John Siegrist, founder of Dean Bikes, in the company’s Gunbarrel offices on Tuesday. (Paul Aiken, Staff Photographer-Daily Camera)

Former competitive cyclist, John Seigrest expands his bike manufacturing portfolio to include Merlin Metal Works in addition to Dean Bikes. Check out his interview with the Daily Camera.

5 questions with Dean Bikes founder John Siegrist

From the Daily Camera
By Lucas High

Not content with owning just one high-performance titanium bike frame manufacturing company, Gunbarrel-based Dean Bikes and founder John Siegrist recently have absorbed an additional brand.

Under the umbrella of Janus Cycle Group, Siegrist and his partners are building bikes for Dean and the iconic brand Merlin Metal Works, as well as operating the company’s retail and distribution arm Velosport Imports.

Siegrist, a former competitive bike racer and Washington native, came to the Boulder area in the 1980s to race and to attend the University of Colorado. He’s been involved with the local bike industry since.

We chatted with Siegrist to learn more about cycling and about Dean Bikes.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

1. You were a competitive cyclist when you were younger. How often you currently ride?

I ride every day.

At Dean, we take a ride at around 12:30 p.m. We pretty much cut out for an hour-long ride every day. Whoever wants to participate can. Sometimes we get a big crowd, sometimes we get a smaller crowd.

It’s usually one of a couple different routes that we do — usually off of the roads. We are doing more gravel-type riding.

It can get pretty loud in the shop during the day, so it’s nice to get out for a ride and clear your head a little bit and get some exercise.

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