Bikes of Bike Camp 2025

Bikes were largely a quiet through line of Bike Camp 2025, but there were some truly fantastic rigs on display at the event. From the winners of the bike show to the personal bikes of those who made it happen, the Bikes of Bike Camp 2025 are a reminder of just how cool a personal build can be. When you’re buried in a mountain of new models and perfect show bikes, it can be easy to forget the unpretentious patina that makes up the best rigs around. I couldn’t document every one, but here are some that stood out during my time at Bike Camp.

Derek’s Salsa La Cruz

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Derek Wilson is the shop manager at Two Bikes Chattanooga and an all-around ripper. With a background in BMX, Derek’s range spans the whole of cycling. From mountain bikes to 200-kilometer randonneuring rides, Derek likes pretty much anything that has to do with riding. That said, when I asked him to show me a personal bike that represented him best, he whipped out this sweet, pre-QBP Salsa La Cruz. Complete with Crust Towel Rack bars, a Chris King/White Industries Single Speed hub set, bits and bobs from Blue Lug, and Paul MiniMotos, Derek’s Salsa La Cruz is a parts bin build befitting of an experienced mechanic.

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Per Derek, “I love this bike—it’s definitely my favorite. I got it from my friend Charles an hour or two after he bought it. We were at the Southern Appalachian Bike Swap that Two Bikes Knoxville put together. Two fellas were letting it go for a steal. Charles and I talked about it many times throughout the day, asking one another if it was still there. I told him I had a design in mind, so he sold it to me and we traded for the Salsa stem. I wanted a hybrid/gravel/all-road single-speed to zip around on. I originally built it up with flat bars and loved it, but I also love swapping handlebars, so here we are.”

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Will Moss’ Thereabouts x Crust Bombora

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Will Moss is the sole owner/operator of Farther Bag Company. When I met him at Bike Camp, I knew I recognized the logo, but as I dove into his personal build, the dots started to really connect. We have a lot of discussions about aesthetics and design here on the site because that’s half the battle. Making something look good is a key part of communicating an idea. Through Will’s curated Thereabouts x Crust Bombora, you can pretty easily see the connection to a well-thought-out yet subtle design philosophy. It’s understated but stylish. Quiet but cool. It’s a vibe that extends to Will’s personality and one that makes you excited about the bags he produces and him as a person.

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From Will, “After an unfortunate run-in with UPS in the summer of 2021 that cracked my old frame, I was left with a pile of parts in the middle of the COVID bike boom. Luckily, a few weeks after getting home from the disastrous bike tour I shipped my bike for, Crust added a handful of their Crust x Thereabouts Bombora onto the site. After figuring out what in that parts pile would work on the new frame, I spent the next four months scouring the internet for any available bike parts that would work for me. The result is a hodge-podge of semi-matching components and a blown-up budget. Shimano 105 shifters from the old bike linked to a new GRX derailleur. Pacenti wheels with one White Industries and one SRAM hub made it onto the new build. As did the Brooks Swift Saddle. I got a new set of White Industries cranks/BB and Ritchey Venturemax bars with some CampAndGoSlow Eastern Rattler Bar tape. The Ultradynamico 650b Cava’s were a relatively recent addition.”

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Chandi Bikes Custom Titanium Single Speed

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Another builder at Bike Camp was Eric Tittsworth of Chandi Bikes, a production frame maker based in Chattanooga. Though I didn’t get to chat with Eric for long, this custom singlespeed that seems to take after one of their core models, the Voltage, really caught my eye. Lightweight yet burly, the rugged nature of this all-terrain singlespeed seemed indicative of the rolling and rough terrain found in eastern Tennessee.

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Adeline’s Fine Bikes Cyclocross Racer

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First meeting Charles and Adeline of Fine Bikes at Philly Bike Expo, I’m glad to see more of the North Carolina-based duo wherever I go. Though Charles and Adeline are a small operation with limited time and resources by the nature of their other jobs, I am more and more impressed every time I have the pleasure of looking at one of Charles’ creations. A racer and mechanic of over 10 years, Charles seems to know exactly what he’s doing when it comes to creating unique bikes that ride like a dream. While I haven’t had the chance to throw a leg over an appropriately size Fine, cruising around the campground on Adeline’s cross bike felt quite good. For a bike that was probably two sizes too small, it felt light, springy, and a dream to handle. A sentiment Adeline herself feels is a solid descriptor.

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But, I’ll let Adeline take it away, “The fit feels like a warm hug. It has a taller head tube than production bikes that are my size, which requires fewer spacers and leaves room for a frame pump! Fun fact: Charles used a ball bearing as the pump mount. Usually, my gravel bike rocks 700 x 42s, but I swap it to my Challenge mud tubulars for CX racing. The bike features Columbus Zona tubing with a Kona Super Jake fork. It’s also the last bike in the Fine single digits (#9). I love that it has sliding dropouts so I can also run it singlespeed—the best speed (40:17 ratio). Though I am currently running AXS 12 speed and loving it.”

