Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated — Mark Twain

The Date Change

MB: You announced Aug. 6-8, 2027 on Aug. 20 this year and you're off those dates a month later. What changed?

DW: The mission of NAHBS has always been to get builders in front of as many fresh customers as possible. When that slim chance of both shows landing on the same weekend became a reality, I didn’t see how staying on those dates served the industry. Moving NAHBS was the right call.

NAHBS has always been about expanding markets for builders — giving them access to customers they might never reach otherwise, and giving different regions the chance to meet builders they’ve only seen in the cycling magazines. If holding NAHBS on a different weekend protects that mission and keeps the focus on the builders, then that’s the move I’m going to make every time.

MB: Records from Austin show you were offered one weekend and took it. Did you know before you announced that you'd be close to Made's window?

DW: I knew they had traditionally been in late August since their inception, and I had no reason to believe they would move out of their usual timeframe. Austin offered one weekend, and I took the only dates available. As far as I knew, we would have been roughly two weeks ahead of them. Was it ideal? No. But it was doable, and it was a solid starting point for bringing NAHBS back.

MB: Some people read the August announcement as an attempt to force Made's hand. What do you say to them?

DW: Assumptions were made, that comes with the territory. All I was actually doing was announcing that NAHBS is coming back, it’s that simple. What I’d say to folks is this: ride more and speculate less! But more importantly, I’d say I hope you can make it to the next NAHBS, and know you’ll be welcome.

MB: Records from Metro in Portland show Made was offered two weekends and chose Aug. 6-8 the day before you announced. Knowing that now, how do you see what happened?

DW: Honestly, I think it was just one of those timing coincidences that can happen. I announced mine, Portland picked their weekend — that’s the whole story. Neither of us knew what the other was doing. I don’t know why they moved when they did, and I’m not going to pretend I do. Sometimes things coincide. It’s not deeper than that.

What The Move Costs

MB: You have a signed license with the Palmer Center for that weekend. What happens to it, and who carries the cost?

DW: I decided to keep the Palmer dates. I love the venue, and I see a lot of potential for using it for future events. In fact, I’m launching a new show there, it's focused on artisans, but has nothing to do with cycling. It’s going to be a phenomenal event, and the people who’ve heard about it already are pretty excited.

MB: Exhibitors who committed to August are now waiting until 2028. What are you offering them?

DW: When I started calling around, the support was overwhelming. A lot of builders basically said, “If you’re bringing NAHBS back, I’m in.” That meant a lot to me. What we’re offering them now is a date in early 2028, which we hope to secure soon, that’s completely clear of any other show — a better situation for everyone. What we’re not going to do is make promises we can’t keep. We know what it takes to run a proper show, so we’re not offering free booths and then changing the terms later.

MB: Have you lost anyone over this?

DW: It’s actually been the opposite. I haven’t lost anyone — I’ve gained support I didn’t even realize I had. Once people understood the direction we’re taking NAHBS, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Builders want a clear date and a well‑run show, and that’s exactly what we’re giving them.

Viability

MB: NAHBS cancelled Dallas in 2020 and Denver in 2022. Why should an exhibitor believe 2028 happens?

DW: Dallas in 2020 was cancelled because the world shut down. That was force majeure — nobody was running shows then, and everyone took a hit. Denver in 2022 was different. I had a near‑death medical emergency a few months before the show, and the doctors made it very clear that if I tried to push through, I probably wouldn’t make it to the end of the weekend. That wasn’t a business failure — that was survival.

Since then, I’ve taken the time to get healthy again, make major lifestyle changes, and rebuild the organization the right way. I’m bringing back key members of the A‑team — the people who helped grow NAHBS from 2006 to 2013. As an organization, we’re in the best shape we’ve been since those early years. That’s why exhibitors can trust that 2028 will happen. We’re prepared, we’re staffed, and we’re doing this on the same foundation that built the show in the first place.

MB: You've said the events of 2022 cost you everything, including your home. How is this one funded?

DW: We’re funding this the same way we did in the early years — we’re bootstrapping it. The last attempt cost me everything, and that forced me to rebuild from the ground up with a lot more care and a lot more humility. The team around me now has worked everything from local crits to the Olympic Games, and together we've shown we know how to make this show work. Big budgets help, sure, but they’re not what make a show successful. Good people do — and that’s exactly what we’ve got.

MB: You're working full time as an aircraft inspector. Can a show this size be run alongside that?

