Pereira Stokes the Custom Building Renaissance
Photography: Ellee Thalheimer
Photograph by Ellee Thalheimer
In 2002, Tony Pereira proudly zipped down the streets of Salt Lake City on a mountain bike powered by a snowblower engine. This masterpiece was built by Tony and his friend Billy who had spent the day messing around in the garage. Who would have guessed that the satisfaction derived from building this contraption would plant the seeds for Tony’s future? It’s when he built his first true bicycle almost a year later, that he knew he really could build bikes.
The rest is history. Pereira started making bicycles for friends, then started taking orders from envious onlookers. When he moved to Portland, Oregon in 2005, he was waist-deep in the intricacies of the bicycle building trade. He arrived at the perfect time, just before the custom building movement began. He now solidly belongs in the ranks of well-established and respected builders in Portland.
On a recent visit to his workshop, Pereira revealed an utterly gorgeous, muscular-looking commuter bike, that seemed to blossom from the organized swamp of tools and brazing equipment. It had a durable Rohloff Speedhub, the ultimate 14-speed non-derailleur setup; its front rack was made for freight, yet it matched the elegant mulberry color of the bike and nestled comfortably into the frame geometry crafted specifically to handle a front-biased load. Pereira’s creations aren’t just bikes – they are art.
Pereira builds everything from randonneur bikes to 29ers to cyclocross bikes. He’s specifically influenced by French builders from the 1940s and 50s – known as constructeurs – whose heyday was called “The Golden Age of hand-built bicycles” by historian Jan Heine. Pereira’s bicycles have a timeless feel backed by cutting-edge bike technology and creative inspiration. In 2007, Pereira won three top awards at the North American Handmade Bike Show: best road bike, best mountain bike, and best fillet brazed bike.
“I really love all types of bikes, so I’ve chosen not to limit myself to a certain genre,” says Pereira.
As for future plans, he wants to keep Pereira Cycles a simple, one-man affair. He aims to refine his craft and savour creating high-quality products that are the fruit of the art and passion that keeps him happy. In Tony’s words, “Every day inspires a ‘holy crap’ kind of gratitude.”
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