Take a moment and consider how refreshingly vast the cycling landscape is. Whether you ride road, mountain, commuter or something completely different, there are even more branches in the cycling tree for sub-category and sub-sub-category bikes to fit a rider’s style. And yet there are some you might not have even thought about.

In an effort to celebrate handmade work of the cycling realm, in partnership with Shimano and visual documentarian Justin Balog, we set out to highlight some unique bike builders who, with their hands and their intriguing workshops, are making raw materials transform into the most amazing adventure tools. We are well aware of the countless artisans all over the world making these amazing works of art. While we would love to share them all, we had to be a bit selective in sharing a few that riders might just now be discovering.

The first builder we sought to highlight is Horse Cycles. Founder Thomas Callahan began building in Brooklyn, New York back in 2007. An avid rider who found his way to building through a background in sculpture, he’s been feeding off the vibe of the city to make magic. He has long believed in creating bikes that are both utilitarian and beautiful to support the concept of healthy living and freedom of movement. If you’re lucky, Charles the HELL CAT might even let you live. Just be sure to keep the Wild West Party Mix hidden.