Grognard is French for “Grumpy Old Soldier”, and that’s exactly what Dave McCormick is – well, he’s an ex-Marine at least. Based in Sacramento, CA, specializing in 29in singlespeeds and building barely ten frames per year, he’ll put together a fully custom package including seat post, two-tone paint and silver head badge.
Ahrens of California were showing this 650B bike. Mike Ahrens will put together an aluminium powder coated frame with the same wheelbase as a 26in bike.
Rick Hunter of Hunter Cycles made his carbon seat-tubed full sus design the focal point of his show booth, and with good reason: 5lb, carbon seat tube, bottom bracket concentric main pivot means you get the option of running it with gears or single-speeded.
Delta 7 Sports were showing off their Arantix mountain bike frame – built with a whole bunch of carbon fibre and kevlar triangles weaved into an Iso Truss. 2.6lb for a frame with lifetime warranty and no rider weight limit. They’re currently taking pre-orders for their March release, although the price is sure to thin potential customers out a little – a mere $6995. Bonkers…
True Fabrication specialise in TIG-welded steel 29ers. The real attraction was the personal bike of marketing guy Cody Baron, who’d customised his frame with a ‘fake rust’ paint scheme that made the bike look like a cross between a high-class hardtail and canal-trawled junker.
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