Cooke Brothers Hinges Help Re:Fuel the Adventure

What started as a one-off gift for a mountain-biking friend has become a full-time business creating beautifully engineered mini bars from upcycled jerry cans, with a little help from Cooke Brothers hinges.

Northumberland-based Re:Fuel the Adventure produces bespoke jerry can mini bars designed to carry beer, spirits, fizz and everything else securely needed for a well-earned drink at the end of an adventure.

The idea began eight years ago when founder Andy Kerr wanted to make something for his friend and fellow mountain biker Rob, who was heading off on a biking trip to the Alps. “My friend Rob and I are keen mountain bikers, and we’ve always refuelled with a Jack and Coke after a hard day on the bikes,” explains Andy. “I couldn’t join him on the trip, so I wanted to make him something so I could be there in ‘spirit’.”

Andy had seen jerry can mini bars before, but his engineering background told him there was room for improvement. So he set about creating a better-finished version that, crucially, held its contents securely during transport.

Andy presented the first Re:Fuel mini bar to Rob, and Andy thought that it was a one-off. But the mini bar quickly attracted attention. Before long, orders started coming in and what began as a one-off gift became a growing business.

Engineering the details

Today, Re:Fuel the Adventure produces a range of mini bars in different sizes and configurations, but Andy’s engineering approach remains central to every design. That includes choosing components which look right, work properly and can withstand repeated use.

Each mini bar uses Cooke Brothers’ 30 mm x 30 mm black polymer hinges with countersunk holes. Manufactured from polyamide with a 316 stainless steel pin, the compact hinges provide low-friction, low-maintenance performance and a 270-degree opening angle.

For Andy, however, what matters most is how they feel in use. “Once the latch is released, the door needs to open smoothly and silently, feel solid and have no unwanted play. “Cooke Brothers’ polymer hinges deliver exactly that. They look great, perform impeccably and have proved consistently reliable. Although I produce many different mini bar designs, one thing remains constant: Cooke Brothers’ hinges are used exclusively across the entire Re:Fuel range.”

Eight years after that first mini bar was created for a friend, Re:Fuel the Adventure is now Andy’s full-time business. Not bad for something that started with a mountain bike, a jerry can and a Jack and Coke.