One day I was moseying around a shop absorbing that "new bike smell" a new rider asked the LBS employee questions about getting a new bike. After answering them and lining up bikes in her size and price range to test ride she asked "Are any of these made in the USA?".
He paused, then said "There are bikes made here. They tend to be expensive". There's a long list of hand-made, mostly full custom bikes made in the USA. I'll get to some of them. I hope you'll see from this blog there are tons of options for parts, clothes, lights, racks and the stuff you either need to ride or would be nice to have to ride.
Much of that is very affordable.
Bikes made in the USA tend to be pricey. By "pricey" I mean starting at $2,000 to $3,000. When we talk about an "American made bicycle" we mean the frame. Many parts go into a bicycle and they are from all around. It's just about impossible to get an entirely US made bicycle.
What started this post is that our friend Donald Boothby has passed away. He was a truly wonderful man whom K had the honor and pleasure of meeting a few times. Don had a wonderful sense of humor, a great family, he loved to cook and of course ride bikes. He bought a touring bike made by a small local builder: Davidson Bicycles.
He rode tens of thousands of miles on that bike often with family and friends. Sadly we never got to ride together. I'd hope to do so when I moved here.
We see Davidson bikes a lot while riding in Seattle. Not that there are a lot of them. They are few so they really stand out. They stand because not only are they rare and beautifully made but the obvious ease and comfort to the rider.
Davidson fits you right to the bike. You sense it's a Davidson approaching from afar away because bike and rider move as one.
Sadly as Don lay at home, just days from dying of cancer a thief broke into their home and stole his bike.
This is a friendly blog with a kind purpose. I'm a peaceful person. There's few if any people and even things I dislike. I like cats, liver and lima beans. I'm pretty zen.
But I hate bike thieves.
Perhaps the only thing worse than bike thieves is cancer. Cancer just took our friend and not before thieves took his bike. So I'm a little upset.
So I'm just saying; rare, unique, custom built, custom painted bike which the entire cycling community recognizes is out there. If you have the bike and ride it skilled riders can tell from a mile away "That's not yours. It is not fit for you, is not your bike."
If you're looking for a fine custom bike to buy new or legitimately and reliably used from the owner or a good bike shop you can do no better than a Davidson:
http://davidsonbicycles.com/
But to the ditwad who stole or the unsuspecting or unscrupulous buyer riding Don's bike, karma will find you. For your sake let's hope karma finds you before the Seattle cycling community does.
We are looking for a: 56 cm Davidson frame, black with red trim and a lot of chrome. Steel front forks with chrome tips, chrome on the rear triangle and on the head tube. If you see the bike or know about it contact Davidson Bicycles and they will contact Don's family and/or police.
I believe I can safely say all the family wants is Don's bike back. So if you read this and know about the stolen bike please just get it back no questions asked. They'd just like it back as a memento of a beloved husband and father. It's of no use to you.
If you've seen or know anything you can contact Davidson Bicycles at the website above and/or Seattle Randonneur Cycling club. Contact information and pictures of the bike on:
http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/
