about
Sylvan was formed from a love of bicycles combined with expertise in green materials, bicycle design, product development, and technology innovation. Although Sylvan Cycles is itself a new company, it is grounded in a history of related initiatives. For example, among many projects, John helped to develop the Xtracycle, and more recently co-founded sustainable biofuels technology company Qteros. It’s what we do!
Some of Sylvan’s roots (Or, if a luthier built bicycles…)
Sylvan Cycles can trace its early origins to design studies that John did in the 1980’s for wood-monocoque bicycles and HPV’s, inspired by the wood-monocoque race-cars of automotive legend Frank Costin. John’s connection to innovation in the bicycle world began when he was studying in England (climate change) in the early 1980’s, and had the chance to work with bicycle design legend/iconoclast Mike Burrows (Lotus Superbike, Giant TCR Compact Road Frame, Windcheetah, etc). Later bicycle-related projects include helping develop the Xtracycle, (the original load-carrying system was prototyped here in the Sylvan Cycles workshop), panniers for Madden Mountaineering, a patented electric drive system, and so on. More recently, Sylvan traces its specific origins to John’s professional experience as a luthier (string instrument maker) and related research into the material properties and remarkable structural efficiency of musical instruments such as violins and guitars. Did you know that in practice, the wood-based structures of these sophisticated instruments demonstrate performance comparable to modern composite materials? The same material properties required for a good violin or guitar – light, stiff and resilient – are the same properties required for a good bicycle.
John Fabel
(Inventor, entrepreneur, educator, bike nut) Originally trained as a climate scientist, John has spent his career repeatedly endeavoring to develop and bring innovative green technologies and sustainability strategies into action. As an entrepreneur, John has started numerous companies, including the sustainable biofuels company Qteros, and the ecotrek company, which in the mid 1990’s pioneered the use of sustainable materials in technical outdoor products. John’s design work is held in the permanent collection of several museums, including the Smithsonian, and has been the featured in such media outlets as the New York Times, NPR, Discovery Channel, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and so on. John has numerous patents or patents pending in disciplines ranging from structural design to microbial genomics. John also currently teaches entrepreneurship in the Marlboro College MBA Program in Managing for Sustainability. Throughout, bicycles and bicycling have been a consistent thread. John has ridden year-round for over 30 years, and among other bicycle activities has served on the MassBike Board, and has twice hosted the New England Velomobile Rally at his community in Amherst.
Master Welder Niall Gengler graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in Bicycle Design, followed by a certificate from the United Bicycle Institute’s Framebuilding program, and a stint at Independent Fabrications. Niall makes sweet custom steel and titanium frames -- checkout his website: NFG Cycles.
Engineering and SolidWorks guru Matt Page has brought his FEA wizardry to stem, frame, and wind-turbine blade design, among many projects. Having grown up on a tree farm, Matt knows from wood. Combined with his graduate degree from that three-letter engineering school, Matt brings a rare combination of sophistication and straight-forward application. And none of us can keep up with him on a steep rocky descent!
“Using Bicycles to Go Places…”
Sylvan also comes out of our love and concern for the places we ride, and what kind of world we’re all bringing forward. Although this is easy to say, we can genuinely say that sustainable design and socially-responsible business practice have been long been driving themes in our work, and includes pioneering examples of sustainable product design and business practice. We see both bicycles and businesses as potentially powerful tools for change. If we are going to head in a more sustainable direction, how do we actually do it? These are recurring themes in our work and lives, and as such we realize that Sylvan is not just about beautiful bicycles, but also about finding and creating ways forward, and touchable examples of the possible.
A little about us:
Sylvan was founded by friends and colleagues John Fabel and Sam Kelley in the spring of 2008. Sam had been out west in Jackson hole, finishing a complex timber-framing project, shredding it up with friends in the backcountry -- and thinking about sophisticated wooden skis. John was back east, working at his biofuels start-up, riding through the snow on his Nokian Hakkapilitas -- and thinking about the potential of high-performance bio-materials in bicycles and other demanding structures. When Sam came back East, John mentioned to him that he had been thinking about prototyping a bicycle frame from wood composite materials -- and Sam said something like -- “That’s funny, I’ve been thinking the same about ski’s!”. So we had to try, and we did, and the results exceeded expectations. Not only did we succeed objectively, but we realized that we had a bike you’d want to ride, regardless of what it was made from. And people kept telling us how well it rode, and how beautiful it was. Based upon this, we decided to draw upon our entrepreneurial and R&D skills to launch Sylvan Cycles. Sustainable design and socially-responsible business practice have repeatedly been driving themes in our work, and Sylvan is a continuing arc in this trajectory.
Sam Kelley
Co-Founder Sam Kelley is the quintessential craftsman. Among many skills he brings professional production expertise and a love of wood from his background as a master timberframer, custom furniture and woodworking craftsman and designer. Sam has been involved professionally and academically in environmental education, sustainable agriculture and green building for more than 20 years. Sam also brings tremendous strengths in bringing people and communities together; he actively supports local food and local economy and has been putting legs to his words since walking across country on the Great Peace March in 1986. Sam is a fanatical backcountry telemark skier and will be pushing Sylvan ski R&D this winter. He lives in the bucolic hills of western Massachusetts with his wife and critters where he gardens, dances, cooks and goes on adventures whenever possible.
Where we’re located:
We are fortunate to be located in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts, an area that many consider to have some of the finest road and off-road riding to be found anywhere.
Come visit! Stop by our shop and come out for a ride with us, take a cycling vacation with our friends Elaine and Aldo at RIdeNOHO, get a motion analysis bike-fit from Carl Ditkoff, and catch some great music at the legendary Iron Horse Music Hall.
sylvan cycles: using bicycles to go places
"The Amherst-Northampton area is undoubtedly my favorite place to be on a bike! Arguably the best cycling in North America!"
- “The Ride” magazine publisher Richard Fries
Wunderkind Michael Perkins spins the wrenches here at Sylvan. Mikey cut his mechanics teeth working at shops in the St. Paul area. He is known for his impeccable builds, attention to detail and great taste in both bicycles and music. On the bike, Mikey is a born climber, with that ability to mix up the pace in the way that only true climbers can.
Super intern and resident viking Max Eve brings his CAD skills and physics major chops to frame engineering and analysis, and his power-rider physique to frame testing!
With Mike Burrows and the “Speedy” crew, Isle of Wight, 1982
sylvan cycles, llc
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA 01002
USA
