“Click-click-click-click-click-click” was not the sound I wanted to hear after loading up my car to make the drive up to Brevard. I was serenaded with this undesired staccato several more times with a flickering dashboard light accompaniment to entertain me. After a few hacks I recalled with modern vehicles I finally got it to turn over and after purchasing, then installing a new battery, and disposing of the dead one I was finally on my way. I aimed to get in some riding and check out the inaugural Crafted southeast bike show hosted by Cane Creek components an enormously important, but still small company (approximately thirty employees). Cane Creek has called western North Carolina home since the mid 1970s and basically, its influence has impacted virtually every modern bike since that time. They represent a reminder that small town companies can and still do amazing things. I will talk more about them, the show, and what remains my favorite collection of trails decades on but first put your tongue on the battery.
Music Selection: Love Battery: Far Gone Into the way back machine we go! I’ve professed my adoration for Love Battery before and still think that Dayglo was their apex. At the time when Far Gone finally came out I was not blown away with it as my tastes had moved on. That compounded with the fact it was about that same time I saw them live and wasn’t knocked out made me mostly ignore this recording. Nevertheless, revisiting this album it holds up and has gone into regular rotation for me. There was some label and recording mishigas and more recently the recording was remixed apparently to improve things. I don’t recall how the original mix was, but obviously it didn’t do much for me. However, the record now sounds great. Lead guitar player Kevin Whitworth’s psychedelic slide elements are toned down somewhat and more of a heavy rock sound takes their place, but the songs shine. “In Through the Outside” and “Far Gone” bring the thunder while “Head of Ringo” is catchy power pop fun. I particularly enjoy Love Battery when I’ve a long ascent and this album while different than their first two blends nicely in a mix as I sweat through my eyeballs lost in hallucinations.
Crafted: “made or fashioned with great skill, care, and attention to detail.” Even though this is the past tense, past participle, and participial adjective form of the verb craft this is a mostly fitting description for the show I attended over the weekend. However, there were additions to the show happening in real time including custom bags and tattoos along with the wares crafted by the modest group of exhibitors.
Modest is an apt descriptor as the show was small and the intimacy refreshing. Now I haven’t been to that many bike shows (I’m no Stevil), but I have been to many conventions the majority held within stifling indoor venues. In contrast, this was an outdoor affair consisting of only a couple of short rows of exhibitors in Cane Creek’s parking lot. This is apex leaf chaser season, and the weather could not have been more pleasant. I stuck around and checked out everything over a couple hours just as the event began at ten AM on Saturday morning. I will provide some pictures and commentary, but by no means is this comprehensive. My interest first and foremost remains mountain biking and while there were things to see and talk about from all cycling pursuits presented, I will confine my focus to the dirt about dirt. Let’s get into it…
Cane Creek/Significant Other:
This was the first bike you see as you enter the lot; all big and badass. Steel construction, unique link drive suspension, a 160/170mm travel beast and Cane Creek’s brand-new Invert Enduro fork. I did not ride this bike, but I did take one of CC’s employee bikes with the Invert out and it seems that it will give the big boys a run for their money. An interesting tidbit I found out about the Invert when I asked about a fender for it is that Cane Creek will likely develop a file for owners to download for free to use to print their own fenders. Technology!
Another employee bike with the Invert. Also, in tasty steel from Starling.
A stealthy Steezl from Reeb cycles also sporting an Invert. The pics don’t do the paint job on this justice (none of my pics have any justice but use your imagination and roll with me here) with it being matte black with a subtle glitter effect and the rear triangle being the same but in gloss. Pro trials rider behemoth and Reeb rep Jeff Lenosky spoke to me for a while about all sorts of things from east coast riding to new bikes they had in the pipeline.
Euler Bikes This is a printed alloy enduro bike from this tiny builder out of Massachusetts. Nifty twin-link suspension and silky frame form from a guy that looked like he was barely out of high school.
This video game-themed number from Josh Ogle Designs has made the rounds, but it must be seen to be believed. I would not be surprised to see larger manufacturers utilizing an in-frame metal hydraulic line like this one.
Moi mugging with James from Hunt Wheels.
Randoms: Smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em. Cheetah hotness from Stringbean Bags. Bigass Quarry 32fer* with not-so-secret prototype fork from Fox Suspension. SaltAir gravel bike that was fun to gaze upon. Litespeed repping their trail 29er hardtail the Pisgah.
*My own nickname for the big wheel bikes now making the scene. You heard it here first.
Cane Creek history and more. Two things I dug was first finding out that while the original Rock Shox fork was designed out west it was Cane Creek who made it. Second in more Carolina can do news on the other side of the continent Asa Vermette of locally based Frameworks Racing was winning the Whistler UCI DH race by over four seconds (that’s an eternity in a DH race!) on this same bike.
Looking at bikes and bits is fun, but you know what is more fun? Riding them. There were a handful of group rides associated with the show, and I made every effort to go on one Saturday morning, but due to poor cell coverage and my lack of knowledge of where the ride was, I never found it. Instead, I opted for doing some classics out of Brevard. What continues to impress me year after year since first riding in Pisgah in the late 90s are that those trails remain in my top five places I’ve ever ridden. These are natural old school trails that flow but are definitely not flow trails and the gnar there is no joke. I treated myself to a couple of brief but killer rides the day before and after my Crafted visit. The hectic ride out of The Hub I did was a great way to get out my head after a long week and after dealing with my automotive kerfuffle. However, I closed things out with my favorite short ride. Despite either ride taking less than two hours, one is treated to some climbs you must earn, blistering downhill sections, and do-or-die tech bits. Having seen all the great stuff fired me up to get after it with even more vigor. It is that intangible stoke is the best part of any bike show, IMHO. I was psyched to see a very well run such event basically in my backyard and I hope they do it again next year.
Bonus contest time! The first person to tell me the name of this trail where the above picture was taken will get a prize pack sent to them. Lower 48 states only. Send answers to Attn: Crafty prize! hbelly1313@yahoo.com Hints: It is within the Pisgah National Forrest and is a legit trail listed on trailforks.com