We’re here in Portland, covering the 2023 MADE Bike Show, looking for bikes that we thought you, the readers of The Radavist would appreciate. Josh and John have been scouring the halls of the show for bikes to document, and we’ve got Part 03 of our coverage for you to enjoy…
Thanks to 1-Up USA for sponsoring our continued 2023 MADE Bike Show coverage!
Argonaut Cycles and Chris King Raffle RM3 Raffle Bike
When Chris King and Argonaut work together on a raffle bike to help the fire victims of Maui, you know they’re going to put the best foot forward. Using the Ashley Anodized It Splash turquoise and bronze limited edition road kit, the brands worked to extend the splatter turq design onto this state-of-the-art Argonaut RM3 frame.
Matching the anodizing to the RM3’s cerakote wasn’t easy but the end product is something to ogle. Two Oregon-based companies doing a good thing deserve some excellent coverage, and we’re happy to have helped spread the word. Someone is going to be stoked when they win this bike!
Bantam Bicycles Travelall Rohloff Touring Bike
Heavy duty touring requires a heavy duty chassis and that’s what Bantam Bicycles brought to MADE this year. When a client requested a Rohloff, big tire clearance, front and rear racks with a SON Dynamo setup, Bantam delivered a robust frame, meant to transport the owner and all his touring necessities deep into the backcountry.
The stunning fillet-brazed frame sports excellent paint blocking with raised rings demarcating the chang in paint color with complimentary Lords Luggage waxed canvas bags that will endure the elements while creating an excellent patina from heavy use. This was by far one of our favorite tourers at the show and it has us dreaming about nights out under the stars.
Destroy Bikes Wild Bill Cargo MTB
The Wild Bill is named after builder Sean Eagelton’s grandfather and custom-made for his father, who is a professional archer. He wanted something he could ride around at archery competitions for gear transport. The front rack will eventually feature a custom bow holder. The front rack is independent of the bike’s front steering and is accomplished by running mono seat stays all along the top tube into the front rack. For future modular attachments, 6mm bolt holes flank each side of the rack tray. The segmented fork is also custom for this frameset.
Built around 650b tires, 71 deg HTA, and 74 deg STA, the bike will carry loads efficiently while still being fun and snappy to ride on trails and dirt roads. Powder-coated in-house at Destroy, the bike features Prismatic Powder’s “Palleon Panther” with gray/white/silver vein with a turquoise finish inside. The custom coral-colored front bag is also custom made for this build from Jack Supply.
Heavy Bikes Hypocrite Gravel Bike
Heavy Bikes debuted two gravel bikes using Foundry Casting Systems’s Pascal Process for pressurized solidification of sand-casted parts. The build process starts with a custom bike fit which drives the 3D printed sand mold design. Molds are then filled with molten A356 aluminum. The pressurized solidification ensures a properly filled part with enhanced mechanical properties. After molds are busted open with a sledgehammer, treatment and machining of all interface and art surfaces completes the process.
Pictured here, the Hypocrite was designed and built to explore the limits of thin-walled castings while adding compliance to a single piece bike frame. Heavy Bikes states that the Hypocrite’s ride quality is one of a new sense of momentum not found on hollow tubular bikes. This, paired with its nimble wheelbase, provides a connected feel unique to Heavy Bikes.
Ian’s Ignite Components Acoustic Hardtail
This Acoustic Cycles hardtail was custom-built for Ian Colquhoun, proprietor of Ignite Components. It’s intended for racing the Colorado Trail and backcountry exploration with maximum drivetrain versatility. Ian worked with Zach at Acoustic to build this frame to his preferences for a tall stack and slack seat tube angle to accommodate all-day riding and previous back and neck injuries. The geo maximizes frame space for his “smurf-like stature” and a future frame bag, while still capable of tubular shredding downhill. The stunning head badge was done in-house by Angelica at Acoustic.
While this bike will see a lot of use, Ian wanted to showcase a variety of Ignite Components on this build, so here’s a quick rundown: Ignite Chainrings and cogs were almost ready to be launched 6 months ago until rumblings of a new drivetrain were felt on the horizon, so Ian waited to launch. New ignite chainrings work with all modern 10,11,12-speed chains, including flat-top T-Type. A lot of time went into tooth profiles to ensure near-silent roller engagement, while maximizing stiffness and shedding the crud. The rear cog is also narrow-wide using the same tooth profiles.
