With my tires, you can get down without fear that the bike will come out from underneath you; I love that. I might add that we are coming out with some white-walls and some other colors. This will be a total new look in cruiser tires. Q: It must be really interesting to start up a new bike company. But, I suppose it wasn't totally from scratch. To what extent were you able to plug into existing networks of people and connections from your previous gigs?' A: You know the old saying: "It's not what you know it's who you know". I guess this might be interesting to some of your viewers. To be honest, it has been really hard to get where we are right now. When I decided to start 3G Bikes I had the complete support of the people here in Taiwan; without them, there is no way that I could have done it. I also had the support of Liam Hayes. We all have experienced some hard times. I think that somebody could write a book with the stories that I experienced last year- making the decision to leave Phat Cycles, lawsuits, getting to Germany for the Koln show, staying at a youth hostel, sleeping in airports, being in China with no cash in my pocket ....I experienced it all last year, but it's paying off right now. I think when people see our bikes and ride them, they will see how functional and comfortable the bikes are! And impressed with the quality of the bikes, starting  from the paint jobs, components, tires and forks.  Liam has done an incredible job on the graphics of the bikes; also. You can check out our web site http://www.3gbikes.com that is all his work.  I also really have to thank Orien Huang who has supported me all along. Sometimes we argue, but he knows how much I respect him, along with Ming Chang, who is our quality-control guy; we had problems before with our bikes, but no more. We make sure that when our distributors get our bikes they will be perfect. Also we have added a new guy to our team, and he has done a great job in getting our merchandising together. His name is Peter Ling. So we really have a great team. We all have one thing in common, and that is that we all love our jobs, knowing that if we work hard we will be compensated. So far, our distributors have received some samples, and the feedback has been great! I can't wait until the consumers get our bikes and give that feedback, so we can make our bikes even better next year. Q: You call some of your new line "Hoggs", and they all have motorcycle-referenced names. Have you maybe thought of offering them with an engine kit option? Seems like a natural, to me. A: Yeah It is a natural, for sure.  As you can see in the profile of the bike, it looks like you need an engine. I really designed this bike for the Harley mentality. They love to see a lot of CNC components. As you will see, our chainguard, our bouncer fork, 'n' triple-tree fork are CNC. Our saddle is really comfortable, with a shock absorber. The bike comes with two shocks; one is designed for people under 175 lbs and the other one is for 250 lbs., so you can really get a comfortable ride. I am working here in Taichung with a guy named Louis who is a god of the electrical and gas engines; and he is right now working on a new four-stroke engine that he will have on the market soon. So, I am planning on making a kit that will mount easily to our frames. Q: There's a lot of emphasis on springing in your new designs. Is this due to envisioned performance benefits, or is there a "trick" factor behind this emphasis? You know how we at BR&K are into "trick" as much as we're into theoretical performance, so there's no wrong answer to the question. A: I'm really into both, too. I love for the customer to be able to ride the bike. I see some bikes in the market where people do an incredible job in getting the bike to look great, but it isn't rideable....the trick is to make the bike FUN & FUNCTIONAL. I know with my bikes you're not going to be able to get into the Tour de France, but you will be able to get on it and crank it, whether you are 5,3" or 6,10" and you will be able to adjust the bars to the right arm extension, Our new articulated bars are proof of that! (Liam came out with the name: articulated. You know me; in Bayonne if you use a word like that you get slapped!) And, as far as tricking it out is concerned ..Man, I love those CNC machines...... Our new bouncer fork and chain guard are proof of that. Q: I'm glad you mentioned CNC. Aaron surprised me with the news that the graphics on at least one of his bikes are hand-airbrushed. And now you're telling me that your bouncer fork and other parts are, at least partially, CNCd. In kustom terms, that's a "billet" part, which is hot-rod shorthand for "really expensive". Is this a sign that CNC components are becoming cheaper to make, or does it just mean that the consumer is willing to pay more for a bike which has what we've always thought of as "kustom" components, as standard equipment? A: I think that consumers will see the difference, and will pay for it, when they see all the work that goes into making a fork like this. I made sure that we OUR  fork will shine.... and you will be able to shave with your reflection in it,  if you have to. The fork blades are aluminum, with a disc brake adopter, and precision bearings on the fork blades;  so it will not be your regular  