Porter Bicycles – Made in New Mexico, USA

The title is misleading. I just saw a post on the frame builders forum asking the members what they were taking to this years Philly Expo, well I’m not going simply because it’s a long way from here. I did however just finish another Spirit tubed racer for an old friend whose Eisentraut was totaled by an automobile. It was at least 30 years old and overdue for replacement anyway. So here’s a couple shots before it gets delivered to Colorado next week.

click on pics to enlarge.double click for huge. arrow back to text.

Santa Fe Style racer 52x51.5cm

BB shot-SRAM newRed group-nice stuff!

Turquoise on turquoise Imron

Already have the tires dirty..couldn't resist a 1st ride

So was my old friend happy? Yeah, I’d say he was..

Rick after his 1st 20 miler.

We did 19.8 miles at a 16.9 average into and back with a 10-15 mph quartering wind and no drafting except when passing other riders on the busy Bosque trail, all while BS’ing about the new bike and components and what not. I reckon Rick is over 50 and I’m over 60 so all in all not a bad shake down ride. We never even had to stop for adjustments.

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Rogues Galley: Keith, Dave and Chauncey

and again

...and again

Well, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say a few words and show a few pictures of this falls concorso.

This year the bicycles became an official part of the show and were judged by a team of judges, one of which knew a thing or two about bicycles and the others relied on what their parents taught them as kids, I suppose.

I was joined this year by Keith Anderson (OR) and Chauncey Matthews (NM) as current frame builders/painters. The other bikes in the concorso were privately owned collector bikes. They being mostly from the ’80s if I had to make a guess, though there was a very early Swiss Army bike in the mix.

I had fully expected Keith to take the top honors and the very, very cool trophy. I thought this because he had an exquisitely hand made kids bike with modern touches that connected bicycle history with modern technology. Well, I was wrong.

Second place, I thought could go to Keith or Chauncey or me. I was wrong again. Hmmmm.

OK then, third would go to Keith and it did. However, this time it wasn’t because it had new technology, but rather that it was a racing bike from the 80’s with a provenance on the track.

So who was the winner? Well, it was a1990s bike, a Sterling or more apt perhaps, a Bilenky. It was made from a stupidly ultra light Columbus KL tube set and some time was spent filing the lugs into graceful curlycues. It has probably never been ridden for fear of collapsing in on itself.

Second place was a late 90’s Ricard Sachs Campy equipped road bike.  It was an unusual green paint scheme and supposedly never ridden.  Good grief! Put it in a time capsule then..

Chauncey had 2 of his Ride the Divide 29er’s nicely decked out. I think if he had all the bags and bottles and racks and radios for the event on the bike he may have fared better.

I ended up with a Directors Award ribbon for one of my Santa Fe Style Spirit road bikes, as did Keith for his GT40 kids bike. We decided the ribbons were like Miss Congeniality prizes or consolation for just being there.

But the good news is that I took an order for a frame, Keith got an order for a Pinnarello  re-spray and Chauncey, he was just happy to be there and like the rest of us had a really nice day and a bit of a sun burn.

Here’s a shot of the 1st place award for the bicycles. I would really like to win one. It is the stylized bird of prey on the pedestal at the head of the table.. click on the photo to enlarge.

The Awards. Stunning!

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