http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com
The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is bringing one of the world's most prestigious bicycle shows to Indianapolis, February 27-March 1, 2009.
"It might not be the world's largest bicycle show, but without doubt, no show matches us for quality. This is the largest presentation of the best in the custom bicycles industry anywhere on the planet," explained the show director, Don Walker.
Four years after the first NAHBS, this once-a-year cycling feast has become the world's largest trade/consumer show for custom-built bicycles, with some 150 companies exhibiting, more than 7,000 attendees, and a media corps over 100. Now entering its fifth year, the world renowned custom bicycle show has chosen Indianapolis as its next stop as it travels around the USA energizing existing markets and opening up new ones.
"NAHBS will show the Midwest cyclists a wide range of frame-builders and custom frame designs they never knew existed. I'm predicting a lot of Hoosiers will fall in love with our show in 2009!" says Walker.
After starting out in Houston, Texas, in 2005, then stopping for two years in San Jose, California, the NAHBS went to Portland, Oregon, in February 2008. The show was so packed there that the fire marshal had to close the doors for two hours on Saturday morning until people had left.
NAHBS is now a "must attend" event for cycling aficionados, the specialist media, transportation experts, and style leaders. In Portland last February, numerous interest groups used the coming of the show as a catalyst for social gatherings, and the city was abuzz with expectation about what became one of the key social and commercial events of the year in the bicycling scene there.
"So many people come from outlying regions for the show, it just makes good sense to conduct related business during the weekend that the show takes place, and we will do what we can to encourage any such gatherings," offered Walker.
Custom frame builders come not only from across North America, but from around the world, too. Among the featured frame builders exhibiting in Indianapolis will be Vanilla Bicycles, Independent Fabrications, Serotta, Alternative Needs Transportation, Curt Goodrich Bicycles, Parlee Cycles, as well as Tiziano Zullo of Italy and Naked Bicycles from Canada. From the USA renowned craftsmen Richard Sachs, David Kirk, Mark Nobilette will display their works.
Leading component manufacturers Campagnolo, SRAM, Cane Creek, Paragon Machine Works, Chris King, Paul, Thomson, White Industries, and Hed will attend the show to display the very latest in high-end componentry.
Also present will be a range of manufacturers of high-end clothing and cycle accessories, such as Sheila Moon and Bailey Works, and distributors such as Cantitoe Road and Ergon.
There are also exhibitors purely for the custom frame builder. The Bicycle Forest sells frame design software, Nova Cycle Supply provides tubes and lugs to build the bicycles, and Spectrum Powder Works is a painting workshop.
Not only is a wide range of bicycles, components, services, accessories and literature available at the show, but also the NAHBS offers several bicycling related seminars, with subjects as diverse as bike fit, carbon fiber technology, lug filing and marketing. Presenting these seminars and panel discussions is a stable of the world's leading experts on the subjects.
For many, the NAHBS provides a rare opportunity to meet with leading builders and choose which one will become their custom frame builder. Existing customers take the opportunity to visit with the builder to talk about existing and future purchases, and numerous collectors of bicycles are seen getting to know the new talent in the industry.
While many exhibitors at the show are glad to take new orders, for them it is also a once-a-year opportunity to talk shop, exchange ideas, and through the industry seminars pass on valuable knowledge that benefits the industry as a whole while cementing their positions as leading lights.
The grand finale of NAHBS each year is the show awards, in which exhibitors and the public vote on the best bicycles in 16 different categories, the most coveted of which is the "Best of Show" award.
The 2009 show will be held in the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, February 27-March 1. For more information, visit http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com.