Alright, folks, it’s finally time for me to put a bow on my tech coverage from the MADE show.
There’s no theme to this gathering; just a whole bunch of images (and captions!) of the rest of the neat stuff I saw while wandering the floor of the Zidell Yards open-air venue in Portland, Oregon.
If you couldn’t tell by now, there was an awful lot to take in here – much more than I could manage in just three days, in fact. My apologies to anyone and everyone I missed (Moots, Ira Ryan, Tony Pereira at Breadwinner, Sanitas Cycles, Bilenky Cycles, White Industries, Caletti Cycles, and countless others), but alas, there’s only so much one person can do.
To anyone reading this who is even mildly considering making the trip next year: just do it. The show has managed to up its game for every one of its short three years since debuting in 2023, there’s a remarkably dense concentration of quality here, and it’s perhaps your best option to get some face-to-face time with some of your favorite builders. Portland’s also an easy airport to fly in and out of, there’s a wealth of public transportation options so there’s no need to rent a car, there’s a ton of great places to grab a bite to eat, and lots of choices for places to stay.
Still not convinced? You can certainly sit out next year’s show and just wait for me to virtually bring it to you again, but you’ll have to forgive me if I say “I told you so.”
Enjoy this last round of coverage, and you can click here to find all of it in one convenient spot.
And if you haven’t yet ponied up for a paid subscription to n-1, what are you waiting for? This content doesn’t magically produce itself, you know ;)
PUSH. THE. BUTTON.
Sycip built this titanium gravel bike for renowned chef Chris Cosentino. The poison oak paint theme was rather ironic since Sycip builder Jeremy Sycip actually realized he was developing a poison oak-induced rash while he was building the thing.
The segmented seatstays have long been a Sycip signature.
The 3D-printed dropout was designed by Josh Ogle and printed by Silca. It looks amazing, but it also looks like it could be challenging to incorporate into the build process.
Cosentino apparently likes to head deep into parts unknown, and likes to keep lots of spares handy. This 3D-printed Silca titanium SPD cleat is at the ready underneath the down tube.
The T47 bottom bracket shell is a good match proportionally with the oversized down tube and seat tube.
I like the way this dropout design presumably maintains good caliper interface alignment during welding, but it’s a bit chunky-looking for my tastes.
Dylan Banera of TBD Bikes displayed this striking dirt jumper at the Wolf Tooth Components booth, and it certainly generated an awful lot of discussion – not just from onlookers, but also among fellow builders. Before you keyboard warriors get your knives out, keep in mind Banera is just 17 years old. He’s well aware of the limitations of the technology (and this particular build), but he’s also not afraid to try something new and different. I’d say the kid has an awfully bright future ahead of him.
The unusual appearance is the result of generative design and 3D-printing.
You can have whatever opinions you’d like about how this thing looks, or how you well you think it’ll hold up. But I certainly wasn’t doing anything like this when I was 17 years old.
A peek inside the tube provides a glimpse of the internal support structure.
While most of the frame is 3D-printed, the dropouts are CNC-machined.
Eyewater offered to send this stunning tube-to-tube carbon fiber all-road bike my way for a test, but sadly, it’s too small for me. Maybe one day sooner than later, though. Fingers crossed.
If you haven’t heard of Eyewater before, you should start keeping an eye on these folks.
So clean.
Can I get a shout-out for proper concept bikes? We don’t see them much anymore as companies continue to tighten their belts. Bosch development partner Vapor Propulsion Labs showcased this outlandish Schwift Schart e-townie, which was made almost entirely of 3D-printed titanium frame components.
The steering linkage is slick.
Another printed titanium part is used for the fifth-generation Bosch motor mount.
The bike was intended to be a rolling showcase of compatible technology, including VPL Bike’s 9-speed internally geared rear hub, which can supposedly handle 250 Nm of torque and offers a 554% gear range. It can be paired with a wireless shifter, too. While this frame incorporated a lot of 3D-printed pieces, the design could easily be produced using more economical extruded pieces.
The battery mount is cleverly integrated directly into the printed seat tube top.
Think the “Schwift Cycles Schart” is a ridiculous name? Yep – and that’s sort of by intent.
Firefly pulled out all the stops for this titanium singlespeed.
That’s no carbon fork, folks; it’s titanium! And it features a 3D-printed crown designed by Josh Ogle.
The one-piece welded titanium bar-and-stem combo is a nice finishing touch.
The 3D-printed semi-yoke boosts tire and drivetrain clearance without having to resort to any sort of wacky tube manipulation.
Litespeed showed off its Ghisallo redux, and the titanium rim-brake road bike was quite the ultralight, tipping the scales at just 6.57 kg (14.48 lb) as shown here.
