By Katherine Weadley

Redstone Review News Editor

LYONS – If you are in the market for a rare, hand-built custom steel-framed belt-driven single speed mountain bike that loves tough terrain then head to Redstone Cyclery in Lyons. If this bike jargon isn’t making sense Dave Chase, proprietor of Redstone simply explains it this way: “It’s a badass bike.”

These mountain bikes are designed by Reeb Cycles, a new Colorado mountain bike company. Chase, who opened Redstone Cyclery in Lyons in 2003, is the product manager for Reeb Cycles. “I help Reeb find the vendors and welders and I help spec out the bikes. We do the assembly here, locally, in Lyons,” said Chase. “The whole bike is handmade in Colorado.”

Reeb is beer spelled backwards. This is appropriate because the impetus for the bike comes from Dale Katechis owner of Oskar Blues Brewery. “But Reeb isn’t about Dale, it’s about the bikes. The bikes stand on their own,” said Chase.

According to Chad Melis, spokesperson for Oskar Blues, many of the first 20 bikes commissioned were bought by employees of Oskar Blues. “Dale offered his employees no-interest loans to purchase the bikes. A lot of employees grabbed the deal,” said Melis. “We encourage employees to be as active as possible.”

Melis is a former professional mountain biker who rides as often as possible on his mountain bike despite his hectic travel and work schedule. “I try to get out on my bike once a day, it’s what keeps me sane,” Melis said. He owns and rides a Reeb bike and loves to ride locally in Lyons, where he lives.

Right now there are about ten Reeb bikes in existence with another ten on the way, and according to Chase there may even be over 100 bikes in a year. “This is all still in its infancy though, there are a lot of details to be ironed out,” Chase said.

Melis doesn’t see Reeb bikes becoming a huge business. “This is about the love of bikes. The goal is to make the best bike possible, not to make a lot of bikes.”

The average wheel on a mountain bike is 26 inches. The wheels on a Reeb bike are 29 inches, which is known in the industry as a “two-niner” according to Chase. Reeb bike frames are made of steel. Some other brands of bike frames are made out of aluminum or other materials. Chase says that experienced mountain bikers get to know the feel of the different materials and it’s just a matter of personal preference.

The Reeb frames cost just over $1,000, “an average price for this kind of top-quality frame,” said Chase, who also owns and rides a Reeb. He keeps one in the store for people to see. “People enjoy looking at my bike and asking questions,” Chase said.

“My customers are a local customers who rides their mountain bikes a lot and most often they ride hard stuff. You can go into a bike store in Boulder and purchase a $13,000 mountain bike today if you want to. That’s not my customer. My customers are local and by that I mean they come to my store from between Cheyenne and Colorado Springs,” said Chase.

Chase’s customers learn of his shop by word of mouth or when they come to ride in the Lyons area. “The Reeb is a great bike to ride on Hall or Heil Ranch,” said Chase referring to the Lyons mountain biking trails that attract riders from all over the world. “I recently took my Reeb to Nebraska, but it was too much bike for Nebraska,” said Chase. “This bike handles tough terrain. This is a bike for someone who likes to go.”

According to Chase, the type of client who is or will be attracted to a Reeb is a mountain biker who has “been there and done that.” This bike is made to have one gear, which makes it less complex. The belt gear is also maintenance free. “It’s a good simple way to do things. I think single speeds are great for the local rides.”

All the Reebs at this point are pre-sold. According to Chase, Redstone Cyclery is the primary avenue for selling Reeb cycles. “If someone wanted one right now they’d have to wait. But people who know quality are willing to do that. This has become my primary go-to bike,” said Chase. “I love it.”

Katherine Weadley is a freelance writer and a librarian. She worked as a reporter for the Daily Camera in Boulder. She lives in Lyons with her family and two dogs Wolfie and Winter.

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