What happens to old bike parts once they reach the end of their usable life? That old chain or cassette you’ve just replaced; those old brake rotors you don’t need any more? In most cases, they probably end up in landfill. Sometimes, the metal might end up being recycled. Occasionally, though, someone finds an even better use for those old parts. Someone like Drew Evans at Chainbreaker Studio.

Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, Evans collects old bike parts (among other things) and turns them into remarkable pieces of fine art. You might have seen his work on Instagram – he regularly posts videos of himself working on his next creation, and photos of the finished products.

We got in touch with Evans to chat about how he got started in the fine art space, what’s involved in turning old bike parts into art, and much more. The following Q&A has been lightly edited and restructured for fluency.

CyclingTips: How did you first get into using old bike parts to make sculptures?

Drew Evans: I had an idea once – I was going to do the trim around my kitchen [with old bike parts]. I went to the bike shop up the road and asked them if they had any junk that I could take and he said ‘yeah’ and so I took it.