The Farm Open House 2026

Associate Editor & Events Manager

On his way to the 2026 Sea Otter Classic, Miles swung by The Farm open house in San Francisco to catch up with Outer Shell, Sklar Bikes, Tunitas Creative, Calling in Sick Magazine, and Chris McNally. Find a brief history of “The Farm,” photos from his visit, and a quick update on each maker here…

Tucked beneath Highway 101 near San Francisco’s Mission District, The Farm originated as a sort of hippie environmental and performance art community, complete with functioning gardens, chickens, geese, rabbits, and goats. They hosted workshops and meetings, and in the ‘80s, it was a popular punk venue that hosted the Dead Kennedys, Flipper, Mutants, and many others. It’s described as an early example of an “industrial, multi-purpose, multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural space.” Although the land has changed substantially, with a large portion converted into a public urban park, many of the space’s core values remain, thanks to the makers, business owners, residents, and artists who live and work there.

Over the weekend, Outer Shell, Tunitas Creative, Skar Bikes, Calling in Sick Magazine, and artist/illustrator Chris McNally all opened their doors for a joint open house. It’s hard to shake the feeling that the land’s original intent is still very much alive, thanks to these folks. Everyone is doing their own thing, but there’s co-working and collaboration happening daily. According to several people I spoke to during my time at The Farm, Chris McNally deserves at least partial credit, as he has been slowly filling vacant spots with like-minded folks from the bike industry and beyond.

I swung by the open house early to catch up with Adam Sklar, then decided to stay for the first couple of hours. It was exciting to see the public wander into the complex, enter (sometimes nervously) one of the buildings, and then see their eyes widen with excitement when they realized they had free range to explore the various workspaces. I believe the makers opening their doors to everyone speaks volumes about the businesses they run and the passion behind them.

Outer Shell link

The last time I visited Outer Shell was two years ago, and at the time, they were open about needing more space. There wasn’t much room to move around between the various sewing machines and inventory racks, but they made it work. Not long after my visit, they moved into a larger space inside their building. The unit was previously home to Subterranean Records, an independent label that released bands like the Dead Kennedys and Flipper. Subterranean retired, and Outer Shell finally got to spread their legs out.

Co-owner Jim Santos showed me a walkthrough video of the space before Subterranean moved out, when it was packed to the brim with records and boxes. After some serious sweat equity, the current space is bright and open, with plenty of room to move around between all the machines. It’s essentially a large rectangular space with designated areas for cutting fabric, sewing and bartacking, shipping, and administrative duties. Jim said he’s feeling really good about Outer Shell’s current state, and that the business is healthy and thriving. They’ve been moving inventory, developing new products, and they are in a good position with plenty of stock heading into spring.

Jim showed me their new Magic Tote (above, middle) and explained that the main straps are made from climbing ropes with their cores removed. The result is a soft, plush-feeling strap that’s far more comfortable on your shoulder or in your hands than standard webbing, while also giving the totes a unique look. They are making enough of them to justify ordering a massive spool of climbing rope, which I suspect is a slightly unusual order for a bag maker.

You can see everything they have to offer at OuterShell.com. A reminder that Bikepacking Collective members can save 15% on all Outer Shell products by using the member-only code on the Benefits page when logged in here on the site.

Sklar Bikes link

I somehow missed Sklar moving into The Farm from their previous space in Oakland, California. They took over the spot that Outer Shell outgrew and essentially work side by side with Jim, Kyle, and the Outer Shell team. I also visited Sklar’s previous workshop around two years ago, when he had a decade of custom framebuilding under his belt and was working toward launching his third Taiwan-made production model, the PBJ. Coincidentally, Neil just reviewed the Sklar PBJ and loved nearly everything about it.

I’ve now visited three of Adam Sklar’s workshops: first in Bozeman, Montana, then in Oakland, and now at The Farm in San Francisco. Each space has had a similar look and feel, blurring the lines between an artist’s studio and a framebuilding workshop. He takes advantage of OSB plywood’s unique aesthetic and low price tag to build shelving and displays, and the various lamps and stools, along with a dedicated coffee bar, make for a warm and inviting workshop.

