James Bleakley, who designs and builds custom bicycles, will present the University of Iowa Museum of Art’s annual Jeanne and Richard Levitt Lectureship: American Crafts in Context on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 240 of Art Building West.

Bleakley’s lecture, "Saddle to Torch," is free and open to the public.

James Bleakley is the founder of Black Sheep Bikes, based in Fort Collins, Colo. A lifelong bike enthusiast, Bleakley started mountain biking while a student at Colorado State University, where he received his degree in construction management. After graduation he embarked on his journey as a craftsman, working for four years with Boulder Bicycle, a custom build shop, followed by another four years working for Advanced Alloys, where he honed his knowledge of and skills in precision welding and fabrication.

In 1999, Bleakley took a leap of faith and started Black Sheep Bikes, which today is a collective of three bicycle craftsmen who adhere to the philosophy that bicycles should be built to last a lifetime and should precisely fit the customer’s dimensions and needs. The partners strive to always find the “best, simplest solution” to all their design challenges. Black Sheep Bikes has received numerous awards, including two medals from the North American Handmade Bike Show in 2011.

Bleakley rides what he builds. He has finished the grueling Leadville Trail 100 seven times on a single speed bicycle and hopes to complete 10 races and win the coveted thousand mile belt buckle award.

For more information: uima.uiowa.edu.