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Road to NAHBS 2016: Complete Pre-Coverage Interview Summary

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ROAD_TO_NAHBS

We took a dynamic approach in covering this year’s show compared to past coverage. Rather than send out a standard questionnaire to builders, I chose several builders for long form phone interviews to break up the rhythm of the posts. Both types of interviews would center around an origin story theme because, well, I was personally curious. While some build their stories into their branding, others are more guarded about them. For new builders, they are still living their origin stories. Some just don’t want to muck around in the past because they are too excited about current and future projects.

At any rate, it was a total pleasure to speak to all of these builders and I’m grateful that they took time out of their insane schedules leading up to the show to tell us their story.

What I started to understand a few weeks into the coverage is that there were several themes evolving that I did not expect to hear. My own perceptions of the industry, one that I had felt pretty intimate with, were challenged. After the process of writing and editing these interviews, I  respect and appreciate the frame builder community more deeply than I previously had thought possible.

I hope you enjoy these; it’s a fascinating corner of the industry full of interesting people and fantastic stories. Bookmark this summary and save it for later. You’ll learn something.

Photo by Steve Bilenky
Photo by Steve Bilenky

Long Form Phone (or in person) Interviews:

Erik Noren of Peacock Groove/Cake Bikes

Don Walker of Don Walker Cycles

Schnozola Co-Conspirator Paul Sadoff

Jason Quade of Abbey Bike Tools

Ben Farver of Argonaut Cycles

John Caletti of Caletti Cycles

Burnsey of Oddity Cycles

Steve Bilenky of Bilenky Cycle Works

Carl and Loretta Strong of Strong Frames

Don Ferris of Anvil Bikeworks

Tim O’Donnell of Shamrock Cycles

Chris Connor of Connor Cycles

Josh Poertner of SILCA

Steve Potts of Steve Potts Bicycles

Photo by Sam Atkins
Photo by Sam Atkins

Questionnaire Interviews:

Dawn Thomas with Pineapple Trikes

Matt Appleman of Appleman Bicycles

Darrel Williams of Thrive Cycles

Dwan Shepard of Co-Motion Cycles

Craig Calfee of Calfee Design

Collin Schaafsma of Matter Cycles

Jeremy SyCip of SyCip Designs

Chris ‘Soultrain’ Sulfrian of REEB Cycles

Patrick Gauci of Patrick Cycleworks

Renzo Formigli of Formigli Bicycles

Nate Picklo of lov bikes

Adam Sklar of Sklar Bikes

Claudio Bellon of Bellon Handmade Bicycles

Brad Hodges with W. H. Bradford Custom Bikes

Curtis Inglis of Retrotec

Rob English of English Cycles

Dmitry Nechaev of Triton Bikes Russia

 

*** Pre-show coverage will continue to the day of the show. I will add pieces here as they post on the website.

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Daniel Schaumann
Daniel Schaumann
8 years ago

Thank you Anna, for putting together the best bit of bicycle reading material I’ve come across all year.

Luiggi
Luiggi
8 years ago

I have a request for you guys, for this year’s NAHBS coverage: please look for something outside fat bikes and steel lugged gavel grinders. There’s got to be somebody doing something outside those niches! Don’t get me wrong, the level of the artisans portrayed here is awesome, but in the end it feels like they are all doing 1967 grand fondo bikes or titanium fatties.

Ryan S
Ryan S
8 years ago

Easily my favorite series, don’t stop just because NAHBS has arrived. I’d like to read and see these year round and cover any bike related entrepreneurs, LBS, etc.

Dennis
Dennis
8 years ago

I also wanted to say thanks, Anna. I’ve enjoyed your interviews as long as you’ve been doing them on here, and these recent framebuilder interviews have been particularly excellent!

Steve G4G
8 years ago

I’m super excited for the show, and reading these interviews has been really fun and a great insight to the lives of the builders.

Tupac
Tupac
8 years ago

Anna, you need a Podcast or something. You have skills, girl! Love the writing and interviews. Keep it up! đŸ™‚

bsimon1970
bsimon1970
8 years ago

Ditto, all of the above. Great stuff here, keep up the good work!

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