While I was walking around Old City last week, I stumbled upon a magnificence on display at Art in the Age, a very fine shop offering high quality products (apparel, accessories, …) made by conscientious people with rigorous mind. For the month of November they set up a miniature version of a bike workshop to demonstrate the craft of custom framebuilding by Bilenky Cycle Works, the top-notch custom bike building company founded in Philly in 1983. The showcase was filled with old cranks and tubes, rusty lugs, vintage prints, bike outlines and the center piece I fell in love with : a Bilenky custom made bike.

I think that’s the first time I stared at a bike for more than 5 minutes, I even had to come back the day after to immortalize the moment with my camera. Now I absolutely have to praise the Bilenky crew who does an extraordinary job at building practical and beautiful commuter bikes with the right amount of craft. Just by looking at their workshop, out in the Northern industrial suburb of philly, and by listening to the big boss, Stephen Bilenky, you understand right away what they are made of : tradition, passion and dedication. Double thumbs up!