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In her own words...
I am an educator, and have a strong passion for it. Having been an educator since 2003, I feel pretty confident as an authority on techniques, curriculum, and methodology. So with the PBMA, one of my services is towards education and helping with the development of those programs. My first love in life was a bicycle, and even more than a specific bicycle, it was the feeling of riding one. I had a very vivid, unforgettable dream when I was 4 years old, of me gleefully riding a bike despite the fact I had never actually ridden one. My older sister had just gotten her first bike, and I wanted desperately (subconsciously, apparently!) to ride it, too. Well once I awoke with that incredible feeling of elation, it was sheer determination to learn. And I've been hooked ever since. I was asked to be part of the PBMA! And honored at that. I've had lots of thoughts and ideas about mechanic work as a vocation, and all the inherent struggles for a long time. Being a bicycle mechanic has been the longest-standing work I've done in my life, and it's something I deeply love and enjoy. Being a part of this nascent group of strongly motivated fellow mechanics has been an experience I appreciate wholly, and hope to turn our ideas of improving our lot as mechanics into reality. I am an optimist (most of the time, anyway!), and so regard the future of our industry as a realm of huge opportunity. With the incredibly advanced developments that continue to occur within the technical aspects of bicycles, we are assured employment... but that also will demand much more skill. Being a prideful bunch of people (generally), mechanics, I believe, will be chomping hard at the bit for advancing and educating ourselves to keep up. We're seeing societal and infrastructural shifts towards more bicycle use, and that bodes well for all aspects of the industry. I think the future looks bright!  PBMA is excited to introduce our newest Mechanic of the Week, Kevin Oliveira, of the Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis Pro Cycling program!
For those of you just tuning into #mechanicmonday, this is where we feature one mechanic each week, chosen at random from nominations submitted the week before. It’s all about mechanics supporting fellow mechanics – even behind the scenes, where we are proud to say that our Mechanic of the Week is presented by none other than Abbey Bike Tools and the Friar himself! Kevin lives in Oceanside, California but spends most of his weeks on the road, especially during the summer, when he works exclusively with the Jelly Belly Pro team. He got his start in cycling by riding BMX and managing local bike shops, but it is clear that Kevin is most at home in the thick of the Continental Pro Tour. Before becoming the Head Mechanic at Jelly Belly, Kevin wrenched for the Race CF Amateur Junior Elite team and for the Team Novo Nordisk continental program. In the world of race mechanics, Kevin’s peers describe him as detail-oriented and goal-focused, and they praise his ability to keep a level head and not get discouraged “whenever things go sideways, as they usually tend to do on the road.” Kevin was nominated to be featured this week by his friends, both in and outside of cycling, all of whom say that he is a “solid mechanic and an all-around great, reliable person.” His industry friends are quick to point out that Kevin was the wrench behind Jelly Belly rider Lachlan Morton’s impressive Tour of Utah GC victory last season – and arguably his World Tour contract for this coming season. Fortunately for the Jelly Belly team, Kevin won’t be following Lachlan on to the World Tour this year, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see him there soon. We are proud to feature Kevin this week, and we look forward to seeing him on the road! For everyone reading this at home, we encourage you to join the #MOTW conversation: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post! Life on the Road is a new monthly feature from the PBMA. As implied this is a tale of happenings from outside the normal 9 to 5 shop job. Life on the road will feature events, places and time from around the country and sometimes the world; photos and stories as told by those who experienced them. The cycling industry is full of opportunities. Working on the road sounds glamorous and many are surprised to find out it oftentimes is not. Long days, long travel and exhaustive work aren't for the faint of heart. At many events, be it expos, demos or races you find a familiar cast of characters akin to a traveling circus at times. The rewards from being on the road come in many forms from friendship to food! The road can be fun, seeing new places, experiencing worldly cuisine and making new friends. It also has its challenges such as being away from your family or not seeing "home" for weeks or months on end. Trust me when I tell you there is something very special about being in your place and not a hotel. The road challenges you as an individual, it challenges your will. Surviving equals growing as a person. Believe it or not, I spent 300 nights in a hotel one year. I have reward points, frequent flyer miles and I've been to somewhere around 22 countries and more cities than I can actually remember. Its fun to talk about and people can never believe it, however it's an odd feeling when you're on the road and half way through dinner you realize you've eaten at this restaurant before. That feeling turned into a happy memory because the food was amazing both times! Life on the Road is going to highlight the ups and downs of travel. A real life view of what happens when your workbench is mobile, be it in a van or out of a tool box. Life on the Road is going to capture the essence of the traveling mechanic. We hope it will inspire you and provide a realistic view of what its like in the wild. We look forward to offering you insights from Marty Caivano, James Stanfill and surprise guest writers over the next few months. First up in February will be a story from Marty including her visit to the DT Swiss "Mother Ship" so be sure to check back in or subscribe. This intro to Life on the Road was written by James Stanfill and you can check out his 2017 travel map by clicking here
  PBMA is excited to introduce our new Mechanic of the Week, Eric Faifer, of Tom’s Bicycles in Tulsa, Oklahoma!
