Friday Fun: Custom Bikes In New York

George sent me a link to this amazing flikr pool of crazy sweet custom bikes in NYC.

Here is a taste

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IndyFab Moving To NH, From The Dust Rises Firefly

Independent Fabrications, makers of fine custom bicycles, is moving from its home in Somerville to New Hampshire. Looks like they are moving to get a bigger location, and their place in Somerville was getting too developed.

Come May, Independent Fabrication will be welding and painting its frames in a remodeled 200-year-old mill in Newmarket, New Hampshire. The company’s new location is about an hour north of its long-time Boston location.

“We’re doubling our production area and adding a fitting area and a show room. The Atlantic and beautiful riding are just out the door,” said Gary Smith, Independent Fabrication (IF) president.

“It’s possible for American manufacturing to thrive in this day and age and the move allows us long needed expansion,” he added.

Urban development around its Somerville factory, including a nearby transit station, meant the area was no longer ideal for light industry. The landlord could make better use of their space with thousands of commuters walking by, Smith acknowledged. IF has occupied the same space since ex-Fat City Cycle employees founded it in 1995. (via)

Some of the workers at IF decided to stay in Boston and formed Firefly

Firefly Bicycles, a company founded by three former IF employees, is now crafting custom bicycle frames out of their 2000 square-foot shop in Boston, Massachusetts. The company’s founders, Tyler Evans and Jamie Medeiros, have designed, built and fit high-end Ti, steel, stainless steel and carbon frames for a combined 30-plus years at IF and some other of the world’s most revered names in handmade frames.

“We’re taking everything that was great about where we came from, where we’ve been, our history together, our deep roots in the international cycling community, our collective skills, and we’re using that as a starting point,” indicated Jamie Medeiros, Firefly Bicycles’ Director of R&D. “The fundamentals of making great bike frames haven’t changed dramatically, but there is so much room for improvement in attention to detail, dialing in ride quality, finish quality, customer service and making bikes that are truly unique to each rider.”(via)

I can only hope this means we get the best of both worlds, with a new larger and profitable IF and a brand new awesome source for bikes in Firefly. Good luck to everyone.

Do any of you own work from these people, I have long lusted after several IF’s…perhaps now I will start drooling over Firefly bikes as well.

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