When @patrick_c_reyes from Las Vegas posted photos of his super-custom 29" SE Rip Style, we were blown away! The attention to detail is amazing, so we had to get his story. Here's what Patrick had to say about this awesome build.
"I’ve been riding SE Bikes for about five years. It started with me supporting my son while he learned how to wheelie his Savage Flyer. Then I purchased my first SE Monster Quad, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Like most bike enthusiasts, it started with one bike and quickly snowballed into a collection. As a teenager, I was always upgrading and modifying cars—making them my own and putting my personal twist on them. For me, that mindset naturally carried over to bikes. I’ve modified every bike I own, from powder coating and aftermarket parts to e-bike conversions. Every time I go to a rideout in California, I see some incredible, high-quality builds. Seeing those bikes inspired me to build the 'The Beach Cruiser'. I knew I wanted to build another SE frame, and when I came across the 'Big Style', I knew that was the direction I wanted to go.
"After doing some research, I found out that SE had made a Rip Style dressed up like a traditional beach cruiser, complete with 26-inch wheels. While searching Marketplace and OfferUp, I came across a 2011 first-generation 26-inch Rip Style with good bones. I knew it would be the perfect starting point for the build. My goal was to keep the bike OEM, while converting it into a 29-inch bike. I wanted the build to have the quality and attention to detail you would expect from a bike purchased from a shop, while still keeping it practical as an everyday rider. One of the biggest upgrades was the braking system. With help from my friend John, I brazed on cantilever brake bosses to adapt the frame to a V-brake setup. We also brazed on cable guides to give the bike clean and organized cable management. I had some parts left over from an old build that I knew would work perfectly on this bike. I cleaned them up and gave certain pieces a high-polish finish. For the wheels, I went with 29-inch high polish rims and laced them up with Hole Shots. My buddy Brian here in Vegas handled the wheel build. For the color, I wanted something basic, timeless, and reminiscent of the bikes you would have seen in the early-to-mid ’70s through the ’80s. I went with a rattle-can 2K root-beer-ish paint job that gave the bike the classic look I was after.
"For now, I’m going to run the bike as it sits. Eventually, I’d like to upgrade it with higher-end components, but I still want to keep the original goal in mind: make it an everyday rider. Believe it or not, my favorite part of the entire bike is the working kickstand. LOL. Since this started life as a 26-inch bike and was converted to 29 inches, I had to cut and extend the kickstand to make it work. Knowing I can ride the bike somewhere, park it anywhere, and not have to lean it against something is freaking awesome. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a build.
"If you don’t have a bike, get one. I’ve met more people, made more friends, traveled to more places, and created more memories on two wheels than I have in my whole life. That’s what bike life means to me. It’s more than the bikes themselves. It’s the people, the rides, the memories, and the community. Let’s keep bike life strong and keep moving in a positive direction."
