show representing Serotta. In other words, the 2010 SD Custom Bike Show was quite a historic moment in terms of frame-building. Bruce Gordon's carbon/Ti bike (above) was the first bike that greeted you upon entering the show).


(Megan Dean, frame-builder/owner of Moth Attack cycles, showed off her fast-looking city and track bikes).


(Megan, a track racer herself, is raffling off one of her frames to benefit the Encino Velodrome which has, apparently, experienced some financial troubles. For more info on how you can help out the Encino Velodrome and possibly win an ultra slick Moth Attack frame, check out Megan's website).


(I'll take it! This Bilenky (in my size) looks fun to ride. Velo Cult (in San Diego) picked this bike up, so now I may actually get a chance to ride it. Hmm...).


(Winter Bicycles from Oregon was back again this year).


(Digging the non-painted steel finish).


(Brian Baylis re-defines the expression 'custom').


(Not shy about where he's from. Not too many track bikes look this royal and this fast).


(Brian Baylis is one of the most respected builders for a reason).


(While this Rock Lobster single-speed cyclocross bike was present last year, it's still one of my favorites. I probably spent more time talking to Paul Sadoff, Rock Lobster frame-builder/owner, than any other builder at the show (excluding my buddy Jeremy from Gallus). I've done the math--There is an extremely high chance that I will end up befriending someone who decides to name their bike company after experiencing a live performance by the Talking Heads and the B-52s. Paul and I discussed ideas for a custom utilitarian/cyclocross Rock Lobster bike that I want to build in a couple years).


(Bill Rider--old dude, new ideas).


(Solid. Front rack weld job to the fork).


(After the show, Gallus frame-builder/owner Jeremy (blue messenger bag), his friend Jared, and I rode up Bachman Street hill to head back into town for a party at Velo Cult, a pre-party at Adams Ave. Bike Shop, and a salsa/burrito party at El Zarape; one of SD's finest, most affordable Mexican restaurants. These Gallus builds, pictured above, were probably the only two bikes on display at the show that were used as transportation devices for leaving the show).


(Documented evidence of salsa consumption. We picked up from El Zarape and rode to Adams Avenue Bike Shop to chill w/ Richie Ditta (MASH, Adams Ave.), Andrew Lee (Adams Ave. owner), and the rest of the Adams crew).


(Making some minor adjustments to this fine machine. Check out the Gallus website for more info).




(Everyone at Adams Ave. rolled over to the official SD Custom Bike Show afterparty which took place at Velo Cult on Sunday nite. The shop was packed and the good vibes were flowin' like the refreshments and the free vegan cookies).


(Jeremy and Stephen Bilenky, frame-builder/owner of Bilenky Cycle Works based in Philadelphia).


(Frame-builder Brian Baylis (left) and Velo Cult owner Sky Boyer (right), along w/ Sadilah frame-builder/owner Chuck Schlesinger (not pictured), and Ybarolla Bicycles frame-builder/owner David Ybarrola (not pictured) were instrumental in organizing the SD Custom Bicycle Show).

The San Diego Custom Bicycle Show brought a handful of legends, mixed w/ young up-and-coming talent, all into one room for a historic experience. The weekend, packed w/ seminars, great discussions, new concepts, world-class frame-builders and their bikes, never yielded a dull moment. Thanks to everyone who helped make the 2nd annual event a reality.