Grilled by Bike: Ride on Fire
A bike-mounted grill brings a portable kitchen to a whole new level
Photos by Lauren HudginsGroup rides, fun, food: it all goes hand in hand. In many ways—except for the flames, maybe—mounting a bike on a grill is the next logical step. Enter Grilled by Bike.
The first official Grilled by Bike event was in 2014 during Pedalpalooza, an annual three-week bike festival in Portland, Oregon. The ringleaders Eric Iverson, Eilif Knutson, and JP Kewley expected to see 50 people. The event was publicized on the Pedalpalooza calendar and Facebook. Well over a hundred riders showed up to the unusual potluck with meat and veggies to share.
“This guy had a keg bike,” Eilif said, gesturing at Eric.
“I had it set up where you could set a red Solo cup in a cup holder and I could hit the tap with my thumb so we could fill beers while riding,” Eric added. “That was gone in 10 minutes.”
There have been around 20 Grilled by Bike events since Pedalpalooza 2014. The Grill by Bike Facebook group is open and anyone is welcome to lead a ride. Eric and Eilif estimate that there are at least 13 different grill bikes rolling around town. The latest Pedalpalooza ride had over 200 participants.
Grilled by Bike exemplifies the DIY attitude, but does it all while riding at high speeds in extreme conditions. Their group motto: Ride on Fire.
“There’s no blueprint online, no how-to build a grill bike,” said Eric. “So everyone’s is completely different. I zip-tied my grill to the front of my cargo bike. The zip ties haven’t melted or anything. Another guy used extendable trekking poles mounted to his bike like kickstands so he could level it perfectly.”
Eilif’s grill bike is truly something extravagant. It’s a Yuba Mundo cargo bike with a steel I-beam off the back, dangling a half-barrel full of charcoal by chains. He found the half barrel on a Grilled by Bike team ride through the Oregon Outback and carried it home with him.
Eilif counsels beginners to start small. “Mount a little Smokey Joe to your rear rack, bolt it on there, and see what happens. Separate your grill from your rack. Pro-tip: Use aluminum struts. You might melt a tire or two, but that’s how you start. ”
The grill must be attached to the bike. Grills on trailers aren’t “pure,” as Eric and Eilif would say.