With a hacksaw and a dream, man goes green Re/Cycler uses old bikes to reinvent the two-wheeler, help environment BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer Above: "Chopper Johnny" aka John Maurer shows off his bike, The Re/Cycler, made up of discarded bicycles redesigned and welded together. At right: Maurer demonstrates how he takes the remnants of old bikes and creates a machine all his own. Below: Maurer shows that his creation The Re/Cycler is road ready. He will be taking it to the streets on May 20 during the "Experience Edison/Metuchen Bicycle Tour." EDISON - Before you toss that old Schwinn, Huffy or Mongoose to the curb this spring, give it a chance for resurrection. Call John Maurer. Known to his friends as "Chopper Johnny," Maurer, a marketing manager for a chemical distribution company, takes old bicycles and breathes new life into them. All the while, he is doing his part for the environment and promoting his "ride green" outlook. Maurer takes old bicycles destined for the scrap heap, hacks them up, welds them together and modifies their working parts to create a unique new style of bicycle that is both rider- and environmentally friendly. PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff The Edison native found a love for creating bikes while taking part in another one of his hobbies - NASCAR. Maurer said he once bought a small, foldable bike to use while tooling around the pits during car races. He thought that he could do one better, and implementing his love of the "chopper" motorcycle style, he began using old bikes to make new machines. Like many inventors, Maurer presents his string of failed attempts along the walls of his garage. He takes the old bikes, hacksaws them into pieces and puts them back together in a Frankenstein-like procedure that involves expanded chain lengths and tons of welding. While he doesn't do the dangerous stuff himself (he has a friend work the welding), the bikes are all his design and all painted one color - green. There is a method to the monochrome. All of his creations are called "Re/Cycler" and part of his desire to create bikes was the fact that he was using something that otherwise would have been thrown away. "I take a bike off the street, recycle it and make it rider- and environmentally friendly," Maurer said. "I am just trying to do my part for the environment." The Re/Cycler will make its public debut in the 25-mile Experience Edison/Metuchen Bicycle Tour on Sunday. Maurer, whose mantra is "hang loose, ride green," said that he hopes more people will do their small part in helping the environment. "You gotta get more people involved," Maurer said. Maurer said that he is just a guy building bikes; he likes to do it because it gives him a chance to indulge his inquisitive side. "I like to tinker," Maurer said. "I'm an idea guy and I like to work with my hands." Maurer has plans for future Re/Cyclers that would include special reflective paint to aid operator safety for night riding. He ends every conversation with the words "straight ahead." When asked why, he said, "Straight ahead, we're focused. Straight ahead."