What is a Custom Recycled Bike?
A Custom Recycled Bike is a bike built by you and Ryan Kelley, the owner of Standard Bike Repair.
Where do the Parts Come From?
We use recycled frames, build new wheels and find used parts from the shop. We use new parts where customer desires and budget allows. Bikes start at $500 but can go much higher. Used parts for Custom Recycled Bikes cost $1 starting with the frame.
What kind of bicycle can I make?
First Answer: Imagine it. We can build it.
Second Answer: A List of Bikes we Can Build
- Road Bike: Racing style road frames are valuable and don’t usually land in some guy’s yard with a bike shop. Well built and cared for racing frames seem to last longer than diamonds. Depending on your size and color preferences, we have a select few in the stock yard. With your total budget in mind, we can often source one from the myriads of frame sources available locally and worldly. We can rebuild a racing frame from the Tour de France golden era or identify choices in carbon, titanium, aluminum, and steel.
- Fixed Gear: This is the easiest bike in the world. Almost every bike frame can be tightened into a single chainline.
- Single Speed but not a Fixed Gear: Simple bikes with only one gear are great for getting around town. Even the Hill is conquerable with a gearing ratio that also works for the straight inclines and declines in Boulder.
- Cruiser: These are the best. Make them flashy or with poise. Make them for every Thursday.
- Mountain Bike: We have one dual suspension carbon frame from 1993 in stock. If you want a front suspension steel or alloy, we have your frame in stock. If you want to build a dualie for downhill, the costs get hefty, but at least you get the parts you want.
- Cargo Bike: We don’t weld on site, but we will be the front person to build your cargo bike with Cargo Monster.
- Cyclocross: Ryan loves building bikes for rugged riding.
- Recumbents: The next one will be the first.
- Special Projects: Imagine it and we will build it. Depending on your ideas, costs can be exorbitant or effective. Ryan is pretty good at helping you make a bike to fit your cycling needs and your budget. Simple bikes like single speeds, cruisers and urban assault commuters are cheaper to build than a hard core mountain bike or road frames built with modern shifting mechanisms.
Do you use refurnished frames?
Yes. We have a stock of metal frames in the yard. Most of the time we find a frame that just happens to fit your needs.
What if the frame to suit my dreams is not in the backyard?
We can find one that exists for our buying in town or online.
Do you weld bikes?
We do not do any welding on site. For a significant cost, we can contract a custom built frame from folks that are willing to weld.
How much do frames cost?
Bike frames cost $1. All used parts on Custom Recycled Bikes cost a dollar. If we don’t have the frame that you want, then you and Ryan will hunt through local resources and browse the world wide web.
How much is the whole package of bike and teaching?
Bikes start at $500. Barters for the $125 labor fee can be negotiated. Ryan loves to wheel and deal. For example, Ryan barters for with Cartridge World on 2706 28th St.
Who Builds the Bike?
You and Ryan.
I want to build a bike. What’s next?
Call Ryan to set up a consultation at 720-837-8984. Some people draw pictures before, some have ideas on the design but not pictures, others know what they want to do with the bike. It is part of Ryan’s job in the design and custom bike building steps name the bike that you want to make.
What Happens in the Consultation Appointment?
We meet at Standard Bike Repair at a designated time during the Monday to Saturday work week. Over coffee or beer or no beverage, we engage into a brainstorming session about your bike.
Bikes start at $500, but they can go to $1,300 or $2,689. Most of the bikes we produce cost less than $1,000. In the brainstorm, we talk about your bike in relationship to what this and that option cost. Most of the time, Ryan is good at showing you the plus and minus of A option, B option and the third expensive option.
As we are thinking and talking about your bike, an idea starts to come to mind. We will list specific parts and go through every detail over the course of an hour or two in the initial meeting.
What kind of time requirement is there for customer participation?
We should expect to take 8 – 20 hours of time from the beginning emails to putting on the last part. Little work is done behind the scenes. You are expected to see and engage in the entire process. You will know how to tune up your bike at the conclusion.
Where do the Bike Parts come from?
We have a property full of bike parts. A good idea of our in-house stock is included here.
This is a good deal. What’s the catch? I want to sign up.
The catch: you have to hang out with Ryan Kelley at his home in the alley behind 1823 Marine Street for more than a handful of hours. If you would like, lattes are available for free during bike building sessions. We never turn town beer. Depending on the state of the fridge, we have Sun Butter Delights and tacos if it is lunch or dinner time. Ryan lives and works in the bike shop, thus getting to know Ryan is part of the Custom Recycled Bike Building program.
