Photo courtesy of Shinola
The Shinola Runwell
From shoeshine to polished steel, a classic brand has reemerged to deliver modern products with an old-fashioned sensibility. Shinola is courting a revitalization of US manufacturing with products like watches, leather goods and now, urban bicycles.
Setting up a factory in Detroit, MI, Shinola invited seasoned innovator Sky Yaeger to design their inaugural line of classic lugged steel city bicycles. Yaeger, who pioneered designs for Swobo and Bianchi over the past two decades, was “intrigued by the idea of making bikes in the USA, after making bikes in Japan, Italy, China and Taiwan,” stating that she “believed in the idea of bringing production back to the USA, even on a small scale.”
Shinola delivers one-of-a-kind craftsmanship to a production line with their bicycles. The prototypes were brazed by Portland’s Ira Ryan Cycles, frame and fork production continued in Wisconsin, complete with internal cable routing, custom cut dropouts and box crown forks. Wheels are hand built and bicycles assembled in the Shinola factory.
Shinola’s gorgeous steel bicycles with an enduring style and a commitment to local production will retail between $2,500 and $3,500. Shinola bikes are available through urban-focused shops such as American Cyclery in San Francisco, CA, Golden Saddle Cyclery in Los Angeles, CA, and Copenhagen Cyclery in Chicago, IL, as well as on the Shinola website beginning in February.
