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NAHBS 2013: Vibe, Avery County Cycles, & Vincent Rodriguez w/ Copper Plated Goodness

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Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Headtube Details

There were various motifs throughout the show, like Chris King components for instance, and builders choosing between either titanium or Ox Platinum steel for construction. Copper plating just for show? Not so much, but these three three builders used it flawlessly.

Shown above is a fresh fatbike by Vibe titled “the Lincoln”, made specifically for NAHBS (and just onewinter  race after NAHBS). It’s a copper plated steel frame, painted over in sections.

More after the break, along with Avery County Cycles’ prize winning build and a first year bike by Vincent Rodriguez…

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Snowflake Light

Vibe split the top tube and elongated it, then filling it with a wedge of sheet metal to get that retro look. Vibe’s been building bikes four years, bringing a different fat bike last year, with the signature Snowflake light on the rear triangle.

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Light Rear Magnetic

The light is magnetic and turns on and off by removing the magnet attached to the blue string. That makes it easier to operate the light with heavy gloves on.

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Tubing Details Internal Routing

Routing is internal and a second tube bridges the frame for stiffness.

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Penny

A flask with a huge penny jammed into the exterior? How can you beat that?

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Rim

Plating the aluminum rims proved to be much harder than Vibe anticipated. It took them four tries to get it right.

Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Copper Chain Vibe Lincoln Fatbike Copper Plating Pedal

Vibe hand painted a couple things, like a copper chain and copper flat pedals.

More images over at Vibe’s site.

Avery County Cycles

Avery County Cycles Main

My photo didn’t do this bike justice, and the above photo is borrowed from Avery County Cycle’s flikr.
 

Avery County Cycles won best new builder with this bike, what they call a “high speed gravel commuter”. It’s essentially a cross bike with a shortened wheelbase. Based in Denver, CO Avery County Cycle’s speciality is cross and touring frames, and this is a combination of the two. When assembling this bike, components were sourced as locally as possible.

Avery County Cycles Top Tube Routing

Throughout the frame are tinges of copper plating done by Acme Plating. All bolts were done this way, down to the bolts on the brakes and cranks.

Avery County Cycles Lug Detail Avery County Cycles Chainstay Flare

Avery County Cycles Fork Lug Work

A beautiful lug work was sourced locally to a handmade buckle manufacturer in Colorado, Johnson and Held.

Avery County Cycles Plated Serial Numbers Avery County Cycles Headbadge

The copper serial number and headbadge are a nice addition. AT Designs, makers of Fireman badges did the headbadge.Avery County Cycles Paul Components Crank

 Vincent Rodriguez

Vincent Rodriguez Main Ultegra Shifters

This is Vincent Rodriguez‘s first year building frames, and he went with a fairly simple build with some additions. What Rodriguez calls a “modern Dutch throwback build”  he used Ultegra shifters on swept back bars with a relatively retro look.

Vincent Rodriguez Richard Sachs Lugs and Seatstay Junction

To get the scalloped look of those seat stays, Rodriguez turned the miter over and brass brazed some copper tubing. Lugs are Richard Sachs’ “Uber oversize” model.

Vincent Rodriguez Copper Headbadge Vincent Rodriguez Branding

Branding is fairly minimal with a made-in-house copper head badge and branding on the downtube. The head badge is said to weather a greenish tint over time.

 

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low gearing
low gearing
11 years ago

Wow- that copper fatbike is beautiful! Thanks for the excellent NAHBS coverage from bikerumor.

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