A version of this feature ran in the November issue of BRAIN.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Charles Thompson has about 4,200 followers on Instagram (@fine_bikes), where his steel bike brand Fine Bikes has developed a loyal following. But it's events like the Crafted Bicycle & Gear Show, held here at Cane Creek Cycling Components in late September, that connects the framebuilder with the ardent fan and potential customer.
"I'm better in person than I am on email, so I love it when customers come up to me for the first time and say, 'I've been following you for a while, and I've been wanting to see your work in person.'"
Based in Raleigh, about 250 miles east of Asheville, Thompson is an avid show participant, attending the MADE Bike Show in Oregon and the Philly Bike Expo.
"Coming to these shows kind of does it for me, and the whole point of building show bikes is to get the attention of the public and the photographers at the show. It's nice to build bikes that I'm proud of, and I think they'll get in front of the right eyes. So it becomes like a little bit of a challenge, but when it works, the marketing is great."
Thompson, who works part-time at Oak City Cycling in Raleigh, started Fine Bikes in 2021 after taking a week-long framebuilding class from Steve Garn, founder of BREW Bikes, near Boone, North Carolina, in 2020. Thompson has known Garn since he was a kid, racing for the BREW Bikes BMX team. "My old candy apple red BREW Race Team frame hangs in the rafters at Oak City," Thompson said. "Steve was my first class where I saw, start to finish, how to turn a pile of tubes into a bike."
In addition to drop-bar and mountain bike frames, Thompson manufactures forks, racks, and stems. He said it was important for him to eventually develop his style. While Garn uses a bench grinder to miter tubes, Thompson said he uses a milling machine and finishes with a hand file. "It's slower. It's more calculated. It just resonates with me."
Instead of TIG welds, Thompson said he primarily brazes. "I like the look of brazing. I want things to look a certain way."
After fabricating about 10 bikes, Thompson took a three-day painting class from Carl Schlemowitz of Vicious Cycles in New York to complete his framebuilding training. "It took a while to find my own style because in those classes, you're just learning how they do it. You have to go home and figure out your own style."
Schlemowitz also provides Fine Bikes with its Columbus Steel. Thompson said he also uses Reynolds 853 from Firsthand Framebuilding. He typically makes about 12 bikes a year, with the option of building a customer a frame only or frameset.
"I definitely have some customers that are either really tall or really short and need custom bikes," he said. "I have a little bit of a following as a mechanic. I've been a bicycle mechanic for 14 years and well-known in my area. So they want the whole package. They want the frame and fork built by me, painted by me, and they want me to spec' all the parts."
Frame-only pricing is based on tiers. Level 1 ($2,500) includes custom geometry, and up to three colors. Level 2 ($3,000) includes three-plus colors, bi-laminate construction, and other custom touches. Custom forks are $600 with any braze-ons added. Custom stems and racks are each $200. With access to most distributors, Thompson said he's a one-stop manufacturer who personally tests all designs.
"I don't make anything for a customer until I've proven to myself that I can do it," Thompson said. "I didn't make a mountain bike for anyone until I made a mountain bike for myself and then took it off some jumps."
Crafted Bicycle & Gear Show
The inaugural Crafted Bicycle & Gear Show attracted 40-plus exhibitors outside Cane Creek Cycling Components’ headquarters near Asheville, North Carolina. According to Cane Creek, almost 3,000 people attended the two-day show on Sept. 26-27. Exhibitors included component manufacturers, handmade and bespoke frame builders, and outdoor industry brands.
Events included workshop discussion from builders and industry professionals, Cane Creek factory tours, group rides, and the North Carolina Cyclocross race.
Cane Creek said its region inspired the decision to hold the show.
“We are situated in the Southeast with an often forgotten but lively cycling industry. We have so many partners that fall into that handmade and small frame builder’s category down here, and they deserve to be celebrated and highlighted,” said Cane Creek’s OEM Sales Manager, Bryan Flack.
“The cyclists that ride here in the Southeast are also eager to meet like-minded frame builders and see the incredible bicycles they make. There are other handmade bike shows out West or in Europe which are great, but we wanted to celebrate and highlight those frame builders in our backyard, on the East Coast, and the Southeast.”
Next year’s show is scheduled for Oct. 2-3.
Read about another vendor at the show, Cognizant Cycles, which carved out a niche in the industry by being diversified.
