NAHBS 2011 Roundup – Dinucci, Bilenky and Six Eleven

Included in this post are two of the show’s winners, Bilenky’s mixte above and Dinucci’s bike. Thrown in the mix are a few other bikes from both of them and a road, cyclocross and commuter bike from Six Eleven. All are gorgeous with a lot of nice details that take a second or third glance to fully appreciate. Jump on in and check ’em out…

The Bilenky mixte was part of the Horton collection of bikes floating around in different builders’ booths. The paint on this one was quite detailed, but so was the frame and its accoutrements. At the top of the headtube, the letters BCW (Bilenky Cycle Works) are cut into the lug with red paint in the relief. Right above that, check out the custom brake cable hanger that’s chromed and welded onto the headset spacer.

Note: The Rohloff hub was customized by Phil Wood. Art deco style paint scheme, custom components, custom Brooks saddle, custom bags, vintage chainguard. Custom fabricated lugs made by Bob at Bilenky, went thru 72 jeweler awl blades cutting out the windows in the lugs over two weeks. Custom segmented stem. Every part of the bike was over thought, everything is customized in some way and made into a cohesive package. Total price would probably be around $20,000 or more because of all the vintage parts and custom fabrication from so many different vendors.

Check out the grenade pin-like release for the pannier bag.

Not only was the chainguard intricately designed, but it mounted directly into the frame via custom placed bottle cage mounts.

Here’s how to deck out your own bike to match it.

They also make some sweet cyclocross bikes!

When I first looked at this Dinucci bike, I thought, OK, it’s nice, then found myself more attracted to their other ones (below). After talking with Dale Brown of Cycles de Oro and Classic Rendezvous (who was also a judge at this year’s show), he started pointing out why this bike ended up winning an award. The cuts, shapes, welds and details of every lug, joint, tube and connection are damn near flawless. Honestly, the level of perfection in the details on this bike is likely lost on most people, it certainly was for me, but it just proves that it’s as much an art as it is a science to build bikes. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it back to take more closeup pics to illustrate my point here…next year.

Just ’cause they’re perfectionists doesn’t mean they can’t have fun. SPD stirrups anyone?

Six Eleven’s singlespeed commuter bike had a Gates CenterTrack belt drive and throwback leather saddle, grips and to straps.

Most of the silver components are polished, contrasting with the raw look of the lugs.