steel  1920-design spring fork. As for the price, it will retail for $249.00. Yeah, you might say it is "billet", for sure. Q: Do you have your complete distribution network nailed down yet? In the USA, and the rest of the world? I imagine that's the trickiest part of the whole startup process. A: To answer your question about our distributor in the states-Here it is: 3G BIKES INC 630 N SEPULVEDA 9A EL SEGUNDO,CA 90245 210 296 4733 Q: BR&K is international in scope, so our friends in other parts of the world would probably like to know about distribution in their areas. Do you have distribution in the rest of the world yet? Is that broken down into individual countries, or is there a distributor for all of Europe, all the Pacific Rim, all South America, etc.? A: Damn. that's a good question! So far, we've signed up distribution in Japan, Germany, Australia, Holland, Russia, and the U.K. As for Europe, we're looking for distribution in Italy, France, Spain, Poland and the Scandinavian countries In the Pacific Rim we are looking for distribution in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. As for South America, we are looking for distribution in Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Chile and Venezuela. And, Canada is still open. I think Canada is a great business opportunity for somebody out there who loves bikes. We have a total package, and it really doesn't take much cash to  be our Canadian distributor. We want to make sure that our customers this summer are covered. Man, those guys have a long winter, and they are dying to get on bikes and start showing off their toys. We want to make sure that Mike Watson and the rest of the gang in Canada have a source to get our components; so they don't have to pay those crazy freight charges. Q: I'll bet our pals in the UK and Europe are happy to hear that they're covered! Those poor devils are always complaining about the difficulty of getting cool "American-style" rides there. I'm a little surprised that Canada's still up for grabs, though; it seems to me that our Canadian cousins are at least as much into kustom-style as Americans. I have a feeling that somebody will be going for that territory pretty quickly. A: We are really happy with our distributors' commitment to us, especially in Europe. We have signed up in Germany one of the biggest distributors there are. with five warehouses covering the whole country. In Holland we have the Chopperdome. I met Rhalf at the IFMA SHOW, He invited me to his house and showed me some Dutch hospitality; I also had the pleasure of meeting his Lady, Kitty. they are genuine people, and they have made a committement to our line. In Russia we have a cool dude who also is into our bikes. We just shipped his order this past week; and our boys in Russia will be rocking when spring comes. In Australia we have Gavan Carr of Classic Bikes. He is our first guy to place an order and I have to thank him for his support. He also should be getting his bikes in about a week from today. I am sure our customers down under will be happy with his service. In Japan we have an interesting customer who is a very succesfull businessman. He saw one of my bike designs on the streets of Tokyo and got in touch with a trade agancy here in Taiwan. He ordered a shit-load of Hoggs. I also had the pleasure of meeting him in Japan and he showed me his car collection."What kind", you ask? How about- Lamborghini, Ferrari , Lotus  and Porsches?. He is my exclusive 3G Bikes distributor in Japan except for the S-Frame.  Jaguar,  the famous car company,  has the exclusive rights to my S- frame in Asia, except for Australia.. . Our latest distributor is in Cyprus. Yes, I was suprised when I got a call from Loucas, there. He tells me that he is from Cyprus, and that he is interested in being our distributor.... Yeah, Cyprus is a great place- at least that's what I hear from my good old buddies in the bike industry. When I first started out in my retail days I dealt with the Joannous, a pretty interesting family. They were three distributors in Miami right next to each other. At lunch time they threw gyros at each other...Just kidding; Andrea, man, that boy can cook! Michael Joannou had Miami Bicycle Distributors, George Joannou had Joanou Cycles. They own the name Jamis. Our pal Andrea is the manager of the Miami warehouse... . George's son, Ben started J&B Importers. There is another guy in the clan, named Jack; he's a real cool guy. When George died, he left everything to his daughter; who took over the operation   she now runs Joannou Cycles. The best way to get to our distributors is by e-mailing sales@3gbikes.com and we will route the E-mail to the right distributor. Jim, I really want to thank you for getting the word out on 3G Bikes; and if any of your viewers are interested in becoming our exclusive distributor in a country that is not mentioned, they can get in touch with me at gary@3gbikes.com, and they can start selling something cool and fresh. Q: You know, Gary, while you've been telling me all this stuff about your startup, I've had this regret that there wasn't a video crew along with you, documenting the whole process for a TV show. Man, I'd love to have seen that! Well, hearing about it from you is almost as entertaining; so thanks for sharing it with us.

