2012 has been a huge year for cycling — especially within the handmade bike scene, which seems to get bigger each month. It’s been a massive year for Aussie builders, which culminated in the Australian Custom Bicycle Show, held in Melbourne at the beginning of December. Last week I posted Part 1 of my coverage of the show, here’s the second and final, Part 2:

One of the most interesting stands at the Show was held by Gravitybike HQ and featured one of the biggest chunks of aluminum ever seen at a custom bike show. Two wheels and a composite fairing were attached, and looked fast even standing still. I’ll resist the temptation to make any jokes about gravity biking gaining momentum.

When it comes to custom racing bicycles, the Bundy family is an Australian institution that has been involved in the industry since 1940 and Jim is still building frames in his eighties. Peter Bundy had his pursuit bike on display, alongside a fire engine-red Columbus MAX road bike and one of his Australian Champion jerseys (see title shot).

Damo from the Cog Bike Cafe is a single speed legend. So is his ‘Mynd Ride’, a 39er ultra-tourer that rocks a 36” front wheel and a 29” rear. The Cog Bike stand was easily the most visually arresting, with Lemmy from Motörhead serenading ‘Purple Rain’, a fillet-brazed, disc-braked, belt-driven cyclocrosser that competed in the CX nationals, in both open and singlespeed categories. Purple Rain was accompanied by the Jimi bike, ‘If 6 were 9′, various coffee-making paraphernalia, a vintage record player and some off-road penny farthings.

It’s always a pleasure to admire the highly-detailed leather work of Mick Peel, known around the world as Busyman Bicycles. His stand provided a glimpse into his work environment, the tools of his trade and the chance to see some of his re-upholstery up close. It was also encouraging to see examples of his work on some of the beautiful bikes at the Show, like ‘Purple Rain’, the Baum bikes and the Kumo Cycles-built road bike for Gus.

Ewen Gellie combines the experience of multiple National downhill mountain bike and trials wins to his frame building business, Gellie Custom. Interestingly, there were more road frames than MTBs on display, including an S&S-coupled model. The paint on the red-to-red-fade road frame was nothing short of delicious.

The third and final room at the Show was inhabited by Baum Cycles and Llewellyn, with numerous bikes from each builder. The Rapha bike built by Baum was easily the most photographed, with good reason. It was Baum’s most exciting paint scheme to date, a celebration of all things Rapha. Darren also displayed his personal 650b Exserta MTB, the Busyman-upholstered track bike and a gold-trimmed roadie.

It’s fitting that we should finish with Darrell Llewellyn McCulloch, who introduced the weekend at Friday’s Meet the Maker evening. Darrell’s traditional, elegant, hand-carved style contrasted perfectly with the smooth, ultra-modern style of Baum Cycles — proving that Australia has a genuine diversity of cultures, extending even into the world of the custom bicycle.

Once again, I’d like to thank FYXO for the massive effort required to get the Australian Custom Bicycle Show off the ground. Thank you also to the builders for being part of it. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Show!

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

The inaugural Australian Custom Bicycle Show was held last weekend in Melbourne, and those of us fortunate enough to make it along experienced something very exciting. It was the realization that appreciation for quality bikes is stronger than it has ever been before, internationally and locally.

The event, presented by Andrew ‘FYXO‘ White, brought together some of the finest craftspeople the country has to offer, names that are familiar to older generations, as well as a new, younger breed. It was a momentous occasion and I’m honored to have had the chance to mingle with them.

Darrell Llewellyn McCulloch and Darren Baum are two highly respected and renowned builders, both here and overseas, with two very different styles. So it was a great opportunity to listen to them discuss their craft in the same room at the ‘Meet the ‘Maker’ evening on Friday.

Darrell presented a green and gold randonneur, among others, with some special details: a timepiece set into the fork steerer and a curvy pair of racks. The apparatus behind the rando is the source of the curvy racks, a pipe bender specially made by master engineer, Jesse Geisler of The Bike Bar:

Jesse sold me my first ‘serious’ mountain bike, an Iron Horse MT400, when he was still based in Sydney. His reputation for engineering excellence is well known, and he’s made himself quite at home in Melbourne, so it was good to see what he’s been up to since the move.

Darren Baum was accompanied by a few of his ultra-modern machines, including what was, for me, one of the most interesting seen over the whole weekend: a custom titanium BMX. The Nickelback fan holding it is the proud owner. It was his birthday on Friday, so he was understandably proud.

