Taxonomy upgrade extras
Missoula, Montana
When shipping and airline companies are out to get your pocket book, they can only reach so far when it comes to your bicycle. The mega companies that wing us from continent to continent often have no sympathy for avid cyclists and our needs to be mobile while on vacation. Why can’t we get the best of both worlds, and bring our beloved sport with us? Well, now we can, thanks to the men doing work at Freeman Transport!
The artist and designer team of Nathaniel Freeman and Benjamin Ferencz founded Freeman Transport in 2006. Both of them traveled frequently and were frustrated by the expense of shipping their bikes as well as the lack of quality associated in the travel-bike industry. Refusing to go bikeless, and frustrated by travel bikes with 20-inch wheels and oddly shaped frames—or custom bikes that were outside many people’s price ranges—Freeman and Ferencz decided to design their own solution.
Freeman Transport is a Montana-based company that hand builds all their bikes in the United States. Thanks to Columbus steel tubing and S&S couplings, their bikes can be easily disassembled and packed into a signature waxed canvas and leather carrying case. Not only are the bikes custom made, but the NY-based Billykirk carrying case is also handcrafted as a top of the line package with the bike traveler in mind. The case’s 26 x 26 inch dimensions ensure that the bike can be checked onto airplanes with no oversized baggage fees, keeping the airlines out of your pocket, and you on the bike. All Freeman bikes allows for easy assembly and disassembly with only one simple tool to pull them apart and put them back together. The unique design creates a multitude of possibilities for travel, and if you’re a very light packer, could even eliminate wasted gas to and from the airport.
We were floored when we had the chance to see what these two passionate cyclists had to offer. We also got a chance to ask co-owner Benjamin Ferencz a couple of questions.
What are your respective backgrounds with bikes? Did you ever race, tour, etc?
Nathan comes from a messenger and mountain bike background, and I come from a road background.
What was the first bike that you built? What was it made of?
Our first two bicycles were track bikes made out of Deda steel. Our second bicycle, the gravel racer, is also steel.
Who taught you guys to build frames? Did you have a mentor?
We design the bikes and are lucky enough to have a few amazing folks building them for us. Without them, we’d be nothing; they are our partners. Our mentors include our fathers, our wives, and of course our mothers.
When did you build your first S&S coupling frame?
We built our first S& S Coupling track bikes in 2007.
Where do you see Freeman Transport in 5 years? All steel?
It’s pretty hard to say about the 5-year projection, but I am building a titanium 29er for next summer.
What type of schooling did you have? Technical? Artistic?
Nathan comes from a sculpture, materials, building and video background, and I come from design.
How many frames have you built to date?
To date we have built 25 bikes.
Where did you guys grow up? Montana Native?
One of us is. Nathan is from Missoula, Montana, and I’m from New York.