For those of you just tuning into #mechanicmonday, this is where we feature one mechanic each week, chosen at random from nominations submitted the week before. It’s all about mechanics supporting fellow mechanics – even behind the scenes, where we are proud to say that our Mechanic of the Week is presented by none other than Abbey Bike Tools and the Friar himself! Eric has been a mechanic “forever,” as some of his customers say. He is currently the lead mechanic at Tom’s Bicycles, in addition to having been named as one of the mechanics for the WD-40 Bike national team. He was nominated to be featured this week by no fewer than twenty of his customers, all of whom could not say enough good things about him. Eric is “a genius with a wrench” and even stars in a blindfolded wheel-building video on YouTube. But, as one of his customers wrote to us, “lots of bike mechanics can fix stuff.” What Eric’s customers feel sets him apart is his ability to connect with people in just about any situation. He always has a great attitude and a genuine enthusiasm for both people and cycling. Eric is a great ambassador for the sport, and was one of the mechanics who was tapped to help with the first WD-40 Bike wash and lube stations at events throughout the country. His unique ability to combine technical skills with personal skills impressed everyone from the founders of WD-40 Bike, to the mechanics he worked with, to the athletes he helped. We are proud to feature Eric this week, and we can’t wait to see his shop, Tom’s Bicycles, featured on the “Discover Oklahoma” television show. We’ll be looking for his PBMA membership plaque in the footage! For everyone reading this at home, we encourage you to join the #MOTW conversation: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post! Our ongoing series of interviews continues this month with Matt Bracken. So I am sure that a lot of folks who will read this interview have heard your name. You’ve been around a while. How was it that Matty B arrived into the cycling world? I fell in love with Cycling when I was young. I am the youngest of 12 children (10 survivors) and cycling was a way to get around and enjoy the freedoms that came with it. I can’t think of a time I wasn’t riding my bike in the woods or with my dog Cindy back in the 70’s. I fell in love with traditional lugged Italian road racing frames about the time the movie Breaking Away came out. I was on my b.m.x. Hanging at the pizza parlor playing pinball (yes, the Who’s Tommy had an effect on everyone at that time and pinball was king) and a few dudes rode up on these shiny 10 speeds with Italian parts that were all shiny (Campagnolo) and that was that. I saved and saved my money to buy my first road bike… You went to the OTC way back in '88? You took a class about being a race mechanic. Would you say this was a pivotal moment in your working career as a bicycle mechanic? I was a student back in 1988. I remember it was super cold and snowy at the OTC that year. This is long before the OTC many of the students who have attended in the past 15 years know of. It was not sexy and the facilities were not what we all have enjoyed now. The work area for cycling was small and dark. I came because I dreamed of a life on the road traveling Europe, speaking French and working on bikes. Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences shortly after your trip to the OTC, where did you end up? Come summer of 1988 I was called upon by Shimano USA to help at a criterium in front off the ellipse of the White House in Washington, DC. Can you imagine that? A national Calendar criterium right out in front of the White House… I volunteered and found myself on back of the motorcycle to do wheel changes if necessary off the moto. Greg Lemond and many others were racing that day. I never had the pleasure of working for the US National Team. You also were part of a neutral support program… Mavic right? Yes, I was part of the Mavic Neutral program from 1990-1993. It was an amazing experience that brought me around the country and world that I am grateful to this day. The French ran a great program and drilled into me that my job was to look after the safety of the riders first and everything else second. They also were sticklers in being prepared for anything and everything. They also taught the importance of family and friendship while out on the road. A big smile and can do attitude opened a lot of doors. During my time at Mavic I stayed in hotels a fraction of the time and spent a good deal of my time staying with friends or in host housing. We did not have cell phones, we carried quarters, phone cards and a little black book. It was an amazing