We were completely blown away with the range and quality of bikes at this year’s BESPOKED, so it was no small challenge for our judges to pick 2023’s BESPOKED winners. Fortunately, we had an impressive array of judges from across the cycling industry and media to ensure all the winners were not just to one person’s taste. As exhibitors tucked into pizza and beer (courtesy of Schwalbe) the judges took to the stage to deliver their verdicts, and hand out our Star-Wars themed custom anodised Dynaplug mega-pill trophies!
So read on to see all the winners (and runners up) of this year’s BESPOKED awards, accompanied by the stunning studio shots taken by Adam Gasson.
Peers' Choice - Rheintritt FahrradManufaktur
Judged by all the exhibitors of BESPOKED 2023
People's Choice & Best MTB - Bordure Cycles - Ti Hardtail MTB
People’s Choice judged by the visitors of BESPOKED & Best MTB judged by Grant from Schwalbe – when I first saw it I just kind of fell in love with it, just thought this was the sort of bike I like to ride.
Best MTB Runners Up – Actofive, Hulsroy
Best In Show - Drust Cycles x Pinion cargo bike
Judged by Petor from BESPOKED – It’s a show bike. So best in show is not necessarily the best bike, it’s just the best bike in a show. However, the bike that I chose for best in show is also a highly sick bike. And if I had any money, because I had like a job or something like that, I would try and buy this bike. It’s so cool. So cool.
Runners Up – Zoceli, Avalanche, Project D, Ballern Cycleworks, Spoon Customs, Manivelle, Black Sheep Cycles
Best Road Bike - Quirk Cycles - Durmitor
Judged by Tobias from GCN – I love the motion, especially the steering, that you can see. Very good looking, great bike, great handling, great winner.
Runners Up – Jaegher – FL-x Ascender, Bordure Cycles – Panache Road, Repete – R3 Reason
Best Gravel Bike - Avalanche
Judged by The Gravel Collective
Runners Up – Auguste Cycles – Gravel Tandem, Kocmo Titan, Bordure
Best New Builder & Mike Burrows Award for Innovation - Project D Cycles
Best Newbuilder judged by Cory from BikeRumor and Mike Burrows Award judged by Alex from the European bike project – So this bike is kind of… completely silly. It’s like, oh well, maybe road bikes are too stiff nowadays […] this one is a really rad solution where big fat tires, stiff stainless steel backbone, stainless steel fork, downtube, and stainless steel. Lots of really wild, cool, nice, so nicely smoothly put together and then these tiny like pinky finger size carbon tubes that make up the top tube, seat-tube and chain stays […] It’s just a really beautiful bike that super embraces the idea that bikes don’t have to be as stiffest bike in your world that you’ve ever ridden, the best bike is probably one that’s a little more flexible and a little more fun and it’s just a beautiful bike! – Cory
Best Newbuilder Runners Up – Suba Cycles, Ballern Cycleworks, Wunderlich Raeder
Mike Burrows Award Runners Up – Ingrid Components, Rheintritt Fahrradmanufaktur, Posedla
Best Finish - Spoon Customs (Jack Kingston)
Judged by Petor from BESPOKED – It’s a completely opposite finish, like super understated, super subtle matte finish, but just done to such an incredible quality.
Runners Up – Quirk Cycles, Fern Cycles
Best Single Speed - Ballern Cycleworks
Judged by RennRad News – I love the details, I love the painting, I love the bags. A really nicely produced bike.
Runners Up – Fahrradbau Stolz, Atelier Pariah
Best Cargo Bike - Journeyman Cycles
Judged by Jon from TwoTone Consulting and Bregan from Crank Communcations – Very versatile loading platform, capable of carrying very long cargo. So ultimately, one is for the most utility, you need to carry something super long, long timber, long pipes, stuff like that. Has a cool steering approach, different than just the typical ball joint bearing. And also has extra ways to attach things on the bottom of the bike.
Runners Up – Fahrradbau Stolz, Drust Cycles, Veloheld
Best City / Utility Bike - Yaad Cycles
Judged by David from Fahrstil Magazine – Because when I saw it first, I really wanted to hop on it and speed around this show. And look at the details and the colors, it really, really caught my eye and was good !
Runners Up – Drust, Wunderlich Raeder, Fahrradbau Stolz, Kabuff Cycles
Best Touring Bike - Meerglas
Judged by Josh Weinberg from The Radavist – The attention to details is incredible, the passion behind this bike is absolutely incredible.
Runners Up – Rossman Cycles, Fern
Best Off Road - Acto5
Judged by Anna Cipullo from GMBN
SQLab Build Off Award - SUBA Cycles
Judged by SQLab – Basically you can make it as custom as you want. You can build it any way you like it, and that’s what we like at SQlab because our products are also always very individual.
Runners Up – Amapola Cycles, Acto5, Quirk Cycles
SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship Award - Atelier Pariah, CMG Cycles, Starfish Cycles, BCB
All the SRAM Scholars received an award ☺
Outstanding Contribution - Sour Bikes
Christoph and the whole team at Sour Bike were the foundation from which we could launch into Dresden this year, we couldn’t have done it without them (AND they donated all the beer for Saturday Night’s Roller Racing Raveathon 🤩)
Community Builder Award - Roman from QVIST
Roman is your go to man for the cycling industry in Dresden, with links across the community, from state government bodies, to individual framebuilders. The Dresden cycling community came out in huge support for BESPOKED, in no part due to Roman’s support – thanks Roman ☺
Absolute Legend - Bennet from Ballern Cycleworks
Bennet went above and beyond to help make BESPOKED happen this year, and always with a smile. Never Not Ballern 😎
To be a part of this year's BESPOKED, register to exhibit here.
