Bike and builder portraits by Stefan Haehnel

Lucas, Stefan, and I are back in Dresden, Germany, for the 2025 edition of Bespoked. Europe’s largest custom bike show is a highlight of the year for many attendees, craftspeople, and media alike. Bringing together builders, makers, and enthusiasts from all over the continent and beyond, we’ve once again made the Dresden Airport our unlikely gathering place, at least for these special three days of the year.

It’s clear that custom framebuilding has only become more difficult in the past 12 months since we last came together in Eastern Germany. When it comes to putting in the substantial work and travel for these events, professional builders are forced into an unfortunate cost-benefit calculation: Is it (financially) worth it?

As is the case with the MADE show in the United States, the answer from the European community seems to be a resounding yes. The terminal was bursting with more than 150 exhibitors from all over the globe, even exceeding last year’s turn-out. The event seems to have well and truly found its groove in its third edition. Buckle up for our three-part series of standout builders and their bicycles, plus a spotlight on bike gear, culture, accessories, and more from Dresden.

Drust Compact Collapsible Cargo Bikelink

Berlin, Germany

A multi-award winner at various editions of Bespoked, Berlin’s extraordinary Konstantin Drust of Drust Cycles had several show-stopping bikes on display throughout the terminal this year. Among his creations that caught most everyone’s attention while wandering the maze of booths is a compact, colorful, collapsible cargo bike. Built for a customer with some bold ideas, it was initially conceived as a cycle truck and eventually took shape through a fluid exchange of ideas and experimentation.

After debating between 20-inch and 26-inch wheels, Konstantin and his customer decided to go with matching 24-inch wheels front and rear, striking an ideal balance that perfectly suits the frame’s distinctive silhouette. In the end, the bike’s unique collapsible design is both a first and second attempt at the concept, as he decided to scrap his initial approach and rethink the most elegant way to accommodate the Pinion and unconventional folding concept in a way that manages to look great and function well. The seamlessly integrated front rack further elevates the design. And that fork?!

The bike’s atypical but altogether pleasing color scheme beautifully follows in the footsteps of the collapsible Drust tourer we shared at last year’s show. Asked to use a “minty” main color but given the freedom to choose the other hues, Konstantin took a gamble with the use of purple and yellow accents, and it paid off. “I knew it would be awesome or shit. There was nothing in between, and I’m super happy,” he said. The bike also uses parts sourced from almost entirely European brands, including many components produced on the continent, which was important to the buyer.

More broadly, much has changed for Drust Cycles since Lucas visited Konstantin’s former workshop in Berlin back in 2020. His focus has clearly shifted toward utility, and it’s a niche he’s thrilled to occupy. Speaking to the subject, Konstantin said, “I love building them because they have the potential to make someone’s life better on an everyday basis.”

Drust’s increasingly refined and complex designs are made possible thanks to his ongoing investment into better tooling and equipment, coupled with always taking customers’ ideas seriously, no matter how unconventional they may be. Konstantin believes in doing whatever he can to help turn his potential customers’ dreams into bikes they can actually ride, and he aims to create bicycles that exemplify what a bicycle can be with enough imagination, rather than what it has to be in a conventional sense. The results speak for themselves.

Gutterbikes Cockroach ATBlink

Naarm, Australia

Before Bee of Gutterbikes got into framebuilding, she’d been working as a mechanic in a few different shops around Naarm, Australia. She told us it’s a city with a rich bike culture, home to framebuilding legends such as Darren Baum and Mark at Prova Cycles, as well as regular riders for whom ideas of beauty are driven by function above all else. Gutterbikes’ aim is to build with an aesthetic that respects the bicycle’s unparalleled utility.

After Bee and her mate Harry tired of empty talk of dream bikes and the “perfect” geo, she decided “we needed to make some frames or shut up about it.” They made their first two using a borrowed homemade jig and a second-hand oxy torch in a friend’s backyard. Since then, things have escalated into a full-fledged framebuilding practice.

Bee brought her personal bikepacking rig to Bespoked, which she lovingly thinks of as The Cockroach, as in “an unkillable little bastard.” Inspired by ‘90s mountain bikes, it takes that playful heritage into the present day with 26+ rubber and short chainstays that mean wheelies for days. It’s covered in mounting points and sports an incredible monster biplane fork. The four-piece, motocross-style handlebar was made in stainless steel at Loop Cycles. Bee’s build was supported by the SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship, and we’re stoked she mixed up the Euro-centric show with her presence!

Fern Chacha link

Berlin, Germany

Blending classic contours with state-of-the-art tech, Fern’s retro-modern randonneuring and touring bikes nicely balance the more experimental and outright whacky designs at Bespoked. This year, Flo brought three bikes to the show that represent a cross-section of the Fern repertoire.

