WHOA, the judges panel was released today and it is a badass list of people so far. Behold
Bryant Bainbridge as been a road rider and wrench since the 60’s and was one of the earliest members of Northern California’s Mountain Bike movement, running one of the first shops dedicated to custom Klunkers. He Directed R&D for Specialized Bicycles through the 80’s and managed Anodizing Inc.’s frame production for the big brands in the early 90’s. Since then he has directed product sustainability metrics (environmental footprints) for Nike and is now back with Specialized directing product creation process.
Rob Forbes is best known as the Founder of Design Within Reach and for the vision of a business that developed into the leading retail destination for modern design in the US. His academic training includes a BA in Aesthetics from the University of California at Santa Cruz (1974), an MFA from Alfred University (1979) and an MBA from Stanford University (1985). In 2007 Rob left DWR to launch Studio Forbes, based in San Francisco, to further his interests in design, culture, and commerce. He is a lifetime cyclist and proponent of modern urban design initiatives and programs that help us reduce our dependency on cars which led him to found a new company, Public, Mass Transit for One.
Ron Sutphin, president of United Bicycle Institute, has worked professionally in the bicycle industry since 1978. He has been an instructor at UBI since its founding in 1981, and has been teaching the craft of custom frame building there for over 18 years. Unique in the world, UBI’s program has served as a major incubator for the renaissance of custom frame building, especially for lugged steel and titanium. Scores of successful frame builders first learned their craft under Ron’s guidance at UBI. Over 12,000 students from all 50 states and over 40 countries have made the trip to Oregon to attend UBI.
Sky Yaeger has been leaving her mark on the cycling world since the 1970s. Product manager for Bianchi USA from 1990 to 2006, she was responsible for designing and developing such industry-shaking and consumer-revered models as the Milano, the Pista, the Pista Concept, and the San Jose. While at Bianchi, she introduced the first production single-speed ATBs, the first production cyclocross bikes, and brought production single-speed bikes to the masses. Joining Swobo in 2006, she launched their much-acclaimed bike line from the ground up in less than one year. She has continued to create new benchmarks for urban bikes, including the first ever chromoly frame that has been Galvanized, the Sanchez.
I must say that this is a very intimidating list of judges. The list of entrants is also very intimidating,
Argonaut Cycles
Cielo by Chris King (not to be judged)
Circle A Cycles
Courage Bicycle Mfg. Co.
Curt Goodrich Bicycles
Dinucci Cycles
Hufnagel Cycles
Igleheart Custom Bicycles
Inglis Cycles
Independent Fabrication
Ira Ryan Cycles
Map Bicycles
Pereira Cycles
Rebolledo Cycles
Richard Sachs Cycles
Signal Cycles
SyCip Design
Vanilla Bicycles
Vertigo Cycles
