Rody Walter of Groovy Cycleworks talked with Heather Higgins of Cyclelicio.us today about their Hawaiian-themed commuter bike with off-road capabilities on display at the Shimano North American Handmade Bike Show in Richmond, Virginia. The customer wanted a commuter bike she could also take off road. The criteria were an upright position, off-road capability, and fairly low maintenance. It was important that the bike be simple to maintain so they used a Rohloff Speedhub (integrated 14-speed) and to avoid grease stains a belt drive made by Gates Corporation in cooperation with Carbon Drive Components.

To create the Hawaiian look, they painted white and pink Hibiscus flowers on the royal blue frame and designed the wood fenders to emulate surf boards. Via frequent blog updates documenting the build in progress, the customer has seen the bike come to life online and is thrilled with how it looks. The front wheel is a Phil Wood; a cartridge bearing hub set which is service-friendly and long-lived. The rims are Mavic 29″ and the handle bars are a “dirt drop bar” style. Thank you Rody!