MADE 2026: La Marche, Woodpecker Cyclery, and Hunter Minivelo!
Fast bikes, 3D-printed frames, 32” oddities, sure, they grab a lot of headlines this year. But what about the bikes that actually live with you? The quiet commuters, the block-runners, the builds that feel personal, intentional, and everything but performance-obsessed.
At MADE a few weeks back, I wandered past the titanium rockets and looked for the bikes that tell a different story. Here are a few of the funky, functional machines that caught my eye.
LaMarche 24” Butcher Bike
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
LaMarche 24” Butcher Bike
Drivetrain SS Chris King hub conversion
Crank
White Industries
Seatpost and Saddle
Nitto post, Brooks Flyer
Stem and Handlebar
Custom LaMarche stem, Nitto Hi-Bar
Wheels
Velocity Dually, Chris King hubs
I’m already all in when I see a bike built around the idea that a practical town bike can still feel completely personal. But if it’s a funky wheel size, you can just sign me in! Tom’s intention was straightforward: let’s create something you can ride anywhere, strap a crate to, throw groceries or records into, and not overthink too much.
Again, I think the “uncommon” 24-inch wheel size is a big part of the charm, also making for an especially strong and durable wheel. The standover is kept very low thanks to the step-through layout and really opens the bike up to a wide range of rider heights. Fitted with chunky 24 × 2.35 Schwalbe tires, Tom told me that there was apparently enough room left for something closer to 2.5 or even 2.6 inches.
When I asked Tom about the inspiration behind this build, he told me he really liked some of the old Japanese bikes he saw in Tokyo during his trip a few months ago. So right in the main triangle you’ll find this plate painted on both sides by Bill Rebholz, giving the whole build that extra bit of personality.
The rest stays perfectly utilitarian: a Brooks Flyer saddle, NOS Chris King mountain hubs converted to single-speed duty, 36 × 15 gearing, Nitto high-rise bars from Blue Lug, Custom Dia-Compe levers, and AME BMX grips. Not trying to reinvent the commuter bike here, but just making one that you would actually be excited to ride, and I know I was pretty sad when I heard it was already sold.
Woodpecker Cycle Co. THIK MINI
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Woodpecker Cycle Co. THIK MINI
Drivetrain Pinion C1.6
Crank
North Shore Billet
Seatpost and Saddle
Teravail dropper post, and Brooks C17
Stem and Handlebar
Teravail prototype stem, Teravail Moonstone Carbon bars.
Wheels
Onyx Hubs with Velocity Dually rims
Darren from Woodpecker Cycle Co. came to MADE last year with a few bikes on his stand but left with an idea he could not really shake: more bikes should carry the fun and personality you find at other shows. The original concept was already a quite wild 20-inch mini-velo on 2.8-inch tires with a Bosch motor, but Jeremy from Teravail had another idea: build it for him and make it a Pinion bike instead.
And a year later, here it is! A final result is this wonderfully modern take on a Schwinn Sting-Ray. It has all the essential ingredients: the twin top tubes, a pair of fork struts, and most importantly, a proper stick shifter. But under all of that retro-BMX and muscle-bike energy, you’ll find a very modern Pinion gearbox, making it much more than just a simple nostalgic build.
Again, the shifter is probably the best detail here, with Darren adapting the Pinion shifting system to work with the suicide-style lever, remaking the small internal gears needed to connect the two. It looks so natural on the bike that it almost makes you wonder if it could have been an old Pinion option.
The rest of the build follows the same logic, mixing prototype and boutique parts with plenty of practical hardware: North Shore Billet cranks, Teravail’s dropper, carbon handlebars and prototype stem, and an Onyx prototype headset. Also a special mention needs to be made for these Japanese limited Hope rotors, looking absolutely fantastic on this build. A very fun interpretation of a mini-velo, mixed with a hot rod, but still with some carbon and CNC bits.
Hunter Cycles 20”
Frameset
SanHunter Cycles 20”
Groupset
Sram GX
Crank
Raceface
Seatpost and Saddle
Precision post, Brooks Flyer
Stem and Handlebar
Hunter custom stem, SimWorks Get Around Stealth
Wheels
Shimano XT hubs, Cult BMX rims
Esteban got his hands on this Hunter back in 2020. It’s through a simple Instagram story; he saw that Rick Hunter still had one of these legendary 20”, still hanging in his workshop. And after a few messages, Esteban worked out the finish with Rick before eventually taking it home to San Diego.
Most of the mini-velos Rick built were single-speeds, but Esteban needed gears, making this one of the few 20” Hunter builds set up with a derailleur at the time. The SRAM GX drivetrain is paired with a 40t Race Face chainring, giving it enough range to make those San Diego climbs a little less dramatic.
The build is full of small Hunter touches, including a Rick Hunter stem and matching rack with an Outer Shell bag for daily essentials. More than anything, it’s good to see a bike this rare, used as a daily by Esteban. Built by one of the most recognisable names in the custom-bike world, but ridden all around San Diego exactly as it should be.
Thank you to Old Man Mountain for making this coverage of the 2026 MADE show possible.
💾 : Leica SL
📍: Portland