experience. Indy Fab… Can you tell us how your skills as a bicycle mechanic transferred to building and developing frames? Being a good mechanic and understanding the importance of math and how it relates to the mechanical process of diagnosing then developing a plan of action to improve or fix came in daily during my time at Merlin Metalworks (1993-1999) and Indy Fab (1999-2008). Understanding materials and fit were indispensable in helping cyclists of all walks of life find happiness on a bikes I designed. Looking back at Merlin and I.F. I can confidently say I have designed over 5,000 unique bikes. Did I screw up a few, yes, BIG TIME. But those big mistakes only fueled me to learn more and be better. It was an honor to work with so many great people within IF, it’s dealer base, magazines and others to make that brand take off during that era. Lets jump forward to now and Pedros. The road and path to recover a brand couldn’t of been easy. Can you recall a time or two where something you learned as a mechanic really applied to real life business struggles or development? Mechanics like to fix and make things run smoothly so with little maintenance and attention those machines run smooth and are quiet. Business is no different. Back in 2011 I lost my job with Pedro’s along with my two business partners Jay Seiter (our engineer/product manager) and Jim Hale (head of Sales). We heard all the rumors. We heard people cheering our demise and others hoping we could make it work. None of that bothered us, it only made us work for success. Few people know of or understand the complexity of running an operation that sells to over 120 countries around the world and truly understanding good chemistry when it comes to bike care products like lubes, polish, grease, bike wash. After 8.5 years I think we’ve all earned a Master’s degree or two in business. The # 1 secret is understanding when you work for yourself when mistakes happen you own your own problems. There is nowhere to hide and no one to blame. I own my own problems and for that matter my own successes. My motivation is to do a good job and not find myself without a job and way to support my family and the family of mechanics around the country and world who support our brand and what Pedro’s means to them individually. What have I learned? First, you have to be a great listener to succeed in business and life. Less talking and more listening….. Secondly, it is important to thank and support all the people who helped you along the way. Give back often when possible… When is the world going to be able to purchase a Bracken? You surely haven’t lost the passion to build frames. You are correct. I miss the hell out of designing and making bikes. I’d love to have a Bracken signature series with some other young builder or eventually hang my own shingle and do it once my two daughters are 14 and 16. They love bikes and it is my responsibility as their papa to teach them the importance of math and design so they can be successful in life. We are surrounded by math and taking the time to understand numbers and their significance only underline the passion it brings to cycling and other experiences. I want them to continue to be outdoor people. Not stuck in some Social media black hole/time suck. You must have a piece of advice or two for aspiring mechanics, frame builders and the industries future talent. Please share some thoughts Volunteer if necessary and ask for nothing in return…Listen…Learn Don’t talk SHIT about anything you work on or other peoples choices in bikes, equipment, friends, etc. Show you are professional and don’t waste time by spending it on social media waxing on about your mechanical talents. If you are that good they will find you or hear of you without social media. Take a frame class at any of the US schools who offer that classes. Work for an established builder for years, not months and learn the skills to become a great builder. Companies don’t hire for skill, they hire for attitude. Bring a good attitude to everything you do and the skill will come with time. Time… Take your time, be patient. I personally am inching up 30 years within the cycling industry. I am finally feeling like I am getting somewhere. Not sure where that it, but I can tell you it’s been a great time along the journey. Lastly, f**k SELFIES. Turn the camera around and take pics of the place and people you have spent your time with improving you life. You will find out spending your time taking care others will end up being the greatest reward you will ever be granted!   PBMA is proud to announce our newest Mechanic of the Week, Darren Ohl, owner of Vermont Bicycle Shop in Barre, Vermont!
