Calgary Journal Online

Giving new value to bicycles tossed to the wayside

Scotti Macklam, 34, owns 14 bikes: everything from early ‘80s BMXs to a custom-built low-rider and a restored ‘60s Falcon Cruiser.

He says he periodically rummages at flea markets, garage sales and even the donation bins at Good Life Community Bike Shop.   And once, while going through Chestermere, he stumbled upon a haven of junkers: a hoarder’s property. Dozens of bikes were littered across the lot, and so Macklam piled as many bikes as he could into his girlfriend’s truck.

Scotti Macklam shows off a suped-up low-rider he built piece by piece.

Photo: Holly Hofmann/Calgary Journal

Though he’s been known to fix up the odd bike and sell it for a bit of cash, he says he is not in it for the money.

“I’m in the wrong business if I’m looking for profit,” he says with a chuckle.

On his days off, though, Macklam says he likes to sit in the sun and tinker.

“Sometimes it’ll take four hours just to shine the chrome on one wheel with a Scotch pad,” he explains.

In total, he might spend 20 hours fixing up a bike. He’ll also typically sink a pile of cash on accessories like bells, fenders and aesthetically pleasing kickstands.

Macklam says part of the fun is bringing the dead back to life, bit by bit.

“It’s always a good conversation piece if you have a good bike, too,” he says.

His method of learning is simply taking bikes apart and hoping to get everything back together again. Even when he was just a sprout, he’d dismantle his bike and try his mightiest to get it in one piece again before his dad got home from work...with varied success.

Macklam’s number one tip for restoring a bike from a rummage is to make sure there isn’t any rust on the inside of the frame.

“It might look fine on the outside, but if moisture has gotten inside, the frame will rust from the inside out,” he warns.

And his signature custom bike accessory: a wine crate, carpeted on the inside, and attached to the rack over the back wheel -- for groceries, a picnic or even perhaps a mini-bar.