My goal at Made this year was to find the neat little things that weren't just another very nice bicycle, of which there were hundreds, and to approach the show from a more casual POV. Admittedly this is my actual point of view so putting this list together was a delight and granted me the chance to ask the weird sorta things I'm always curious about. Fingers crossed that some attendees read this and take inspiration for next year. 🤞
Let's go...
Crafting Legacy: Topanga Creek Outfitters
In a world of mass produced marginal updates on the same thing from last year, the entire concept of Made champions slow crafting with care and Topanga Creek Outfitters knocks that outta the park. Founded over 26 years ago and based in Southern California, they offer heritage products that are built to last and align oh so well with my vibes. Each piece of leather passing through their shop has a story of its own that will last as long as the bike it adorns.
Beausage is a word that delights me anytime I notice some particular shoe buff mark on a crank or lockup chips on a headtube. Large companies will pursue perfection and reject anything with inconsistencies, but at Topanga Creek these flaws are celebrated. The leather they choose doesn't hide what it is, each having unique marks and textures that make every bag one-of-a-kind. This approach aligns with their belief that true craftsmanship is not about perfection but about creating something with character and history.
TCO started as a bike shop but soon ventured into leather goods via personalizing Brooks saddles with initials which grew into a full-fledged line of leather products. Customers drawn by the promise of quality, longevity, and sustainability embraced the leather goods with the same enthusiasm they had for the bikes. Scraps are repurposed into smaller items like wallets and keychains, adding another layer of value to their products. This not only minimizes waste but also allows fans of their gear to own a piece of the craftsmanship that defines the brand.
In a market often flooded with disposable goods, Topanga Creek Outfitters proves that there's still a place for sustainable products made with care, intention, and an eye toward the future. Whether you're looking for a custom-built bike or a handcrafted leather bag, you can trust that what you're getting is more than just a product. It's a piece of a legacy.
Radish: Best in Show
Hot take: more booths need dogs and snacks! There might be the nicest 3d printed titanium aero marvel of engineering but if the company across the way brought their very good boy then it's an easy bet where the attention will be drawn. Reserve Wheels played their cards right when they brought Radish along to Made.
So the dog catches the attention, right? But then there has to be at least some substance on display to hold the draw long enough to get a product pitch underway. Thankfully Reserve Wheels is also the company behind the Fillmore Valve, a welcome update to our begrudging best friend Presta which seeks to solve all the pain points of this century old fragile bit of metal. I'll admit that I haven't ran a tubeless setup in nearly 40,000 miles but I can't deny my curiosity about how they reinvented this essential part of the wheel.
Using a model as big as my arm to show the guts of the thing, I learned that Fillmore is compatible with every existing tubeless wheel and pump, has three times the flow rate of a standard Presta, and with its simplicity eliminates the clogging that often plagues valve cores. Also enables the use of a floor pump to do a fresh tubeless setup? Also if it ever does fail, the mechanism fails safe and ensures that no air is lost no matter how busted up it gets? Also Radish is the best dog?
But really Radish is just the absolute best dog. Anytime I'd be fast walking around to go find some more neat stuff I'd make sure to go past the Reserve booth and would witness someone else become entranced by the offer of a slobbery frisbee and literal puppy dog eyes pleading PLEASE THROW, PLEASE?? Bam they're hooked and now someone new gets to learn about this game changing lil thing.
Grill & Mustard: Prandus Steals the Show
Like I said, y'all exhibitors need more dogs or snacks in the booth because if people weren't hanging out at Reserve you bet they were hanging out at Prandus Bikes debating which of the five mustards to deploy on some fresh grilled franks.
“The Barbequas” was one of the few cargo bikes at the show to actually pass the is it a cargo bike test (two leg kickstand + has more than one speed = it's a cargo bike) and I found myself frequenting their booth both for the grub and conversation with the masked individual serving em up.
The story of The Barbequas begins on a date in Golden Gate Park when a family with a George Foreman grill attached to their trailer sparked an idea. After scouring Craigslist for the cheapest grill he could find and repurposing tubing from a production run—almost nothing was spent to bring this vision to life. Then making its debut at the Singlespeed World Championship qualifiers where it became a crowd favorite despite a harrowing experience involving an overwhelming dose of edibles and six hours of riding nearly rattling the grill to pieces.
Our story doesn't end with the grill bike though. Just as notable as the bike itself is the nearly meter long titanium manything cage strapped with maybe all the mustards that exist? Please don't correct me on this. I can't handle there being more than five kinds of mustard in the world. This beautiful object was originally drawn in MS Paint by everyone's favorite bike industry luminary @bicyclepubes, turned into an actual goddamn real thing by King Cage, and deployed in a way so perfectly tactical it felt laser guided from orbit.
The Portland Bike Stand's Inclusive Design
Did you know that all the mainstream bike trainers have a weight limit and for most of them it's only 250 lbs? Far from accommodating any proper Clydesdale rider this also boots out anyone trying to cut 50 or so off their 300 or so New Year's resolution type of goal. Thankfully this was an issue noticed by the fine folks at The Portland Bike Stand and remedied by their USA made purposely over built stand by the same name.
Able to fit all axle widths, all wheel sizes, and thick of a tire as you can imagine. Aligning with the all bodies on bikes mantra and all bikes on bike trainers, as well as fit stands! It's astonishing once you realize how much of the market is cut (both bodies and bikes) out of the equation when most of the people I know, myself included, would break the weight limit trying to get a fit on most e-bikes these days.
There's some wizardry going on with the adapters using brass fittings which have just the right amount of softness to ensure the perfect contact point for axle ends. It's a bit beyond my understanding but I was told that it prevents damage due to sticking between the bolts while riding on the trainer under a compressed load. What I do know is that more inclusivity in the bike industry is desperately needed and The Portland Bike Stand helps that. Bonus points for a very good bidon design.
The Real Gem of Made: Community
Attending Made for the first time, I was keen to get an insider's perspective on what makes this gathering special. I asked each builder the same question I'd been pondering myself. Overwhelmingly, the answer resonated with something I deeply felt: the real gem of the show isn't just another very nice bike—it's the community. There's nearly nowhere in the world that you can stroll around and shoot the shit face to face with people like this. Rubbing elbows and comparing notes. Seeing who's working on what, what's pushing the industry forward, and the surprise that draws the most attention (spoilers it's a disco ball).
Reconnecting with Thomas Epling who I knew way back in atx bike days and won 3rd place builders choice at the show. Laughing with Dustin Klein as I rode around on a Frances Cycles rear steer tandem interrupting a bike check he was in the midst of filming. Ronnie Romance saying he's a fan of my Is It Piss??? series on IG and recommended that I stay strong and commit to the bit. Finally getting to chat with Shawn from Urban Adventure League, one of the first people who got me looking at the places I live with a more curious eye. Being the internet person that I am, admittedly comes with a higher frequency of these events, but it's the best kinda networking for bike people at any level.
I lost count of how many "YOOO what's up it's good to finally meet you!!" that I both deployed and was served up over the weekend and each one was as genuine and delightful as the one before. There's no photos of this little thing on my list because I was too busy actually enjoying the moments. Thousand words and all that jazz. Y'all just need to get over to Portland next year and see what it's like for yourself.
