"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.
As our club grows, so do our goals. This year, NAHBS will be held in Sacramento, and we are looking to use our home field advantage. We will showcase several bikes made by students in the club, as well as a full suspension downhill mountain bike. The downhill bike will be designed and built by dedicated club members working as a team to showcase the club’s talent. In addition, we have implemented a design review process to develop the majority of the components on the bike. To showcase Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” motto, we are also designing and manufacturing nearly every component on the bike.
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Glenn Petersen
President
Glenn is a Mechanical Engineering student from Corvallis, OR and enjoys toast conventions. He is also afraid of water. When Glenn isn't in class he usually takes the edge off with some nice homework. As of now, Glenn's favorite trail lives in Oregon and goes by the name "The Plunge". However, after being bike-less for three years, he looks forward to tearing up the central coast in search for a new favorite!
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Shaw Hawkeye Hughes
Vice President
Shaw is a Mechanical Engineering student. When he isn't studying, he is probably in the machine shop or riding his bike. His hobbies include exploring the outdoors, woodworking, skiing, lutherie, and bikepacking. His favorite trail is Captain Ahab in Moab, UT.
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Kevin Pauls (a.k.a. High Fructose Corn Syrup)
Treasurer
Kevin is a Mechanical Engineering student from Simi Valley, CA. When Kevin isn't drawing FBD's, he enjoys BMX racing, cooking Velveeta shells at 2am, and selling propane and propane accessories (strangely intriguing...). If it sounds like a AV-8A Harrier is landing in your living room, don't be alarmed, it is probably just Kevin snoring. Kevin's favorite BMX racetrack to rip on is Music City BMX in Nashville.
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Patrick Wiseman
Manufacturing Lead
Patrick is a 4th year Manufacturing Engineering Student from Sacramento, CA. If you're looking for Patrick, you'll most likely find him in one of the machine shops on campus talking to the machine tools. The guy not only builds bikes but can also construct a mean nightstand. He claims he has yet to ride his favorite trail but remains optimistic.
Colin Reay
Workday Coordinator
Colin is a third 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.
Walter Minehart
Sponsorship and Outreach Coordinator
Walter is a 3rd 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.
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Kellen Andrew
Social Coordinator/Webmaster
Kellen is a 4th year Aerospace Engineering student from San Diego, CA. In his free time he enjoys making pottery, rock climbing, bikepacking, and building bikes that are too tall. His favorite trail is "Mailboxes" in Wilder Ranch
Contact Us
1 Grand Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93410
Contact us at:
Club Meetings:
Mondays, 7-8 PM
Virtual: Zoom Meeting (Link on Slack or email)