Saturday brought a magic Melbourne morning. We arrived at the ACBS about 20 minutes before the crowds poured in, but by lunchtime it was standing room only. We knew we were in for a treat as soon as we walked in, greeted by the legend himself, Mr. Ken Evans.

Tarn Mott of Primate Frames brought a selection of projects to the show. If you need a bombproof frame, Tarn is your go-to guy. That’s a steel downhill frame tucked in behind an innovative folding bike, in front of a completely hand-built coffee roaster and left of the burliest scooter ever made. If you’d like to see what the inside of Tarn’s workshop looks like, head to Prolly Is Not Probably for the photos John took when we rode down there:

Peter Teschner has been building world-class frames since 1990, his ‘less-is-more’ approach also ensured steel and titanium weren’t the only materials represented.

Luke Laffan and Fikas Bikes came all the way from Queanbeyan to be part of the show, displaying a magnificent cyclocross bike, which also happened to be one of the only ‘cross bikes at the show — a statistic that will increase greatly, I believe, for next years show.

After frequently profiling the work of Kumo Cycles on Cycle EXIF, it was a real pleasure to finally meet Keith Marshall. He had the Winter Bike with him, featured in the 2013 Cycle EXIF Calendar, as well as a futuristic, metal-flake road bike. It’s always a surprise to see what Keith comes up with next.

Not only frame builders were exhibited. Joe Cosgrove of Cycle Design is a master painter and detailer, applying the color to every Llewellyn frame. As Darrell himself said, “The paint is one of the most important components of a custom frame.” Joe does build frames as well, under the Frezoni name.

The kangaroo may be one of Australia’s national emblems, chosen to appear on our coat of arms because they can’t move backwards. Their hides also make excellent toe straps, as demonstrated by Patebury. I’m currently running a pair of their straps and am looking forward to posting a full review of them soon, so it was a pleasure to meet Joram, Cameron and their well-designed display.

That’s the first half of the show. Stay tuned for the second report, and thanks again to FYXO for putting it on, and for Pony Bikes for putting me up. #ACBS

PS: Ordered your 2013 Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar yet?

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the cyclist in your life, especially if that’s you, it’s the 2013 Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar. With 13 of the worlds most beautiful custom bikes, one for each month of 2013 and January 2014, you can enjoy the best of Cycle EXIF all year round.

The Calendar is saddle-stitched, printed onto 80# FSC-certified paper stock, and measures 16.5” x 10.75” (41.9 x 27.3 cm) when opened. If you live in the US or Canada you’ll have four shipping options to choose from, and most overseas orders will be dispatched via USPS Priority Mail International.

Click here to preview and purchase.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

The 2013 Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar is now live and available for purchase and/or download. Printed via our friends at MagCloud, it features 13 of this year’s hottest bikes from builders such as Jordan Hufnagel, Australia’s Kumo Cycles, Tom Donhou, Signal Cycles and MAP Bicycles.

There’s also a few classic and ultra-modern bikes in there as well, just to mix it up. All of the images were taken by professional and passionate photographers, including Giovanni Pirajno, Tina Buescher, Kayti Peschke and Jesse Carmody.

The Calendar is saddle-stitched, printed onto 80# FSC-certified paper stock, and measures 16.5” x 10.75” (41.9 x 27.3 cm) when opened. If you live in the US or Canada you’ll have four shipping options to choose from, and most overseas orders will be dispatched via USPS Priority Mail International.

The layout is understated and easy to read with elegant typography. Check the page-by-page preview here and if you like what you see, get your order in. You’ll be able to enjoy the best of Cycle EXIF in 2013 even when you’re not at your computer. Presented in association with Treadlie Magazine.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

Gravity bike racing keeps gaining momentum, even after 30 years in existence. There’s an increasing number of ‘official’ events being held on hillsides all over the world, with a growing number of privateers who are developing gravity bikes in sheds, workshops and garages. The Tange tubing company is working with a number of partners to release a propriety frame: the Yasujiro Speed Bike.

Jean Christophe Charrier, under the pseudonym Jaycee, worked with Yasujiro, the frame-building department of Tange on the innovative layout, inspired by the 50cc ultra-lightweight class of Grand Prix motorcycle racers of the 60s, 70s and 80s. To further emulate those pocket rockets, 24″ wheels were used, as opposed to the ‘standard’ 20″ wheels.

