The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles

The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles is a celebration of the design history and craftsmanship behind this simple but efficient two-wheeled vehicle. Featuring fifty classic models built by hand, this book unveils the bicycle's technical evolution within a historical context. Beautifully detailed are early-twentieth-century models with multi-gear systems, mid-century machines where war and postwar economy challenged craft and utility, as well as modern and contemporary bicycles. Featured artisans and brands include La Gauloise, Reyhand, Schulz, Barra, Alex Singer, and Rene Herse. With brilliant full-color images of each model and chronological text detailing the craftsmanship that went into producing these elegant machines, this book will appeal to bicycle enthusiasts and to anyone interested in design.

Jan Heine is an avid cyclist and editor of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly, a magazine devoted to bicycle history and classic models. Jean-Pierre Praderes is a freelance photographer whose award-winning work has been featured in numerous magazines and books, including The Art of the Motorcycle