Howdy Everyone, Sam here.
How can it be a year since Interbike 2009?! Though it seems like two years of work and three years of fun have transpired.
There is so much to catch you up with but I have to get back in the shop and make more bikes! I'll hit the high points:
We are very excited to welcome Merlyn Townley, friend, pro mechanic, teacher and owner of Cyclic Evolution ( http://cyclicevolution.com/ ) and Merlyn Mechanics ( http://www.shopmerlynmechanics.com/ ) as our newest dealer and SouthEast rep! Merlyn rocks and is representing us at Interbike this year.
We are fortunate to be front and center in the Kryptonite ( http://www.kryptonitelock.com ) booth #3319 with an Adventure 54. Thank you, Kryptonite and thank you, Merlyn!
Please check out our bike and if you would like to speak with Merlyn, please send him a text on the floor at (802) 282-2852.
We are looking for dealers who would be fun to work with and with whom we can build a good partnership. If you are that shop, great! Let's talk. If you think you know the perfect shop, great! we would love to know. Drop us a line at info@sylvancycles.com.
Look for us this Fall around New England at 'cross events, rides and general hoe-downs. You can always schedule a test ride as well. Again, drop us a line.
We found a little time to work on our website ( www.sylvancycles.com ) so there are some more current pictures and words. The much awaited gallery is forthcoming. There have been some great articles coming out in both the industry and local press which we will link to soon.
Well back to the shop for me. Happy riding and if you are in Vegas this week, trying to keep it real, swing by and pet the Sylvan and you will instantly happy. Ahhhhhhh....
Cheers,
Sam Kelley
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Beauty and Challenge of Stainless
Now that our new shop is getting up to speed, I thought I'd post a few pics of some of the latest stainless lugs coming out of the shop. One of the interesting insights for us coming out of NAHBS was that people are as excited by our lugwork as they are inspired by what we are doing with wood.
We offer stainless because of its many advantages (beauty, strength, longevity, durability, low impact). But what may not be apparent is how challenging it can be to work with Stainless, relative to other materials more commonly used in bicycle manufacture. Here at Sylvan, we have worked to develop proprietary methods of machining, joining and finishing stainless that enable us to offer our unique lugs. It's truly exacting work: there's no hiding. All the work is right out there in the open -- no paint!
I should also mention that we make bicycles with lugs from other materials – and we have some rather interesting things in development -- but more on that in a later post. Back to the Shop! John
Introducing John Coull
We are pleased to announce that we have recently added seasoned marketing person John Coull to the Sylvan team.
To many of you in the bicycle world, John Coull needs no introduction. John knows the bicycle industry from the inside-out, having owning and operating the legendary Valley Bicycles for nearly three decades. In the business development community, many of you know John for his work as the past President of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.
John is great fit to the Sylvan team, not only because of his obvious history with the bicycle market, but also because of his long-standing engagement with socially-responsible business practice. John was one of the few business-people whom I saw back in the 1980's who actively and regularly put these practices into action in meaningful everyday ways. It's an honor to have John on our team.
John would love to hear from you; he can be reached at: JC@sylvancycles.com
Friday, May 21, 2010
New Shop! (Website Update coming soon, too...)
It has been a whirlwind last few months, but we're finally in the new shop! And yes, I know that our website is long-overdue for an update.....
This link will take you to the google sat map of our location, 110 North Main St., Sunderland, MA 01375.
Our new building is an historic 1881 post-and-beam barn (right next to the reknowned Blue Heron restaurant). Our door opens onto some of the best cycling in the region -- come visit!
We're the barn in the background, with the cupola:
This link will take you to the google sat map of our location, 110 North Main St., Sunderland, MA 01375.
Our new building is an historic 1881 post-and-beam barn (right next to the reknowned Blue Heron restaurant). Our door opens onto some of the best cycling in the region -- come visit!
We're the barn in the background, with the cupola:
Monday, March 15, 2010
NAHBS, the wonderful aftermath
Howdy All. Sam here.
My father used to say he was 'busy', 'really busy' or 'busier than a one armed paper-hanger.' Well, being firmly on the 'paper-hanger' end of things I've been remiss in my bloggin'.
John and I are officially back from the sacred ground and carnival of inspiration and love that is the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. We have reminded our families what we look like, returned to eating with silverware and cleaned up the piles of wood shavings, silver braze filings, bike parts and paperwork that accumulated prior to the show. We have started to follow up with the many, many, did I say many, people we met at NAHBS and are back in production, filling orders and trying to get more test/demo/review bikes out to the growing number of riders (individuals, shop owners and the media) who really want to get on a Sylvan. We even got in a celebratory ski day before the sugarin' really picked up and Mud Season replaced thoughts of gliding through the trees in knee deep powder with thoughts of long rides on back roads (without studs and fenders) and planting peas.
