'Everything you need in life is on your bike'
Jay Kinsinger’s love affair with bicycles began when he was just 6 years old.
“I rode it all over the place, I never got tired of it,” he said. “I’ve been a bike fanatic for as long as I could ride.”
Before he ever stepped foot on the University of Dayton campus, Kinsinger had built his first metal-framed bike and rode it on a 4,000-mile adventure.
“What a cool feeling to build something and pedal it across the country,” Kinsinger said. “It’s just so freeing. Everything you need in life is on your bike, there’s such a sense of adventure and simplicity.”
The Fairborn, Ohio native was a non-traditional UD student, coming to campus to work as a senior lab technician in the School of Engineering after receiving an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology from Sinclair Community College. Kinsinger completed bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering technology and manufacturing engineering technology from UD in 1992.
His love of all things cycling didn’t take a collegiate hiatus as he took several two-wheeled tours across Europe, Australia and New Zealand while he was a student. Marriage and kids didn’t slow him down either as he just added fellow cyclists.
“It was my mission to get all my kids on bikes,” he said, smiling.
He completed that mission and started another when he decided to combine his passion for cycling with his love of woodworking. In 2010 he built his first handmade, wooden-framed, bike — a labor of love that took an estimated 400 hours. Sojourn Cyclery, his bike-building business, was born.
Technology and natural beauty now blend seamlessly. Computer numerical control has streamlined the process considerably but the end result — from the distinctive wood grain and rich stain to the sleek handcrafted lines — is striking. From traditional single-rider bikes to tandems and, even, an e-bike, each creation is one-of-a-kind.
“It’s really sort of my therapy,” Kinsinger said. “My happy spot is when I’m working with my hands and head and heart.”