SCHWABISCH GMUND, Germany (BRAIN)—Southern Germany will play host to the 2010 European Handmade Bicycle Exhibition (EHBE) that will feature more than 90 exhibitors starting tomorrow and running through Sunday.
So it makes all the sense in the world that Germany will have the greatest number of exhibitors with 36. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that 12 exhibitors are coming from the United States.
“We were pleasantly surprised in the increased interest from small-scale framebuilders, clothing manufacturers and components makers from outside Europe,” said Indra Sarkar, organizer of EHBE. “It shows the message we have tried to convey about the handmade bike scene crossing borders and reaching all parts of the globe is beginning to filter through. We hope this interest from outside Europe will continue and next year and hope the builders in Asia who have expressed an interest in appearing at the show will be able to make it to next years' event.”
Among the high-profile American names making it to the show are Seven, Serotta and Independent Fabrications. Elsewhere at the show, the U.S. presence continues with not-so-global brands such as Carver, Chris King's Cielo and one of last year’s critically-acclaimed visitors, MSH1 Bicycle Works of Colchester, Connecticut.
The sole framebuilder at MSH1, Matt Klucha will be making a return visit to the show accompanied by wife Agnes. The Kluchas are returning this year as a result of the warm reception they received at last year’s event.
“Last year’s EHBE was such a phenomenal event, drawing so much talent from so many places worldwide, returning again in 2010 proved to be irresistible,” Klucha said. “I consider Europe to be the heart of cycling, with an enduring and resilient legacy and lore. The pioneering efforts of previous generations now materialize in current framebuilders making bicycles that are truly made by hand, yet employ contemporary design, modern material technology, and purposefully optimized performance."
