It’s a wrap. Forget the Oscars, the real gongs up for grabs this weekend were at the North American Handmade Bike Show (NAHBS) in Denver, where the only tears were shed by BikeRadar’s guys on the floor who spent 72 hours hunting high and low for virtuoso performances from some of the best bike builders on the planet.
In a tradition going back to the first NAHBS show in 2005, the exhibiting builders themselves voted for their favourite pieces, and the results are the following awards.
Alchemy took top honors for carbon construction
We’ve already showcased the builders behind some of the award winners, including Black Sheep, Kent Eriksen and Gängl, and we will be giving in-depth looks at many of the other award winners throughout this week.
A full list of category winners is below, but here are some of the highlights.
Cyclocross bikes fired Aaron Barcheck’s imagination and his Boulder-based Mosaic Cycles carried home the best cyclocross creation.
Mosaic's Di2 ’cross beauty
The show really took light when it came to design innovation. There was plenty on show on the Calfee stand, who shared the tandem award with Black Sheep.
Steve Potts’s Titanium 29er Hard Tail took the best TIG frame, and Bishop Bikes the best road bike for his exquisitely detailed, retro-inspired steel creation.
There were a brace of double category winners. Matsuda Cycle Factory took the President’s Choice Award and Best Track Bike for its Level Keirin Racer. And Moots could have literally carried off best theme bike and the people’s choice award for their outrageous chainsaw-carrying Trail Maintenance creation.
From the ridiculous to the sublime: the Best of Show award went to English Cycles, whose degree of innovation and flair realised in plain old-fashioned steel was unsurpassed. Chapeau, English Cycles, Chapeau.
English Cycles' svelte, steel TT machine
The winners 2013 of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show:
Best carbon construction: Alchemy Bicycle Company
Best road frame: Bishop Bikes
Best lugged frame: Bilenky Cycle Works
Best alternative material: Boo
Best city bike: Shin-Ichi Konno
Best mountain bike: Retrotec-Inglis Cycles
Best cyclocross bike: Mosaic Cycles
Best titanium construction: Kent Eriksen and Black Sheep
Best tandem bike: Calfee Design and Black Sheep
Best TIG frame: Steve Potts Bicycles
Best theme bike: Moots/IMBA Trail Maintenance Bike
People's choice award: Moots/IMBA Trail Maintenance Bike
President’s choice award: Matsuda Cycle Factory
Best track bike: Matsuda Cycle Factory
Best of show: English Cycles