Dylan Tremblay opens his Christmas special like a guy who has decorated the tree with bike hardware and decided that’s normal. He’s also rocking a Santa cap and delivers a deadpan narrative that’s reminiscent of something from Cheech and Chong.
“Oh, hi there. How you doing? Welcome to my Christmas special where we build up a Christmasy Christmas bike in the Christmas colors.”
The bike is a 1995 DeKerf, green frame as the base, then a careful scatter of red parts like ornaments.
A DeKerf, a gift and a memory
The project starts with a backstory that feels like it came with the frame.
“Someone messages me on Facebook, looking for a good home. He gifted me this DeKerf basically as you see it.”
It is not just a random old bike from storage. Tremblay found a photo of the same DeKerf sitting by his Christmas tree years ago. That little coincidence becomes the hook for the whole episode and the excuse to go full holiday palette.
“I couldn’t decide what color should the base frame be. Figured green would be the best and then we could build on from that green color.”
The history lesson hiding inside the tinsel
Tremblay can not help himself. The bike is a build video, sure, but it is also a bite-sized history of why DeKerf frames were a big deal.
“This was just called a DeKerf suspension because it’s got the rear suspension.”
He points out the details that separate a true boutique frame from a painted relic: the stainless gusset up front, the reinforced seat tube, the extra strength around the bottom bracket junction.
“The uh seat tube is actually reinforced and it has a special butting to allow for the added stress of the suspension linkage.”
He also sketches the local mythology. DeKerf’s Chris DeKerf had roots at Rocky Mountain before building under his own name. In places like Nelson, Tremblay says, these frames were the alternative to other era-defining Canadian brands.
The build gets real, then gets rebuilt
Like any honest vintage build, the bike refuses to stay a simple Christmas craft.
“Clunk clunk. There was no dampening in the rear suspension.”
Tremblay pulls the shock, replaces an O-ring, refills oil and gets it moving properly. Then the fork demands attention. Old elastomers turn to dust, cartridges fail and a quick build becomes a full mechanical detour.
“This simple, quick bike build has turned into more in-depth rebuild.”
By the time the red housing is on and the cables are cut, he is back in holiday mode, admiring the result.
“I wanted to make the ultimate Christmas bike.”
And when the bike is finally rideable, Tremblay delivers the closing line every vintage obsessive knows too well: the next project is already waiting.
“I can definitely say it was a tough choice between this DeKerf and this Candy Cane themed Rocky Mountain Speed. So maybe we’ll leave this one for next Christmas.”