For the past 30 years, nearly 10,000 bikes have been brought to life by the hands of David Kirk, winning various North American Handmade Bike Show [NAHBS] awards. Originally getting his start in New York working for Serotta in 1989, Kirk climbed his way through the ranks from sweeping the floors to Head of the Research and Development team. He spent 10 years honing his craft and manufacturing countless bikes, including for the official Coors Light Racing Team, one of which still proudly hangs in his shop today. After putting together his first bike, he knew right away he’d found his calling.
The bitter seasons of New York lead Kirk and his wife to Montana for fresh beginnings, to start up his new shop, Kirk Frameworks. Local Carl Strong had an extra corner to rent out in his shop. The first season took off with new orders, but as any Bozemanite knows, winter can be harsh. Just as the snow came roaring in, the orders started to hit the brakes. Instead of giving up on the dream, Kirk headed for the mountains to keep the ball rolling. As the first-ever snowboarding instructor supervisor, he immediately carved his name into the history of the great Bridgers. If you find David Kirk on his snowboard today, it will most likely be at Bridger Bowl, racing through the trees, or letting his shoulders glide along the wide-open groomers. Otherwise you might find him racing autocross with the Sportscar Club of America or hitting the road with one of his bikes.
Just as spring brought Bozeman back to life, Kirk Frameworks began to bloom. As the orders poured in, Kirk found himself booked out for more than a year. The corner in Strong's shop was beginning to burst at the seams, triggering Kirk to move his shop to his own home garage, where it still resides today. The custom-built steel frames tailored by his own hands every step of the way have drawn the attention of cycling enthusiasts all over the world, from Germany to Singapore. Each of them has a lifetime of different bikes, but no matter how many they’ve had, there was always something missing. With Kirk wearing every hat in the business, each and every bike that rolls out of the shop is perfectly fine-tuned to scratch that itch. Since that first winter, Kirk Frameworks has been overflowing with orders with no end in sight.
The walls of the shop are riddled with the legacy and history of David Kirk and his work throughout the years, each bike and award another page of the story. On the back wall, a lovely painted portrait of David Kirk's father, John Kirk, hangs proudly. As a professional race-car mechanic for the likes of Audi-Porsche, John Kirk made a name for himself and the cars he put together. People came from all over to get their hands on the wheel of a John Kirk Special. Though never a rich man, John Kirk was a good man who went the extra mile to take care of his family. One day, he headed to the dump to pick up some parts to put together a bike for his son. Each piece alone wasn't special, but after John Kirk put his hands to them, his son David got an incredible lesson and a gift that can't be bought. John Kirk passed away when David was just 9 years old; but to this day, his legacy lives on through his son. Of all the bikes that rest along the walls, one sticks out more than any other. The sleek, stainless-steel frame, glistening without a weld in sight, left bare and unpainted revealing a dazzling foggy finish, pays homage to the late great John Kirk: the JK Special.