THE ROAD TO BESPOKED BEGAN 13 YEARS AGO.

I have not ridden thixThirteen years ago, it was about this time, that a student walked into my office to discuss the bike frame they would build for class.

I went home that day and told Lore, I was living my destiny.

I had no idea how long the course would be taught, or really everything that would ultimately be required to teach the course. (We now have the Design, Build, Ride Studio, and as I one-finger type, there are students in there build frames)

13 years later, over 300 students have built frames. I really had no aspiration that a student would enter the cycling industry, and many actually have. We had a student go on to be the first woman to design and engineer a frame for Trek. We have had a number of students who by adding fabrication skills to the engineering degree got positions in which they both designed/engineered and built stuff. We have of course had students when best of show for their bikes.

And I am beginning to see former students starting programs like Iowa’s at other universities.

I have had students from countries around the world come to Iowa to be in the Design, Build, Ride program.

 Next week we head back to Bespoked, which will be held in Dresden, Germany.

Ryan and Sayre (left to right in the photo) will be exhibiting their bikes.