For those of you just tuning into #mechanicmonday, this is where we feature one mechanic each week, chosen at random from nominations submitted the week before. It’s all about mechanics supporting fellow mechanics – even behind the scenes, where we are proud to say that our Mechanic of the Week is presented by none other than Abbey Bike Tools and the Friar himself! Darren has been working professionally as a mechanic for sixteen years. In that time, he has worked in some of the country’s most successful bicycle retailers and service departments, including in Minnesota, Florida, Oregon, and now Vermont. Since moving to Vermont, Darren has been a conscientious volunteer with the Millstone Trails Association, for which he was recently voted in as a Board member. Over the course of his career, Darren has also traveled extensively as a race mechanic with Ironman triathlon teams and Cyclocross and MTB athletes. Darren’s latest project, Vermont Bicycle Shop, is “a steward and an ambassador to the community.” As the head of such a community-oriented, forward-thinking institution, Darren was one of the first mechanics to sign up for official PBMA membership. Speaking of membership, we don’t know of many mechanics who have an entire Facebook group dedicated as their fan club, but by all accounts, it sounds like Darren deserves all that recognition. His many fans – customers, present and former colleagues, family, and friends – could not say enough positive things about Darren and his vision for cycling and cycling mechanics as a path to happiness and health. We are proud to feature Darren this week, and we hope that he will display his MOTW certificate proudly next to his PBMA membership plaque! For everyone reading this at home, we encourage you to join the #MOTW conversation: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post! In his own words:
I'm currently the chief bike mechanic/fitter for Quest Therapy Consultants, Inc, an independent PT practice specializing in endurance athletics. I also work neutral support when time allows. My primary responsibilities as a mechanic relate to our PT patients or training clients with fit or cycling equipment related performance issues, as well as optimizing and modifying bikes, wheelchairs and other related equipment on behalf our clients. Also, I'm "bi-vocational". My day job is as the Executive Vice President of Sangetsu America, a Japan based architectural products manufacturer. I got my first bike when I was 5 years old, it was a pink, single speed, coaster brake equipped girl's bike that my father bought from our next door neighbor. Thankfully, he backed the car over it (my fault) soon after, requiring a trip to Western Auto for my first "real" bike. I've been riding ever since. Bikes and cycling technologies have advanced, but my love riding hasn't diminished over the last 50 years. I'm involved in the PBMA because the cycling industry as a whole is struggling. Shops are closing, staff is being laid off and the internet is disrupting the business as it used to be. Having said that, having a skilled, professional mechanic for a typical cyclist to trust and rely on is a huge benefit. Cycling needs to rebound and grow world-wide, yet the industry is increasingly going to "direct to user" sales...undermining their own ability to sell bikes. The technologies of today's bikes demand a highly skilled and articulate mechanic, armed with training and access to information that allows them to handle almost any situation that a modern cyclist could put before them. Almost every major skilled trade has a professional society or other similar organization to help grow the craft and share innovations, through continuing education, research and certification...but not the cycling mechanical industry. The need is clearly there, the craft is deserving, so I volunteer my time to the PBMA in the hopes that we're able to make a much brighter tomorrow for all bike mechanics. I see plenty of change ahead for the entire cycling industry. Delivery models are going to continue to shift around, shops are going to continue closing, concepts like truck-based service are going to come and go...but the common denominator is the mechanic. My personal belief is the single most powerful tool to grow cycling in the US is by having easy access to skilled, trained mechanics, no matter where the work. I personally envision a future where the value of a bike mechanic is understood and valued by the general public. I'm also hoping that this organization is the primary reason that public perception and that the mechanics themselves will proudly wear the title of "Member of the PBMA".  PBMA is excited to introduce you to our Mechanic of the Week, Pete Hill, of the St. Petersburg Bicycle Cooperative in St. Petersburg, Florida!
For those of you just tuning into #mechanicmonday, this is where we feature one mechanic each week, chosen at random from nominations submitted the week before. It’s all about mechanics supporting fellow mechanics! Pete is not only an asset to the St. Petersburg Bicycle Cooperative staff, but he is also an all-star race mechanic. Pete has supported numerous pro tour teams over the years, and he continues to work as a neutral mechanic with both the SRAM and Mavic programs. A retired firefighter, Pete maintains his paramedic certifications, which many crashed riders (and fellow mechanics!) have been thankful for. Pete’s technical knowledge and skill is rivaled only by his genuine sincerity. Whether assembling bicycles for holiday toy drives or volunteering for bicycle advocacy in his St. Petersburg community, Pete embodies PBMA’s goal of “mechanics supporting fellow mechanics” – which is why we couldn’t be more proud to feature him today. We encourage you to join the conversation: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post!  PBMA is excited to introduce our new Mechanic of the Week, Myron Price, owner of Knoxville Bicycle Company in Tennessee!