Jaycee sketched the initial design, which was further refined by the engineering skills of Antidote Solutions. Other partners provided services also: Facs Moto molded the fiberglass seat pan, Bos MTB made the double crown fork, the brakes were supplied by Shimano, the wheels by Asterion — which roll on Schwalbe‘s Big Apple tires.

The Speedbike is built for one thing only: going downhill fast. That may seem limited, but when you’re clocking 130km/h down the side of an alp, it might be all that matters. Serge Nuques was the first pilot of the Speedbike, a French enduro racer, rally driver and French Moto champion. Head to the Yasujiro website for more information and an exhilarating video of Serge and the Speedbike in action.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

I, for one, am really excited about 2012. There’s never been a greater interest in cycling, and apart from the environmental, health and economic benefits, we’ve seen some truly beautiful bicycles. This year’s most popular bikes on Cycle EXIF include some surprises, so without further ado, here’s the bikes that captured our hearts in 2011:

1. MLS Gravity Bike (above). Jeff Tiedeken’s Gravity Bike continues to build incredible momentum, online and on the mountain. Every day it appears at the top of the Cycle EXIF stat sheet for the most clicked page, and even Facebook has lost track of how many have Liked it.

2. World’s Lightest Bike. As the name suggests, every Google search eventually leads to Portland’s Het Fairwheel Podium and the latest iteration of Günter Mai’s carbon fiber weight-weenie. For those that obsess over those details, it weighs 2.7kg.

3. Bishop Bikes NAHBS Track. Photographer John Fabrizio perfectly photographed Chris Bishop’s NAHBS award-winning track machine, and the plethora of details that enamored the judges and the readers of Cycle EXIF.

4. Almond X Linus Summer Bike. The collaboration between California’s Linus and Almond Surfboards seemed to capture the joy of the Endless Summer, combining beautiful photography by Cam Oden with elegant functionality.

5. Kinfolk Autumn. John Buellen’s personal build by Kusaka-san has been featured twice on Cycle EXIF, this photo session by Will Goodan celebrates the patina developed over a year of loving riding.

6. Icarus Frames Show Bike. Ian Sutton’s entry for the 2010 Philly Bike Expo summarizes the elegant lines for which he is famous. Fellow Boston local Millica Wren’s photos ensured it became the cover girl and Miss January for the 2012 Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar.

7. Pereira Cycles Groves Tourer. Tony Pereira certainly knows how to construct robust and refined bicycles, capable of many years of long distance touring. This camel-colored tourer will age nicely, and be able to tell many stories, if it could talk, of life on the road.

8. Chiossi Cycles Maino. Cycle EXIF enjoys profiling bikes from cycling’s past as much as the new creations by custom builders, and Modena’s Paolo Chiossi is a master of restoring these former beauties. Quality will always endure.

9. FeO2. There were a multitude of ‘curated’ bikes this year, but FeO2, with a forced rusted effect and leather details, blew the counters apart. Not a bad piece of marketing for Germany’s Partisan Vodka, organizers of the competition that FeO2 won.

10. Fast Boy Cycles Randonneur. A Fast Boy was featured the first week Cycle EXIF went live, and I wait impatiently for each new build by Ezra Caldwell. Each bike of his is a true work of art, by a true artist of life.

Since Cycle EXIF went live on the 25th of August 2010, we’ve had almost 2,500,000 unique hits. Not bad for just over one year of beautiful bicycles. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved with Cycle EXIF over this year: our advertisers, the builders, riders, designers, photographers and especially our readers and subscribers. I’m really excited about next year and can’t wait to see where we’ll be in December 2012. See you then, enjoy the ride!

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

The Cycle EXIF Bicycle Calendar 2012 is now live and available for purchase. It features 13 of the most beautiful and popular bikes from 2011. We’ve included January 2013, so you can plan ahead over your New Year. Hopefully you’ll recognize most of the bikes and builders. We’ve got Icarus Frames, Feather Cycles, Fast Boy Cycles, Bishop Bikes, Pereira Cycles, Stanridge Speed and more.

All the images were taken by professional and exceptional photographers including Milica Wren, Devon Hutchins, Kayti Peschke, Damian Riehl, John Fabrizio, Andy ‘Fyxomatosis’ White, John ‘Prolly’ Watson, Trackosaurus Rex and others.

Printed by Hewlett-Packard’s MagCloud operation, the finished item is saddle-stitched, printed onto 80# FSC-certified paper stock, and measures 16.5” x 10.75” (41.9 x 27.3 cm) when opened. If you live in the US or Canada you’ll have four shipping options to choose from, and most overseas orders will be dispatched via USPS Priority Mail International.