I'll let John have some fun writing about NAHBS too but for me, it absolutely blew my mind. At one point I worked my way out into the aisle because the booth was packed and, quite honestly, I wanted to see it. I wasn't able to get back in for well over an hour. I could have spent a day talking with just about everyone who stopped in. Folks were engaging and nice and smart. Not any big surprise but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.
When I was out at Interbike in September I was taken by how may people got out bikes. I knew people would like them because, I think it's fair to say, they are really beautiful. I was surprised, however, by how many people understood why wood composite and/or wood composite and stainless steel would make a super high-quality bike with great ride characteristics. With that said I was still unprepared for our reception at NAHBS.
There is something evocative in what we are doing and people want it. As a craftsman, occasionally holed up in our shop for weeks on end, it was incredibly affirming. And really, who doesn't like it when people appreciate their work? I got to soak it up solo in Vegas so it was especially great to share NAHBS with John and see him 'feel the love.' I loved it when John's 3 1/2 year old daughter came marching proudly into the booth, while it was packed, big smile as always, just like she does at the shop and climbed right up him. Nothing like a little perspective on why we are doing this.
So, my impressions of what people liked... Well, a few folks came specifically to see our bike or to see our bike and the bamboo bikes of Calfee and Boo. They seemed to be interested in every part of the whole; wood composite technology, ride quality, joining and brazing, design philosophy, durability, customization, sustainability... the whole ball of wax.
Some people were drawn to the bike we brought because of it's unusual material and/or it's unusual tube shape (though a pencil is technically hexagonal, we may take many of your suggestions to heart and make a yellow one.) As folks got closer and got to talk to us there seemed to be a palpable shift from novelty interest to genuine excitement with what we are doing.
A lot of folks resonated with the sustainability questions we are asking and trying to answer. A lot of folks really liked what we offer for ride quality though I wish we could have blasted around the convention center a bit, bunny hopping cases of wine at the wine expo next door. Lots of people liked geeking out with John and I about the technology we are utilizing and have developed.
The part I wasn't expecting as much was how people, attendees, frame builders, shop owners and the media, took to the lug work. We were on the mothership for custom bicycle fabrication and finish and what we are doing was still quite unique. We are quite proud of it and I wish our brazer and all around ace, George Combs, could have been there. Next year. A bunch of you probably got his card when I ran out of mine. Al least they had the typo with my email address on them. Who knew...
The fact that our miters are light-tight, that we are using stainless steel and that we can get to the inside of the lug for brazing allows us to put a really big, super strong silver braze fillet on the inside of the lug and then just kiss the outside of the joint to make it pretty. Since we didn't paint these lugs, they really stood out. Bringing some show and tell of the joints for the table didn't hurt either.
Our designing, cutting and joining all our own lugs, dropouts, bridges and hangers was very well received. It was great to point the the plank of Ash we brought and say' 'that's where our wood comes from. I'll take you to the stump." Then, to pull out a seat cluster destined for a canti compatible Adventure frame and say, ' this is where we get our steel. we make it.'
We seemed to have a lot of dealer interest. I think many of them appreciated our desire to support local economies and shops that are active members of not only their local cycling community but also of their greater community. We also have a product that has a lot of 'Wow' and makes for good-talkin' with customers. Dealers help us get bikes further afield and under more riders. We are definitely looking forward to developing relationships with more shop owners and their communities this season.
My only regret is that I didn't get to spend more time getting to know the other frame builders, vendors and suppliers. We were just so...wonderfully... busy. These frame builders are the well from which I draw my inspiration and encouragement. I was, mouth agape and head bobbing, in awe of the beauty, craftspersonship (awkward word but accurate) and professionalism on display.
I'm grateful to Tony Maietta of Maietta Handbuilt Bicycles for getting the Massachusetts frame builders together for a picture. That is a picture I am proud to be in! John and I are plotting some kind of wingding for Mass frame builders around D2R2 ( http://www.franklinlandtrust.org/randonnee.html ) next summer. More as it develops.
I'm very appreciative to Don Walker and the organizers of NAHBS for an opportunity to participate in the show. Next year we get to go to Austin, TX and I get to wear my summer hat!
A final shout out (if a fourtysomething can say that) to the people of Richmond, VA. What a universally wonderful bunch of people. I would count myself lucky to ride with any of you in and around your great city!
Back to it for me. Thank you for reading and being interested and so darned supportive. We are a couple months out at this point but there is still plenty of time to get you on a Sylvan for the season. So air out the chamois and come on by... or drop us a line if that's easier.
Cheers,
Sam
My father used to say he was 'busy', 'really busy' or 'busier than a one armed paper-hanger.' Well, being firmly on the 'paper-hanger' end of things I've been remiss in my bloggin'.