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Q: Hi Gary. You've had a pretty interesting career since the beginning of BR&K. Your Rott Chopper prototype was one of the very earliest entries in our gallery, and later, we covered all your design work at Phat Cycles. Now you're at the start of a whole new thing with 3G Bikes. How would you characterize your current stage of activity? A: This probably has been the most interesting. You could say that I have learned a lot since the days of Rott Industries. When I started Rott, I didn't have any knowledge of the manufacturing process here in Asia. When I started with Phat cycles, I came to Taiwan, where I have learned so much about the process. So now that I've started 3GBikes, I've combined my experiences of being in the retail, distributing and manufacturing areas, so I feel that I have learned a lot since the days of Rott industries. Q: You certainly seem more prolific at this stage. When I first started seeing photos of your new bikes, last summer, I thought your Hoggs were the whole line. Then I started seeing all the other types you were generating, including the S-Frame, the urban cruisers, a tandem, and lately I've been hearing about a folding bike. Your Phat line eventually had that many types in it, but it seemed that it took a lot longer to bring them all out. Is it just my imagination, or has this been a very short time for the design and production of that many radically-different models? A: I think that  last year has been the very most rewarding  year of my life. Let me clear that up- not financially, but rewarding in a way in which you come with some ideas and see them slowly become real. And it is a total rush to get them finished. The Hogg, from the feedback that I've received from people, appeals to a different crowd than the Choppers. I wanted the Chopper to have a different look from the ones that I did for Phat cycles. Since I had a patent on the frame design for Phat, I did not want to cross the tubes. also I had an agreement with Phat Cycles that I would not use any of the old designs. The cruisers that I did with Phat Cycles were really great, but you could only sell them in beach areas; you can not really ride them, for example, in Chicago where the traffic is really heavy. So that is where I came in with the new CITYCRUZ models it is really a comfortable ride. I came up with some new bars (Clever Bars) that are adjustable to whatever height and angle that the rider wants- that have a really nice look. I'm not a fan of those suspension seatposts; I think that they are a waste of money. I like  the swing arm on the frame much better; it gives you a much better ride than those bikes that are specified with suspension seatposts. The Cruiser is a really simple design that came from the Kaddy. I simply changed some of the ways tubes line up and we added the 24" tires in the rear and 26 in the front. The tandem will probably be- based on what I saw in the show this year, the best cruiser tandem on the market. The frame is made of 7000 aluminum, with integrated head set. The bike wlll come with an 8-speed disc-brake rear, all aluminum bars, and an adjustable stem for the stoker (rear driver). We will have the bike in a single-speed also, in a frame kit that will come with BBs front and back, cranks, seatposts, and the adjustable stem for the rear rider; so people who have a bike not being used just take the wheels off, and some of the components, and they will be able to have an incredible tandem, for very little money. The ST ROD (S-FRAME) has been the hardest one to make, so far. It is my favorite ride. This bike is a trip to ride- it gives you a natural feel of the road, meaning that you hit a pothole and the frame gives just right. It is an incredible ride, we will have this bike in a single speed, and also in a nine-speed with Deore. We should have this bike ready in April. Also Jim, I would let your viewers know that we are now taking names of those who are interested in having an ST ROD, the coolest and most comfortable ride on this planet. Q: The S-shaped frame is certainly different. When you sent me a photo of a bare frame last summer, it took me a while to figure out what it would look like as a bike. Very alien, indeed. It's nice that the design has real performance benefits, but a lot of people would probably buy them just because they're so weird-looking. It sure ain't just another cruiser. You and Aaron, in your new lines,  both have extremely-fat rear tires for fitting to 24" rims. As us rodders say, "The fatter the better for rubber in the rear." Going to a smaller rim to get the huge rubber without gaining outside diameter over 26" is a fabulous idea. Where did that idea come from? Was this some sort of conspiracy between you guys, or was it due to a universal shift in the zeitgeist?  (I don't know what that word means, either, but it sounds way kool, eh?)

