Sixth annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show kicks off in Virginia
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Cielo frames have proven to be more successful for Chris King than originally anticipated.(Image credit: James Huang)
A snapshot into the creation of a Vanilla bicycle.(Image credit: James Huang)
This is not a standard Chris King color option.(Image credit: James Huang)
The Edge Composites stem is painted to match.(Image credit: James Huang)
The elegant seat stays are slightly flattened for a bit of extra comfort.(Image credit: James Huang)
Speedvagen and Vanilla Bicycles frontman Sacha White built this 'cross frameset with Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 group.(Image credit: James Huang)
Stainless steel faces are bolted to the outside of the dropouts.(Image credit: James Huang)
The front brake cable is routed inside the Edge Composites stem.(Image credit: James Huang)
It's almost a shame to get this Speedvagen 'cross racer muddy.(Image credit: James Huang)
The Paul Components cantilever brakes fit on to special low-profile integrated pivots on the Edge Composites fork.(Image credit: James Huang)
The Edge Composites fork is naturally painted to match.(Image credit: James Huang)
The rear brake cable is routed directly through the seat tube.(Image credit: James Huang)
White's Speedvagen range has included road, 'cross and now track variants.(Image credit: James Huang)
Details, details. White files down the housing stops beforing brazing them on to the tube.(Image credit: James Huang)
This Vanilla randonneur is ready to ride.(Image credit: James Huang)
This is a bit fancier than your standard bottle cage.(Image credit: James Huang)
Even the Vanilla booth was impressive, making full use of the shipping containers used to transport all of the gear.(Image credit: James Huang)
This mixte bicycle shows off Vanilla Bicycles' trademark style.(Image credit: James Huang)
It may be small but it still looks mean.(Image credit: James Huang)
The stainless steel clamping surface provides a secure hold and also resists marking.(Image credit: James Huang)
Sacha White will collaborate with legendary framebuilder Dario Pegoretti on the upcoming range of Speedvagen track bikes.(Image credit: James Huang)
These ultra-deep drop track bars are integrated with the color-matched stem.(Image credit: James Huang)
Speedvagen frames now feature seatpost stubs based on Edge Composites' design.(Image credit: James Huang)
Pegoretti's new dropout design features scalloped joints and two brazed-in cylinders fully piercing both stays.(Image credit: James Huang)
Even without a big logo on the down tube, this TIG-welded steel frame is unmistakably Pegoretti.(Image credit: James Huang)
Beefy dropouts are another Pegoretti trademark.(Image credit: James Huang)
The front brake cable hanger is integrated right into the stem.(Image credit: James Huang)
Designer Jay Sycip tacked a cheeky placard on to the back of the Cielo entry.(Image credit: James Huang)
The extended seat tube also boasts a stainless steel reinforcement ring up top.(Image credit: James Huang)
Simply pull out the cable (which is held in place with magnets and sealed in the frame with o-rings) and plug it into the receptacle on the top tube. The key cylinder is on the underside. Though not exactly terribly secure, it's undoubtedly trick.(Image credit: James Huang)
The integrated cable lock tucks away neatly within the seat cluster.(Image credit: James Huang)
Stainless steel rings were used around both ends of the head tube and the top of the custom stem.(Image credit: James Huang)
Cielo Cycles entered this fantastic machine into this year's Oregon Manifest Constructor's Design Challenge.(Image credit: James Huang)
Polished stainless steel dropouts are used front and rear.(Image credit: James Huang)
Dual custom-painted bottles are held in leather-accented cages and capped with real corks.(Image credit: James Huang)
Cielo forks feature a machined stainless steel crowns.(Image credit: James Huang)
Stainless steel seat stay caps are polished to better show them off.(Image credit: James Huang)
Pegoretti frames invariably feature ornate and highly detailed paint jobs.(Image credit: James Huang)
This striking lugged steel Pegoretti features his 'Venetian stucco' panel design.(Image credit: James Huang)
Pegoretti's 'mica' paint scheme offers both a colorful and tactile display.(Image credit: James Huang)
And if that weren't enough, there's a more obvious label on the non-driveside chain stay.(Image credit: James Huang)
The hand on Pegoretti's down tube emphasizes the handbuilt construction(Image credit: James Huang)
The down tube on this commemorative frame features Giro d'Italia greats of yesterday.(Image credit: James Huang)
Cielo has added a third model to its range for 2010.(Image credit: James Huang)
Sliding Paragon Machine Works dropouts on the new Cielo mountain bike frame easily allows for both geared or singlespeed use.(Image credit: James Huang)
The Cielo head tube badge depicts a mountain scene in Santa Barbara, California.(Image credit: James Huang)
One requirement of this year's Oregon Manifest Constructor's Design Challenge was the ability to carry - what else - a six-pack. Cielo got it done with this neat-looking canvas number.(Image credit: James Huang)
Unexpected success for Chris King's return to framebuilding
Headset icon Chris King returned to the framebuilding work after a long hiatus with his Cielo nameplate and things have gone even better than anticipated. What was once a two-model collection with just two color options has already grown to three models and six colors after barely a year on the market and the brand has also been picked up by high-profile outlets such as Mellow Johnny's in Austin, Texas and River City Bicycles in Portland, Oregon with another well-known retailer in California nearly locked in.
