Interbike 2011: Making Chrome Shine

LAS VEGAS, Nev.—This guy, Michael, from the Bay Area of California, he likes to put things together. In his spare time, he’ll build up bikes, sometimes traveling as far as Colorado to take a workshop from famous track bike framebuilder Koichi Yamaguchi. For work, Michael sews together messenger bags and other accessories for Chrome Industries. He has to keep his hands moving, has to stay busy, or he’ll go crazy.

“I can’t sit still. I always have to be doing something,” Michael said, as he ran a piece of fabric through his sewing machine at a portable studio at Interbike. He was fulfilling orders during the cycling trade show in Sin City. The hope was to produce at least 15 bags per day at the three-day event. By mid-afternoon on Day 1, the Chrome folks had taken 20 orders. Michael would get his wish: He’d stay busy.

Little handmade pouches are fastened to his sewing machine and work table with black electrical tape. They are filled with rivets, zippers and other sewing accouterments. Behind him, one other tailor is sewing bags. To his left is a heap of salvaged Army fatigues used to construct the bags. A deejay stationed atop the nearby Chrome delivery-style truck is laying down some hip hop. In between and all around are bike geeks, some stopping to take pictures and gawk at his handiwork.

When Michael was in fashion school (twice, and he did graduate in 2003), he never thought he’d land in such a spot—in the middle of a gigantic cycling trade show in the middle of the U.S. desert (or didn’t you know that’s where Vegas is located?). He likes his work, though. It’s fashion, it’s cycling-centric, and Chrome has a loyal following, so there’s a lot of work to keep him moving.

“A lot of people trip out,” Michael says, when they see him at Interbike cranking out the smart, utilitarian bags. Some people have called it a sweat shop. “That’s offensive,” he says.

He’s used to being on stage, though. His sewing studio at the Chrome shop in San Francisco is street front, and sometimes passersby will stop and peer in. He also makes repairs there and has seen bags as old as 12 years. As gnarly as they are, he knows people love the products. He says that once they find what they like, they just don’t want to get rid of them.

Chrome was started in Boulder, Colo., 16 years ago by a couple of guys who needed durable messenger bags and couldn’t find any that met their standards. So they gathered their own material, headed into their garage and started sewing. As word spread and the business grew, they began making clothes, gear and shoes. The company eventually moved to San Francisco to be part of the huge urban cycling scene and also opened shops in New York City and Chicago.

The Chrome Buckle Story

Chrome messenger bags and backpacks often can be identified by the trademark seat belt buckle with the black winged lion set against a square of red. Prior to using the buckle, the guys who founded Chrome were on a quest. They had gotten tired of pulling their bags over their heads and wanted a tough, quick releasing system. They headed out to the salvage yards in search of an answer, which ended up being the seat belt buckles of bygone automobiles.