If you caught our recent interview with Darren Baum, you’ll know that Baum bikes are officially back at Above Category, heralded by the brand’s stunning Celaris frame. But, with so many great Baums in the AC back catalog, we thought a dive into the archive might be in order. So we put some questions to AC’s Chad, took notes on some of his favorite Baum builds of the past fifteen years and dug out the hottest shots for your viewing pleasure.
Baum is back. This seems super exciting. How did this come about?
Well, technically, Baum was never gone. That being said, I am very excited to bring them back in a much more official way. We are now Baum's partner in the Americas. We started with them 13 or 14 years ago and it was love from day one.
When we first saw them, I was going to buy a bike for myself even if we weren't going to carry them. I was like, "holy shit, those are hot". And then I just saw one, and it was the sickest bike I'd ever seen. I went home, looked at them and realized they were in Australia. I wanted to see if they were all that in person. So I bought two of them, a Ristretto and a Corretto, and when I got the frames in, they were hands down the best-built bikes I had ever seen. Everything was so good. So sharp. Everything came painted: stem, seatpost, frame and fork. I saw them and was like, "I hope we can carry these." I want these bikes. The rest is history.
It seems like Darren Baum isn't just resting on his heritage of building beautiful bikes. He's continuing to innovate.
He takes his time. He doesn't have to be first; he just wants to be the best. He's not a trend follower or a trendsetter. He just sets the bar for beautiful, thoughtful, durable, high-quality bicycles. Of anything I've seen, Baum's are the top in most categories.
You still ride your Baum on occasion. Are you considering getting a new Baum as you ramp up your relationship?
I sold almost all of my Baums to my good friends, and they still rock them. I still have my Ristretto because they don't make it anymore. It is a steel bike that I've dented up pretty good. And hell, yes, I'm going to get a new Baum. I'm leaning towards a Coretto, but I'm still daydreaming about which of Darren's masterpieces I'll choose. When you pull a Baum out of the box, it's something special. Maybe bright orange and white this time. We shall see.
What does the future hold for AC and Baum?
In recent years, Baum wanted to try a different business model and moved to a more direct-to-consumer model, and we don't fault anyone for rethinking their business. We kept the lines of communication open, looking forward to when we would be working together in an even more official capacity. That day has come. I'm stoked.
THE BEST OF BAUM GALLERY
Click an image to read the story behind the build.
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