ORLAND PARK, Il. - After 250 submissions and 1,300 social media posts, the #RocklerBentWoodChallenge has a winner: Bart Komar's 95 percent wood low rider bike.

 

The rules for Rockler's contest were simple. Build something awesome using bent wood. And Komar's bike is just that. 

 

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Featuring a bent lamination construction, the bike took about two months and 450 hours to construct. The entire frame, forks, and seat are made of wood, including walnut, maple, silver maple, and zebrawood. The bike is fully ridable. 

 

"I have always been fascinated with the low rider design freedoms and though it would look cool if it was made out of laminated strips of walnut and maple," Komar explains in a detailed writeup. "The initial concept and design period took me about a week to figure out, playing around with different frame option using a thin trip of wood as a visual guide. Once I had an idea of what it was to look like, I started the process of milling the raw lumber, bending and gluing the frame together."

 

"In all the build took over seven weeks to complete and I documented the entire process on Instagram and YouTube. This was my most challenging project so far but so rewarding.  I never thought I would have the courage or skills to accomplish such an undertaking, but I surprised even myself," he says.

 

Komar received a $500 giftcard from Rockler for winning the competition. The bike was displayed at an Orland Park, Illinois Rockler store for a few weeks in December.