With my tires, you can get down without fear that the bike will come out from underneath you; I love that. I might add that we are coming out with some white-walls and some other colors. This will be a total new look in cruiser tires. Q: It must be really interesting to start up a new bike company. But, I suppose it wasn't totally from scratch. To what extent were you able to plug into existing networks of people and connections from your previous gigs?' A: You know the old saying: "It's not what you know it's who you know". I guess this might be interesting to some of your viewers. To be honest, it has been really hard to get where we are right now. When I decided to start 3G Bikes I had the complete support of the people here in Taiwan; without them, there is no way that I could have done it. I also had the support of Liam Hayes. We all have experienced some hard times. I think that somebody could write a book with the stories that I experienced last year- making the decision to leave Phat Cycles, lawsuits, getting to Germany for the Koln show, staying at a youth hostel, sleeping in airports, being in China with no cash in my pocket ....I experienced it all last year, but it's paying off right now. I think when people see our bikes and ride them, they will see how functional and comfortable the bikes are! And impressed with the quality of the bikes, starting  from the paint jobs, components, tires and forks.  Liam has done an incredible job on the graphics of the bikes; also. You can check out our web site http://www.3gbikes.com that is all his work.  I also really have to thank Orien Huang who has supported me all along. Sometimes we argue, but he knows how much I respect him, along with Ming Chang, who is our quality-control guy; we had problems before with our bikes, but no more. We make sure that when our distributors get our bikes they will be perfect. Also we have added a new guy to our team, and he has done a great job in getting our merchandising together. His name is Peter Ling. So we really have a great team. We all have one thing in common, and that is that we all love our jobs, knowing that if we work hard we will be compensated. So far, our distributors have received some samples, and the feedback has been great! I can't wait until the consumers get our bikes and give that feedback, so we can make our bikes even better next year. Q: You call some of your new line "Hoggs", and they all have motorcycle-referenced names. Have you maybe thought of offering them with an engine kit option? Seems like a natural, to me. A: Yeah It is a natural, for sure.  As you can see in the profile of the bike, it looks like you need an engine. I really designed this bike for the Harley mentality. They love to see a lot of CNC components. As you will see, our chainguard, our bouncer fork, 'n' triple-tree fork are CNC. Our saddle is really comfortable, with a shock absorber. The bike comes with two shocks; one is designed for people under 175 lbs and the other one is for 250 lbs., so you can really get a comfortable ride. I am working here in Taichung with a guy named Louis who is a god of the electrical and gas engines; and he is right now working on a new four-stroke engine that he will have on the market soon. So, I am planning on making a kit that will mount easily to our frames. Q: There's a lot of emphasis on springing in your new designs. Is this due to envisioned performance benefits, or is there a "trick" factor behind this emphasis? You know how we at BR&K are into "trick" as much as we're into theoretical performance, so there's no wrong answer to the question. A: I'm really into both, too. I love for the customer to be able to ride the bike. I see some bikes in the market where people do an incredible job in getting the bike to look great, but it isn't rideable....the trick is to make the bike FUN & FUNCTIONAL. I know with my bikes you're not going to be able to get into the Tour de France, but you will be able to get on it and crank it, whether you are 5,3" or 6,10" and you will be able to adjust the bars to the right arm extension, Our new articulated bars are proof of that! (Liam came out with the name: articulated. You know me; in Bayonne if you use a word like that you get slapped!) And, as far as tricking it out is concerned ..Man, I love those CNC