Peloton: Where are you based?
Mike Flanigan: Holliston, Massachusetts.

Peloton: Is that where you grew up?
Mike Flanigan: I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. I left Texas when I was 24 and have been living in the Boston area ever since.

Peloton: What’s the riding like there (where you live now)?
Mike Flanigan: I am in somewhat rural New England, so lots of tree lined winding roads with rock walls and little towns to pass through. There are also great trails to ride or go hiking on.

Peloton: How long have you been building?
Mike Flanigan: I started in the frame shop business in 1989 as a painter and have been building bicycles on my own since 2001.

Peloton: How did you get your start?
Mike Flanigan: I got my start in the paint shop of Fat City Cycles. While at Fat City I taught myself how to TIG weld. In 1994 Fat was closed and I then helped start Independent Fabrication.

Peloton: Have you held other positions in the industry?
Mike Flanigan: From 1983 to 1987 I worked in bicycle retail shops, also with a two year stint at an airplane manufacturer from 1987 to 1989.

Peloton: (If you started by working for someone else) When did you strike out on your own?
Mike Flanigan: I started building ANT's in 2001, while I was still working at Independent and left IF in Dec of 2002 to work ANT full time.

Peloton: What does A.N.T. mean?
Mike Flanigan: Alternative Needs Transportation. I just liked the name ANT and came up with a full name to fit the acronym. I also thought the name ANT and the full name fit my mission statement of building bicycles for transportation.

Peloton: Do you ever work in a material other than steel?

Peloton: Who makes the tubing and lugs you like to use?
Mike Flanigan: I like to use as much True Temper tubing as possible. I also use some aircraft straight gauge tubing and have used all of the other brands of tubing over the years.