When I first laid eyes on the ‘Priest Sport’ from Brooklyn’s Horse Cycles, the first thing that sprang to mind was one of Picasso’s cubist paintings. Both are simultaneously fluid and angular, rigid yet full of motion. Handmade bicycles are works of art in themselves, but when they are created by those that are also artists of other media, it’s possible to see their frames as further extensions of their style.

In that case, it’s incorrect to compare Thomas Callahan’s frames to a Picasso when we should be drawing similarities between his own paintings. Callahan has a gallery of his paintings on his other site, devoted to his artistic outlets. After perusing his paintings, the frames take on another dimension. The hues and shades of the paint, the graphic elements against the stark background and the subtle, ingenious details that become obvious the longer one observes.

But don’t let the creative canvas put you off, this is one serious machine, just as comfortable on the track as the street. Straight blade Columbus MAX forks and tig welded Columbus Life tubes, and a masterfully executed integrated seat mast. The feature I most admire is that bar and stem combo—so smooth and modular. The profile shot accentuates how perfectly the angles are lining up on this bike.

To really appreciate the art behind this build, have a look at the paintings of Thomas Callahan and keep an eye on his website. He’ll be reconstructing it shortly with a few more projects that he’s currently working on. Photo credit: Blaine Davis.







