San Diego Custom Bicycle Show

I spent last Friday, Saturday and Sunday down in San Diego's Town and Country Resort and Convention Center, helping to man the Electra booth that we had set up for the second annual San Diego Custom Bicycle Show.

Since we don't make "custom" bikes by their definition, we were primarily showing some of our new components and accessories that were greatly influenced by classic European bicycle parts of the 1940s-60s.

Overall it was a great show for Electra, we opened a lot of minds of show-goers as well as builders, many of whom only really thought of Electra as a Cruiser company. In fact we were so busy over the course of the show that I hardly had a chance to escape the confines of our 10 x 10 to check out the very cool bikes on display from other builders - I only took about thirty pix all weekend. Here are a few of the highlights.

Front rack from a super-cool Bruce Gordon lugged titanium/carbon fiber frame. Carbon fenders coupled with a titanium rack and hand-made titanium cantilever brakes;
nice light too!

Stunning in it's simplicity, a Mark DiNucci single-speed road bike;

smoove!

another cool light setup

I wasn't familiar with Victoria Cycles prior to the show, but every bike they had on display exuded class and was topped by beautiful paint jobs from Spectrum Powder Works. The owners are also unabashed Electra fans and spent as much time telling me about the two Cruisers in their personal fleet as they spent talking about their own masterful creations.

wooden chainguard

sweet take on a classic twin-bar "Camel-Back" frame on this steel 29er

raised dragonfly headbadge

650b wheel size rigid MTB

I love this execution of a cantilever-style frame, paint is supposed to emulate the color of a Guinness stout

Keith Anderson was showing off an unbelievably-cool 24" wheel kid's bike;
Stunning paintwork and wooden fenders and chainguard too!
Unfortunately Johnny Shaky Hands didn't get a good shot of this Wolfhound Cycles 29er, but the amazing brazing on the chainstay helps demonstrate how much time he spends sweating the details.
Here's an unpainted Wolfhound:

Simple and pure was this Bohemian rigid single-speed 29er;
As well as this titanium DeSalvo;

And speaking of purity, I've always liked Soulcraft's line of TIG-welded steel bikes;
Exquisite luggery was all over the hall, the pinnacle of which was likely this vintage Brian Baylis:
And lastly, I hope you like snakes. We had a visit by Lola the green tree python. Owned by one of the builders who's name escapes me, she blends in great with the Electra Ticino 18D that we had on display.
I think she'd make for a great security system.
HISS! Maybe next year I'll have a chance to walk the show a bit more.