Thread: Nahbs 2018
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Old 02-14-2018, 01:51 PM
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pdmtong pdmtong is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 10,927
I've been to three NAHBS so wanted to offer some suggestions to those attending for the first time.

It may be too late, but if you can buy your ticket online in advance. It will save you the frustrating wait to buy it at the door.

Wear comfortable shoes (duh).

Yes it's winter, but they may have the aircon (or heat) over cranked in there. I usually pack a very light fleece pullover in case the aircon is too much.

Bring a backpack or musette to carry the things you will likely pick up or buy. many folks have credit card readers but many do not, so bring some cash for the tee shirt bottle opener beer glass stickers socks etc.

The paragon titanium opener and paul components opener are really sweet.

This is the cheapest way to buy King cages. stainless classic, iris, titanium. Load up if this is your jam.

If you are not yet convinced about Abbey Tools, you will be. The dual sided crombie and chain whip are really nice.

schwag sells out, so if you like it buy it and move on.

have a plan. look over the builders, pick your top five and go see s/he first. be respectful of their time with the questions you ask and mindful of others waiting. as was pointed out to me, the few minutes speaking to a potential builder are best served trying to get a feel of whether you enjoy this person and want to work with them more so than going through a checklist of build nuances.

three years ago groading was starting to steam roll and there must have been 15 titanium builders offering gravel bikes. how to choose? does it really come down to whose disc mount fabrication you like best?

with the flouro lighting, 100db ambient noise, shiny bikes, people shuffling, it is a very distracting scene. if you find yourself mindlessly wandering on lap three sit down and take a sip out of that bottled water and a bite of that energy bar you brought in your bag

pictures? take one with your potential builder since you might not fly out to the shop when you place your order.

pictures? every time I took pictures and every time I went home and looked at pictures posted to find mine were not as nice nor did they capture some of the minutia ooh-ahh details that is the reason for going. so take a few but unless you are there for more than a day, spend your time looking with your eyes not through a lens.

go to the SRAM booth and test shift their eTAP demo bike (handlebar). Thats right, its just a bar mounted with the shifters and the RD and FD also mounted to the bar. wireless, got it?

I'm sure there's more useful thoughts other folks have so please add to this.

- enjoy the show!
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