machines...... Our new bouncer fork and chain guard are proof of that. Q: I'm glad you mentioned CNC. Aaron surprised me with the news that the graphics on at least one of his bikes are hand-airbrushed. And now you're telling me that your bouncer fork and other parts are, at least partially, CNCd. In kustom terms, that's a "billet" part, which is hot-rod shorthand for "really expensive". Is this a sign that CNC components are becoming cheaper to make, or does it just mean that the consumer is willing to pay more for a bike which has what we've always thought of as "kustom" components, as standard equipment? A: I think that consumers will see the difference, and will pay for it, when they see all the work that goes into making a fork like this. I made sure that we OUR  fork will shine.... and you will be able to shave with your reflection in it,  if you have to. The fork blades are aluminum, with a disc brake adopter, and precision bearings on the fork blades;  so it will not be your regular  steel  1920-design spring fork. As for the price, it will retail for $249.00. Yeah, you might say it is "billet", for sure. Q: Do you have your complete distribution network nailed down yet? In the USA, and the rest of the world? I imagine that's the trickiest part of the whole startup process. A: To answer your question about our distributor in the states-Here it is: 3G BIKES INC 630 N SEPULVEDA 9A EL SEGUNDO,CA 90245 210 296 4733 Q: BR&K is international in scope, so our friends in other parts of the world would probably like to know about distribution in their areas. Do you have distribution in the rest of the world yet? Is that broken down into individual countries, or is there a distributor for all of Europe, all the Pacific Rim, all South America, etc.? A: Damn. that's a good question! So far, we've signed up distribution in Japan, Germany, Australia, Holland, Russia, and the U.K. As for Europe, we're looking for distribution in Italy, France, Spain, Poland and the Scandinavian countries In the Pacific Rim we are looking for distribution in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. As for South America, we are looking for distribution in Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Chile and Venezuela. And, Canada is still open. I think Canada is a great business opportunity for somebody out there who loves bikes. We have a total package, and it really doesn't take much cash to  be our Canadian distributor. We want to make sure that our customers this summer are covered. Man, those guys have a long winter, and they are dying to get on bikes and start showing off their toys. We want to make sure that Mike Watson and the rest of the gang in Canada have a source to get our components; so they don't have to pay those crazy freight charges. Q: I'll bet our pals in the UK and Europe are happy to hear that they're covered! Those poor devils are always complaining about the difficulty of getting cool "American-style" rides there. I'm a little surprised that Canada's still up for grabs, though; it seems to me that our Canadian cousins are at least as much into kustom-style as Americans. I have a feeling that somebody will be going for that territory pretty quickly. A: We are really happy with our distributors' commitment to us, especially in Europe. We have signed up in Germany one of the biggest distributors there are. with five warehouses covering the whole country. In Holland we have the Chopperdome. I met Rhalf at the IFMA SHOW, He invited me to his house and showed me some Dutch hospitality; I also had the pleasure of meeting his Lady, Kitty. they are genuine people, and they have made a committement to our line. In Russia we have a cool dude who also is into our bikes. We just shipped his order this past week; and our boys in Russia will be rocking when spring comes. In Australia we have Gavan Carr of Classic Bikes. He is our first guy to place an order and I have to thank him for his support. He also should be getting his bikes in about a week from today. I am sure our customers down under will be happy with his service. In Japan we have an interesting customer who is a very succesfull businessman. He saw one of my bike designs on the streets of Tokyo and got in touch with a trade agancy here in Taiwan. He ordered a shit-load of Hoggs. I also had the pleasure of meeting him in Japan and he showed me his car collection."What kind", you ask? How about- Lamborghini, Ferrari , Lotus  and Porsches?. He is my exclusive 3G Bikes distributor in Japan except for the S-Frame.  