DuraBike

Low-maintenance, high-durability bikes for law enforcement, military and commuters

$59k Awards

DuraBikes are engineered to be the most reliable, highest performing, lowest maintenance bikes for law enforcement, EMS, military, and fleet service use. These are bikes for people who depend on bikes to do their jobs, and everything about their design is meant to ensure they won’t break down.

Brenden Westin, the founder of DuraBike, is a lifelong cyclist and bike mechanic. He’s also a veteran who was previously deployed to the middle east and Africa. The air bases were large and often didn’t have another form of transportation except walking—in temperatures as high as 120 degrees. He preferred to ride a bike, but the bikes he found on base were frequently rusted and in pieces. Brenden would put his mechanical skills to work by taking the parts of three or four bikes to make a single functional bike. This inspired him to create a bike focused on durability and low maintenance.

Brenden is currently the Commander of the 265th Combat Communications Squadron, South Portland, where he leads 104 Airmen to provide communication networks in austere locations.

Westin has designed a unique mountain bike frame that features a sealed gearbox transmission, and a carbon-belt drive system that can last three times longer than a traditional chain. The bikes are made from lightweight steel and can be outfitted with lights and bags that are useful for first responders. Westin has also learned to produce sturdy mountain bike wheels that can handle heavier loads and harder impacts by using unique hubs, impact absorbing spokes, wide rims, and puncture-resistant tires.

With MTI’s financial help, he worked through the prototyping phase, purchased assembly tools, and has now placed an initial production run order for 100 bike frames. DuraBikes are available for pre-order now and will be delivered in early 2023.

The pandemic has presented challenges to DuraBike. Supply chain slowdowns and increasing costs of everything from components to interest rates, to shipping rates are difficult to navigate as a pre-revenue startup. In fact, the difficult economic conditions have led several of DuraBike’s direct competitors to cease production of law enforcement bikes, potentially creating a great opportunity for DuraBike’s growth.

DuraBike is currently a one-person operation, but MTI has staged DuraBike for growth. Once DuraBikes are in production, a skilled technician will be able to produce 10 bikes per week. Westin has a five-year plan to capture 50% of the police bike market, which is approximately 7,000 bikes per year. In addition to law enforcement and military applications, he is also marketing DuraBikes as an appealing option for bike commuters. At full production level, DuraBike will be providing 50-60 high-quality jobs to Mainers.

Westin has big praise for the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Maine. He’s immersed himself with the organizations and programs that support startups. In addition to MTI, he participated in Maine Center for Entrepreneurs’ Top Gun program, and has received guidance and connection from Maine Outdoor Brands, Tortoise Labs, MXG, Big Gig, SCORE, Maine Small Business Development Center, Maine International Trade Center, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership.  Without MTI’s financial support, DuraBike certainly would not be where it is today.