Bike Build
This project represents an alternative way of expanding of my design ability; it deals with understanding and remaking an essential product in my life using available parts. In reimagining and then rebuilding my bike, I became intimately familiar with the manufacturing and mechanics that make it work, as well as the many form-to-body relationships present. This deep exploration into my ideal of a functionally beautiful product was an invaluable exercise for me as a designer.
Before
This mountain bike belonged to my mother for many years, and I used it to commute in the city on daily basis for two years before I was encouraged to remake it. These photos show it as it was before I did so:
The bike worked fine, but needed to be rebuilt to suit my context, needs, and aesthetic preferences. This would involve removing many of the extraneous components and outfitting it to be a sleek, agile road bike. Luckily, I had guidance from mentors with a wealth of knowledge about mechanics and typologies of bikes.
Research
In addition to doing a plethora of foundational research about types of bikes and how they work, I looked into the history of my own. In the early 1980’s, Specialized introduced the first major production mountain bikes to the world. First came the StumpJumper (pictured below), soon to be followed by mine: the HardRock.
I also sought out broader exposure to the world of bicyclists. In addition to visiting bike shops across the city, I went to Bicycle Heaven: an enormous bicycle museum and shop. This huge collection showed me a comprehensive history of bicycles; here I was able to see how they evolved over time, and compare the many forms they take.
Acquiring Parts
After I had gotten some background info, I began acquiring parts for the rebuild. My mentors gifted me some spare parts, such as the leather grips, handlebar stem, and brake levers. Others I purchased from people across Pittsburgh who had parts listed on Craigslist. Getting these parts, such as the saddle and road tires, gave me the opportunity to explore new places in the city on my bike before disassembling it.
My next step was to visit local shops and try out different parts that I wanted to change the size, shape, or feeling of on my bike. This process of comparison helped me learn about making decisions in the best interest of functionality and fit that I wanted.
From the shops I got parts such as the pedals and seat post, as well as essential mechanical components like new brake cable and chain. Finally, I purchased the remaining parts on the internet. These include the new wheels, crankset, chain tensioner, and handlebars.
Disassembly
Finally, I was ready to disassemble the bike. I was able to do this with relatively little guidance, and learned quite a bit about the bike by taking it apart. I was able to understand how the parts were fixed to the frame, how they were assembled, and how forces/tension were distributed.
I made sure do document where everything had been and how all the pieces fit back together, in case I ever wanted to convert the bike back into a mountain bike.
Restoring Frame
The most labor-intensive yet rewarding part of the project was restoring the frame and revealing the raw metal. My main vision for the bike involved removing any paint or anodization from its components to let the genuine metals show through. For the frame, I used paint stripper and various tools to remove the old layers paint and primer, then brought the surface finish up to a high polish. Finally, I clear-coated it multiple layers of ceramic enamel to protect it from rust damage.
Finishing Parts
As I worked on restoring the frame, I worked on altering the parts to match. I cleaned and wire-brushed the cantilever brakes, and stripped the paint from the stem and brake levers. I also sanded the anodization off of the aluminum seat post. Finally, I buffed all these pieces to achieve a shiny mirror finish. These steps tested my attention to detail and helped me gain a lot of skill on the buffing wheel as well.
Next, I made some final adjustments to parts I had ordered online. First, I removed the decals from the wheels to match the clean, unbranded aesthetic of the new bike. Next, I tested out different grip placements on the new handlebars and decided I wanted my hands shoulder-width apart. So, I cut over an inch off of both sides of the handlebars.
Assembly
The last and most exciting part of the project was getting to assemble the new bike. Pictured below is final the collection of parts I had curated and worked on over weeks, laid out and ready to come together. I had to be sure I knew where every screw and washer went, and spent time figuring out the right order to assemble everything.
I started with the wheels and tires, then moved on to adding the other major touchpoints like the handlebars and saddle. I used my body to measure the correct height of the latter and the comfortable placement of the grips on the former. Finally, I moved on to the most challenging part of the project: setting up the cantilever brakes and threading the new brake lines. With guidance from my mentor, I learned about the correct placement of the pads, as well as how to cut, position, and tension the lines.
Final
The final product is a bike broken down to its essential form; it has a minimalist aesthetic that lets the beauty of its functionality shine through. It is no more than it needs to be, with features that highlight the manufacturing and mechanics at work, and material/color relationships that foster a sense of elegant simplicity and unity throughout the form. It is light, maneuverable, and comfortable—well suited to a busy commuter traveling to a wide variety of places within the city.