Welcome Trek!!!
I am so excited and honored to announce Trek as a major sponsor for my BIG Green Road Trip! (See BIG Green Road Trip blog below.) Trek has agreed to build a customized bicycle for me to ride from various campsites to volleyball events across the United States next season. I spoke with Michael Leighton, industrial designer and Eric Bjorling, marketing director, today to discuss the super-size bicycle plans.
Trek sells bicycles to everyone. From world class athletes like Lance Armstrong to little kids that ride tricycles, Trek can design and build a bicycle for riders of all sizes and needs. They are excited to take on the task of building a bicycle for me for a couple of reasons. First of all and most obvious, I am not shaped like the average rider or even the average athlete. I have a 40 inch inseam which presents a challenge for Michael and Trek’s engineers to design a longer frame. Fit is extremely important for the efficiency of the bicycle as well as the comfort of the rider. Trek was moved by my story since my BIG Green Road Trip fits in with their own green project titled “1 World, 2 Wheels.” We are going to work together in inspiring more people to use bicycles as transportation vehicles. Michael and Eric also mentioned their excitement to use new and experimental green practices when building this particular bike since it will be a major vehicle in the BIG Green Road Trip.
What work goes into customizing a bicycle? First, measurements must be taken. Thanks to Paul at Cycle Werks here in Costa Mesa, Trek now has their starting point. Now it is time for Michael to connect with Trek’s engineers to draw a diagram using the measurements in order to get a visual of what the bike is going to look like. From the diagram, parts are ordered and a prototype bicycle is made. Once the prototype is measured to the rider, small adjustments are made and the construction of the actual Trek bicycle comes together. Trek has brilliant artists that customize the paint to match the rider’s style.
Thank you Michael, Eric, and Trek for taking on this challenge!
What a perfect match!
Jheri is sooooooo excited and is doing a jheridance for you!!!
Posted by: Jheri | July 07, 2009 at 05:56 AM
How much does a customized bicycle cost?
In the Netherlands there is a company called "Sparta"
who makes big bicycles - but they cost at least 800 euro
or more.
I had the luck of finding a quite big city-bike made by "Giant".
(not that expensive)
They have a factory in Lelystad in Netherlands and my guess i
taht series were especially made for the tall Dutch and German
population.
please mail me josephinea197@yahoo.se
- it would be interesting to get some more info about bikes
for tall people.
Usually there use to be some info exchanged about fitting cars
as cars are procuded and sold internationally - but not so much
about bicycles.
Posted by: Josephine Anderson | January 10, 2010 at 01:47 AM