MADE, the world’s largest trade show for custom handmade bicycles, held its first edition in Australia last weekend, with almost 50 exhibitors showing off their craftsmanship.
A vision of industry veteran Billy Sinkford, MADE is an international handmade bicycle show that proves that interest in handmade bikes is alive and well, despite the bike industry’s struggles in recent years. When MADE debuted in August 2023 in Portland, Oregon, USA, it instantly became the world’s largest handmade bicycle show, showcasing the art of 200 global bike builders and brands and attracting more than 5,000 consumers over the course of the three-day event. Check out our favorite builds from the 2023 show here.
Before the dust had even had a chance to settle on the debut event, planning for a second edition of the MADE show had already begun, and a surprising opportunity to expand soon arose.
“It wasn’t our plan from the start, but it was a great opportunity for us to work with people we felt were important in the market, who fit into a vibrant builder community and are an extension of what we already do,” Sinkford told Cycling Weekly.
“But I am happy. [MADE] has been our dream for years and it is fantastic to see our dream grow and be able to promote and highlight more builders and brands on a larger global scale.”
This expansion came to life last weekend thanks to a partnership with BEFORE YOU DO IT and the 17th annual Melburn Roobaix community cycling event.
Although smaller than the US event, the one-day Australian edition still attracted 1,000 visitors, who came to admire dozens of drool-worthy custom bikes. For those of us not lucky enough to attend in person, here is a selection of the bikes on display.
The latest racing content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides delivered straight to your inbox!
Wondercross – Rambler
(Image credit: MADE)
This beautiful plum-colored titanium all-road horse is called the Rambler and is made by Wondercross in Melbourne, Australia.
Built “for long days on the road and spirited adventures off-road,” the Rambler features S-bend seatstays to seamlessly blend road and trail compatibility for a smooth ride while providing clearance for tires up to 38mm. This frame is built with a beautifully matched Enve fork, fender, and cockpit; a 1x SRAM Eagle drivetrain; and Zipp 303 hoops wrapped in Rene Herse Stampede Pass tires.
@wondercrosscycling
Image 1 by 2
Integrated test
(Image credit: MADE)
Red never goes out of style, right? And this Prova Integrale LW is definitely an eye-catcher.
Siblings Mark and Kelly Hester are the founders of Melbourne-based Prova Cycles. Together they design and manufacture beautiful horses from a mix of carbon, titanium and CNC machined parts.
The Integrale is Prova’s take on the sleek aesthetic of the hidden cable bike. It features Prova’s in-house butted 3/2.5 seamless tubing, in-house designed and manufactured internally butted carbon ISP, and in-house designed and 3D printed titanium dropouts, seatpost and headset bolts. It pairs the frame with an Enve integrated fork and cockpit, Partington R-SERIES MKII R31/31 wheels, and a Dura Ace Di2 groupset with an SRM power meter.
@provacycles
Image 1 by 2
Palmer Fast Way
(Image credit: MADE)
The rim brake bike isn’t dead yet! This carbon stunner is the Palmer Fast Road, handmade by Chris Palmer in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Australia.
The Fast Road is a pure race bike designed with 30mm of tire clearance, rim brakes, and a huge head tube, down tube, and tapered chainstays for pure speed. Stiff and light and completely custom, it’s meant to climb with the best. And just look at that beautifully exposed weave.
@palmerbikes
Image 1 by 3
Friendly Bunyip
(Image credit: MADE)
With the slogan “dare to be different”, the titanium horses from Simpatico Bikes certainly stand out.
The model shown here is the Bunyip, the brand’s drop bar adventure bike with its so-called titanium “TrussCage fork.” Not only does the fork provide a smooth ride, it can also carry quite a bit of cargo and has clearance for tires up to 29 x 2.6”.
This build features a GRX 1×12 mechanical group with a Unite MTB crankset and a 36T Garbaruk chainring. The wheelset consists of NVISAGE MTB rims laced to Son Dynamo hubs up front and NVISAGE ratchet hubs in the rear.
