New England Builders’ Ball

16 Sep 2014

By David - In VELOPATHIC

The Builders’ Ball, New England’s annual celebration and exhibition of hand-built bicycles, returns to Providence, RI for its 4th straight year. This year’s show will be in a new venue, The botanicalCenter at Roger Williams Park, New England’s largest indoor display gardens.

The Builders’ Ball has gained its fan base of both framebuilders and their customers by creating a fun, low-stress atmosphere, more akin to a gallery opening than a sales expo. Live music will fill the glasshouse, and beer, wine, and food will be available as well. October 3 is the Friday of the KMC cyclocross Festival, also inRoger Williams Park.

Mike Flanigan of Alternative Needs Transportation noted, “ANT is Looking forward to attending the Builders’ Ball again. We had such a great time at the last two we attended and felt the quality of the people that came too see the show was very impressive. The event is the best thing going for New England builders.”

Added Richard Sachs, “I missed the first several iterations of The Builders’ Ball owing to obligations and time restrictions that come with having my ‘cross team in town all weekend, as well as my own racing for which a Saturday morning alarm clock sounds early. But this year I’m finally there. I’ve seen the past years’ photos and know well of the camaraderie shared on Friday. I Lookforward to being part of it in early October.”

Younger frame builders are in on the action too. Noted builder and painter Chris Bull of Circle A Cycles said, ”New England has a rich and storied bicycle building history, and we’re honored to be showing alongside so many of the old guard and young guns – and to count them all as friends. This is the public’s best chance to see the best of modern framebuilding, from lugged steel to carbon composite, all under one roof and as part of one great weekend of cycling.”

And Brian Chapman of Chapman Cycles, winner of multiple awards at both Cirque du Cyclisme and Bike Cult, says “This unique cycling event gives the public a chance to meet almost every active bicycle maker in New England under one roof. And combined with the cyclocross festival weekend, it ends up being a pretty big party.”

The New England Builders’ Ball is again a fundraiser for the East Coast Greenway Alliance. Doors are open from 7 pm to 11 pm, and admission is just $5. More information, including the latest exhibitor list, can be found at http://newenglandbuildersball.com/and/or https://www.facebook.com/newenglandbuildersball

2014 registration is open! Here is the list so far:

44 Bikes :: Lyndeborough NH

Alternative Needs Transportation :: Walpole MA

Beardman Bicycles :: Wrentham MA

Bill Rounds :: Apponaug RI

Breismeister Bicycles :: Queens NY

Buca Boot :: Boston MA

Champ Bags :: Providence RI

Chapman Cycles :: Pawtuxet Village RI

Circle A Cycles :: Providence RI

Concinnity Cycle Works :: Cambridge MA

Cleverhood :: Providence RI