Another significant aspect of the 2024 MADE Bike Show was the extraordinary artistic talent that merged with blue-collar skills like welding, brazing, and painting. This combination churned out two-wheeled works of art that demanded long stares and bewildered scrutiny.
Although these “eye-candy” bicycles sometimes employed modern technologies, the visual tractor beam emanating from these builds made me stop in my tracks. This post is dedicated to those bikes that dropped my lower jaw to the floor and forced my eyes out of their sockets.
Behold how visually captivating a bicycle can be. Imagine the builder or painter pouring their heart and soul into these works of art, which can be appreciated both as a visual treat and a functional ride.
Stinner Frameworks x MADE Bike Show Collaboration
This bike was built for the 2024 MADE Bike Show, but really, it was made for Billy Sinkford, the human who created and executed the event. Billy is based in Portland and is as seemingly deep into bike culture as anyone I have ever met. And this Stinner x MADE bike reflects this lifestyle and the locale.
Stinner Frameworks, in Santa Barbara, Calif., not only fabricated the frame but also painted it in-house. The finish might not be loud and bright, but closer inspection reveals depth and detail that is clearly the result of so much time, work, and precise artistry. Sinkford outfitted the custom one-off model frame with many component brands participating in the show.
The bike is as practical as it is beautiful. Portland weather dictates the inclusion of full-coverage fenders. The front rack, single-speed belt drive, flat bars, and Cerakote-laden parts indicate this bike is for hassle-free, everyday use. The Stinner X MADE show bike represents the pure utility of a bicycle combined with loving fabrication and painting. The person who created and operated the entire show is a deserving recipient.
Find out more about Stinner Frameworks on its website.
Prova Cycles Dual Suspension Mountain Bike Prototype
This dual-suspension mountain bike prototype from Australian custom titanium bike brand Prova Cycles won a builder’s choice award. And for good reasons.
Most titanium bike welders show off their skills with “stacks of dimes” at each frame tube juncture. Prova leverages 3D titanium-printed lugs, joining the lugs to tubes with no visible signs of the welds within. These steps produced a monolithic-looking front triangle, and the stunning purple fade added to the already palpable mystique. It was truly stunning to see and feel in real life.
The rear triangle is CNC’d aluminum and employs Ministry Cycle’s 3VO design to produce the first rideable prototype. Prova can thus continue to develop the front end. The brand plans to develop its own rear triangle and suspension system in the future.
This bike was among the most gawked-at mountain bikes at the 2024 MADE Bike Show. It represents years of development. Prova seems determined to wow the final customers as much as the prototype impressed show attendees. Check out Prova Cycles’ story and wares on its site.
Rare Earth Cycles Rascal Saint Hardtail Mountain Bike
This fillet-braided steel hardtail mountain bike was one that I had to look at for a long time to see all the craftsmanship and artistry. The 140mm front travel bike hails from Rare Earth Cycle, which has an interesting backstory.
Brian Hall has roots in footwear design, ranging from ice climbing boots to hiking shoes. But an artist’s heart beckoned, and Hall produces one-off two-wheeled creations at the rate of about 20 bikes per year.
This Rascal Saint beauty’s color scheme matches the brand’s monicker with the earthtone powder coat and flame patina copper head tube badge, downtube protector, and chainstay guard. The frame has integrated cabling, and a 5Dev crank powder coated to match hangs in the bottom bracket. A set of Forge and Bond recyclable rims are laced with Berd composite spokes to Onyx Racing hubs (the rear hub employs a sprag clutch).
The rear derailleur was also an attention grabber for industry insiders. It’s a prototype billet aluminum rear derailleur from a brand called Vivo Cycling. It looked super durable and easy to service. I wanted to ride this bike hard but also proudly displayed in a glass case in my living room.
Learn more about Hall and his craft at the Rare Earth Cycle website.
Tomii Cycles Bicycle Jewelry
I featured Tomii Cycles in a prior post about the 2024 MADE Bike Show, but the post didn’t do the artistry justice. The bicycle from the show (which won a builder’s choice award) featured in that post is breathtaking as a whole. However, due to space constraints, I didn’t show the “bicycle jewelry” that Tomii has become known for.
Nao Tomii’s sculpture-trained hands touched every detail of his show bike, and I could have spent the entire day viewing the small, beautiful bits. From head badges to stem caps, headset spacers, grips, and bells, Tomii astounds from his garage in Austin, Texas.
You can see more at the Tomii Cycles website. I’ll stop typing now and let you soak in the artistry.
