We love bikes.  And while the focus at Bike War may be slanted towards road bikes, with perhaps a little bias to carbon fiber bikes, we do appreciate bikes of all types, makes, and materials.  A self-proclaimed weight weenie (in our case, mamil – middle-aged men in lycra) – might declare that the best bikes on the road today are carbon fiber – just look at the pro tour peloton, they say – those “in the know”, well, know differently.  And the judges at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show this past weekend thought otherwise also.   Drum roll please…..

In the Best Road Bike category:  Bishop Bikes.  Frame Material:  steel.  Yes, you read that right.  Steel.  As in Reynolds steel.  It does have modern componentry and carbon wheelset, but the geometry is very traditional.  Notice the quill stem, and even the Brooks saddle.  Insanely cool.

To satisfy our carbon fiber diet, Alchemy Bicycles did take home the Best Carbon Construction ribbon:

Finally, who took Best of Show honours?  You’ll be surprised.  And carbon didn’t even come close.  To find out, check our Facebook page, including the rest of the winners.   Awaaaa….

Photos courtesy of Farid A. Abraham