To get back to his framebuilding roots and experiment, Flo built not one but two Chachas—his classic randonneur model—for himself, inspired by vintage racing motorcycles. They’re identical except for the tubing diameters. One frame uses standard-size tubing, and the other is oversize, with a 31.8mm downtube, which is still skinny by modern standards. Noting that overbuilt steel frames don’t do justice to the material, he will test the lightweight frames back to back to deepen his understanding of the material.

Between Growtac friction levers, 13-speed Campag Ekar, and a vintage T.A. crank, the components are a playful and functional mix of old and new. Lighting is provided by a SON Ladelux and a matching new Allygn Edelmü dynamo rear light, which we’ll take a closer look at in another installment of our coverage. The carbon-fiber-reinforced top tube and beer can holster seal the deal. The Allygn Diamond Rack and a Tall Diamond Bag by Gramm Tourpacking are topped by a map case that will be made available soon.

Dlouhy Sixfifty Mountainbum link

Leipzig, Germany

Dlouhy Cycles started in 2018 as a collaboration between bicycle designer Jan and automotive mechanic Mario Vogel as a project to tinker and build frames for friends in Leipzig. They eventually quit their jobs to fully commit, building everything from trail hardtails to road racing bikes and touring bikes for friends and soon paying customers. But the hard truth is that it’s extremely difficult to earn a living with custom framebuilding, forcing Mario to quit the business. Jan continues on with his friend, designer, and painter Mario Pitsch (@wide_ways), who’s responsible for making Dlouhy paint jobs as custom as their bikes.

The Sixfifty Mountainbum is Jan’s new personal pleasure bike, filling a gap in his stable of sportier steeds. It just calls to be pedaled in sandals out to the lake or puttered around with friends. It’s rough around the edges, and Jan likes it like that. Featuring panniers and a decaleur-fitted rackbag by Wit Slingers, also from Leipzig, packing for a weekend trip is quick and easy. Yet it’s plenty capable for crossing the Alps or similar. It’s a true all-round, all-terrain bicycle that looks good while going slow. Lucas selected the Mountainbum for “Best Touring Bike” at this year’s show, a well-deserved award for the builder and bag maker together.

With its slender frame, wishbone rear, and steel fork, the Sixfifty Mountainbum has a distinct old-school flair. It’s hard to beat the look of thin steel tubes and chunky tires, in my opinion. Of particular note are the custom rear and front racks with removable pannier supports and the bullmoose handlebar. Jan’s thankful to Hope and SON for generously sponsoring the componentry of this dream rig.

Fresh Tailfin Seatpack link

Bristol, England

Always one to watch, Tailfin’s booth was buzzing throughout the show, with several folks from their Bristol-based team making the journey over from England. Of particular note, they teased an intriguing new roll-closure pack for their existing arch hardware.

With an internal volume of up to 10 liters plus 3 liters in the stretchy overflow pocket, it looks to offer a stripped-back alternative to the larger Aeropack. Stay tuned for our incoming review, as the Tailfin Seatpack is slated to launch toward the end of the month.

Clandestine Gravel Bike link

Devon, England

Clandestine likely needs no introduction for many readers of the site. Pi Mansons’s utility-chic Carrier bikes have captured our imaginations and won awards at past editions of Bespoked in the UK, and we visited his shop a few years back. This year, however, Pi branched out from his niche with a gravel bike, though one more elegant and useful than the racy archetype. “I don’t often get the chance to build drop bars, so I like it when I do,” he told me.

Constructed around fairly light tubing, he says it’s zingy with a high stack and a fairly short stem for comfort. His signature bi-plane fork crown with raked blades and the twin-plate rear flat-mount design reference historic bicycle designs. “I like how, in cycling, we can be part of a historical lineage,” he explained.

The gravel bike fits a 40mm tire with fenders or comfortably up to a 700 x 55mm tire without. It’s equipped with Shimano’s new silver CUES groupset, SON dynamo lighting, and silver Nitto and Velo Orange components for a classic appearance. It wouldn’t be a Clandestine bike without a bespoke front rack, and of course, his usual brass top cap. “For the beauty,” Pi says. Breaking with his Clandestine style, we spy a downtube sticker now, too.

Having recently relocated from the bustle of Bristol to the quieter countryside of Devon, Pi’s spent a huge amount of time and effort in the last year making fixtures and jigs for most every part of his building process. He’s shifted to making everything in subassemblies now, which means he’s working more efficiently than in the past, hopefully making more time for mindful pedaling through the Dartmoor uplands.

sral custom handlebars link

Saxony, Germany

Earlier this year, I was on a quest to find a flat bar with a 20-degree sweep for my Big Forest ATB, and I came up short on off-the-shelf options. I entertained the idea of getting a bender and dies to do it myself, but I soon shelved it. I struggled to find custom handlebar makers in Germany, in part because the proper 22.2mm tube stock is an imperial size that can’t be easily sourced locally.

