We were lucky enough to have local photographer and moto journo Tom Bing cover the Bike Shed show for us. He is friends with the Bike Shed crew and most of the builders, so it was great to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes as well as the bikes on display. Words and photos by Tom Bing.
It?s got to be the most exciting weekend of the year in the UK for custom bike lovers. It?s funny, when you?re anywhere near the ?inner folds? of something like the Bike Shed, you feel strangely proud of the achievements of all the people who have worked so hard to make the event come together yet again. It feels like a community event ? not something you just attend as a punter, but something we are all a part of.

As we start to roll in on Friday morning ? I?m helping my North-East pals Ryan Roadkill and Mike Hill from Survivor Customs to load in ? the sheer scale and organisation of the event start to dawn on me, again. There are vans and trucks lined up around the block, we?ve got a morning slot this time around as well. Hired staff are directing us into the rear gate and we?re getting a sneak peek of some of the bikes that are rolling in through the industrial corridors. At this point, Bike Shed 2019 is just a huge series of empty rooms at the Tobacco Dock Venue in East London. There are around seven hours until the doors are open to the public; nothing is set up yet. I checked back a bit later and it’s the same scene, vans lined up around the corner, but the panic l...