"The bicycle is the noblest invention of mankind"
-William Saroyan
ABOUT US
We are a student-run Mechanical Engineering club out of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. We are dedicated to learning and teaching modern methods of bicycle frame building to other students at Cal Poly.
Our mission is to give students at Cal Poly experience in the design and manufacturing process of bicycle frames and components. Through our club, any student with an idea for a bicycle can design and ultimately fabricate it. We teach 3D modeling, welding techniques, composite construction, and more to any student who wants to learn. As a result of our unique interests, we are the world’s first collegiate student-run club dedicated to the design and construction of bikes.
In addition to helping students build their own bikes, we collaborate on club projects for our annual exhibit at the North American Handmade Bike Show (NAHBS). NAHBS is an international bike show that attracts cycling enthusiasts from around the world. It is one of the largest cycling shows in the world, and is an incredible opportunity to garner attention for our school. Last year, the show was held in Hartford, CT where we displayed a carbon fiber road bike. This was the first carbon fiber bike frame ever made at Cal Poly. We conducted research with professors and sought advice from industry professionals to learn what was required to complete this project. We went through many trials and iterations of all the processes to refine each part before manufacturing the full frame.
Walter Minehart
President
Walter is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering student from St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a strong advocate for unnecessary bends, metallic finishes, and straight gauge tubing. His three favorite things are well made tools, a good pair of socks, cheese, and cooking dinner for friends. Do not ask him about peanut butter, he knows too much, and he will never stop talking. His favorite trail is Mariposa in SLO.
Colin Reay
Vice President
Colin is a 4th year ME student from the Bay Area. He’s a hardcore full-squish nerd and likes to build bikes and bike-related tools and fixtures. You can usually find him dipping tungsten in the machine shop or designing cargo bikes on his computer.
Bradley Maruoka
Sponsorship and Outreach Coordinator
Bradley is a 2nd year Mechanical Engineering student from the Bay Area. He enjoys 2x drivetrains, tanwall tires, loud hubs, and has an unhealthy addiction to nice components. He has no claimed favorite trail but likes anything that involves climbing very steep hills very fast.
Logan Femling
Treasurer
Logan is a 3rd year Mechanical Engineering student. He's famous for building Nightmare, a sketchy electric pixie bike, and he once got pulled over while riding a Onewheel and carrying a pixie bike in each hand.
Colleen McCandless
Social Coordinator/Webmaster
Colleen is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering student from Livermore, CA. She likes talking to people, practicing welding, and building pixie bikes. She secretly likes running more than biking, however she stills enjoys the local trails especially at Montaña de Oro State Park.
