July 2004

Hey Scott! Here's the thing:

"There's magic in a bike, a magic of seeing and riding and, hell, just being free. Most people grow up and lose that magic." (quote from the book, Perfect Circles, by Greg Moody, published by Velopress)

I have always loved cycling and bikes ever since I was kid. As I got older my enthusiasm never dimmed. I enjoyed the simplicity, the form, the freedom of bicycles. I have had some great bikes in my life; the old fat tire bikes of my youth, touring bikes, track, and road bikes. All great machines, but I never had a custom- built bike. I had put it off for years...well, I finally put an end to my procrastination.

And after walking past R&E for twenty years, I finally did it. ...And wow, what an experience!

The service, the attention to detail, and personal one on one involvement from the Fit-Kit, to the custom work-up sheet, and all the particulars of frame geometry, materials, and upgrades were all attended to. Everyone at R&E has a passion for bikes and cycling in all its forms. Scott Rock took care of me through the entire process, listening to what I wanted in a bike and carefully planned all aspects and components together to help me create a true Dream Machine. With the help and input of Smiley, Dan, Dave (frame builder), Teresa (paint specialist) and others, it all came together. You would have to see it to believe it! The ride is incredible, handling, acceleration, and climbing has improved in unbelievable proportions. It just feels great! And so was my total experience at R&E, from the beginning to the champagne ending when they rolled my bike out.

These are people who know the magic of bikes and the people that ride them.

Thanks Everyone at R&E!
Mike Cribbs

Note from Dan:
Mike was ready for a new bike, and selected us to build it for him. This was a particular honor, as it was quite obvious that Mike loved bicycles as much as anyone I've ever met. When I met him, he had come into the shop with a 25 year old Nishiki that he had owned since it was new. It had been ridden a good deal, but was still in immaculate condition. It was a pleasure to build his new bike, and maybe, in another 25 years or so, he'll have us build another one. It reassures me of the fact that R+E Cycles has the best customers in the world!

Thanks Mike, and happy riding!

Enjoy a few images of Mike's beautiful bike below, or visit the full image gallery of his ride here.