"Since I was a child, I have enjoyed making things with my hands. After working as a machine repairman, the desire to make things became even stronger," Zhang Yali said. Fifteen years ago, he made a multi-functional bicycle for exercise. That bike had several ways of riding, just not as big as this one. "I made this bicycle for my son," Zhang Yali said. His son has always been particularly interested in drawing comics since he was young. He even created a comic book when he graduated, and his current job is also related to comics. Because his son works long-term in another place, he and his family miss him very much. To add inspiration for his son's creativity and encourage him to create better works, he made this bicycle.
Zhang Yali invited good friends to test ride the self-made "giant" bicycle within the factory premises. (Photo by reporter Wang Qiang)
"I plan to ride this bike to Shenzhen next summer and personally deliver it to my son," Zhang Yali said. Due to the large size of the bicycle, if there are steep slopes, it would still need to be pushed by hand. It’s impossible for one person to ride all the way to Shenzhen alone. He invites some comic enthusiasts and cycling tourism lovers to join him on the trip to Shenzhen. He initially plans to invite six or seven people to take turns riding the bike.
According to a report from New Culture News (reporter Yang Jin Hao), at around 10:00 am on December 25th, inside the yard of a fertilizer plant on Xian Road in Chuanying District, Jilin City, Zhang Yali prepared to ride his self-made "giant" bicycle around the yard. Because the bicycle was too large, it was quite strenuous to ride. Zhang Yali was already out of breath after half a lap. "This bike still needs further adjustments before it can be ridden on the road," Zhang Yali said.
"In order to highlight the size of the bicycle, I specially bought two loader wheels to use as the front and rear wheels of the bicycle. The frame is welded together piece by piece with steel plates. The power system is modified using the foot pedal, chain, and gear from an ordinary bicycle, while the saddle is made from an old sofa," Zhang Yali said. The principle of motion for this bicycle is the same as that of a regular bicycle; it can be ridden by one person or three people together, and four or five people can sit on the back seat. The bike is 3.2 meters high, 5.5 meters long, with wheels 1.5 meters in diameter. The total weight of the bike is about one ton. It took more than three months and cost over 20,000 yuan to complete.
"Comics themselves are an exaggerated form of art, so I thought about creating a particularly huge physical object to send to my son who works away from home," Zhang Yali said. Although this bicycle has already been completed, there are still some details that need adjustment. Once it’s ready, he plans to ride the bike to Shenzhen and personally give it to his son to express his care.
Zhang Yali is 49 years old. Three months ago, he suddenly had an idea: to make a super-large bicycle to give to his son. "The raw materials for making the bicycle were all purchased from the dismantling market and the antique market," Zhang Yali said. After having the idea, he started sketching the design of the bicycle on paper. When the drawing was done, because there wasn't enough space at home, he began manufacturing the bicycle in a friend's fertilizer factory.
"In order to build this vehicle, my husband quit his job," said Zhang Yali's wife, Mei Jianhua. After having the idea to make the bicycle, her husband resigned from his temporary job and focused entirely on making the bicycle. During these three months of making the bicycle, her husband was busier and more diligent than when he was working. Every day at 8 o'clock, he would arrive at the fertilizer factory to start making the bicycle and wouldn't leave until it got dark.
"Our family has never been wealthy. My husband stopped working and earning money but instead spent money making a bicycle. At first, I didn't agree with it, and we even argued. But my husband was doing it for our son, and later, seeing his seriousness and enthusiasm for making the bicycle, I gradually came to support him," Mei Jianhua said.