Firsthand Framebuilding Buys Paragon Machine Works

There will surely be a collective exhale among many in the custom framebuilding world today, with the news that Portland, Oregon’s Firsthand Framebuilding has purchased Paragon Machine Works, one of the largest full-service bike component machine shops in the world and a pillar of the handbuilt frame space. Shortly after it announced its sudden closure in March, we shared reactions from various folks across the industry in “Paragon Machine Works Shuts Down, an Industry Reels.” This morning’s announcement that Paragon Machine Works’ legacy will live on with its new owner is a bright spot amid a tumultuous time in the industry, and we’re thrilled to hear the news. Get the scoop in the official release below.

Press Release: Firsthand Framebuilding Purchases Paragon Machine Works’ IP & Assets

Paragon Machine Works, a longstanding manufacturer of bicycle framebuilding components and tools, has sold the entirety of its intellectual property to Firsthand Framebuilding, a framebuilding supply and education company based in Portland, Oregon. The sale includes 100% of Paragon’s design and copyright property, its brand name and trademark assets, as well as all of the associated tooling required to manufacture Paragon’s vast catalog of supplies.

​Firsthand Framebuilding is a current Paragon dealer and the North American distributor for Reynolds steel/titanium bicycle frame tubing. Set to launch a much-anticipated framebuilding school in Portland this fall, Firsthand Framebuilding was founded as a resource for framebuilding education and a supplier of best-in-class tools and equipment associated with the trade. The alignment between Paragon and Firsthand helped facilitate this agreement.

​“We’re proud of the legacy we’ve created at Paragon Machine Works,” said the Norstad family, founders of the brand. “Transitions are never easy, but working with Firsthand to secure Paragon’s future has been a dream come true. To see the product line not only carried on, but by a company that is truly investing in the future of framebuilding is more than we could have hoped for. We’re thankful for our customers’ support during the last 43 years, and we’re delighted that the Paragon product line will live on.”

​Firsthand’s owner, Chris Blandford, added, “Like so many, I’ve long admired Paragon. The Norstads and their staff have supported the framebuilding community for decades. I am humbled that they have put their faith in me and Firsthand to uphold and carry forward their substantial legacy. In the coming weeks, we will be contacting Paragon’s customers regarding our plans, product ordering, and timelines.”

​Paragon and Firsthand have jointly outlined a path forward for Paragon’s assets. Blandford summarized, saying, “First and foremost, we’ll be working with PMW over the coming weeks as they wind down to supply Firsthand with an initial stock of some critical frame components. Next, in the short term, we’ll be working with local partners to produce a portion of the Paragon catalog for us. Finally, in the long term, we were already planning on producing frame components in-house for use in our school; acquiring the Paragon catalog will allow us to–eventually–manufacture a selection of these parts in-house.”

​The acquisition will not be without its challenges. Paragon cited several factors for its abrupt closure, including declining sales and rising costs. Blandford is not naive to those hurdles, saying, “If the Norstads can’t make this business work as-is, then I definitely can’t. What we’ve bought here isn’t an operating business we hope to fix or replicate; it’s a legacy of framebuilding knowledge and design that needed the right steward. That said, I’m extremely optimistic that, with the right approach, manufacturing high-quality, affordable framebuilding bits domestically is still very doable–and important–in 2026. Paragon’s closure was a gut-check for all of us. With Paragon’s IP in hand, I’m excited to see what the Firsthand team and I can do to bring a fresh perspective to framebuilding component supply in the future.”

Builders, see the Paragon status page for answers to many of your questions.

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