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Winners of The Bikecamp 2025 Bike Show

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The evening light of eastern Tennessee faded before we could get in a proper bike check, but the winners of the bike show at Bike Camp could not be overlooked. Featuring a custom Litespeed road bike from fellow Asheville-ian Dillon Siff, a lovely Rivendell Appaloosa from Jimmer Barron, and a refurbished Performance Ti MTB/ATB from shop regular Steven, these were some worthy builds.

To give a brief run-through, Jimmer is a friend and fellow rider who lives in Brevard, North Carolina. In his own words, “Hansi,” his Rivendell, “is a bike and dear friend.” He rips a lot of the local singletrack on it and charmed the voters of Bike Camp with his modest yet unique build. Dillon’s Litespeed is one that probably deserves its own post, so stay tuned for a more in-depth look soon. But, from what I gathered, it’s an old Litespeed road bike that Dillon decided to chop the head tube off of to run the more modern carbon fork. Per Dillon, the entire build, plum Chris King hubs, and all, is “a bit over-indulgent honestly, but also built to last, and goddamn if it isn’t fun as hell to ride, noisy braking and all.” As someone who has had the “pleasure” of riding behind a carbon rim brake bike, I can attest to the final caveat. Finally, Steven’s build pays homage to both Chattanooga and Two Bikes specifically as it features a variety of parts he bought from the shop. The Stridsland Barnacle fork is from Two Bikes, and the frame is rooted in Tennessee, with performance Ti frames being produced in the state during the ’90s.

Litespeed Titanium Flint Gravel Bike

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While there was a distinct absence of company presence at Bike Camp, American Bicycle Group—a firm that represents a handful of US-based brands—had a few bikes on show. The one that really sparkled was from a brand I have some familiarity with: Litespeed. Take to Facebook Marketplace pretty much anywhere in Florida, and you’ll see the brand in droves. Primarily knowm for their run of ’90s TT-centric models, it was cool to see some up-to-date offerings from the Tennessee builder. Diving into their Flint gravel model, I was impressed with the quality of welds and the approachability of the build spec.

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Speaking with Oriol Brull of Litespeed, I found out a bit more about it. “With the Flint, we wanted to produce a frame that weighed around 1,500 grams, and we achieved that with a size medium coming in right around 1,490 grams. It’s not our lightest gravel frame, but it’s lighter than a lot of the competition. Along with that, our goal was to deliver the magical ride quality that has made titanium legendary: stiff yet comfortable, lively yet well-damped, and communicative without being buzzy. The size-specific wall-thickness control really allows us to control the flex characteristics of the frame to achieve that dreamy titanium ride feel. Hopefully, that’s what you feel when you try one!”

Oriol went on to talk about the naming conventions at Litespeed and how they’re typically inspired by “flash in the pan” experiences the team has in specific places. The Flint pays homage to the Flint Hills of Emporia, Kansas, and the impact UNBOUND has had on the great gravel space. Despite not having much in the way of expectations for a brand that has largely existed as background noise in my cycling experiences here in the South, I am intrigued by the model and productive nature of the Tennessee-based brand. So, be on the lookout for more about both Flint and Litespeed in the future.

Mitchell’s Custom Trek 613

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As the owner/operator of Two Bikes Chattanooga, it only makes sense for Mitchell to have one of the best, “well-loved” bikes on display. Aside from the aesthetic being one I can very easily get on with, the bike illustrates the story I came to know about Two Bikes. With origins in Trek’s non-profit program, it tracks that Mtichell’s personal bike is a vintage Trek aided by some more modern comforts through the knowledge and helping hand of friendship. Complete with knock-off Rene Herse cranks, a SON dynamo, and a useful and unique-looking front rack, the DIY nature of Mitchell’s Trek might take a top spot in the coolest bikes I’ve ever seen.

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From Mitchell, “I built this 1983 Trek 613 to be a randonneuring and commuting hybrid. My favorite frame builder over the past 10 or 15 years has always been Mitch Pryor of MAP Cycles, and I adore the classic lines on his big tire road bikes. I’ve also always had an affinity for classic 1980s Trek road bikes, but their limited tire clearance kept me from turning one into a forever bike.

When I saw a short YouTube video from Steve Frey explaining how he modifies classic Treks into 650B randonneuring bikes, I knew I had to give it a shot. Though
I was very intimidated by learning to braze, my close friend, Derek Wilson convinced me that brazing isn’t that hard.
Turns out that he’s right, and its pretty easy to be just “good enough” at brazing. Once I added the rear light mount, down tube shifter bosses, and other bobs and bits, I was ready to build the full bike. It ended up being my favorite bike. I love the way it rides, and it’s a perfect representation of the DIY ethos I try to live by. Buy durable stuff, and don’t be afraid to make it your own. Thanks for teaching me to braze, Derek!”

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Lael’s Specialized Crux

As we touched on elsewhere, Lael Wilcox hung out all weekend at Bike Camp. On Sunday, she hosted a group ride to a local coffee shop, Velo Coffee Roasters, where a group of 60 people rode the trails over into town and continued the hangout. Though I didn’t get a full bike check, Lael’s Specialized was looking fresh and marble-y. Per Lael, there’s some new stuff coming down the pike as she targets another Unbound XL win this year, along with some classic Lael Wilcox-oriented long-distance goals.

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What’s your favorite bike from the inaugural Bike Camp? Let us know in the conversation below!

Further Reading

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