Joe LaVallee has always enjoyed woodworking and building things with his hands, but he also loved riding his bike. Now he’s found a way to combine his two loves, writes Peg DeGrassa for the Delaware County News Network.
“One day, two years ago, I wondered if I could build a fully operable bicycle out of wood,” LaVallee said.
The biker/wood craftsman has been building wooden bikes ever since. He still rides the first bike he built, and has put over 100 miles on it. The mountain-style bike, crafted from black walnut, cherry and maple woods, has 21 speeds, a leather seat, handlebars, and disc brakes.
When people noticed his unique creation, he began taking orders.
Each bike takes about 40 hours to complete and sells for $2,000-$2,700, which barely covers the cost of LaVallee’s labor, he said.
“I’m not doing this to make money,” LaVallee said. “I honestly don’t want to make a huge profit. I just want to make bikes!”
LaVallee, an alumni of the Interboro Class of 1978, is slowly edging toward retirement age and dreams of being able to create a few special bikes for people each year during retirement.
Read more about Joe LaVallee’s work here.
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