@simpaticobikes
Image 1 by 2
Enve Fray
(Image credit: MADE)
This Enve Fray had some extra special decals. These pink accents were made for Enve sponsored rider Tadej Pogacar after his victory in the Giro d’Italia this year.
“A lot of road, a little of the road,” the Fray is Enve’s answer to an endurance bike. Designed to meet the demands of the modern road cyclist, it combines a road bike pedigree with all-road features like increased tire clearance, frame storage, and a comfortable fit for a day of adventure in the saddle. Cycling weekly I was able to test the bike in the spring. You can read the review here.
@envecomposites
Some special Giro d’Italia stickers to celebrate Pogacar’s victory
(Image credit: MADE)
Curve AIR Belgium
(Image credit: MADE)
Curve Cycling designed the Belgie series of road bikes to bridge the gap between road and endurance bikes. The Belgie AIR was co-founder Steve Varga’s birthday gift to himself with the aim of exploring innovation, showcasing Melbourne’s cycling culture and celebrating his 40th birthday.
The AIR is meant to celebrate refined artistry, performance, and a bike for those who want something elegant and decorative. It features a carbon seat tube with a beautiful exposed weave and a 3D-printed titanium topper from Australian company Bastion.
This build features Curve G5T paintless prototype wheels with Continental Grand Prix 5000 tires and a SRAM Red AXS groupset.
@curvecycling
Image 1 by 2
Wild Dream Motor
(Image credit: MADE)
This steel-bodied gem is Wilde Bikes’ Dream Engine, a drop-bar adventure bike made to go anywhere and do anything. It’s designed with the Tour Divide in mind and is hand-built in the USA.
There’s clearance for 29 x 2.6” tires, and the bike can be mounted anywhere, including: three mounts on the top and bottom of the down tube, a water bottle mount on the seat tube, pannier mounts on the top tube, and mounts for racks and fenders.
The steel frame is built around Salsa’s carbon Cutthroat fork, which, in addition to a smooth ride, features three-pack mounts on each leg and internal dynamo and brake routing. This bike is built with a Shimano GRX mechanical groupset with a 1x White Industries crankset.
@Wilde.Fietsen
(Image credit: MADE)
Boom Orbis+
(Image credit: MADE)
“Why not both?” is the slogan of this bright Baum Orbis+, which is built to handle both road and gravel equally well.
“By using the latest – wider – rims, we designed the Orbis+ around the need for a platform that would allow for larger tyres, yet still retain the soul of a race bike,” said the renowned Australian titanium brand.
This quiver killer features a semi-integrated head tube, an Enve road disc fork and is built around a road groupset. Yet it can also run tires up to 40mm and is built around wider bars and a shorter reach for more control and tires. The build shown here features a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 groupset and Enve 3.4 wheels wrapped in Goodyear Connector tires.
@baumcycles
Image 1 by 2
Lost Workshop – Yellow
(Image credit: MADE)
This steel beauty is the Cento road bike from Lost Workshop. All Lost Workshop bikes are completely custom, designed from the ground up and built one at a time. This roadie is built from Columbus Cento tubing, filleted and has a very clean, minimalist aesthetic and a paint job that is not to be missed. The build includes a Shimano Dura Ace 9270 groupset and Creative Carbon Ultra 45 wheels.
@Verloren.Werkplaats
Image 1 by 2
Woods Road Runner
(Image credit: MADE)
Though built for rugged, off-the-beaten-path terrain, the Woods Nomad couldn’t look cleaner. With no cables in sight and the brand’s striking polished copper head badge proudly displayed, this is one sleek yet modern piece of steel.
The Nomad is built with Columbus tubing and a Columbus Futura Cross fork, and comes with up to 43mm of tire clearance. The build on display featured a Shimano GRX 12-speed mechanical groupset, complete with Shimano RX870 carbon wheelset and finishing kit, and Panaracer GravelKing SK tires.
Woods Bicycle Company is a family owned and operated business run by cycling obsessed brothers Josh and Zac Woods and is based in Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia. Each bike is made to order.
@woodsbicycleco
Image 1 by 2
