Sara Jarrell of SRAM

 Interview by Jenny Kallista

With so many great women in this industry, it's not too hard to find someone who inspires with their passion, wit, and charm. I had the great fortune to work with Sara Jarrell at a shop in Asheville for a couple years around 2010-2012, and we've become great friends since. Sara and I always manage to make some time for each other over the years and continue building our friendship with plenty of laughter and stead-fast support for one another. Sara has plenty of passion for cycling and is one of those people who makes things happen. I was able to catch up with her to get a little formal interview on where she's at in the industry and some of her takes on what we're seeing with women on bikes. 
 
What is your title now at SRAM, and how did it come about?
I am the Women's Program Coordinator, and it came about due to the fact that I've been involved with women like Lindsey Richter, Rebecca Rusch, and Leigh Donovan in various cycling camps, clinics, and events over the last few years. It was a natural progression to bring some of these events in-house to better support the programs for women that were already going on. It's all about promoting women on bikes!
 
How many women-specific events have you participated in in the last few years, and what is the single most important thing you take away from them?
Wow, well, a lot! I'd say about 6 or 7 events every year for the last several, with quite a few international events. 
 
I'd say the most important thing I get from these events is the community-building that I feel happens each time. I see all these women get so excited to be around other women at various levels of experience and skill, and everyone is so helpful, encouraging one another, and just having a really great time. I get super inspired when I see a newer rider work out some daunting parts of a trail and see how thrilling it is for them. 
 
Do you see the market for women's cycling growing significantly around you?
I do. There's still a lot of room for growth to be made. There are all these new women's specific manufacturers, programs, and clinics that are addressing the long overlooked segment of the market. When you think about it, this means 50% of the market is basically available for growth!
 
Is the future of women's cycling looking especially bright in any particular field?
It all seems bright from my perspective! 
 
How long have you been working on bicycles? How long professionally?
I guess 14 years, now professionally.

How did you learn?
A friend I had growing up started to show me how to work on stuff, including building wheels… this was after a childhood of being on bikes all the time. From what I learned from my friend, I had the confidence to apply at a bike shop in California sight unseen, I had never even visited California at that point. I started on the sales floor, but then started to work my way towards the service department. After that, I returned back to my home state of North Carolina and got a job at the shop I got my first bike from as a kid in my home town of Sylva. The shop opened a second location in Asheville, and I moved there to help open the shop and was the service manager for several years. I was offered a gig with the Paralympic Cycling team as the team mechanic, putting me in Colorado Springs, which then led to a job at SRAM. 

Did you have a female mechanic ever mentor you?
YOU, Jenny! (laughter). Well, as you know I worked with Jenny Skorcz (formerly head instructor at BBI) with the Giant women's council many years ago, and I learned a lot from her. 

Have you found there to be much in the way of negative reactions to your position?
Yes, but I have been able to work through them… it was mostly from customers, but nothing too bad. 

If so, how do you overcome these types of occurrences?
Having the support of my co-workers has always been helpful when working through any negative reactions I have faced by being a woman in the cycling industry.  Lots of patients and treating people with respect no matter what kind of attitude or negativity they showed me was also a strategy I used and it generally worked out.

Do you have the opportunity to help other women learn how to work on bikes?
Yes! I've been able to do that in shops, at our SRAM Technical University, and at many of the women’s specific clinic I have attended.

Do you hope to stay in the bicycle industry? If not, what do you plan on doing?
I do, as long as I can make a positive difference! 

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