John and I are officially back from the sacred ground and carnival of inspiration and love that is the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. We have reminded our families what we look like, returned to eating with silverware and cleaned up the piles of wood shavings, silver braze filings, bike parts and paperwork that accumulated prior to the show. We have started to follow up with the many, many, did I say many, people we met at NAHBS and are back in production, filling orders and trying to get more test/demo/review bikes out to the growing number of riders (individuals, shop owners and the media) who really want to get on a Sylvan. We even got in a celebratory ski day before the sugarin' really picked up and Mud Season replaced thoughts of gliding through the trees in knee deep powder with thoughts of long rides on back roads (without studs and fenders) and planting peas.
I'll let John have some fun writing about NAHBS too but for me, it absolutely blew my mind. At one point I worked my way out into the aisle because the booth was packed and, quite honestly, I wanted to see it. I wasn't able to get back in for well over an hour. I could have spent a day talking with just about everyone who stopped in. Folks were engaging and nice and smart. Not any big surprise but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.
When I was out at Interbike in September I was taken by how may people got out bikes. I knew people would like them because, I think it's fair to say, they are really beautiful. I was surprised, however, by how many people understood why wood composite and/or wood composite and stainless steel would make a super high-quality bike with great ride characteristics. With that said I was still unprepared for our reception at NAHBS.
There is something evocative in what we are doing and people want it. As a craftsman, occasionally holed up in our shop for weeks on end, it was incredibly affirming. And really, who doesn't like it when people appreciate their work? I got to soak it up solo in Vegas so it was especially great to share NAHBS with John and see him 'feel the love.' I loved it when John's 3 1/2 year old daughter came marching proudly into the booth, while it was packed, big smile as always, just like she does at the shop and climbed right up him. Nothing like a little perspective on why we are doing this.
So, my impressions of what people liked... Well, a few folks came specifically to see our bike or to see our bike and the bamboo bikes of Calfee and Boo. They seemed to be interested in every part of the whole; wood composite technology, ride quality, joining and brazing, design philosophy, durability, customization, sustainability... the whole ball of wax.
Some people were drawn to the bike we brought because of it's unusual material and/or it's unusual tube shape (though a pencil is technically hexagonal, we may take many of your suggestions to heart and make a yellow one.) As folks got closer and got to talk to us there seemed to be a palpable shift from novelty interest to genuine excitement with what we are doing.
A lot of folks resonated with the sustainability questions we are asking and trying to answer. A lot of folks really liked what we offer for ride quality though I wish we could have blasted around the convention center a bit, bunny hopping cases of wine at the wine expo next door. Lots of people liked geeking out with John and I about the technology we are utilizing and have developed.
The part I wasn't expecting as much was how people, attendees, frame builders, shop owners and the media, took to the lug work. We were on the mothership for custom bicycle fabrication and finish and what we are doing was still quite unique. We are quite proud of it and I wish our brazer and all around ace, George Combs, could have been there. Next year. A bunch of you probably got his card when I ran out of mine. Al least they had the typo with my email address on them. Who knew...
The fact that our miters are light-tight, that we are using stainless steel and that we can get to the inside of the lug for brazing allows us to put a really big, super strong silver braze fillet on the inside of the lug and then just kiss the outside of the joint to make it pretty. Since we didn't paint these lugs, they really stood out. Bringing some show and tell of the joints for the table didn't hurt either.
Our designing, cutting and joining all our own lugs, dropouts, bridges and hangers was very well received. It was great to point the the plank of Ash we brought and say' 'that's where our wood comes from. I'll take you to the stump." Then, to pull out a seat cluster destined for a canti compatible Adventure frame and say, ' this is where we get our steel. we make it.'
We seemed to have a lot of dealer interest. I think many of them appreciated our desire to support local economies and shops that are active members of not only their local cycling community but also of their greater community. We also have a product that has a lot of 'Wow' and makes for good-talkin' with customers. Dealers help us get bikes further afield and under more riders. We are definitely looking forward to developing relationships with more shop owners and their communities this season.
My only regret is that I didn't get to spend more time getting to know the other frame builders, vendors and suppliers. We were just so...wonderfully... busy. These frame builders are the well from which I draw my inspiration and encouragement. I was, mouth agape and head bobbing, in awe of the beauty, craftspersonship (awkward word but accurate) and professionalism on display.
I'm grateful to Tony Maietta of Maietta Handbuilt Bicycles for getting the Massachusetts frame builders together for a picture. That is a picture I am proud to be in! John and I are plotting some kind of wingding for Mass frame builders around D2R2 ( http://www.franklinlandtrust.org/randonnee.html ) next summer. More as it develops.
I'm very appreciative to Don Walker and the organizers of NAHBS for an opportunity to participate in the show. Next year we get to go to Austin, TX and I get to wear my summer hat!
A final shout out (if a fourtysomething can say that) to the people of Richmond, VA. What a universally wonderful bunch of people. I would count myself lucky to ride with any of you in and around your great city!
Back to it for me. Thank you for reading and being interested and so darned supportive. We are a couple months out at this point but there is still plenty of time to get you on a Sylvan for the season. So air out the chamois and come on by... or drop us a line if that's easier.
Cheers,
Sam
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