Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

MAP Bicycles disc-Ville

 MAP Bicycles Discville

It’s usually around this time of the year that I quietly regret not being a resident of the United States, because it would make it that little easier to attend the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. This year it is being held at the Sacramento Convention Center from the 2nd to the 4th of March. One exhibitor’s booth I’d especially look forward to visiting is Portland’s Mitch Pryor of MAP Bicycles.

Mitch has established a reputation for manufacturing exceptional randonneur, porteur and ‘constructeur’ style frames — in fact, he won the 2009 NAHBS Best City Bicycle Award for one of his elaborate and graceful frames. This is his latest, the disc-Ville, which I’m hoping he will leave in its raw state as it really shows off Mitch’s skill with the torch. It’s a nostalgic interpretation of an old world frame, updated with modern components such as a Supernova E3 dynamo headlight, integrated rear LED lamp, XTR rear derailleur and Avid mechanical disc brakes. The star of the show, however, are Mitch’s fenders, wrapping the wheel far further than the norm and visually referencing a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic.

Be sure to see the rest of Mitch Pryor’s work at this year’s NAHBS, and check out more detail photos of his disc-Ville on the MAP Bicycles flickr stream.

 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville
 MAP Bicycles Discville