The layout is understated and easy to read with elegant typography. Check the page-by-page preview here and if you like what you see, get your order in. Then you’ll be able to enjoy the best of Cycle EXIF even when you’re not at your computer. Brought to you by the awesome Treadlie Magazine.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

Some of the most exciting custom bikes have come together quite by accident – a result of a windfall in the form of a frame or the chance acquisition of a rare component. Vancouver Island’s Daryl Griffith cobbled his cruiser together with parts from a variety of genres, producing a real harlequin of a bike.

It’s not without it’s graces, however, the mustache bars and vintage Brooks saddle lend a sophisticated air. “The bike is what I would call a parts bin special”, Daryl tells us. “I was helping a buddy clean out his basement and he had this cool frame and fork he was getting rid of. He’s an old bike mechanic from the 80s and has all this cool stuff laying around. Along with the frame came a set of Ritchey Vantage wheels, a Shimano 600 headset and a set of alloy cranks. So the build began. I had the Suntour Mountech derailleurs kicking around from the 1980s, that I bought new but never used. The stem was pink when I got it, so I stripped and clear coated it. The Brooks saddle and Suntour bar end shifters were eBay finds”.

“The bike was finished off with a set of Maxxis Hookworm tires and mustache bars, wrapped with red and white maple leaf ice hockey tape that we put on our hockey sticks. The bike has been used to ride to the coffee shop and back a few times and is a blast to ride”. I don’t doubt it. Are there any bike mechanics from the 80s out there that have some cool stuff laying around?

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

If you haven’t found a calendar for 2012 and you have a thing for beautiful bikes and beautiful photography, the Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar is for you.

It features 13 of the most beautiful and popular bikes from 2011. We’ve included January 2013, so you can plan ahead over your New Year. Hopefully you’ll recognize most of the bikes and builders. We’ve got Icarus Frames, Feather Cycles, Fast Boy Cycles, Bishop Bikes, Pereira Cycles, Stanridge Speed and more.

Printed by Hewlett-Packard’s MagCloud operation, the finished item is saddle-stitched, printed onto 80# FSC-certified paper stock, and measures 16.5” x 10.75” (41.9 x 27.3 cm) when opened. If you live in the US or Canada you’ll have four shipping options to choose from, and most overseas orders will be dispatched via USPS Priority Mail International.

The layout is understated and easy to read with elegant typography. Check the page-by-page preview here and if you like what you see, get your order in. Then you’ll be able to enjoy the best of Cycle EXIF even when you’re not at your computer. Brought to you by the awesome Treadlie Magazine.

PS: The Guardian just added the Calendar to it’s Best Christmas Gifts for Cyclists list, and Urban Velo rates it extremely high too… Read what they have to to say about it here.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

The Cycle EXIF Bicycle Calendar 2012 is now live and available for purchase. It features 13 of the most beautiful and popular bikes from 2011. We’ve included January 2013, so you can plan ahead over your New Year. Hopefully you’ll recognize most of the bikes and builders. We’ve got Icarus Frames, Feather Cycles, Fast Boy Cycles, Bishop Bikes, Pereira Cycles, Stanridge Speed and more.

All the images were taken by professional and exceptional photographers including Milica Wren, Devon Hutchins, Kayti Peschke, Damian Riehl, John Fabrizio, Andy ‘Fyxomatosis’ White, John ‘Prolly’ Watson, Trackosaurus Rex and others.

Printed by Hewlett-Packard’s MagCloud operation, the finished item is saddle-stitched, printed onto 80# FSC-certified paper stock, and measures 16.5” x 10.75” (41.9 x 27.3 cm) when opened. If you live in the US or Canada you’ll have four shipping options to choose from, and most overseas orders will be dispatched via USPS Priority Mail International.

The layout is understated and easy to read with elegant typography. Check the page-by-page preview here and if you like what you see, get your order in. Then you’ll be able to enjoy the best of Cycle EXIF even when you’re not at your computer. Brought to you by the awesome Treadlie Magazine.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

Each mention of bike polo seems to be a new round of a national championship or the victory of a team in an overseas competition. The popularity of the sport seems to increase every year and now bike builders are responding by building polo-specific frames. London’s 14 Bike Co. have contributed what must be one of the most functional and attractive frames available to the serious polo player.

