Each of the 7 Wonders of Oregon offers a different, exciting ride. To celebrate this, we asked seven of the best bicycle builders in the state to each build a one-of-a-kind bicycle, one for each of our 7 Wonders. This bike was built for Crater Lake.
For a custom bike-builder like Mike DeSalvo, every bike is built for a specific customer. But when it came time to design this bike, he was faced with a unique new challenge. “What if Crater Lake is the customer? What would I want to build for that ride?” He deeply pondered the challenge. “It’s not a ride to see how fast you can get around the lake. What’s been fun is that it allowed me to reflect on Crater Lake, and the things I’d want to do on a bike there, not what a customer is asking for.”
And so he went about designing a bike for Crater Lake. He calls it “a top-notch titanium road bike, with all the bells and whistles” – each of them inspired by the prospect of riding around the lake. Disk brakes for the steep descending, large tires for the sometimes rough pavement. Electronic shifting for precision going up and down, with a wide range of gearing.
And a handlebar bag to carry a pair of binoculars or a good camera. As Mike puts it, “This is one of those rides you don’t want to rush through. Having the time to pull over and enjoy the scenery is one of the most amazing things about Crater Lake.”
He explains that the inspiration extends to the paint job, too. “Visually, the bike is a light shimmery blue – I was trying to capture the blue of the lake. A mural wasn’t going to work here, so I just went with a vibrant blue. I wanted this bike to be as stunning as Crater Lake.”
In the end, Mike has done what he’s best at: he’s built a bike that is a perfect fit for the customer.
This bike is size medium/large, suitable for those 5’8″ to 5’11″ tall.
The Crater Lake bike was found by Leland Gilmore at 7:15 a.m. on August 8, 2015. A bike racer from Portland, he found the bike a few hundred yards from Whitebark Pine Picnic Area along the Rim Route.
