Canadian invests millions to manufacture bikes in Detroit

Zak Pashak has no real connection to Detroit, but he definitely feels drawn to Motown.

"The city just kind of called me," said Pashak. " I don't really know exactly why or how, but I came and visited and knew I had to be a part of what is going on here."

Pashak is from Calgary, Alberta Canada but has been living in Detroit for the past two years executing his plan to manufacture bikes in Detroit. 

Pashak focused his earlier career on music promotion, but it was the manufacturing, not the music, the drew him to Motown. He bought an old warehouse in Detroit and has turned it into his Detroit Bikes factory.

"We will see over the next six months if it was crazy or not," Pashak said. "We have the capacity to produce 40,000 bikes a year."
 
Built with a lightweight chromoly steel frame, the bikes have three gears and a matte-black powder-coat finish. Detroit Bikes manufacturers the frame and also builds the wheels, and makes the bike's rear rack and chain guard on site.

"Three-speed is all we really need, low medium, and high," said Detroit Bikes Production supervisor, John Richardson. Richardson is a huge bike enthusiast and has already taken the bike for a ride.

"It's a very simple bike, it's a very strong bike and after 70 miles straight riding on it, it's a comfortable ride," said Richardson.

A precision laser cuts the rear racks and the spokes are carefully placed around the wheel; every step along the Detroit Bikes production line is developed with care for the future bike riders.

"The signature really is our frame, if we make 40 frames a day, we'll be the largest bicycle frame manufacturer in the United States of America," said Richardson.

Detroit Bikes guarantees its frame for life.

"I think it is a product that has growth potential," said Pashak. " I was interested in manufacturing something and this seemed like a good product."

Pashak is not a big bike enthusiast, but he is committing in a big way to his brain child, Detroit Bikes. He has $2 million and counting invested in this company. He plans to stay in Detroit for the next eight years to see the project through.

Pashak's vision is to make Detroit Bikes the classic American bike, and his plan is, in a small way also helping out Detroiters.

"I think a product from Detroit envokes something in people," Pashak said. "There is a sense of quality based on the fact that they were made here by people from here."

 What makes these Detroit Bikes' so unique is that all of the bikes coming off the assembly line in Detroit, operated mainly by Detroiters.

"The company is called Detroit Bikes. Part of the mandate for the company is to try to be a positive part of the community, so it is important to me, as much as possible that we employ people from here," said Pashak.

Detroit Bikes is working with agencies including Focus Hope to hire locally.

"But one of the things that we are really intending on doing is cross-training. Everybody in here is going to be able to do at least two other jobs," Richardson said.

Pashak has an answer when asked why his bike is only available in black.

"Like an iPhone, you don't see red, blue, and green iPhones because they would look silly and I think that would cheapen the product if Apple did that. Same with the bike," said Pashak.

Whether you commute several miles on your bike or you use it to ride around for fun, Detroit Bikes wants its first bicycle to be for everyone.

"There are different types of cyclist, so maybe not like racers or mountain bikers. But the target audience or the target market would be city commuters, short trips mostly," said Pashak.

Pashak has big dreams for his company.

"I would like this to be the classic American bike," said Pashak.

The bikes will retail for $550.  They will be available in metro Detroit at the Wheelhouse located along on the Detroit River Walk.

The public will be able to take the bikes for a test ride at the Detroit Bikes Launch party. The launch party is at the Old Miami Bar on Cass Avenue in Detroit from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on August 16, 2013.    Similar launch parties will be held August 17 in Windsor, Ontario and August 21 in Toronto, Ontario.

For more information about Detroit Bikes, click here.