The bottom bracket shells are apparently left over from the original Ghisallo, so production of the rebooted model is limited to remaining stock on hand.
The traditional silhouette is updated with an oversized head tube that accommodates current tapered steerers.
The feather is a nod toward the Ghisallo’s ultra-low 871 g claimed frame weight.
The chainstays are notably flattened to boost the lateral rigidity of the rear triangle. Even so, I’d anticipate the Ghisallo to be more springy-and-lively than super stiff, as perhaps evidenced by the suggested 85 kg (187 lb) rider weight limit.
Quick-release dropouts in 2025!
Seven Cycles brought to MADE its striking new Evergreen PRO Midtail carbon-and-titanium gravel bike.
Seven claims its dramatically dropped seatstays offer, “two times better traction, 40% better acceleration, a 200% smoother ride, and measurably better bike control.” Those seem like pretty outlandishly bold claims, but it does look pretty cool.
Drool.
It certainly would have been easier for Seven to use a basic cylinder or some other straight cut for this titanium sleeve, but why do that when you can have this?
Seven’s UDH-compatible rear dropout features a blend of titanium and brass. It’s one of the prettier metal UDH-compatible dropouts I’ve seen.
It’s challenging for any brand that uses welded dropouts to maintain good alignment on the disc-brake tabs (and the finicky flat-mount standard has only exacerbated the issue). One of the ways Seven tackles the problem is by using a separate aluminum plate that bolts on after the fact. The modular format should also (at least in theory) offer some level of future-proofing.
Cane Creek previewed at MADE its new HCR stem design, specifically intended for use on bikes with headset cable routing.
Instead of running the lines directly through the interior of the stem, Cane Creek’s new HCR conceals them in a channel on the underside of the extension. The idea here is that you get the sleekness of a fully internal setup but without all of the hassles. For bars with external routing, there’s a separate clip that mounts between the faceplate and stem body to keep the lines tucked up tight.
Madrone came to MADE with a whole bunch of its innovative Jab rear derailleurs, which are designed to not only be rebuildable and repairable, but also compatible with a broad range of existing drivetrain parts.
The parallelogram linkage of the Madrone Jab rear derailleur is remarkably slop-free.
Madrone’s “stiffener plate” attachment isn’t quite the same as SRAM’s Full Mount design, but it still offers a similarly burly interface for UDH-equipped bikes for riders concerned about bending conventional derailleur hangers.
One particularly smart feature on the Jab is the interchangeable cable fin, making one derailleur compatible with all sorts of different shifter and cassette configurations. And since the fins are 3D-printed, the company can add or modify designs as needed without the high tooling costs associated with molded parts.
Madrone currently uses a friction-based clutch (left), but is working on an alternative, ratchet-based design (right) that will offer more chain control for longer-travel applications.
Madrone got its start offering replacement parts for existing SRAM rear derailleurs. Got a sloppy AXS or cable-actuated Eagle rear derailleur, or roasted a link on a rock? Don’t throw that thing away just yet.
Bridge the Gap Designs is a new tool outfit created by long-time mechanic (and bike designer) Bre Rue. Shown here are just a small sample of what’s on tap (much of which is 3D-printed), including a syringe holder, a benchtop caliper stand, repair stand clamp fillers for non-round seatposts, a handy shop rag holder for cleaning out suspension fork stanchions, and an articulating third hand for holding hydraulic bleed syringes.
Have a hard time with the battery caps on Quarq power meters? Bridge the Gap comes to the rescue.
Also in the Bridge the Gap tool catalog is an ambidextrous spoke nipple shuffle box and two versions of a dummy steerer – with one of them incorporating a channel for bikes with headset cable routing.
Ever broken one of those plastic Campagnolo cassette spacers? Bridge the Gap’s replacement is not only much sturdier, but also keyed to snap on to the sprocket. Also shown are some custom headset reducers to accommodate different headset and cockpit combinations.
I’m not sure I’ve ever even met a veteran mechanic that hasn’t at some point used a screwdriver to hold open one of the jaws on a Park Tool truing stand. The spring-loaded finger on Bridge the Gap’s widget is way faster and easier to use, so that screwdriver can go back on the tool wall.
Handy!
Remco Tools got its start with a reasonably priced power-operated repair stand lift, but it’s now slowly expanding into actual tools. On display at the MADE show were two different piston presses for hydraulic brakes. The pliers-type one is meant as more of a consumer or home mechanic-grade item, while the one below is intended for shops or other professional mechanics.
