ABE — The Landspeeder That Leads a Community
Some Bullitteers turn their bikes into workhorses. Some turn them into family vehicles. And then there's Abe — who turned his Bullitt into a rolling piece of art that lights up the streets of Santa Cruz.
When Abe began building what would become his Star Wars–inspired landspeeder, he says the idea was simple:
“From the beginning I wanted something that carried the spirit of Luke Skywalker heading off in 'A New Hope'. A ride with purpose. A ride people could gather around.”
So he built exactly that — a PVC frame with foam body panels held on by magnets, LED systems, marine speakers, a bubble machine, and a few in-progress extras like smoke effects and a miniature griddle for pancake mornings at Santa Cruz Bike Party. Fully geared up, the system rides with four batteries and comes in at around 200 pounds. “It is a beast, but in the best possible way.”
Even with the landspeeder shell installed, the passenger area still works. "The Bullitt carries this project with total confidence. Even with the added structure, the passenger area works and my kids often ride right up front."
For Abe, and us, that’s an integral part of the Bullitt — its ability to be both a dependable machine and an expressive platform.
A Platform for Joy
The landspeeder isn't just a fun build — it has become a community magnet.
About a year ago, Abe started leading local Bike Party rides. Each month, 100–300 people show up, and the Bullitt landspeeder often "leads the group with lights, sound and a whole lot of personality (...) I show up with the Bullitt and lend my energy and encouragement to anyone who needs it.”
The group was recently recognized by Bicycle Santa Cruz County for creating a joyful and accessible cycling space. Abe is quick to share the credit, with his community and his Bullitt.
“The Bullitt is the platform that makes it possible for me to lead the way I do.”
From the Netherlands, to Santa Cruz to Tatooine
Abe's Bullitt-journey actually started long before the landspeeder. He found a first-generation frame that had worked hard as a messenger bike in the Netherlands. "It was already proven when I found it on a peer to peer marketplace, but the moment I took it for a short ride I understood what made the Bullitt special. My wife and I were expecting our first child and had no car at the time. This bike instantly solved a problem while opening a door to a new way of living.”
Since then, the bike has seen more than fifteen thousand miles (around 25.000 km). It has carried both of his kids "from baby seats to school runs, hauled groceries, moved entire apartments, and taken adults on fun rides". Through every life stage, Abe says, “the Bullitt never stopped being the most dependable tool I own.”
Cycling as a Way of Life
Riding a Bullitt didn't just change how Abe got around: “Riding a Bullitt turned me into an advocate.”
He now leads community rides, welcomes new riders, and helps people discover the transformative power of everyday cycling, "by constantly sharing how dramatic the lifestyle shift can be when you switch your main vehicle from a car to a cargo bike."
The hero journey
Just like Luke who found himself at a crossroads on Tatooine, Abe’s own landspeeder project began in an unexpected moment of change, that suddenly meant that he had time and creative energy for something bigger.
“While I waited to land my next job I spent six to eight months of nights and weekends building a PVC frame and shaping space for the foam, speakers and LEDs.”
Panels on or off, it’s become more than an art piece. “It inspires people, starts conversations and spreads joy through the whole Santa Cruz galaxy.”
A Bike That Makes Space for Creativity
What ties Abe’s story together — from family rides to art builds to leading hundreds of people through the streets each month — is the Bullitt's versatility, and its users' ingenuity.
As Abe puts it:
“It is the most reliable, adaptive, expressive, and empowering machine I have ever owned.”
It made family mobility simple. It gave him a way to support his community. It offered a platform for creativity, advocacy, and joy.
And in his own words:
“In many ways it helped me become the rider I always wanted to be.”
Now that's music to our ears. Thank you Abe for sharing your story with us, and for your words of praise.
You can find Abe on:
May the force be with you...
