Photo Credit: Kris Henry / 44 Bikes
It is really easy to get caught up in the calculated purchase of a carbon frame or bike. Blah blah performance, blah blah price, blah blah stiffness, blah blah grams - painted or unpainted, blah blah guaranteed Strava result, blah blah selfie, all equating to blah blah enhancement. True, carbon is light, seems to have come down somewhat in price, and can make a difference. However, what a lot of people don't realize is how much thought, care, and deep contemplation goes into the making and design of a handmade bicycle.
Photo Credit: Kris Henry / 44 Bikes
Pictured above is one of Kris Henry's own personal bikes, the Huntsman XXX. Kris owns, welds, and operates 44 Bikes, an awesome company, surrounded by singletrack in New Hampshire, with Made to Shred™ trademarked. Yes, I trademarked discussion of trademarking - layered trademarking if you will.
Kris discusses his thoughts behind the build and every part on his bike on an excellent and refreshing blog post of his bike. Read it HERE.
If you've ever been lucky enough to go to NAHBS or a smaller, more intimate builder show, or even talked to a frame builder, then you know exactly what I'm saying when I state that they (frame builders) care. They care deeply - about trails, about riding, about creating the perfect tool for what you're hoping to achieve, about all the little things that are otherwise overlooked on bikes today, about handling, about parts complimenting each other, about the design element of things, and, of course, about the artistry of it all.
So have a read HERE and think about what it means to buy a handmade bike.
Also, were that not enough, check out the awesome photos of Kris' wife's new bike, also a Huntsman, also rad, below.
Yes, they do look that stunning, it is incredible. One more:
That black on black is sinister it's so beautiful, meant to be.
Check out the full recap on Lynn's amazing Di2 Huntsman on the Radavist HERE
Read Kris' insightful and purposeful ruminations of his Huntsman XXX build HERE
P.S. Nano 40s are back in stock. Distributors and your favorite local shop's will have them in stock again momentarily, they rule.