The Radavist

In a world where a majority of carbon fiber bicycle manufacturing is overseas, it’s rare to see someone not only building frames Stateside, but approaching customization in an entirely different way. That’s what Ben from Argonaut Cycles is doing with his custom carbon fiber road bikes. Everything from the weave to the molds is proprietary and made here in the USA. I got to spend 111 miles next to (well behind) this bike and I gotta say, it’s drop dead gorgeous in motion. Which is probably why I had a hard time photographing the thing at a stand still.

If you’re at the Dirt Demo today at Interbike, you can see this baby in person. If you can’t make it out, check out more photos below.

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Mitch from Map Cycles recently began relocating his studio from Portland to Chico, California. And if there’s one bike that solidifies his long-time stay in Portland, I feel like it’s this porteur 650b Disk-ville city bike. Seen first in my 2012 NAHBS coverage, in a raw state, a new coat of black paint, along with the French fenders, makes this baby look like something out of a prohibition-era gangster fleet. Something just says cruise… cruise and “buy me“.

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I didn’t get to spend much time on the road bike while in Portland, but one of the two rides I did was with Ben from Argonaut Cycles, Kyle from Chris King, Souphorse and some fellas from the Jens Voigt Army who have been testing custom Argonaut Frames. We left from Portland and rode to Hood River. I borrowed Billy’s Raleigh Record Ace and we headed out towards Mt. Hood.

The route is arguably one of Oregon’s finest, hitting local favorites like Bull Run, Little Switzerland, and Lolo pass.

We concluded at a carbon fiber facility just north of Hood River, where Ben from Argonaut has been working on custom carbon frames. There’s more to this story developing, so sit tight, but for now, check out the photos below.

I’ve long been a fan of Signal Cycles‘ work and yet I still can’t describe it without saying “Portland” somewhere. Truth is, their bikes aren’t very Portland, nor are they extremely classic, they’re just Signal Cycles. Bright colors, impeccible craftsmanship and very reflective of their clients. Maybe that’s it. Every Signal owner I’ve met, matches their bikes, right down to the colors. Isn’t that what a custom bike is all about? Take Matt’s cross bike for example…

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The first images of these frames popped up at the first year of the San Diego Bike Expo. Not much was leaked at that point, other than Velo Cult was working on a made in the USA touring frame with an American builder. That builder is Mark Nobilette and since the San Diego Bike Expo, Velo Cult has cranked through dozens of custom orders for their customers. While I was doing my Shop Visit, Anthony let me photograph one of those recent orders.

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Shooting races with a 5D is easy compared to shooting with a Hasselblad. I finally got all my rolls developed from the 2012 Rapha NW Gentlemen’s Race and I’m very stoked on how they came out. This was the first real event I photographed with a medium format camera and it won’t be the last. Some of these came out incredible. For more information on the race, check out my last post on it for the rest of the photos, check out full photo set below.

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Velo Cult is easily one of my favorite shops in the States and their recent move to Portland from San Diego was far from easy on the guys but it’s been worth it. Their massive, sprawling storefront has a bar, a huge basement with a movie theater and one of the classiest mechanics area I’ve ever seen.

When they made the move, Sky and Anthony were literally selling bikes to build millwork. It’s been a slow process but the community is embracing these SoCal natives. If you’re in the Portland area, swing through, grab a beer, chat about touring, gravel and the next rando and if you can’t make it to Portland, check out my Shop Visit photos. And if you missed the Recent Roll, check it out here.

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If there’s one thing shooting with the Hasselblad has taught me it’s selection. Velo Cult‘s new location in Portland is far too massive to capture in a roll (or in this case, less than a half of a roll) but I feel like these photos pick up on some of the highlights. For those who want a more comprehensive Photoset, don’t fret, digital is on the way. It just so happened that the analog photos were done before the digital.

This shop needs no introduction but for those looking for a background, I do believe Velo Cult’s San Diego space was one of my first Shop Visits. Check the original photos out here.

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Carrying around the Hasselblad all day is not exactly fun but when I get a few rolls back, from various Shop Visits, it’s all worth while. These photos are from recent spaces and faces, some of which you’ll recognize, others you wont.

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