In a city steeped in adversary, Detroit Bikes is using age-old manufacturing techniques, transforming its founder’s vision into affordable high quality American made bicycles – the Detroit way.

Zak Pashak is a 34-year-old musician and former Canadian political candidate (he ran for Calgary’s city council in 2011) who aims to help bring manufacturing back to Detroit by creating a consumer-friendly bike exclusively using local labor – Detroit has vast, highly skilled industrial workforce ready for work. Detroit Bikes was founded in 2012 and is located in a pair of low-slung buildings on Detroit’s west side, sprawling over 50,000 square feet with the capacity to produce 100 bicycles a day, a marker of high-volume US frame manufacturing.

Detroit Bike’s single model, called the A-Type, is a unisex, one-size-fits-all commuter bike, available only in matte black and in three-speed, with coaster brakes. Ironically described as an “inter-modal mobility solution disrupting the transportation industry,” the A-Type is simple in design, its purpose being an accessible, enjoyable bicycle for riders of all skill levels. Their B-Type model contains similar components but flips the frame for a step through design, more applicable to shorter commutes.

Last year, a Kickstarter campaign launched to fund Detroit Bike’s C-Type, a single speed bike with a flip-flop hub that can be converted to fix gear. Featuring a classic road bike frame, drop handlebars and knobby tires for better traction, this utility bike reached its goal of $100,000 and hopes to ship in early May.

Pashak hopes that his company can draw upon deeply rooted traditions of production to invigorate the economic landscape and honestly, just provide a smooth ride over bumpy roads.

Zak Pashak, founder of Detroit Bikes

Connect with Detroit Bikes
Website: detroitbikes.com
Facebook: Detroit Bikes
Twitter: @DetroitBikes
Instagram: @detroitbikes

Images compliments of Detroit Bikes