Image credit: Image 1, the Radavist. Image 3, Krishna Muirhead for MADE.

This August, we built up a booth for the first time and packed it into a UHaul to head from Garden City, Idaho to Portland, Oregon for the MADE show—for our first time ever exhibiting at a bike show. MADE brings together builders, brands, designers, and riders from across the world of bikes to celebrate the art of framebuilding, and it was the right place to share what we’ve been working on.

We brought six bikes along, debuting some prototype models and celebrating 10 years of our first model, the Prospector. We also brought along a run of new merch we made just for the show to celebrate 10 years of Tumbleweed. It included our first-ever Tumbleweed Bicycle Co. hats, new water bottles, fresh stickers, and the always-popular bandanas. It was fun to see them disappear quickly into pockets, packs, and bike bags all weekend.

More than anything, MADE felt like a community gathering. We caught up with old friends and longtime Tumbleweed riders who’ve taken our bikes to some incredible places, and we met plenty of new faces who were just discovering what our bikes are built to do. Trail stories and bike talk were swapped over good coffee and the occasional adult beverage. Some attendees got to see the bikes they’ve been following on social media for years in person for the first time, while others stopped by to tell us where they’ve been adventuring on their well-worn Tumbleweeds. 

It was a good reminder of why we do this: to build bikes that last, and to be part of the growing community of people who love exploring on two wheels.

The Show Bike Lineup

For our first show, we wanted to give people a real look at what Tumbleweed Bicycle Co. is all about—purpose-built bikes that are rugged, reliable, and designed to be easy to service in the field. We brought a mix of familiar favorites, long-awaited prototypes, and one very meaningful piece of our history. On the booth we had two Gen 2 Stargazers—their first debut to the public—a steel Sunliner and prototype Titanium Sunliner, the original proof of concept Falconer Prospector, and a prototype Titanium Prospector.

Celebrating 10 Years of the Prospector

To mark the Prospector’s 10-year anniversary, we brought a prototype frame of the first Prospector that Daniel rode across the Mongolian Steppe. Built by Cameron Falconer, it used a custom eccentric insert from Phil Wood & Co and introduced ideas that shaped our entire lineup—like clearance for multiple rim and tire setups and user-serviceable simplicity. It was the starting point for everything we’ve built since.

Press & Media Coverage

It was good to chat with longtime bike media friends who swung by the booth. A few highlights from show coverage: 

Bikepacking.com — MADE 2025 Video, Part 1: A video roundup from the show floor that includes a look at our booth and builds.

Bikepacking.com — Bikes and Builders of MADE 2025, Part 2: Coverage of production builders at the show, with a look at our updated Sunliner, Stargazer, and Prospector models.

Bikepacking.com — Bikes and Builders of MADE 2025, Part 3: A follow-up feature with more detail on the Sunliner Ti and Prospector Ti prototypes we showed.

The Radavist — MADE 2025, Day 4 Gallery: A photo gallery from the final day of the show, featuring our bikes and booth.

The Radavist — 2025 Made Bike Show: It’s All About the People: A beautiful photo gallery highlighting the people who make up the handmade bike world—including a great shot of Walt, Dan, and Daniel alongside many familiar faces from the community.

BikeRumor — MADE 2025 Annual Teaser Gallery: A pre-show feature previewing some of the standout handmade bikes coming to Portland, including ours.

Gravel Cyclist — MADE 2025 Finale Video: A video walk-through of builders from S to W, with a segment on our booth and bikes.

Path Less Pedaled — The INSANE Bikes of MADE 2025! Video coverage of the show that includes an interview with Daniel in the mix.

What’s Next

Exhibiting at the MADE show was a big step for us—not just because it was our first time showing at an event like this, but because it marked ten years since the Prospector quietly set our whole path in motion. Seeing the original prototype frame on display next to the new ti version made it clear just how far this idea has come.

What stood out most, though, was the people. We caught up with longtime riders who’ve taken our bikes across continents, met plenty of new ones who were just discovering what we do, and spent the weekend surrounded by builders and brands who care about thoughtful design as much as we do. It reminded us that this is still a small, close-knit community, and that’s part of what makes it special.

We left MADE feeling energized about what’s next. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more details about the upcoming Sunliner Ti and Prospector Ti, including when they’ll be available to order. These bikes carry forward the same design DNA that’s guided us from the start—just lighter, stronger, and ready for the next decade of adventures.