09.26.11 -- The Stitched Bike was finished in the Spring, but deserves some credit on our website. It's what we do for fun.

It’s a commuter that’s perfect for city streets, a quiet suburban neighborhood, and errands around town. We were inspired by VO’s elk hide barwrap, and wanted to make the frame look like it was stitched together. We played with bi-laminated sleeves and the illusion of lugged construction. We wanted the bike to appeal to a wide audience, so when picking components and figuring out geometry, we kept a 65-year old grandma, who probably knits, in mind. We made the following choices for the following reasons:

• A no-fuss 8-speed internal Sturmey Archer hub with drum brakes. It will not likely have issues because of the weather or terrain.

• A Shimano Alfine chain tensioner so that we could use vertical dropouts, making it easy to take the wheel on and off.

• An upright riding position that appeals to the non-aggressive rider.

• An easy to access and see front VO Constructor rack.

• Fenders to keep the weather off your clothes.

• Comfy leather elk hide bar wrap and VO leather saddle with springs.

• A clean and simple Jtek bar-end friction shifter. This simple design was made by a machine shop in Minnesota that happens to have lots of bike-happy employees.

• Easy to use brake levers that wrap for more than one hand position.

• A bell, of course.

This bike can be yours for $2000... or make an offer.