The Oregon Manifest is an annual competition that brings together some of America’s top framebuilders in a quest to design and build the ultimate utility bike. The Manifest believes that the Revolution won’t come on the saddle of a race bike or specialty bike, but in the rack or panniers of a utility bike. This is Sizemore Bicycle’s entry, a robust machine that reveals much about Taylor’s refined sense of design.
Clad in a finish I saw on many of the bikes in Amsterdam when I was there, Taylor is anticipating the effect the elements will have on a true utility bike. A custom fillet-brazed stem clasps the front rack, the deck of which is crafted from salvaged bamboo. When you’re done stacking the rack with groceries or a slab of beer, the front stand neatly folds out of the way. The fork-mounted lamp is powered by a Shimano dynamo hub that’s been laced to the classically-profiled H+Son TB14 rims. In accordance with the weathered aesthetic, Taylor hand-painted his own branding on the down tube. A Kensington cable lock has been integrated into the frame, which will provide sufficient security for ducking into the grocer or bottle-o.
It’s a fitting addition to Taylor’s portfolio, you can see more on the Sizemore website and Flickr.