This weekend, hundreds of custom bicycle framebuilders and bicycle companies from all over the US will descend on Austin for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. I’ll be exhibiting there myself with Violet Crown Cycles.

Here’s a quick guide the show, some of the parties going on, and info on some of the local Austin builders who we’ve written about in the past.

2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show
Friday, February 25- Sunday, February 27
10 AM – 6 PM Friday and Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM Sunday
Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Halls 1 and 2

Check the Convention Center for parking info or better yet, ride your bike or take the bus. There is on-site bike valet for $2 or just bring a lock and save the two bucks.

Kirklee of Austin

Registration Prices:
1 day pass: $18 advance (includes $1 transaction fee), $22 at the door
2 days pass: $32 advance (includes $1 transaction fee), $40 at the door
3 days pass: $51 advance (includes $1 transaction fee), $58 at the door
Seminar Pass: $160 (includes $1 transaction fee).

Children: $8, One day admission to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show for children ages 6-13 (5 and under are free).

NAHBS 2011 Seminar Schedule

The NAHBS seminars are three intense days of learning sessions in which the world’s pre-eminent frame building minds divulge the knowledge it has taken them many years to gather. These are ‘do not miss’ events for anybody looking for deeper knowledge about bicycles – be you an amateur builder, a new professional, or simply a cycling enthusiast.

Friday – Feb 25th
10:30 AM- Dwan Shepard- Co-Motion Cycles
12:00 PM- Gary Prange- Screen Specialty Shop Inc.
2:00 PM- Wade Barocsi- Cycle Design
3:00 PM- Ric Hjertberg- Wheel Fanatyk
4:00 PM- Joe McCrink- KVA Stainless

A mountain bike by True Fabrication of Austin, TX. Image courtesy of Cory Swartz.

Saturday – Feb 26th
10:30 AM- Don Ferris- Anvil Bikeworks
11:45 AM- Brent Curry- The Bicycle Forest
1:00 PM- Ric Hjertberg- Wheel Fanatyk
2:00 PM- Bob Parlee- Parlee Cycles
3:30 PM- Tom Ritchey- Ritchey Design
4:30 PM- Craig Calfee- Calfee Design

Sunday – Feb 27th
8:30 AM- Carl Strong- Strong Frames (Framebuilders only)
11:00 AM- Lora Van Dixhorn- Westlake Insurance
12:30 PM- Kent Eriksen- Kent Eriksen Cycles
1:45 PM- Ben Serotta- Serotta

NAHBS Parties

It wouldn’t be an event in Austin without some after parties, right?

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Alchemy Bicycle Company of Austin

Rapha Movie Premiere
CONTINENTAL
9:00 pm on the big screen at Mellow Johnny’s • 400 Nueces • in the parking lot
Plus, D’Acciaio (Of Steel) a Ben Ingham film
Join us for movie night with food from the Chi-lantro trailer and free New Belgium beer!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Gentleman’s Ride with Rapha
Mellow Johnny’s • 6:30 am for coffee, wheels down at 7.
Supported by SRAM.

Giordana Lunch Ride
Noon from Mellow Johnny’s with a lunch stop.
Supported by SRAM

Violet Crown Cycles of Austin

BBQ and Pub Pedal from Bicycle Sport Shop
The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS), a showcase of talented individuals from around the world whose original art form is the bicycle, is coming to Austin February 25 through 27. And we’re inviting these talented custom builders to Bicycle Sport Shop for a party with a few of our own local originals, including Real Ale, music by The Rust Tones, Amy’s Ice Cream, Austin Barbecue Co., a photography exhibit by Austin Details and more. If you own a hand-built bike like the ones featured at NAHBS, bring it to the party and show off your personal Austin original. A photographer will be in-store to take a portrait of you and your bike. Plus, all hand-built bikes can be parked inside the store during the party.
BBQ at 6:30. Ride leaves at 8:30 pm • Bicycle Sport Shop, 517 S. Lamar

To get you warmed up for the show, check out some of these framebuilder profiles we’ve published in the last two years.

• James Flatman of Alchemy Bicycle Company
• Scott Ross of Dominion Bicycle Company
• Wes Williams of Willits Bikes (Shop closed)
• Cody Baron, Clark Davidson, and Cole Thompson of True Fabrication
• Brad Cason of KirkLee Bicycles

I’ve also written my own series about learning framebuilding from Doug Fattic and articles on previous customer bikes I’ve built in A Series of Tubes:

• A Series of Tubes: Show Rando Bike with Belt Drive & S&S couplers
• A Series of Tubes: Ferguson City Bike with Carbon Belt Drive
• A Series of Tubes: Xtracycle Long Tail with Stokemonkey Pedal Assist
• A Series of Tubes: Final buildup on Marcus Rando Light Touring Bike
• A Series of Tubes: Marcus’ Randonneur Bike, Details, Details, Details
• A Series of Tubes: The latest Ma Ferguson step through city bike