Tech feature - March 10, 2006

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North American Handmade Bicycle Show 2006, part 4

Best in Show

After looking at the rest, James Huang decides which piece is his favourite from NAHBS in this final instalment from San Jose

Although he has only been building frames for a handful of years, Sacha White has already earned himself a lifetime of credibility with his stunning Vanilla label. White's frames can definitely cut the mustard when it comes to performance; many of his road and cross frames are raced regularly around his native Portland area and beyond. However, it's his arguably unparalleled sense of innovative artistry and creativity that has made him somewhat of a living legend in the handmade world. I can only wonder from where he draws his inspiration, but it's available somewhere - put me on the list.

For NAHBS 2006, White went completely over the top and displayed an incredible one-off tricycle built for one of his most distinguished customers - his daughter. There was no order placed, no deposit submitted, no consultation on parts specifications. It should go without saying that this customer was one of his most important, so White just went to town and I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Ok, fine, so it has three wheels and it may not fit into the classic definition of a handmade bicycle, but I doubt few will argue with my pick. Happy viewing.