Cyclisk - Santa Rosa Monument

Although it’s not quite 555 feet like the Washington Monument, the Santa Rosa Monument named “Cyclisk” certainly has a lot more character.

Created from 340 bicycles, and standing at 65 feet high, the monument is an eye-catching, roadside display of public art.

In Santa Rosa, California, any construction project costing over $500,000 must put one percent of their budget toward public art. This has led to the creation of hundreds of benches and murals in the city, along with the “Cyclisk.” Specifically, the massive bicycle column now proudly stands near the Nissan dealership whose construction paid for the work.

“Cyclisk” was designed by Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector, who proposed the idea to the city’s Design Review Board. Every bicycle, and the monument’s one tricycle, were beyond the point of riding and were donated to the project by non-profit groups and individuals in the community. Besides bicycle parts, the monument was sprayed with a treatment to help preserve its color and integrity for many years to come.