Mechanic of the Week p/b Abbey Bike Tools - Monday March 20th 2017

PBMA is excited to introduce our newest Mechanic of the Week, Julian Kennedy, of Race Pace Bicycles in Ellicott City, Maryland!

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!

Julian was recommended by his co-workers at Race Pace Bicycles, several of whom wrote to us with essay-length descriptions of why he is a perfect Mechanic of the Week. The more we learned about Julian, the more we had to agree with them!

Julian started working at Race Pace as a young’un, or “shop minion” as one mentor and longtime colleagues said. After 22 years in the cycling industry, he has mastered the arts of mechanical and hydraulic systems and helps lead an altogether exceptional team of mechanics spread across five stores throughout the greater Baltimore area. Julian is a UBI graduate and a veteran of countless technical seminars. He knows data values by heart, and he is not shy about confronting a manufacturer when he sees a better way of doing something.

We asked Julian’s co-workers what they think makes him stand out within the industry, and they all agreed on two things: his “bedside manner” and his commitment to being a cyclist himself. Like so many gifted shop mechanics, Julian has perfected his customer service into an art form. He is an incredibly adept at explaining “all things bicycle” to novices and experts alike. As a cyclist himself, Julian has completed numerous extended solo tours, commutes by bike most days, and has become an advocate for “bicycle friendliness” in the Baltimore area.

We are proud to feature Julian this week, and we hope that his commitment to continuing education will inspire our PBMA community as much as it has inspired us. 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!