The Future of MADE and Billy Sinkford’s BTCHN’ 32er

The inaugural MADE bike show came at the perfect time. The North American Handmade Bike Show (NAHBS) was canceled after the 2019 event, and the pandemic halted bike gatherings. People wanted another show to bring the framebuilding community together again, a sentiment that resonated with folks I spoke to at the first MADE show in 2023. Fast-forward to today, and the fourth annual MADE bike show is about to kick off in Portland, Oregon, led by the Director of Show, Billy Sinkford.

Billy made Portland the venue not only because he lives here, but because of its active cycling population, the international airport, and the bike culture that surrounds the city. Zidell Yards is the perfect venue for the show. It’s a former industrial area along the waterfront where teams of workers built barges for nearly six decades. It’s gritty, rough around the edges, and makes the perfect backdrop for a weekend that celebrates the art of hand-built bikes.

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Neil and I managed to pull Billy aside from his long list of to-dos for a quick chat before the media/industry-only day. We were curious to hear more about why he started the show, the effort required to run it, and where the MADE bike show is headed in 2027. Apparently, a Major League Baseball park complex is being constructed at Zidell Yards, but it sounds like Billy already has a plan in motion—and it involves the Oregon Convention Center, just across the Willamette River from Zidell.

Despite its charm, Zidell Yards is an open-air venue housed in a massive metal hangar, and hosting a bike show there has had its challenges. They’ve dealt with scorching-hot days, leaky roofs, and water shortages, but they’ve always come out on top. This weekend might offer the most favorable conditions yet.

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For the full scoop, check out Neil’s interview with Billy below. Whether or not you’ve attended the show, it’s an interesting reflection on the last four years, and we’re excited to break the news about next year’s venue. While there are those of us who will surely miss Zidell Yards’ post-apocalypse factory vibes, I’m thrilled about flush toilets and air-conditioning.

Billy’s BTCHN’ 32er Flat-Bar Gravel Bike

Billy collaborated with Moots on a special co-branded titanium Routt 45 at the first MADE bike show in ’23. He let Moots have free rein and asked only that the MADE logo be included (and that there be purple parts). Each year, Billy commissions and purchases a custom bike that becomes the official MADE show bike, which is now a tradition.

This year, Billy worked with Tyler Reiswig of BTCHN’ Bikes in Chico, California, on an extra-special Bandito, the brand’s 32-inch flat-bar gravel bike. It’s not exactly like the 32-inch Bandito we shared in our 2026 Sea Otter Classic coverage, though. It has a shorter rear end for more aggressive handling, and when Tyler and Billy started talking about it, they thought it would be fun to see just how light they could make it.

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The build features several stunning components, such as BTCHN’ titanium bullmoose bars, White Industries titanium cranks, and the newly released Berd Sparrow50 Gold wheels, which the brand claims are the fastest gravel wheels on the market, considering both aerodynamics and vibration damping benefits. It has a titanium seatpost, PAUL Klampers, SRAM AXS blip buttons from Leap Components in the Netherlands, and a carbon Columbus fork.

The chainring is another masterpiece from Josh Ogle of Ogle Component Design, who makes 3D-printed and machined titanium and aluminum parts. The full-suspension mountain bike he showed off at last year’s show was nothing short of impressive, and the special CNC-machined chainring he made for Billy’s BTCHN’ is just a glimpse into his capabilities.

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At just 19 pounds (8.6 kilograms), it’s one of the lightest metal 32-inch bikes we’ve seen, and it’s not even a complete weight-weenie build considering the PAUL bits and AXS derailleur. The nifty little MADE valve caps are made by Mad Monkey Designs in Humboldt, California, but they managed to shrink them to about half the size of the original.

You might also notice an exciting new product from Silca, which marks their entrance into the tire segment. You’ll be hearing more about them from us soon, but the Silca Protocol tires come in four tread patterns and several widths, topping out at 700 × 55mm, as well as a 32 x 2.4″ version that Billy’s BTCHN’ was sporting. We’re excited to get a closer look at the rest of the new Silca tires in person at the show.

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Today is the media/industry-only day at the 2026 MADE bike show, and we’ll be keeping the coverage rolling. The show opens to the public on Friday at 9 a.m. and runs until Sunday at 4 p.m. Neil, Nic, and I will be there the entire time, so if you see something you want to learn more about or there’s a particular builder you’d like us to highlight, let us know in the Conversation below. Get your tickets here. Also, don’t forget that you can get a free water bottle by participating in the MADE attendee bike photoshoot on Saturday.

Further Reading

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