Made in Alabama: Bike racks
What do a WWII battleship, pipes and steel have in common? A vibrant bike rack that's locally-made and helps support alternative methods of commuting right here in Birmingham. Local Bike Racks Company also ignites the local multiplier effect and keeps more dollars right here in our community because they use local craftsmen to help build their final product.
Homewood native Foster Phillips is the lead designer for Local Bicycle Racks Company. Equipped with a degree in Industrial Design and experience as a product designer for consumer electronics and medical products, Phillips decided to strike out on his own and design secure bike racks. He worked alongside Andrew Thomson to design the prototype. Annah Carrigan and Elisa Munoz of Bici Coop, a local bicycle cooperative, were instrumental in perfecting and testing the prototype.
The bikes are made with the support of local craftsmen. D. Brooks Bending in downtown Birmingham takes Phillips' design and bends a straight pipe to match the shape of the bike rack. Raw carbon steel is put inside a bending machine that came off a WWII battleship, and then the machine bends the pipe into a bike rack.
Coyote Coatings in Hueytown are powder coaters. They take the raw steel and go through an intense process where steel is media blasted--similar to sandblasting. The powder coating is stronger and longer lasting than regular paint and electrically bonds to the metal.
There are two bike rack models: the eponymous 'Local 2 for 2 bikes' and 'Local 4 for 4 bikes'. If you're biking around town, you can catch a glimpse of the royal blue racks on the campus of Samford University. The cherry red racks can be found at Alabama Power as a part of their bike sharing program. The bright colors of the racks make them visually appeasing to business owners. The finish is very smooth and doesn't scratch bikes like galvanized metal.
The company has plans to place two racks at the Birmingham News and another at Southern Research. This program is sponsored by Commute Smart.
If you are interested in ordering a custom bike rack, please visit Local Bicycle Rack Company's website or contact Foster Phillips at foster@localbikeco.com or 205.291.8353.
