Adventures and Steel Wheels

Big news on the cycling front - I have launched a small boutique touring company Backyard Bike Tours specializing in a series of easy, family-oriented day tours in the New York/New Jersey area, and multi-day adventures that start locally and go - targeted at cyclists who want to tour (as opposed to tourists who want to cycle).

Bill "2.0"

As a networking initiative, last week went to an open house of a local start-up custom bike builder, Ryan Reedell, in Newark New Jersey - his company is called Folk Engineered.

Ryan with his frame jig

It was literally an "open house" as the owner who lives on the 4th floor of a warehouse, has his machine shop and tools set up in what could be called an extended living room.  It was a really neat experience, despite being on the 4th floor of a massive old building, Ryan and his significant other, Marie, managed to recreate the feel of a country kitchen and farm house - well except for all the massive machinery and bike frames on display.

The "Marsupial" hanging in the kitchen.

They work in steel, and build all their frames from scratch - lots of interesting tubing lying around.  During the open house he demonstrated to all (about 30 of us) how to machine a top tube to fit onto the seat tube, and how to drill the water bottle inserts on to the seat tube.

Machining the Top Tube in the living room.

Lots of precision jigs.  Being new to the business he purchased most of his machinery on e-bay - some pretty serious (heavy cast iron - 50 years old) stuff, so heavy that the shipping costs were greater than the purchase price.

It was fun and refreshing to see a business in its infancy, and the group who attended the open house were quite eclectic, and interesting.  One of the attendees rode his bike last summer from Newark to Montreal, closely following my planned route for the  Hudson - Champlain Tour of new touring company Backyard Bike Tours - spectacular scenery, great roads and lots of fun!!!   I may have found a new tour guide for when the business expands.

Another attendee owns and runs The Bike Church in Asbury Park NJ - a really interesting group who brings a second life to bicycles - "getting more people (especially youth) on bikes, more often, while encouraging people to re-purpose old bikes and bike parts, rather than discard them."

All in all a great evening meeting all types of folks with a common interest, cycling...