Unless most tools of this type on the market, Remco’s pro-level design keeps the jaws perfectly parallel to avoid putting any off-axis stress on the caliper pistons.
Also coming soon from Remco Tools is this handy mount to facilitate any wheel-related tasks. It can be clamped to a bench or in a vise, there are different attachments to accommodate various axle standards, and it’s easily adjustable for angle.
I love how Mavic brought back its old logo for this project.
Mavic’s innovative milling process for its higher-end aluminum wheels has always impressed me, and the technology is so highly refined at this point that it borders on artwork. The proprietary spokes and nipples are a bummer, but the FORE process where the nipples thread directly into the rim wall is quite neat.
Shovel Research previewed a new chainring with integrated mounting studs for a five-bolt 74 mm BCD inner chainring. The three-bolt splined interface isn’t as current as SRAM’s newer eight-bolt format, but it’s more commonly used on the boutique aftermarket crankarms that are often favored among the custom crowd.
Though definitely a niche product (and who knows how well it shifts), it’s pretty coolat how the inner chainring is almost completely hidden by the outer one.
Berd Technology brought this slick custom painted version of its Trudi computerized truing system to MADE, finished by artist Dr. Curtis Bullock.
Abbey Bike Tools hasn’t yet decided if these stainless steel shot glasses and leather-covered flasks will actually go into production, but my hunch is they’ve got plenty of supporters to justify the run. The shot glasses are shockingly heavy!
Bullmoose Softgoods’ new Basket Boss strikes me as one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” products. It’s sized to work specifically with Wald steel baskets, and adds heaps of functionality that you wouldn’t otherwise get from a plain steel wire box.
San Util Design is a small outfit based in Winter Park, Colorado, that makes a variety of bags and accessories for “bikepacking, mountain biking, and backcountry travel.”
San Util founder Adam Nicholson told me that his approach to most of the brand’s bag design is “light and fast”, prioritizing lightweight – but durable – materials and configurations that are easy to access on the fly. For example, these mini panniers weigh barely 200 g each, including the mounting straps.
Clever Standard showed off a prototype version of its new Anchor Stack Race Day tubeless tire plug tool. For sure, there are some major similarities to what Dynaplug has done in terms of the form factor, but the plugs themselves are pretty novel.
Clever Standard’s Bacon Bullet design uses standard “bacon strip” tubeless tire plugs, but they’re loaded into these plastic or aluminum tips that are designed to be easier to push into a tire and less likely to inadvertently pop out. They’re also reusable (if you take the time to extract them from the tire later, that is).
Jack’s Sacks makes these lightweight pogies out of Tyvek. They’re perfect for riders that want protection from wind (and maybe rain) but don’t need insulation, and they’re easy to fold up and stuff into a pack, too.
Wheel Fanatyk modified some digital calipers to make an ultra-precise (and quick-to-use) spoke ruler.
I don’t have any bikes myself that would be well suited for these headset top caps from Yellow Bird Thread Works, but I’d almost be tempted to build one specifically around them.
Yellow Bird Thread Works makes some of the prettiest headset top caps around.
Almost too pretty.
I’m absolutely kicking myself for forgetting to buy one of these Lego-compatible stem caps at the show. Total fail on my part.
Wheels Manufacturing is diving into chainrings. The offerings are intentionally limited for now, consisting of just 30, 32, and 34T sizes and exclusively for SRAM three-bolt interfaces. The company says they’re compatible with both Shimano Hyperglide+ and SRAM T-Type drivetrains, and retail price is US$70.
Cadex isn’t messing around with its marketing efforts these days. There were definitely a lot of bikes at MADE this year outfitted with Cadex bits.
I unfortunately have no idea who made this (it was randomly given to an exhibitor), but I can certainly think of a whole bunch of people who’d find it handy – especially when mounted to those tool mounts under the top tube (or Bento box mounts) that so often go unused.
I was a big fan of the signs on these Ultradynamico tires.
Truth in advertising. In case you’re wondering, “expensive” translates here to US$275.
I can wholeheartedly endorse Ron's Trailworm shoes, as I got a pair (before the tariffs, thankfully :) I'm a barefoot shoe + flat pedal user, and the Trailworms fit the bill perfectly. This niche basically didn't exist before Ronnie + Stomplox dreamed them up, and I'm thrilled they exist.
I can wholeheartedly endorse Ron's Trailworm shoes, as I got a pair (before the tariffs, thankfully :) I'm a barefoot shoe + flat pedal user, and the Trailworms fit the bill perfectly. This niche basically didn't exist before Ronnie + Stomplox dreamed them up, and I'm thrilled they exist.
I believe Josh designed the whole fork for Firefly. Crown and tips are 3D printed.