In California, the police code “5150” refers to a lunatic on the loose. It is often called out when someone has lost their mind and needs to be captured. 21-year-old Micheal Cano of Denver, Colorado and the rest of his crew have been told they were crazy or lunatics for spending the time and money on the culture they so passionately embrace. “They never understand why we spend so much money on this hobby,” Micheal explains. “To us, this is more than a hobby; it’s a way of life.” This mindset has allowed this incredible bicycle club to make a mark on their Colorado scene and bike clubs nationwide have taken notice as well. While some might label them crazy, they insist that to raise the bar of bicycle design, an outside-the-box mentality, coupled with a determined resolve is absolutely necessary.
The parents who belong to the car club gave their children and the younger members of the club something to work on in between the shows and initially formed this bicycle club. 5150: A State of Mind has been showing and participating in car shows for thirteen years with the bicycle club was born over three years ago. Local bicycle legend Anthony Trujillo helped most of the members to get their feet wet in building bikes, while master painters Mike DeHerrera, Jose Rodriguez, and airbrush artist Randy Gustafson laid all the patterns to set each bicycle apart. In just a few years’ time, the work of these resilient artists have gained the club quite a following, and their presence is always welcomed at any car shows they attend.
“Despicable Minion,” the twenty-inch bicycle painted bright yellow and full custom is owned by Micheal and leads the way for the younger group, which includes an orange tricycle owned by five-year-old Alex Estrada, “A Twist of Lime,” the green-twisted bike owned by 8-year-old Aidan Hernandez, and Ashley Hernandez’ “Angel Baby;” a pink full custom bicycle. 5150 may have been started as a car and truck club but they have expanded their horizons in the hopes of encouraging the youth of Colorado to keep the Lowrider scene strong and moving forward for future generations. With an incredible bike club like this one, they can rest assured that they are doing just that.