[leadin]Pen in hand, a blank paper form on a clipboard, I am browsing among frames and bike parts. It’s a Monday afternoon at Handsome Cycle Co., a bike shop in the urban core of Minneapolis that’s unlike any I’ve ever seen.[/leadin]
Downtown traffic whizzes by just outside the front door. High ceilings, brick, wood tables, and bike frames hung on the wall like art… Handsome lives up to its name in the retail experience alone.
Shop co-owner Ben Morrison points out skid marks on the hardwood floors from the store’s opening party just three weeks ago. “Things got a little wild,” he said. Morrison and his business partner, Jesse Erickson, are leading me around the space to show the process customers go through to build a custom Handsome bike.
Handsome sells five steel frames that start as the building block for each bike. Customers then walk through the store picking out handlebars, drivetrain, wheels, saddle, pedals, and any additional accessories to fit their style and need.
Builds cost between $950 and $2,000, depending on the parts you choose. It takes about one week for a custom build, and the owners encourage you to be a part of the process. “Come down to the shop, have a drink with us and chat while watching the bike come together,” Morrison said.
