After years in the cycling industry focused on large-scale mountain bike manufacturing - from managing Trek and Santa Cruz sales at retail to marketing at Santa Cruz Bicycles - I thought I had a pretty complete picture of our industry. Walking into Zidell Yards in Portland this August for MADE 2025 proved me wrong in the best possible way. 

Why Cane Creek Goes to MADE 

Cane Creek has deep roots throughout the cycling industry. Many of our customers are talented frame builders showcasing their work at events like MADE. By being present, we're showing our support and commitment to the small but growing handbuilt sector of the cycling industry. 

While we didn't have a booth or centralized location, I was there as Cane Creek's sole representative, introducing builders to our Hidden Cable Routing stem and headset system - a product we're bringing to market later this fall that will help solve the challenges typically associated with cleanly hiding the shift and brake cables from view. I spent the weekend building relationships that support both their craft and our component innovations. 

The Perfect Venue for Handcrafted Excellence 

Zidell Yards turned out to be the ideal setting for celebrating hand-built bicycles. The venue - a former barge assembly facility - features massive industrial buildings with steel I-beams everywhere. The dimly lit spaces, uneven poured-concrete floors showing serious wear and patina from decades of use, created the perfect backdrop for showcasing hand-built bikes. There's something poetic about displaying the finest examples of cycling craftsmanship in a space that itself tells the story of American manufacturing heritage. 

The show was much bigger than I expected, though I'm not sure why I anticipated something smaller. The handmade bike segment is exploding, and MADE 2025 proved it. The number of small frame builders who showed up was incredible, each bringing unique approaches to bicycle construction using materials ranging from steel and aluminum to titanium - and even wood. 

Standout Builds and Builders 

Several builders created bikes that stopped me in my tracks. David Siegrist from Gunnar Bikes and Sanitas Bikes built some incredible machines, including one that featured a DB Kitsuma Air Shock, a Helm fork that was Cerakoted that perfectly matched the swingarm, our eeWings titanium cranks, headset and spacers, and a Hellbender bottom bracket. The attention to detail and component integration was flawless. 

Ashley King from Significant Other caught everyone's attention - one of her builds was featured across social media and in countless online event reports. Another of her bikes was displayed at the TRP booth, showcasing our Air IL shock and Helm fork. Seeing established component companies feature custom builds with integrated Cane Creek products validates the technical sophistication happening in this space.

Mone Bikes brought something completely different - a full suspension 24" BMX bike featuring our Air IL shock that had both kids and adults fascinated. It's applications like this that showcase the creativity that drives innovation in hand-built cycling.

What Surprised Me Most 

The thing I found most impressive was all the different ways materials and mediums can be manipulated to create bicycles. That, and realizing just how many people are doing it. The builders at MADE represent only a fraction of the hand-built scene and where there's one visible builder, there are likely dozens more working in their own shops. 

I couldn't help but notice the countless industry professionals working hard to ensure their products, presence, and experience left great impressions. The networking and relationship building happening alongside the public show was intense. 

What struck me most was the quality products these small manufacturers produce given their pricing. It's clearly passion-driven work and they take it seriously. I heard inspiring stories of people growing up and being raised to appreciate hand-built bicycles and others working day jobs just to fund their frame building dreams. 

B Vivit from HotSalad Bikes shared how she previously built frames for other companies and was gearing up to quit her 9-5 job to dive headfirst into her own frame building business. Another builder told me about following in his father's footsteps as a frame builder, showing how this craft passes between generations. 

A Community, Not Competition 

Despite operating in a competitive field, the atmosphere between builders was pure camaraderie. Everyone was excited to see each other's bikes and genuinely happy to be around one another. There was no visible drama or rivalry - just passionate craftspeople celebrating their shared love of bicycle construction. 

The community spirit extended to how builders approached working with component suppliers across the industry. What struck me was how collaborative and open these conversations were - builders weren't just loyal to single brands, but genuinely interested in finding the best solutions for their specific builds and customer needs. 

I saw bikes featuring components from SRAM, Shimano, Hope, Chris King, Industry Nine, and many other manufacturers alongside our own components. The diversity was impressive and showed how these builders prioritize function and quality over brand allegiance. Having the opportunity to introduce our Hidden Cable Routing system to builders who were already pushing creative boundaries with cable management was energizing - not because everyone immediately wanted to use our products, but because the technical discussions about routing challenges and solutions were genuinely collaborative. 

These builders are constantly innovating and problem-solving, which pushes all component manufacturers to think differently about our products. Seeing how David Siegrist integrated that custom blue Cerakoting, how Ashley King approaches titanium fabrication, or how Scott Campbell balances wood and carbon construction - it all serves as inspiration for how we can better support this creative community. 

Industry Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities 

The hand-built bike scene faces real challenges. Current tariffs on goods create economic hurdles, and there's ever-growing pressure from larger full-scale brands. However, people who already support this side of cycling will continue to do so and the community's shared commitment to quality and craftsmanship should sustain growth. 

From components like gravel suspension forks to coil and air-sprung rear suspension systems, there are clear opportunities for established companies like Cane Creek to better serve custom builders. Our titanium eeWings cranksets have found strong adoption in this space, and products like our Air IL shock are being used in applications we never initially envisioned. 

As long as the community continues working toward the same goals - creating exceptional bicycles and supporting passionate craftsmanship - the future looks bright for hand-built cycling. 

The Bigger Picture 

Stepping into Zidell Yards reinforced just how diverse and creative the cycling industry really is. Everyone seemed excited about what was on display, the energy was genuinely positive, and I realized how much I still had to learn about this thriving segment despite my industry background. 

I'd followed coverage of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) in cycling forums over the years, but experiencing MADE firsthand was different. The scale and energy were impressive - gravel bikes, road bikes, full suspension mountain bikes, tricycles, downhill bikes, BMX bikes, cruisers - all handbuilt by people pursuing their vision of what a bicycle could be. 

Supporting Hand-built: Our Recommendation 

For anyone who loves the cycling industry as passionately as we do here at Cane Creek, the MADE show is something to experience in person. Supporting hand-built products is an amazing opportunity to support humans who genuinely love this sport, though it typically comes at a premium price point. 

There's something special about seeing bikes built here in North America. While Cane Creek may be a brand with global reach, all of that is supported by a staff of fewer than 40 people here in Fletcher, North Carolina. We honor the world of frame builders by designing, prototyping, and testing everything we make right here at our headquarters. 

The MADE show reminded me that whether you're building one bike at a time in a small shop or engineering components for thousands of bikes worldwide, passion for cycling craftsmanship is what drives true innovation. Supporting the hand-built community means supporting the very spirit that makes our industry special. 

Ready to explore custom bike builds for your next ride? Visit made.bike to learn more about the show and discover builders in your area. For frame builders interested in Cane Creek component integration, contact our OEM sales team to discuss how our products can enhance your builds.