The glitter-flecked, two-tone paint scheme adds a retro flavor to the frame, version three of the ‘super premium elite sicko model’, according to the 14 Bike Co. blog, and once you get past the paint, there’s a plethora of features to sate the eye. The frame has been reinforced over the left rear dropout, improving rigidity, while the curved seat tube allows the rider to sit further back over the wheel, essential for the quick maneuvers required in polo. A forward-facing brake keeps the caliper protected from wayward mallets (although a center-pull cantilever may reduce the amount of cable that’s left exposed). Paragon sliding dropouts provide rapid and steadfast adjustability to the chain, and S&S couplers enable the bike to be transported by plane and fit inside luggage size regulations. Very handy for the traveling poloist.

The branding in Helvetica Bold is perhaps 14 Bike Co’s attempt at prototype model stealth ambiguity, but it adds a utilitarian aesthetic to the grit and grime aspect of the sport. I trust Ted James is proud of the shop’s contribution to the sport, it’s an instantly recognizable frame with a dash of London flair. Special thanks to Brendan for the photos, see more on his flickr.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

While cruisers have failed to generate the phenomenal hype that fixed gear bicycles have, there exists a similar level of passion and intensity for them that manifests vehicles on par with the Keirin frame builders of Japan and the handmade craftsmen of Portland. Blake Adams is a Southern California ‘custom guy with a bicycle fetish’ that, through his Road Kandy crew, continues to produce award winning bikes surpassed in style only by the hot rod aesthetic they’re inspired by.

The latest Road Kandy creation began as a seat tube-less 1938 Elgin twinbar frame, modified and extended to accommodate a working rear suspension, a chopped Monarch fork donated the springs. The original Elgin frames didn’t feature a horn tank, one was created from scratch, which is built from OEM 1957 Chevy aluminium side plating. The taillight is from a 1938 Packard, ‘heavily massaged’ and molded into the rear Elgin fender, while the headlight is a NOS Elgin mounted on a custom bracket and running off internal wiring. The hubs are rare New Departure hubs from the 1920s, rebuilt and rechromed—New Departure was a leading manufacturer of coaster brakes for many years during the early part of this century. The paint is pearl white with lilac candy fades, each gradient considered as a part of a whole. The plush saddle has been upholstered with pearl white naugahyde, recommissioned from an unsuspecting luxury yacht. The grips, pedals, axle nuts and valve caps have been turned from a pearl white tenpin bowling ball, while the chainring and sprocket are original Elgin items.

Keep an eye on Road Kandy, they’ll be releasing a range of parts in the not-too-distant future. They also have more project bikes in the pipeline, including a nitro powered whizzer drag bike, an 80mph downhill gravity bike and a whole slew of bikes sold as a limited number series, paying homage to famous racing genres.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

Jeff Tiedeken, Aerospace Welder and Party Animal, has taken gravity bike design to a whole ‘nother level with his latest creation. As a side project he fabricated this downhill demon that’s so close to an engine-less motorcycle it’s sure to turn up a few puritanical noses. I’m amazed he had the time, in between building penny-farthings, trials and cargo bikes and working on projects with Exile Motorcycles, Disney Imagineering and Performance Machine.

Jeff was slated to exhibit his craft at this year’s NAHBS but was eventually refused entry, which was actually a blessing, as he was able to devote the extra time to perfecting the creations that were due to be shown. His gravity bike features elegant curves constructed from 4130 steel that belie a great structural integrity, as do the single-sided fork and rear end. In fact, the close-up shots reveal burly engineering and masterful welds, which happens to be a trademark of Jeff’s. That’s a 26” Crossmax Lefty wheelset, with deceleration provided by a pair of Avid Elixr hydraulic disc brakes. A pair of swap meet cranks are both set backwards and provide motorcycle-style footpeg struts.

Kyle from Trackosaurus Rex, one of my favorite reads, had the opportunity to take it for a spin with Jeff, and informs us he reached speeds around 50mph — but the potential is there to achieve speeds of up to 70mph. We can also thank Kyle for the fantastic shots; check out more shots of the bike in action on his flickr. There’s also video footage on Jeff’s blog, Monkey Likes Shiny.

For a bike without a drivetrain, the Gravity Bike is one of Cycle EXIF’s most popular. Keep up to date with the world’s most beautiful bikes via our email update, Facebook page, Twitter and Pinterest.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

1. Rob’s Woodwork Alien (above). Our most popular bike turned out to be a stock standard Alien frame, but with an incredible paint scheme. Rob Pollack’s graining technique piqued the interest of our readers and continues to be our daily highest hitter. A true commendation to Rob’s artistic skill.

