Favorite thing about framebuilding: Being the resident Office Zombie.

Hobbies: Zombies, LARPing, the zombie apocalypse, strange flavor pairings.

Ideal bike: Cargo trike for use after the destruction of civilization.

Favorite bike ride: FDR Park.

Favorite tool: Ten foot long couch foam battleaxe.

Perfect bike color: Green...with a little intestines showing here and there.

Framebuilding skills: Getting ‘em in, getting ‘em out.

Sign: Sagitarius.

Dating Status: Taken.

Our History...

Stephen Bilenky has been in the bike industry for 44 years. He learned framebuilding skills from Vo-Tech school and from Jim Gittins of England. Since 1983 his shop has grown to eight staff members, hailing from England, Washington State, New York, and all over Pennsylvania. We have won numerous awards and acclaims, including rave reviews in Bicycling Magazine, Bicycle Guide, Tandem Magazine, and Bicycle Quarterly. Our touring tandem won Best Road Bike at the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show last year. In October of 2010, we organized the first ever Philly Bike Expo, bringing together bicycle makers and enthusiasts from around the country. We also host the world’s only Junkyard Cyclocross, where riders brave a course through our neighboring junkyard, over cars, through toxic puddles and over broken glass. It’s actually really popular!

Bilenky Cycle Works is more than just a shop. It’s an enduring institution that is committed to enhancing the world of cycling, one steel frame at a time.

When you walk in the door of our North Philly shop you enter a maze of bikes in various stages of completion. There are show-ready tandems hanging on the ceiling and half built singles reposing in jigs. The sound of angle grinders and BBC 6 Music fill the air. The Crew, mostly bearded and all opinionated, are busily engaged in every step of bicycle fabrication- from mitering tubes to polishing the final coat of paint.

Bikes are more than just a job for us. We understand our customers’ desire for a perfect bike because we share it. We want you to have a bike that fits your body and riding style, whether you are running errands on a stately townie, transporting kids and groceries in an enormous cargo bike, racing through the mud on a ‘cross bike, or anything else you can think of.

We also do repairs, retrofits and restorations. Is your beloved vintage bike ready for a facelift? Do you want to get your touring tandem into a flight-legal case? Have you ridden into a tree and bent your mountain bike? Bilenky Cycle Works knows what to do.

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Brazing

Hobbies: BBQing,  horticulture, computer graphics, & anthropology

Ideal Bike:  Metro 5

Favorite bike ride: Portland to San Francisco

Favorite tool: Victor J-28 brazing torch

Perfect bike color: Mint green

Framebuilding skills: 40 years custom bike-building experience; designing, machining, painting, brazing, supervising and assembling thousands of bikes

Sign: Sagitarius.

Dating Status: Hmm, it’s a case by case basis.

John Weller

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Installing couplers

Hobbies: Designing and building skate bikes

Ideal Bike:  Cargo bike

Favorite bike ride: To the store to get lunch

Favorite tool: Makita angle grinder

Perfect bike color: Black primer, yellow, and purple

Framebuilding skills: Thousands of braze-ons and hundreds of couplers installed!

Sign: Acquarius

Dating Status: Single and lovin’ it.

Bina Bilenky

Kasy Zook

Favorite thing about framebuilding: The challenge of creation in an imperfect world.

Hobbies: trash reformation, making something out of nothing, sculpture, riding, sky watching, nature appreciation.

Ideal bike: Mega utility cargo commuter.

Favorite bike ride: Those moments you feel like you’re flying, Big Sur.

Favorite tool: My hands.

Perfect bike color: Reflecty orange!

Framebuilding skills: Patience, attention to detail, and I like a challenge!

Sign: Scorpio.

Dating Status: NO BULLSHIT.

If you search for the ultimate in cycling, welcome to the world of Bilenky Cycle Works.....

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Designing paint schemes

Hobbies: Backpacking, reading, going to the beach

Ideal bike: 26” wheel Tourlite

Favorite bike ride: Glenside and beyond

Favorite tool: MacBook computer

Perfect bike color: Pink

Framebuilding skills: Keeping the frame building organized.

Sign: Cancer.

Dating Status: Married

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Extravagant lugwork.

Hobbies: Art, writing, learning obscure facts.

Ideal bike: Beautiful, beautiful LeJeunes!.

Favorite bike ride: Recklessly in Manhattan.

Favorite tool: Brazing torch and jeweler’s saw.

Perfect bike color: Tomato Frog orange.

Framebuilding skills: BFA in sculpture. Smashingly good taste.

Sign: Scorpio

Dating Status: Taken... whose idea was this, anyway?

Isis Shiffer

    Jake Christiansen

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Making stuff that I can use.

Hobbies: Bikes, books, beers and boats.

Ideal bike: High utility all-rounder.

Favorite bike ride: Commuting to work everyday.

Favorite tool: Park Tool apron.

Perfect bike color: Black!

Framebuilding skills: Forks and racks!

Sign: Virgo.

Dating Status: Taken, but will accept no strings attached!

Naomi Littell

Favorite thing about framebuilding: Test riding the finished product.

Hobbies: Antique typewriter restoration, carpentry, cycling, bourbon.

Ideal bike: 650b Rene Herse tribute rando bike.

Favorite bike ride: Forbidden Drive/Wissahickon.

Favorite tool: Calipers.

Perfect bike color: British Racing Green,

Framebuilding skills: Rational thinking and Machining

Sign: Gemini.

Dating Status: Married with child.

Thomas Faust