5ft-tall bike built by Brighton cyclist (From The Argus)

5ft-tall bike built by Brighton cyclist

8:00am Friday 10th July 2009

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It's up, up and away for cyclist Dan Pritchard.

The 26-year-old is riding wheely high after building this extra tall bike.

He is fast becoming a celebrity in Brighton and Hove, with some people even stopping him to take his picture.

He has been passionate about bikes for years but after going to a festival in America he decided to build his own innovative take on the traditional two-wheeler.

It took him just four days to finish the 5ft tall creation, which he made from two old bikes welded together.

And Dan is loving his creation - despite the obvious difficulties of getting on and off and stopping at traffic lights.

He said: “The pedals are low enough so I can just step onto it in one go, after a bit of practice.

“I have fallen off many times but always landed on my feet - although others have not been so lucky. There haven’t been any serious injuries yet though.

“I love the reaction when people see me and people have been really supportive. I have got cheers and waves as I am riding.”

Now he wants to push the two-wheeler to the limit.

He said: “I have thought about building a bike with a gas barbecue on the front.

“I also thought about getting one with a sound system as well and maybe one with somewhere for drinks.”

Dan, who studied graphic design and photography at Exeter University, hopes to get commissions for his creations and sell them for between £300 and £1,000.

He said: “People pay a lot more than that for bikes and this one would be completely original and a one-off.

“I consider my bikes to be pieces of art and consider the whole vision of a bike from the colour of wheels to the design to the paint job.

“The sky's the limit, anything the imagination can think of can be built.”

He has just completed a slightly smaller, 4ft version of the bike which he says children could use.

For more information on his designs or to donate work space go to www.pritchardbikes.net

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