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SMR - The Bike that Dave Built |
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Written by Dave Fik
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Saturday, 18 March 2006 |
Project Name: Blue Fish Bike
Builder: Dave Fik, Holland Michigan
Many of us set out to build our dream bike. We spend countless hours studying the latest in component technology, estimate our budget and set out to purchase the parts. Usually by this time we already have purchased and or decided on the frame that we will use. This is where Dave Fik took matters into his own hands, literally.
 Dave did what most people would not even consider an option. He designed and built his frame from the ground up. This is his story and his bike:
Dave Fik: "I’m a designer at a furniture manufacturer in Western Michigan (for money) but have a secret life in which I build things (for love). I’m an illustrator by training but am passionate about creating things by hand. Furniture, stained glass, light fixtures, doors, bikes, you name it – I’ll build it. I have this crazy little garage that has an extra 10’ on the back which allows me to have this secret life. Being a designer (with three kids and a patient wife), and have a penchant for falling in love with material possessions that cost way more than what my meager salary can support.
The solution to this conundrum I’ve learned from annual trips abroad – Latin America has taught me that “if you can’t afford to buy it, build it on your own.”
The trike was inspired by watching “some old guy” fly by me all night long during a “24 hour challenge”. Biking from 8am till 8am…that’s a long time in a saddle; even tougher on your back and neck. That “old guy” was still looking pretty crisp by 3am, laughing and joking with people while I was getting to the point of hating all 24 year olds simply because they were 24! I figured that it had to be the bike ‘cause heck if I’m going to admit that he might be tougher than me.
 Fascinating bike it was, a CatTrike; sleek, low, svelte. I hardly noticed the gorgeous, spandex clad lasses on green Bianchis for the beauty of this machine. Later research had me falling in love with a Greenspeed – right up until I did the little online price conversion which I mistakenly thought included the flight and lodging for a week in Australia.
 A lucky “high bid” on Ebay landed me a Sram internal geared, nine speed hub (a steal at $130 bucks) and the rest is history.
Still waiting for “my uncle the machinist” to finish milling some critical parts so I can finish this baby. Plans are that if this works well (it seemed to on paper) next winter I’ll either cut it up and make it into a tandem, or I’ll just weld up a “back-up” tandem frame and simply swap components. (the tandem will be “Two Fish” – all part of the Dr. Seuss line-up)
 That’s the history. As for me – I’m a roadie who occasionally gets dragged into the woods and humiliated on a mountain bike. At 45 years old, my idea of “living on the edge” is now doing a night ride on narrow trails. TIG, MIG, and Brazing was all learned on summer jobs while in college (always take those summer jobs seriously!) Design work, anthropometrics and custom fitting is how I pay the bills (Thanks to Haworth in Holland, MI !)."
Realizations along the way: Dave Fik:
- - I have a new appreciation for engineers and their math capabilities (trig-o-whatomy?)
- - A new appreciation for draftsmen (women) and their ability to correctly transcribe numbers on documents.
- - A fresh realization that numerical differences between rough carpentry and fine machining are “as far as east is from west”
- - At ”tip of the cap” to all the 12 year olds on the Pacific rim who’s TIG/MIG welds make mine look pathetic.
Havin’ a ball in spite of it all!"
Thanks to Jacob Glik also of Holland MI, for bringing Dave and his project to Bikeman's attention. If you have a custom build or project you would like to share with Bikeman pleas submit it
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Dave submitted a follow up just after the bike was finished.
Dave Fik: "Finally finished this baby! Totally home built and designed specifically to clear most road kill (seriously, my youngest son was out “field measuring” raccoons, possums and squirrels…) Only trouble now is that he won’t leave the bike alone - he says it’s a “chick magnet” (oh to be 11 again)"
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