Made in Texas: Tomii Cycles

Made in Texas: Tomii Cycles
Japanese native Nao Tomii applies his sculpting background to the handmade bikes he produces at his Austin workshop.
One of Tomii's finished Fat Canvas bicycle models.
Photograph by Jeff Wilson
One of Tomii's finished Fat Canvas bicycle models.
Photograph by Jeff Wilson
Though bikes are commonly used for commuting in Nao Tomii’s hometown of Niigata, Japan, it wasn’t until after the artist moved to Boston for college and later connected with the cycling community there that he was struck by how similar bike frames are to sculptures. While working for a sculpting company that produced everything from bronze statues to fiberglass dinosaurs, Tomii, now 42, started experimenting with making bikes. He founded Tomii Cycles in 2012 and, tired of the cold, moved to Austin two years later. His workshop offers a custom option as well as two stock models, all of which are handcrafted with high-end steel tubing. The process is spiritual, Tomii says, adding, “To build bikes, I have to be happy.”

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