I have been building bikes since I was eight years old. I grew up in a very poor Portland Neighborhood. My mom worked around the clock just to pay our bills. As the eldest of three siblings  raised by a single mother, I became the head of the household at a young age. Bikes were not in the budget. When the church donated three used kids bikes to my family, it was the start of a lifelong passion. 

 

At  age eight, I used a neighbor's tools, took the best parts off of each bike, and combined them to make one functional machine. It was the best feeling in the world. It was the feeling of control over my own path that mobility had brought. No one taught me how to use tools, or how bikes worked. My dad wasn't around and I had to fend for myself and learn by making mistakes.

 

I became a fixture at the local bike shop, and picked the brains of the mechanics to the point of annoyance. By the time I was twelve, I had saved enough money to buy my own new bike. It was a Haro BMX with blue anodized components. The neighborhood kids all had GT's and Mongoose's, but I liked the uniqueness of the way the chrome frame bent down at the top tube. It was designed to facilitate tricks on a half pipe when you throw your leg over the bike in the air on a jump.

 

I take joy in bringing old things back from the dead. I love restoring some of them to perfection exactly as they were made. But the real art comes from customization. It is the ability to be unique that causes a person's talent to stand out. On this site, there are many examples of that philosophy. Also intermixed, a couple of oddities as well. Each creation is completely unique, one of a kind and definitely personal.

 

At the Bike Lab I strived to help each individual bring out the creativity within. It was bigger than just learning bicycle maintenance skills. Each bike was a unique creation that represented the personality of the individual builder. I had the role of coaching people through the build process. It all starts with the frame fitting. Every person has a body geometry and a riding style. Every frame has specific dimensions and angles between the seat tube, top tube, head tube, and bottom bracket. If the frame is the wrong size, it will be uncomfortable to ride. If the angles are wrong, it will not suit the needs of the rider.

 

With each client, we found the exact frame to suit their needs. Then we selected the components. We chose wheels, bars, stem, cranks, derailleuer, brakes, pedals, and a saddle from my inventory of used parts. Clients had the option of assembling the bike themselves with my coaching by checking out tools from the library. Or they could hire me assemble the project from the components we had chosen together. The people on the right side of the page were all participants in this program. 

 

The Bike Lab was an excellent experience. It was my first business venture. The first shop space. It was a symbol for my own independence. It became a symbol for the empowerment of others. The birth of a new era in my life.  Like all things, life has seasons. People learn and grow, as they develop their potential. In the process of running the shop, I found myself being called into nonprofit work. In short, I cared more about the people than I did about the profits. Thisresulted in a calling to serve the homeless. Click on the link below to meet some of our clients.

 

 

take it to the streets

 

 ruebikes