My quest finally came to a close when I found Lars and Mike from Saxony at their srål booth here in Dresden, and I’ll be placing my order as soon as we wrap up our coverage. They bend flat and riser handlebars to order in steel and titanium. Importantly, they import the proper 22.2mm tube stock so clamps don’t slip. Steel bars can be powder-coated for a unique look. Happy hands are one of the keys to a great ride, so hit them up if you need something special.

UpCycle CargoVelo link

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

More than just a framebuilding operation, UpCycle might be best understood as a series of ongoing research projects at the intersection of mobility, design, manufacturing, and education. Their current iteration of the UpCycle CargoVëlo, claimed to be 99% made from recycled steel, is merely the most visible expression of the Luxembourg-based social impact company’s creative energy. It’s hard not to feel inspired by the vision and fervor of UpCycle designer Fuks as they explore how to circularize material streams on the way to a post-capitalist economy.

Their five-year journey to producing a limited batch of 10 UpCycle CargoVëlos has been full of valuable sidequests. Following their motto of “reuse as much of what is being thrown away, refuse new resources as much as possible,” they’ve learned how to reclaim high-quality material that would otherwise land on the scrap heap, hosted workshops to share craft skills, and collected the specialized expertise for materializing the CargoVëlo. Next to their merch, the UpCyle team also had belts and bags made from reclaimed materials that exemplify their practical research.

One of the primary problems they’ve solved is how to reliably and efficiently build a standard long john-style cargo bike in different sizes based on varying vintage mountain bike frames. This involved arriving at the current frame geometry, developing hardware that can be made from scrap metal, identifying reliable material sources, and refining the design for manufacturing in collaboration with Konstantin Drust. Basically, it’s now as simple as joining the appropriate-sized vintage frame for a given rider onto a standard chassis. Crowdfunding lasts until this Thursday, October 16th, and we’ll be tracking their future endeavors closely.

Rossman Cycles Rinko Bag link

Girona, Spain

Hahn Rossman may not be the most prolific online, but he’s one of the more revered and skilled fabricators in the scene. Facing some challenges setting up his new metal workshop in Girona, he turned to a textile project that had been on the back of his mind for a while: designing the perfect rinko bag for packing a bike for train travel. At Bespoked, he was giving rinko demonstrations that showcased the incremental improvements he’s made over the standard offerings from the likes of Ostrich and Montbell.

The refined Rossman rinko bag can be slipped over the standing bike package thanks to a bottom draw-cord and pass-throughs for the carry strap at the top. An integrated zip pouch for frame hardware prevents catastrophic hardware loss en route and stores the rinko bag and straps when not in use. The bag has a refined shape and comes with all the necessary straps. We’ll be sure to give another heads-up when the production version becomes available.

Alonukis Endurance Racing Team (ERT) link

Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany

Young Johannes Wandinger blew us away last year with his stand-out concepts and craftsmanship, and we were particularly curious to see his evolved work at this year’s show. While he continues to build custom one-offs, he’s now focusing on his Endurance Racing Team model, an efficient hardtail for speedy loaded pursuits. The ERT project is an effort to build high-performance frames that are practical and more affordable for riders, not creating luxury objects that take months to build. “Efficiency, reliability, and usability are my priorities while keeping the precision and individuality of my custom work,” he said.

Earlier this year, Johannes put out a call to the community, offering prototype ERT frames at cost in return for real-world racing feedback. Our photographer Stefan Haehnel was one of those lucky three, and he had no notes after giving it a proper thrashing at this year’s Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. Johannes himself put his first ERT prototype to the test at the Montegro Mountain Madness ultra, proving that ERT is more than just a name.

The steel ERT frame is stripped back, though not quite as spartan as some XC frames, prioritizing comfort for long hauls over flatter terrain while staying stiff and nimble enough for technical sections. It’s designed for a short-travel suspension fork and takes 29 x 2.4” tires. Common standards are used throughout for high serviceability. The size-specific 3D-printed steel joints and yoke drastically simplify the fabrication. While the Bespoked frame wasn’t quite finished in time, the ERT isn’t meant to be precious, either. “Ideally, I don’t ever want my bikes to hang on a wall,” Johannes added.

That concludes the first installment of our coverage from the 2025 Bespoked show in Dresden. Follow along for several more posts throughout the week ahead, and let us know your favorite bikes and bits in the conversation below! And if you’re attending in person today, be sure to visit us upstairs at booth 58.

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