Cleveland Carbon is a by rider, for rider, American company based out of Strongsville, Ohio. We take pride in our work here, and we aim to make owning and riding a bike more pleasant for everyone.
We want to be a piece of positivity in people’s lives. We firmly believe that the bicycle can bring such positivity, and there are a number of reasons. Riding a bike has become more of a lifestyle than an activity that used to just pass the time. Riding a bike helps us become physically fit, and it brings people together. The bicycle is also no longer an ordinary two-wheeled rolling machine; it is rather an intriguing piece of engineering artwork. Multiple disciplines exist – mountain, road, bmx, gravel, and others that blur lines which makes the sport more interesting.
Here at Cleveland Carbon, we aim to offer affordable services for folks who love their bikes. Nobody should be afraid of riding their bike due to cost. Customizing your bike should be fun, available, and easy. Heck, if you have some awesome idea that involves carbon or paint, we think that you shouldn’t hold back either. We are here to help people get back on their bikes and stay on their bikes.
Pat Hanlon
Founder, Owner, & Operator
My name is Pat Hanlon, and I am the founder and owner of Cleveland Carbon. I am an electrical engineer at the NASA Glenn Research Center, studying aerospace electrical power systems, for my normal day job. I operate Cleveland Carbon on the side out of my garage in Cleveland, Ohio (check out this video for a tour of the workshop). I have a knack for learning, fixing everything, design, and fabrication. I enjoy meeting new people and holding conversations; don’t be a stranger, I’d love to talk to you about your carbon repair or custom paint needs.
What's The Deeper Story?
I founded Cleveland Carbon in 2020 because I smashed my nice carbon mountain bike into a rock. As you can see in the right photo, the down tube of my bike was annihilated by the rock, and my bike was no longer safe to ride. I was stuck in the mud because I could not justify the cost of a crash replacement frame. In addition, the available repair options were ludicrously expensive because of the shipping cost and the additional cost of the two other damaged areas that I needed repaired. I panic purchased a new bike because of there was no reasonable option for me to get my damaged bike replaced or repaired.
A few months later, I decided the fate of my broken carbon bike. I would fix it! I hit the books and learned about composite analysis and design. After I felt confident in my knowledge, I repaired my bike, all 3 damaged areas (down tube, chain stay and seat stay). I also gave my bike a slick custom paint job, the same color as my red VW Golf. I have been riding my bike as I normally would (which is pretty hard) for over a year now, and everything is holding up great, repairs and paint.