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NAHBS 2015: Black Cat Bicycles

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black cat sycyip shimano (6)

If there was an award for Best Stem at NAHBS, Black Cat Bicycles would certainly be in the running, if not the hands down winner. Sort of a Black Cat calling card, the stem is a modern take on the old one piece Bullmoose bars that still offers a stiffer interface at the bar. Only after a last minute decision, Todd Ingermanson made the long trip to NAHBS with Curtis Inglis and Jeremy Sycip

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Choosing to build most of his bicycles from steel, Todd’s fillet brazing and lug work can be found on anything from mountain to road bikes.

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Todd does a lot of his own paint work and tries to keep it interesting with different logos, design work, and well, impressive finishes. You’ll have to check out our Road to NAHBS piece on Black Cat to see some of his other works including an insane grey/graffiti/Chris King Pink creation.

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black cat sycyip shimano (12)

Due to the last minute decision to attend NAHBS, Todd brought along bikes that were already built which he says are representative of the bikes he builds day to day for paying customers. Even with what he calls “subdued, and nothing too flashy,” both bicycles were beautiful. This gravel bike with color matched components was tasty.

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Due to the Shimano connection at the show, many of the builders were running the new RX 830 wheelset. Called an Ultegra grade disc wheelset, the rims use a carbon laminate construction with a very thin aluminum wall reinforced with carbon fiber. The 17mm internal width rims are tubeless compatible and only offered in Centerlock and QR for $1499.

blackcatbicycles.com

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reverend dick
9 years ago

(deleted)

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

loud enve stickers. cheese.

AdventuresAnonymous
AdventuresAnonymous
9 years ago

I’ve been admiring Todd’s bikes since 2009. Amazing work! This guy was doing short chainstays and swinger drops way before they were cool. And I love his absolutely unique and creative paint. Keep up the wonderful work Todd!

Seraph
Seraph
9 years ago

The Enve stickers match the orange accents on the components.

Anthony
Anthony
9 years ago

Cool stem but should have made it a true 1 piece and include the bar. Sliding bars out and having to remove grip lever etc is a pain.

Clifford Domingo
Clifford Domingo
9 years ago

@ Anthony: Been asleep for the past 15 years? Heven’t heard of lock-on grips? How about perch clamps for break levers and shifters?

JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

ENVE bars seem an odd match given the scratch resistant coating for the stem doesn’t match his stem.

black cat bicycles
9 years ago

satisfactory, yea, i really himmed and hawwed on the orange decals. they ended up looking better than the white ones. the white ones competed visually with the logos on the tires and made it a real hot mess. the orange at least made the two distinguishable from each other. when you buy your black cat, you can have whatever decals you want, or don’t want. that’s the best part about america!

anthony, welding in a bar really commits someone to that bend, or width. clamps with a bolt-thru bar are a lot more accommodating- and lighter! yea, it’s a bit of a pain to remove grips, controls, et all, but not as much of a pain as bars that don’t fit or feel right. and, really, how often do we remove a bar from our stems?

jbikes, sometimes the world is not a perfect place. if i had more than two weeks to build up two show bikes things may have turned out slightly different, or maybe they would have been the same. as is, you can use the rough patch on the handlebar to rough up your tire for your patch when you get a cut casing. totally integrated and patent pending…

thanks for the good words otherwise, y’all.

trailmiser24
9 years ago

Great work Todd. I think your show bikes are perfect the way they are. Beautiful work and great build!

Eric.NM
Eric.NM
9 years ago

@trailmiser24: +1, totally agree.

Stunning work as usual, Todd! Absolutely admire your craftsmanship and style.
: )

Matt
Matt
9 years ago

I am one that usually likes everything all black and murdered out. But, that blue with orange and even the ENVE stickers is working wonders for me. Very cool. Glad you went with it.

pepe
pepe
9 years ago

Why, just why could be needed a steel frame with carbon wheels and that stem? somebody please explain, why?

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