with a 29-inch mountain
bike in the works for NBA player
Joel Przybilla.
(Photos: Matt Cardinal)
Local bike builders Matt Cardinal and Nathan Meschke of North Portland-based Signal Cycles (profile) have a tall order to fill; they’re working on a new bike for 6-foot 11-inch Trail Blazers star Joel Przybilla.
Przybilla already owns a Eugene-built Co-Motion hybrid bike that he purchased through the Lake Oswego Bike Gallery store, but his new bike will be a 29-inch mountain bike he plans to ride on the dirt trails near his home.
For Nate and Matt, both of whom are big Blazer fans, working on this bike is a thrill. “Nate and I are super excited,” says Matt, “We have spent many nights in the garage pushing files while listening to Wheels [play-by-play announcer Brian Wheeler] call games. It’s exciting to think Joel will be on one of our bikes!”
Speaking of the bike, Matt says they’re using beefy, oversized steel tubing all around. Here’s more on the technical side from Matt:
“The downtube is a butted 38mm 29er downtube. It is huge, bigger diameter than the headtube, so it had to be ovalized a bit to make the joint work. The top tube is actually a heavier duty down tube, and for the seat tube, we had to use straight guage 4130 seamless tubing. There isn’t a standard seat tube available in the 72cm length we needed… It is going to have a White Brothers suspension fork because they are the only ones that make a steer tube long enough.”
The bike will be painted in Blazer team colors and Przybilla’s number 10 will be integrated into the design. I’ll share more photos and perhaps a few more quotes about it from the big man himself once it’s all done. See a few more photos from the Signal Cycles shop here.
Unless the Vanilla Gorilla gets traded before they’re done. Bit of a logjam in the 5 position right now: Przy, Oden, Camby. Also, he’s on the DL after reinjuring his knee in the shower, so I’m guessing mountain biking is on the list of “don’ts” the Blazer management gave him.
Peejay, biking is one of the most common rehab remedies for most all knee injuries. Trails near Lake O…we’re probably talking dirt walking paths as opposed to any technical singletrack. which would effectively be safer than a pavement or cement bike path.
Interesting that the Vanilla Gorilla will not be riding a Vanilla bicycle… but from their website, it looks like Sasha White does not make a mountain bike. Maybe if Joel takes up cyclocross after he retires from the NBA he can ride a Vanilla.
that’s sick.
If only Joel could be ne next Bill Walton…
Either way, I think it is great to see NBA players spending some of their time and money on bikes, maybe he and B-Roy can bike commute to practice together.
Radtacular.
@Elliot
http://i.imgur.com/Zn5Gk.jpg
Vanilla used to show mountain bikes on their website. They haven’t for years.
With those guy’s weight and those long spans of tubing, imho, even bigger diameter tubing should have been considered and should be considered for anyone doing future frames for big guys. Especially the chainstays. 1″ or even ovalized 1.125″ chainstays should have been considered.
You want these guys to have a good ride, something that responds when they stomp, not turn into a noodle. With these big guys, Trying to make a light-weight frame should be the furthest thought from a framebuilder’s mind.
A further word of advice, don’t try to make the frame compact or with a extreme sloping downtube; they aren’t as stiff… At least when subjected to actual riding the frame (ie long seatposts are flexy…)
great post!