2. Spyker Aeroblade (above). Bespoke Dutch super car builder Spyker teamed up with Koga-Miyata to create this two-wheeled homage to their Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R and you’d be hard pressed to find the same amount of technical detail on a World Cup downhill bike.

3. Townsend Grass Track (above). Even Gregory Townsend is amazed how his Grass Track seems to have a life of its own, and the number of bike pron forum threads it features on will ensure it is remembered for quite some time. Fair enough, it seems to summarize everything we love about bikes. Classicism, simplicity and style.

4. Montante Maserati 8CTF (above). Another collaboration between a coach-builder and a bicycle marque which has been executed with integrity and aplomb. Everyone loved this bike, even the Cool Hunter, and straight forks with a disc brake provided plenty of opportunity for discussion.

5. Trek Broadsider (above). Built as a special project by Trek’s in house design team, Broadsider was featured in our first week and the number of times it was reblogged helped to boost the initial awareness of Cycle EXIF. An amazing crossover between motorcycle and bicycle speedway.

6. Cannondale Track (above). This ‘Dale is quite a superstar. Each time NY based photographer Angelo Calilap posts a new photo of it on his flickr, it whirls around the world causing all sorts of excitement. Some adore it; others loathe the use of risers on such a classic track frame. The photography makes it look spectacular either way.

7. Sizemore NY Commuter (above). Sizemore put the cat amongst the pigeons with this commuter, destined for the streets of New York. Created for the editor of a high-profile fashion blog, it combines the tight track geometry of a Samson with the rugged functionality required for its new locale.

8. Ateliers d’Embellie Porteur (above). Designer, artisan and craftsman Nico excited aficionados of fine leather work and raised the ire of vegetarians worldwide with his porteur. Whatever your inclination, it’s a work of art, and continues to attract plenty of attention wherever it goes.

9. Vengeance Is Coming (above). Artist Stevie Gee, paint maestro Death Spray Custom and London bike shop Tour de Ville joined forces as a contribution to Stevie’s exhibition. Viewed in context of the rest of the show, the bikes take on a whole ‘nother dimension; a real testament to everyone involved.

10. Krutor Hrotor (above). And now for something completely different, the discontinued behemoth of the Czech Republic’s Krutor’s range blew everyone away with its own extremity. Completely custom from the cranks up, it keeps the dirt fans coming back and asking for more downhill demons.

Since Cycle EXIF went live on the 25th of August 2010, we’ve had over 355,000 unique hits. Not bad for our first 4 months. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved with Cycle EXIF over its first year: our advertisers, the builders, riders, designers, photographers and especially our readers and subscribers. I’m really excited about next year and can’t wait to see where we’ll be in December 2011. See you then, enjoy the ride!

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.

Belt drive bikes fascinate me. The technology has been around long enough to have proven itself, I guess it was only a matter of time before it was adapted to bicycles. The only real hurdle seems to be feeding an unbreakable loop through a frame. The system requires an S&S coupler in the drive-side triangle to non-destructively separate it. Baron Bikes in Seattle has managed to solve the conundrum, and in doing so, produced a virtually perfect traveling bike.

Gone are the days of mucky, greasy drive trains. Instead, there’s a tidy Gates carbon drive train, a leader in this burgeoning field. Integrating a Rohloff rear hub, the fear of a derailleur disappearing into the rear spokes is eliminated. Chain tension is corrected by an eccentric bottom bracket, negating the need for readjustment when the wheel is removed. Baron Bikes can tailor their frames and components to your needs, and while this particular assembly was built according to a customer’s specifications with additional frame-based S&S couplers, I’m inclined to think this could be the bike I could travel the world with. By itself, the bike weighs in at 25.5lbs with fenders. Packed in an S&S case, the whole bike comes in at under 45lbs, which is in the green for most airlines weight restrictions.

All I have to do now is order a Baron in British Racing Green to complement my waxed cotton Billy Kirk bike case and Brooks Devon panniers.

You can view the Rohloff-equipped Baron in more detail on their website, as well as their cyclocross and audax models. Mucho gracias to Kevin P. Casey for the photography.

Cycle EXIF supplies a daily dose of commuter bicycles, custom bicycles and classic bicycles.