MATT'S BICYCLE CENTER | 2003 | Expression Engine CMS, Web Design

My Role: I was the sole website designer, developer, and graphic designer for Matt's Bicycle Center's website using Expression Engine. I also designed all site elements, including typography, graphics, colors, and branding, to align with Matt's Bicycle Center's vision and branding.

Project Description: One of my earlier projects was designing and developing a website for Matt's Bicycle Center in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Matt's bike shop had an old-time surfer vibe, making it a great spot to hang out and work on bikes with Matt. I wanted the website to capture that atmosphere. I took photos of bike parts, tools, a repair manual from Matt's shop, and the boardwalk at the beach, then edited all the images in Photoshop to create the graphics. Matt loved the site and often mentioned that people visited his shop because they thought the website was cool.

Back then, creating a visually appealing site required constructing a large image, slicing it into pieces, and loading each piece separately with code. I built all imagery from photos I took or from scratch using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and the navigation bar with Adobe Flash.

Challenge: Design a visually appealing website for a well-known local bicycle store that captures its cool surfer and beach aesthetic. The site should reflect the store's unique atmosphere and vibe.

Solution: I designed and crafted all the images to achieve the desired aesthetic while ensuring fast loading times. For the main menubar, I utilized Adobe Flash and optimized the file for optimal web performance. The website itself was constructed using HTML, CSS, and PHP, taking advantage of Expression Engine's capabilities.

About the Expression Engine CMS: Expression Engine is a highly adaptable CMS, above and beyond WordPress, granting developers full autonomy over design, markup, and site architecture. With EE, there's no interference with my code or the client's vision, making it ideal for bespoke development. The developer meticulously customizes every aspect, from frontend aesthetics to backend functionality. By constructing a site within the EE platform, I can ensure there will be no compromises in realizing the client's vision.

Client: Matt's Bicycle Center

Date: 2003

• Website Development

• Website Design

• Expression Engine CMS

• CSS, HTML, and PHP

• Adobe Flash

• Custom Images and Graphics

• Branding

• Site Optimization