Ring Brothers
Although automotive design may appear outside my traditional work in the bicycle industry, it is where my passion for design began. Working with Ringbrothers allowed me to stay connected to a category I have always loved while collaborating with—and learning from—one of the world’s most respected custom-car building teams.
I had the opportunity to contribute to a range of exciting projects, including products developed for the Ringbrothers aftermarket accessories catalog and custom components featured on several of its one-off vehicle builds.
Steering Wheel
This project challenged both my design and production-development skills, expanding my role to include sourcing components for the finished product.
Previous Ringbrothers steering wheels were machined almost entirely from a single block of aluminum, including the outer rim. Although visually striking, this process was time-consuming, expensive, and resulted in unnecessary weight.
We developed a new modular solution featuring a carbon-fiber outer rim that bolts to a machined-aluminum center. This reduced machining time, production cost, and overall weight while creating a more refined appearance. Multiple center designs were then developed around the same carbon-fiber rim, allowing Ringbrothers to offer a broader product range using a shared core component.
Hood Hinges
My work with Ringbrothers began by helping address a backlog of hood-hinge projects—one of the company’s higher-volume product categories. In addition to adapting and updating existing designs, I developed several new hinge systems from the ground up.
One of these was created for the Chevrolet Caprice and resulted in a design patent. Limited space within the engine bay made packaging the hinge mechanism particularly challenging. Drawing on experience from earlier Cannondale suspension projects, I developed a compact solution using a pull-style gas spring rather than a conventional push configuration.
This alternative layout allowed the mechanism to fit within the available space while maintaining the function and distinctive mechanical aesthetic expected from a Ringbrothers product.
Custom Built Components
Working on Ringbrothers’ aftermarket products—including hood hinges and mirrors—was incredibly rewarding, but contributing to its one-off custom builds was a dream opportunity.
For “BULLY,” I designed the main step platform to make entering and exiting the massive vehicle easier. I also worked on the custom steering wheel designed to visually complement its one-off HRE wheels.
I was also honored to contribute to “UNCAGED,” a custom 1965 Ford Mustang. My work included several of the car’s smaller details, such as the rear taillights, fuel cap, and side grilles. My favorite element, however, was the reinterpretation of the iconic Mustang emblem.
Rather than using the traditional running horse unchanged, we gave it a stronger character that better reflected the car. The differences are intentionally subtle: a more aggressive head position and larger, more powerful hooves give the emblem the presence of a charging Clydesdale while keeping it immediately recognizable as a Mustang.