The newest member of the Cielo family is a 29" hardtail mountain bike, added to the range after two prototypes on a worldwide tour with employees Chris DiStefano and Jeff Menand received overwhelmingly positive response. The TIG-welded frame is built with True Temper OX Platinum tubing and features stainless steel head tube reinforcement rings to help support the Chris King internal-cup Inset headset, machined stainless steel seat stay caps and Paragon Machine Works sliding dropouts with built-in tensioners for easy singlespeed or geared options.
DiStefano says that while only 29"-wheeled versions are currently available, smaller wheel sizes may be coming in the future.
One of the most interesting bikes in the Chris King/Cielo booth, however, was the company's entry in the Oregon Manifest Constructor's Design Challenge – and it definitely wasn't available for sale. Designed and built by recent hire Jay Sycip, the one-off prototype featured the usual stainless steel head tube rings, front and rear dropouts, and seat stay plugs plus a polished Chris King stainless steel NoThreadset, custom front and rear racks, a cheeky placard mounted on the rear fender and a built-in cable lock.
Sacha White of Vanilla Bicycles to collaborate with Dario Pegoretti on collection of track bikes
Handbuilt trendsetter Sacha White of Vanilla Bicycles is continuing on with his subset of Speedvagen limited edition racing rigs for 2011 and this iteration's genre of choice is track following successful runs with road and 'cross. After two years of working with fellow framebuilder Mike DeSalvo, though, White is now shifting gears a bit and will collaborate with Italian icon Dario Pegoretti.
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"Dario's going to be coming out in May and we're going to build 25 of these track racing machines," said White. "But we're actually going into a deeper collaboration than we've ever done with Speedvagen before. Because of his deep experience with racing I've asked him to work with me on developing the tubing and work with me on geometry and then he'll come out and we'll build the bicycles."
Historically, White's Speedvagen machines have been offered in a limited range of straightforward colors plus a more unpredictable option simply dubbed 'Surprise Me' – which he says is now chosen by most Speedvagen customers. In addition to the tubing and geometry, Pegoretti will provide input on the next version of special paint, too.
"Dario's so well known for his paint schemes and I feel like I am, too, but we really come from opposite ends of the spectrum. He's very much the rocker and the artist and does abstract and that's one of the things I love about him. He has such history and such pedigree for building winning racing bicycles and so he can paint a bike the way that he paints a bike and you can't just pigeonhole them as art bikes."
Pegoretti now cancer-free, carrying on with business
Meanwhile, Dario Pegoretti has been busy on his own long-standing collection after successfully battling lymphoma.
New at NAHBS this year is a burly rear dropout design featuring scalloped joints where they meet with the stays plus brazed-in cylinders fully piercing the tubes for a distinct appearance.
Paint schemes have continued to evolve as well. On display at NAHBS was a 'Venetian stucco' panel treatment and a superb 'mica' tactile finish with a not only an obvious sparkle but also a novel texture.
Click here to see the first of Cyclingnews' full galleries from the NAHBS.