For those of you just tuning into #mechanicmonday, this is where we feature one mechanic each week, chosen at random from nominations submitted the week before. It’s all about mechanics supporting fellow mechanics – even behind the scenes, where we are proud to say that our Mechanic of the Week is presented by none other than Abbey Bike Tools and the Friar himself! Myron has been working professionally as a bicycle mechanic for over 25 years. He began his career in Florida, where he worked first as a line mechanic and then as a service manager. When Myron’s wife accepted a job in eastern Tennessee, the family moved to the Knoxville area, where Myron took up the role of Chief Mechanic at Knoxville Bicycle Company. By 2016, Myron was in a position to take ownership of the company, and he has transitioned seamlessly into his new role. Myron specializes in mountain bikes and suspension technology, but his shop maintains a high volume of road bike sales and service as well. His friends and customers, who nominated him to be featured this week, describe Myron as “a stickler about details” and “the consummate bicycle mechanic.” They also shared with us that Myron is committed to growing the bicycle mechanics profession and “paying it forward.” To further those goals, Myron was one of the first people to sign up as a full Mechanic Member of the PBMA. We are honored to have his support and proud to feature him today. We hope that Myron will display his new Mechanic of the Week certificate and custom Stu Stuck as proudly as he displays his PBMA membership plaque! For everyone reading this at home, we encourage you to join the #MOTW conversation: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post!  PBMA is pleased to introduce our newest Mechanic of the Week, Ryan Gardiner, of Westwood Cycle in Port Coquitlam, Vancouver BC! Ryan started out working as a mechanic in his native Australia before settling in Canada, and he is the first international mechanic to be nominated for #mechanicmonday. He said he is “honoured” to be featured today, but truly the honor is ours!
PBMA is still developing as an organization, but MOTW is a cornerstone of what we believe in and what we aim to do; we are mechanics supporting fellow mechanics. Even behind the scenes, MOTW is supported by mechanics; the awards are presented by one of the best in our business, Jason Quade, a.k.a. the Abbey Bike Tools Friar. When we interviewed Ryan for this feature, we found that his own goals and motivations are incredibly similar to PBMA’s. Westwood Cycle headhunted Ryan from Australia for his technical expertise, and he moved from being the Service Manager of one store to the Service Director for the entire company within a year and a half. In that time, Ryan worked (and continues to work) tirelessly to help grow the mechanical profession throughout Canada. He is actively involved in the design and instruction of pre-apprenticeship courses through his shop and local high schools, which serve as stepping stones into the cycling industry. As if bridging the gap between his community and our industry isn’t enough all on its own, Ryan is also working with the owners of Westwood Cycle to help Canada bring in a formal certification program for cycling mechanics. Ryan got his start in cycling by riding BMX as a teenager in Australia. He started working in a bike shop at 16 years old, and he’s worked at least one day a week in a shop ever since. For the past 17 years, Ryan has worked with sole owner-operators, family-owned businesses, and high-volume stores. As a BMX racer, Ryan had the opportunity to travel throughout Australia and the United States. He and his teammates shared their cycling culture with people in both urban areas and remote country towns, by performing demos and holding BMX clinics. Ryan’s relentless pursuit of excellence – “Never stop getting better at whatever it is that you love to do!” – ultimately led him to settle in British Columbia, where he’s found his niche at Westwood Cycle and out on the local trails, skate parks, and dirt parks. In Ryan’s own words, “cycling people are the best people.” We couldn’t agree more, and we are certain that Ryan is one of those “best people.” He was nominated for MOTW by his colleagues, who said that even when he has to be their boss, he is still their friend; combine that with his technical expertise and generosity, and you’ve got the definition of professionalism. We are proud of the work that Ryan has done and the community that he’s created in Vancouver, and it is our privilege to feature him today. On behalf of the entire PBMA community, we encourage all of you reading this at home to join the #MOTW conversation in 2017: Post a picture of YOUR favorite mechanic and tag us @probicyclemech, #probma, or #mechanicmonday, or nominate him or her to be featured in next week’s post. |
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