Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
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Fyxation |
Schlick Cycles |
Clockwork Bikes |
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Owners |
Nick and Ben Ginster | Greg Smith and John Schlick | Joel Greenblatt and Tim Teesdale |
What they make |
A handful of varied bike models plus 40 accessories, including holsters for wine, beer and Frisbees. |
Cruisers and “fat bikes” plus “The Shark,” a low-slung model aimed at parents and baby boomers. Also: curved bike stems. | A dozen varied models aimed at everyone from senior citizens to kids. With these elegant bikes, form trumps fashion. |
Price range |
$450-$2,000 | $2,500-$4,500 | Starting at $1,400 |
The Taiwan connection |
Fyxation bikes are designed in Milwaukee and built in Taiwan using Taiwanese-made parts. | Schlick bikes are built and designed in Milwaukee, primarily using parts made in Taiwan. | Greenblatt builds Clockwork Bikes in Milwaukee using Taiwanese parts and others welded by Teesdale in Iowa. |
Who’s buying? |
Most riders of the Eastside model live in Tokyo, though Fyxation has built models for Colectivo Coffee and 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. | Customers in Colorado, Florida, Texas and the Midwest. | The winner of this January’s Arrowhead 135, a 24-hour race held in Minnesota. Ninety percent of the other riders are recreational-only. |
Niche in a nutshell |
The Ginster models appeal heavily to budget-minded cyclists and commuters. | Schlick is the go-to shop for fat bikes, wide-tired cycles that roll through snow and sand with aplomb. | Clockwork appeals to recreational riders who “like nice stuff,” according to Greenblatt. |
Extremely hip? Mildly fashionable? |
This maker’s frames and accessories elicit a lot of buzz on bike blogs. | Awfully chic for something that handles well at a state park. | Designs are simple and understated, and often employ just one color. |
 This article appears in the April 2014 issue of Milwaukee Magazine.Want more articles like this? Subscribe to Milwaukee Magazine. |
