Discover the Made Bike Show 2025 in Portland
In a world where efficiency often overshadows artistry and standardization dominates design decisions, there exists a parallel universe where craftspeople still believe that bicycles should be built by people who know the difference between functional and merely adequate. At Radnut, we’ve built our editorial mission around celebrating exactly these kinds of small boutique brands that refuse to compromise craftsmanship for convenience. Which is why the MADE Handmade Bike Show represents something approaching editorial nirvana for us.
Last weekend, that universe of makers temporarily occupied a repurposed shipbuilding warehouse at Zidell Yards in Portland, Oregon, where the third annual MADE Handmade Bike Show transformed an industrial space into something resembling both art gallery and technical conference. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone paying attention: here, amid the skeletal remains of Portland’s shipbuilding heritage, more than 200 builders and brands gathered to celebrate something that conventional wisdom suggests should have been optimized out of existence. The handmade bicycle, that stubborn anachronism, refuses to disappear despite decades of predictions about its obsolescence.
The Genesis of Something Necessary
MADE emerged from the vision of Billy Sinkford, who understood that North America needed a gathering place for artisans who still believe bicycles should be built one at a time. As Director of the show, Sinkford brought industry experience and an understanding of what makes authentic brands resonate with riders who care about craftsmanship.
The show’s mission is straightforward: elevate and inspire the craft of bicycle building while connecting makers with riders who value quality over price. Now in its third year with an expanded floor plan, MADE has grown into the largest handmade bicycle show in North America.
Portland, with its long history of framebuilding legends and its general suspicion of anything that looks too much like progress for progress’s sake, provided the perfect petri dish for such an experiment. The city that embraces both innovation and tradition understands that some things improve with age and attention rather than automation and quarterly earnings reports.
The Cathedral of Craftsmanship
The MADE show floor resembled a museum where every exhibit was still alive, still ready to roll out the door and onto the trails. The bikes themselves told stories that mass production rarely bothers to tell. Frames in titanium, steel, carbon, and aluminum each carried the signature of their makers, revealing approaches to problem-solving that spreadsheets cannot quantify.
The craftsmanship on display transcended mere bicycle building and entered territory that other industries might recognize as artistry. Rare Earth Cycle Craft stunned with bikes featuring patinated finishes and embedded turquoise inlays, melding both art and engineering. These weren’t bicycles trying to look like jewelry; these were functional sculptures that happened to have wheels.
The diversity of materials and methods represented different philosophies about what bicycles should be and do. Some builders worked in traditional steel tubing, celebrating the material’s forgiveness and repairability. Others pushed the boundaries of titanium fabrication, creating frames that would outlast their owners. Carbon fiber appeared not as the default choice of mass production, but as a carefully selected tool for specific applications where its properties made the most sense.
The Rebellion Against Convention
What separated MADE from the sterile expanses of typical trade shows was its celebration of the outliers, the experimenters, the builders who ask “why not?” when everyone else has settled on “good enough.” A standout thread throughout the show was the emergence of 32-inch wheel mountain and gravel bikes, which generated particular buzz. These massive wheels were featured on multiple prototypes shown by builders such as BTCHN’ Bikes, Falconer Cycles, and Neuhaus Metalworks.
BTCHN’ Bikes displayed a hardtail gravel model with a 3D-printed chainstay yoke and dropouts bonded to titanium legs, while Neuhaus Metalworks unveiled a rigid-fork version of their “Hummingbird” in 32-inch form, available for pre-order at around $2,900. These builders weren’t chasing market share; they were chasing possibilities that the market hadn’t yet figured out how to want.
The experimental spirit extended beyond wheel sizes and into the realm of materials science and manufacturing techniques. Builders showcased everything from CNC-milled full-suspension designs to hand-carved wooden components, each representing a different answer to the question of what becomes possible when cost optimization takes a back seat to pure functionality.
The Community of Believers
The human element at MADE provided the show’s most compelling narrative. BikePortland’s Jonathan Maus captured the energy in a widely viewed photo gallery, remarking on the “excellent vibes” amid the creative chaos and noted the impressive craftsmanship and community atmosphere housed within the aged shipbuilding warehouse. This wasn’t an industry trade show where vendors pitched features and buyers calculated margins. This was a gathering of people who had chosen the harder path because they believed the destination was worth the extra effort.
His coverage also included a podcast featuring 16 short interviews with builders, makers, and notable figures like MTB icon Gary Fisher, bikepacker Natalie Peet, Mark DiNucci, Brad Davis, and others. These conversations revealed a common thread: the understanding that different approaches to building optimize for different outcomes. Some prioritize efficiency, others prioritize excellence.
The builders themselves represented a spectrum of approaches to the craft. Some worked within traditional parameters, perfecting techniques that had been proven over decades. Others pushed boundaries with materials and methods that would have been unimaginable when framebuilding was still considered a necessary industrial skill rather than an artistic pursuit.
The Economics of Intention
MADE operates in a market segment that conventional business wisdom would dismiss as commercially unviable. The show’s pricing reflects an understanding that its audience isn’t looking for entertainment; they’re looking for education, inspiration, and connection with craftspeople who share their values.
The bikes themselves exist in price ranges that would surprise most consumers. But MADE’s audience understands that when you’re comparing handmade frames to mass-produced alternatives, you’re comparing philosophies and approaches to problem-solving that extend far beyond the initial transaction.
The boutique brands that populated MADE’s floor space serve different customers with different priorities, succeeding by being excellent at what they do rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
The Diversity of Excellence
Among the standout builders, the variety of approaches was striking. Firefly displayed mountain bikes that emphasized ride quality and durability, while other builders like Frameworks created custom solutions for specific riding applications. The show featured everything from Reeb mountain bikes with sophisticated graphics packages to Paladin full-suspension mountain bikes with particularly refined-looking frames.
The component makers also commanded attention, proving that the handmade ethos extends beyond frames into every aspect of bicycle function. Custom cranksets, derailleurs, and other precision components demonstrated that when builders are freed from the constraints of mass production, every part of the bicycle becomes an opportunity for improvement.
Some builders focused on specific riding disciplines, creating bikes optimized for bikepacking, racing, or everyday transportation. Others took a more holistic approach, building bikes that could adapt to whatever their owners might encounter. The diversity reflected the reality that different riders need different solutions, something that mass production struggles to accommodate.
The Future of Making Things
The expanded floor plan for 2025 suggests that MADE has tapped into something that resonates far beyond framebuilding enthusiasts. More people are discovering the appeal of objects that are made rather than manufactured, crafted rather than assembled.
The framebuilders at MADE aren’t advocating for a return to pre-industrial methods. They’re proving that artisanal quality and modern efficiency can coexist. As automation reshapes manufacturing, the handmade bicycle represents a future where durability and repairability matter as much as speed and price.
The Weight That Matters
The MADE Bike Show 2025 was more than a trade show. It was a living gallery where ideas, tradition, and experimentation intersected. The bikes on display carried weight that specification sheets can’t measure: the weight of intention, proven performance, and sustainability in a throwaway culture.
For Radnut, events like MADE represent everything we believe the cycling industry needs more of. These gatherings celebrate the builders who choose excellence over efficiency, who prioritize craft over commodity. As we continue our mission to spotlight small boutique brands that refuse to compromise their vision, we hope to see more events like MADE emerge across the country.
The handmade bicycle isn’t just a transportation device; it’s proof that some things still benefit from human judgment, skill, and passion. At Radnut, we’re committed to telling those stories, supporting those builders, and connecting our readers with the brands that understand the difference between making something and making something exceptional.