No22 Little Wing Titanium Singlespeed
There is a raw purity that makes turning the cranks on a singlespeed bike that makes it unlike any other cycling experience. Especially in an urban setting. The mechanics of a bike are distilled to its bare essentials. No22’s Little Wing frame condenses the best elements of contemporary track frames into a stunning, addictively fast package and as the case for one of the brand’s MADE show bikes, this Little Wing singlespeed is laced with loads of titanium.
The Little Wing sports a bead-blasted and polished finish, adorned with No22’s signature clean aesthetic and angular lines. The Ti stem melds with the Ti spacers and Ti headset top cap, while the integrated seat post mast topper and singlespeed dropouts feature 3D printed Ti components… and yes, those are indeed titanium fenders.
Onguza Bicycles Hardtail 29er
We were elated to not only see Namibia’s Onguza Bicycles at MADE but that they brought along this stunning hardtail. The name, Onguza comes from an old Namibian word ‘okuti-onguza‘ in the Himba and Herero languages meaning “the great expanse of desert out there.”
When it comes to riding and racing in a unforgiving landscape, nothing beats a light and nimble hardtail. Like an evolved desert animal, the Onguza hardtail sports some adaptations to blend into existence in this rough and rugged terrain. The desert tan frame color was derived from the dry and arid lands of Namibia, while the yellow stem evokes a feeling of the flora and fauna that call the African deserts their home. Yet, the stand-out detailing comes from the stunning chainstay yoke and brass serial number.
Retrotec Cycles Colorful Tourer
Curtis Inglis’ Retrotec Cycles are unmistakable works of wonderful bends and proportions. This tourer, complete with a custom rear rack with hidden, inner seat stay bosses caught our eyes immediately as we browsed his fillet-brazed beauties. While the paint is obviously eye catching, it’s enhanced by the hand-bent swoopy lines and beautifully scalloped segmented fork.
But perhaps it’s the rear rack’s lines that really pushed this build over the top, perfectly aligning the 700c rear wheel, looking like an artistic calligraphy. We’ve featured many Retrotecs over the years but this one quickly lept to the top of our favorites list at the show.
Doppo by Sim Works Wanderer All-Road
The all-new Doppo “Wanderer” from Sim Works is their take on the modern all-road. With capacity for a 38c tire and provisions for fenders, the Wanderer is a four-season solution for anything from long road rides to daily commuting. Frames are TIG-welded Tange CrMo Steel and include a paint-matched fork.
The Wanderer styling harkens back to classic road bikes but allows for modern accouterments and fit. It’s a timeless blend of sophistication and capability. These framesets are handmade in Nagoya, Japan, in small batches. Makoto Yokoyama, who is visiting from Japan for the show and pictured with the bike in the above gallery, is one of the fabricators working on Doppo frames.
Wolfhound Cycles Cruiser
“I wanted to design a bike for cruising with a drink in one hand” is how Wolfhound Cycles described his Cruiser. This bike is obviously eye-catching thanks to its wild form and swoopy curves, yet it is filled with impeccable details that cause pause. For starters, the broad and flared bullmoose bars are 37″ wide, the fork has a whopping 83mm of rake with a 62º head angle.
Then there’s the jewelry-like belt tensioner, the split chainstay for the installation of the belt drive, the split seat tube, the fender mounts, the cranks–that began as a stock Race Face crankset and were hand-shaped to their polished glory–the impeccable lug work, relaxed seat angle, and yeah, that paint color! Fred, the builder of Wolfhound has been making bikes for over 22 years and this Cruiser embodies each of the custom options he offers as add-on options for his bikes. It’s a priceless work of art and one of the most unique spins on the classic cycling archetype we’ve ever seen.
We’ll be back tomorrow with another stacked gallery of bikes from MADE, so stay tuned!
Let us know your favorite in the comments!
Thanks to 1-Up USA for supporting our continued coverage of the 2023 MADE Bike Show. Check out 1-UP’s made in the USA bike racks.