This week we will be re-announcing the winners of the 2020 PBE x SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship for Framebuilders! They are the now the 2021 recipients as it has rolled over to 2021 due to there not being an event in 2020. We will be awarding the scholarship to 4 builders and will announce one at a time so you can get to know them and so they receive the recognition they deserve! Meet Guy Stone, 2021 Awardee of the Philly Bike Expo Framebuilder Scholarship. After attending a BREW Racing frames TIG class in May 2015, and then a brazing class from Joe Bringheli in 2016, Guy began building frames in his home shop. For the past four years he has averaged about ten brazed steel frames per year. They range from rando and road to mountain, fat, tandem and youth bikes.
Guy Stone is very involved in his local Cincinnati, OH mountain biking community, providing volunteer accounting services to the board of the Cincinnati Off Road Association (CORA) including filing the organization’s tax returns, consulting and audit support. Guy and his wife also started a small private foundation, Relstone Charitable Trust. Through the foundation, the Stones have made donations directly to local trail stewards in order to support trail maintenance and expansion in the CORA system.
“I have a lifelong passion for cycling,” says Stone “I (also) have the deepest passion for serving veterans and those that have suffered traumatic injury. Two-wheeled therapy is a positive outlet to promote healing and coping with injuries (mental, spiritual & physical).” Stone looks to the future in which he can build a complete bike every year free of charge for a veteran or other individual who has suffered from a traumatic injury.
Stone tells us that his short-term career plan is offering awesome custom bicycles to the relatively small Cincinnati, OH market.
“I don’t fear failing,” says Stone. “I actually embrace it. I learn for my mistakes and move on to learn from new mistakes. With each project I try something new to keep the learning curve high.”
His long-term career goal is to acquire a larger shop with machine tools. Similar to his mentor Joe Bringheli, Stone would like to offer frame building tools and supplies in addition to bicycles.
“I hope that seeing an African American male participate in the Philly Bike Expo will inspire other people of color.”
Congratulations, Guy! Looking forward to seeing you in Philly!
In 2019, the Philly Bike Expo announced a new framebuilder scholarship program, sponsored by SRAM. The PBE Inclusivity Scholarship supports women, trans, and POC framebuilders who have been underrepresented at bike shows and in the industry at large. .Scholarship recipients will receive co-operative booth space at the 2020 Philly Bike Expo, travel, accommodations and shipping for the Expo as well as a complete SRAM build for their show bike! #phillybikeexpo #pbe2021 #pbexsraminclusivityscholarship