DW: Yes. I work full‑time as an aircraft receiving inspector, and I still have hours every day to put into this show. The team around me definitely can — operating at this scale isn’t new to them. And at home, my wife is an accountant with a laser‑accurate sense of where dollars and minutes go. She keeps everything organized so when I get off the clock, I can focus on NAHBS. Between her support and this team’s experience, running a show this size is absolutely doable.

Format 

MB: The August announcement described an invitation-only, curated exhibitor model. You also say NAHBS was built for framebuilders generally. Which is it for 2028?

DW: NAHBS has always been open to framebuilders, but it’s open to established builders with a real track record. The exceptions are framebuilding schools and official collegiate programs — they’ve always had a place at the show. In the past, we tried to be a bit too inclusive with new builders. It was popular, but many of those builders left the industry after a short time, and it became clear that NAHBS needs to focus on established builders who are committed to the craft. So when we say “invitation only,” it means a builder can request an invitation, but it doesn’t guarantee they’ll get one.

This isn’t gatekeeping for the sake of gatekeeping — it’s protecting the standard that U.S. builders set decades ago, and building customer assurance. A jury will decide who gets invitations, whether we initiate them or they come from a request. And to be clear, this isn’t just about builders who’ve been around for 10 or 20 years. There are younger builders doing phenomenal work and already pushing the craft forward. NAHBS, as the OG show, is here to support them too and make sure people understand their significance as emerging leaders in the industry.

The Landscape

MB: Made has run four years and claims more than 7,000 attendees for this year's event. What does NAHBS offer that Made doesn't?

DW: NAHBS is the original builder‑driven show. It’s run by framebuilders, for framebuilders, and the focus has always been on the craft itself — we don't have PR agency marketing agendas or outside clients. Over the years, NAHBS has consistently been the place where builders connect directly with serious customers, industry peers, and media who understand the work.

Back in 2008, when NAHBS was in Portland the attendance was huge, but several of the builders told me it was the show where they sold the fewest bikes and the least soft goods. Of course things may have changed since then, but big crowds don’t automatically mean good business. 

In most cities over the years, and I'll be clear, not every year, NAHBS has brought that audience. What we've learned from that is valuable moving forward. And what’s more, starting in 2028 we’ll publish verifiable paid attendance so exhibitors know exactly what they’re getting. Transparency matters, and I’d challenge every show in this industry to do the same. Let's be the place that lives on merit, not hype.

MB: Is there room for both, honestly?

DW: I’m not sure what you mean by 'both'. Look, America is a country the size of a continent — there’s plenty of space for different events to serve different audiences, and looking at your own show calendar in your publication there are several bike shows on it. You have regional shows and national shows. NAHBS has always been a national show with a strong international presence. We’ve held it in 12 cities across 11 states, and that mobility is part of what defines us.
I talked earlier about opening new markets, letting fans around the country meet the best framebuilders on the planet. Here's the other half of it. Most framebuilders are small operations, and it's not fair to make some of them ship a booth 3,000 miles every year while others drive it 25. Some cities have their own identity, their own cycling culture — that's a good thing. But the way you keep it fair working at the national level is you don't park the show in any one city. NAHBS moves because moving is what makes it national. One year the easy trip belongs to builders in one region, the next year it belongs to somebody else's. Always has. And there's an energy in this — taking the show to a city that's never had it, or hasn't seen it in five years, that’s part of what keeps the excitement at boiling point.

Austin

MB: You're keeping the weekend for something else. What is it?

DW: Watch this space. It’s not a bike event, but a lot of people in the cycling world will get a kick out of it. We’ll be announcing it through the cycling channels too, because plenty of folks in that community are going to appreciate what we’re doing. I’m keeping the weekend because the idea deserves its own spotlight — and when we drop the details, it’ll make sense why.

In Closing

MB: What would make 2028 a success, in numbers you'd be willing to be held to?

DW: In raw numbers? If we make enough profit to put down a deposit on the 2029 show, that’s a success. That’s the first benchmark. In terms of exhibitors, around 125 would be a strong number. NAHBS hit 225 exhibitors in 2019, and honestly, that may have been too many — at this point, it’s more about quality than quantity.

Success in 2028 means the right builders, not the most builders. It means the cream of the craft is represented — at least half of the original six builders from the first NAHBS in 2005, plus the next generation of top‑shelf builders who are already making their mark. And it means consumers showing up ready to order their first, or their next, handmade bike.