Jaguar,  the famous car company,  has the exclusive rights to my S- frame in Asia, except for Australia.. . Our latest distributor is in Cyprus. Yes, I was suprised when I got a call from Loucas, there. He tells me that he is from Cyprus, and that he is interested in being our distributor.... Yeah, Cyprus is a great place- at least that's what I hear from my good old buddies in the bike industry. When I first started out in my retail days I dealt with the Joannous, a pretty interesting family. They were three distributors in Miami right next to each other. At lunch time they threw gyros at each other...Just kidding; Andrea, man, that boy can cook! Michael Joannou had Miami Bicycle Distributors, George Joannou had Joanou Cycles. They own the name Jamis. Our pal Andrea is the manager of the Miami warehouse... . George's son, Ben started J&B Importers. There is another guy in the clan, named Jack; he's a real cool guy. When George died, he left everything to his daughter; who took over the operation   she now runs Joannou Cycles. The best way to get to our distributors is by e-mailing sales@3gbikes.com and we will route the E-mail to the right distributor. Jim, I really want to thank you for getting the word out on 3G Bikes; and if any of your viewers are interested in becoming our exclusive distributor in a country that is not mentioned, they can get in touch with me at gary@3gbikes.com, and they can start selling something cool and fresh. Q: You know, Gary, while you've been telling me all this stuff about your startup, I've had this regret that there wasn't a video crew along with you, documenting the whole process for a TV show. Man, I'd love to have seen that! Well, hearing about it from you is almost as entertaining; so thanks for sharing it with us.

Gary with his Japanese distributor, Kawamura Toshiyasu, and the radical ST ROD (S-Frame).

A: The ST ROD is definitely strange looking. When I ride it here in Taiwan, I do get noticed. This bike's geometry is a little more aggresive than my cruiser; it is a quicker-handling bike. People who experience the ride will agree that it is the most comfortable ride for a regular- geometry city comfort bike. We will have the first 150 custom built, and will have them numbered with proof of production. As for the tire, I have to give credit to GT. It's feedback I received from people wanting that look who are responsible. Also, it gives my bikes a cooler look. As far as the design of my tires goes, I want them to be a high- performance cruiser tire. The GTs are really cool-looking but I did not like the square top. I made mine round on the edges, slick in the middle, and I added some diamonds in the edges.

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A: Yeah, you could have made some big cash with all the reality TV shows there are out there now. It would have been a rollercoaster ride from lows to highs...you would have had it all! Jim, I really have to tell you that you have, without a doubt, my favorite site on the web; and you do a great service in bringing new ideas to the basically-boring bike industry. I always love to see guys coming up with cool bikes and having fun. That is what it's all about. I am sure that you have people in the bike biz checking the site out, and they see that this segment of the bike market will have huge growth.  And, I turn everybody on to your site, here in Asia. Keep up the great work; and I wish you and everybody peace, love and happiness....life is a trip! Thanks again, Jim . Have a fun 2003, you all!

Editor's Note: Lest there be any confusion, we would like to point out that Gary Silva is the former founder and designer of Phat Cycles. While In that role, we referred to him as "The Phat Man". This is the reference for the title of this article. 3G Cycles is not a re-name of Phat Cycles, which stiill exists under new ownership. We have no idea as to who this ownership consists of, or what their plans or business practices will be. Until we know more about the new setup, we have removed the Phat Cycles link icon from our cover page, for the protection of our audience.