Adam has been removing walls and adding doorways to open up his space. Behind the main workshop is an even larger area stacked to the rafters with frame boxes, ready to be shipped to customers or built up as completes. Near the back of the shop, Adam has four rear rack prototypes hanging on a wall that he has tested over the years. The one pictured above is the rack he used during his 2023 ride on the Tour Divide route, inspiring his upcoming production version.

Nicholas Haig-Arack, who works with Adam, was also at the open house and let me snap some photos of his extra-large PBJ. Fresh off an overnighter in Napa County, the bike was still loaded up with all his gear, showing off that cavernous Rogue Panda frame bag and the frame’s carrying capacity. Nicholas and Adam have some exciting products lined up for 2026, and we’ll be sure to share more soon. For anyone attending Sea Otter, the two of them will be at the Old Man Mountain Bikepacking Campout.

Adam has been riding the PBJ in the new Silver colorway that was announced last month, which looks even better in person. The build features Sklar’s Lightweight Rear Rack, which can carry gear in various ways. The standard options are to use the top platform or top rails for panniers, but there are also integrated gear loops on both sides that function like cargo cages, eliminating the need for additional cages. The Sklar Lightweight Rear Rack weighs 1.4 pounds and has been tested to 30 pounds. Neil will be sharing his thoughts on it soon, but it’s available to purchase now here. An official release is coming this week.

See Sklar’s entire lineup of bikes and accessories at SklarBikes.com.

Tunitas Creative link

Jessica Chan runs Tunitas Creative in The Farm, but in a smaller workshop in a different building from the others. It’s not a big space, but it provides what she needs to design and produce small, limited releases of bags, sometimes designed for bikes and sometimes not.

Jessica is currently making the shift to a “regular” part-time job to take some of the pressure off Tunitas. She was feeling pretty burnt out trying to keep up with demand, spending long days making complex bags like the Basket Bag, and decided it was time to make a change. With the stability of another job, she’s excited to work on smaller batches of products she wants to use herself. One example she showed me was an ultra-packable picnic blanket, and she’s planning to work with her artist friends on fun custom-printed fabric to make it from.

I couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap some photos of Jessica’s stunning Rivendell Sam Hillborne while I was there. She mentioned that she had been meaning to submit it as a Reader’s Rig but kept delaying with plans to switch parts around. Well, a few years have gone by, and the bike hasn’t changed much, so Jessica said she had no more excuses since I was there with a camera. Expect a full Reader’s Rig on her Rivendell soon.

You can purchase Jessica’s creations directly from TunitasCreative.com.

Chris McNally link

Chris McNally, whose illustrations and watercolors have appeared in The Bikepacking Journal and here on BIKEPACKING.com on several occasions, including the Gunnison Bikepacking Route Network, has a studio space inside the same building as Outer Shell and Sklar. I could have spent hours peeking inside his sketchbooks and flipping through the various prints he had on display. We talked about our experiences traveling in Baja, our love of all-terrain bicycles, and how much fun it would be to own a Honda Trail 125.

Chris’ work is brimming with energy and vibrancy, bringing so much life to his illustrations. His studio feels like a direct extension of his style, providing a crisp and comfortable space for the public to enjoy the art he had on display. I love how he has been slowing bringing in his friends to The Farm, rekindling some of the original intent for the land as an inclusive space for community and creation. It’s hard to leave places like this without feeling inspired.

Calling in Sick Magazine link

Tucked away in the back corner of the building that homes Outer Shell, Sklar, and Chris McNally’s studio is just enough room for Adam Leibow, the mind behind Calling in Sick Magazine. Described as an “extreme alternative cycling mag”, Calling in Sick currently has 16 printed issues, and a subscription model for a new issue every four months. I unfortunately missed Adam during my visit, but you can learn more or grab yourself a magazine at CallingInSickMag.com.

That’s all I’ve got! A big thank-you to Jessica, Chris, Adam, Nicholas, Kyle, Jim, and Adam for opening their doors, welcoming the public, and letting me sneak around with my camera. Many of these folks will be set up at Old Man Mountain’s Bikepacking Campout at Sea Otter later this week, so make sure to visit if you’re attending.

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