Tag: Wrenching

Training the Kids Right

I love my girls.  They’re so cool to hang out with and I enjoy watching them grow up.  So… what should I do so I can watch them more often?  Teach them how to work on bikes.  That’s right… I’m training my girls to be r0ck-star bike mechanics.  Here’s proof:

I love those two little girls.

Getting My Hands Dirty Again…

As I mentioned before, Team Kenda Pro Cycling presented by GearGrinder will be in Woodstock on the 28th for their VO2 Max Testing at Lifetime Fitness on Hwy 92.  I started doing some digging around the interweb and spoke with a couple pals of mine involved with the team to see what the deal was.

Kenda Pro CyclingAs I was being inquisitive, I was approached (via Twitter) by the team’s manager, Chad Thompson, about coming to camp and building some of the team bikes for a few days in Macon.  Looks like that’s the plan… I’ll be down there on February 24/25 to help build some of the 70 bikes that the team will utilize throughout the year.  Getting my hands dirty building some pro level bikes.

It’s good to get “back in the trenches.”  Back in 2003/2004, I started planning my career around getting involved with working with profesisonal cycling races and teams.  After seeing the Mavic SSC Neutral Support Crew at the 2002 Junior/Espoir National Championships in my hometown, I instantly knew that I should chase after that kind of career.  I started setting myself up for it.  I made connections in the industry, and in January 2005, I went to USA Cycling Mechanics’ Clinic to get my Race Mechanic’s License and jump onto the pro racing scene.

I ended up in bike shops again after a couple of small stints on the road, but did some other mechanic work on the road in 2007.  I’m extremely happy where I’m at right now (Out Spokin’ Bicycles), but it’s still fun to mix it up a little bit by getting some hot new pro bikes built up.  It especially helps when they’re Masi Bikes (official sponsor of PROBIKEWRENCH.COM)…

As a result of my work with Team Kenda Pro Cycling, Chad (Team Manager) worked out a deal for us at Out Spokin’ during the team’s training camp.  Today, we confirmed that during the team’s VO2 Max Testing at Lifetime Fitness, Frankie Andreu (Former USPS/Motorola Team Racer, Versus Tour de France Commentator, and current Kenda Pro Cycling Team Director) would stop by Out Spokin’ for a meet & greet before the team’s afternoon Fan Ride.

It’s always cool to have a well-known cyclist stop by the shop for a personal appearance.  Afterwards, we’re going to ride/drive back over to Lifetime and meet the rest of the team for the Fan Ride, which should take about two hours.  There will be lunch in the cafe at Lifetime Fitness after the ride, followed by a question and answer session with Frankie, Chad, and the rest of Team Kenda.

If you want to get in on this and you’re local to Woodstock/Atlanta, come by Out Spokin’ around 11am on Sunday, February 28th for the festivities.  For more information, check out our event page on our website at http://www.outspokinbikes.com.

My Favorite Tools, Part 2

In 2007, I worked for the Aaron’s Pro Women’s Cycling Team on the road, in conjunction with my job at the bike shop.  It was a hectic schedule;  I had a 6 month old child at the time, and a full-time job at  a very successful bike shop.  It only made sense to go on the road with a pro team, right?  In most situations, I’d fly in for a race, transport the vehicles to a temporary home, then fly back home.  The next week, I’d fly back to the vehicle and drive to the next race.  All my days off at the bike shop were working days for the team.  Let’s just say it was an interesting year…

The team director, Carmen D’Aluisio, was a very experienced cyclist during her racing career, and passed down a lot of wisdom to me throughout the year on the road.   One thing she also helped bring to the team was a pretty sweet sponsorship deal with Specialized Bicycles.   At the time, the girls were being equipped with S-Works bikes with SRAM Force (top-of-the-line, at the time) components.  The bikes were some of the lightest in the women’s peloton, and I’m sure some of them were below any legal limit being enforced by the UCI.

Ritchey TorqKey

On the opening day of team training camp, Carmen handed me a tool and said, “Don’t lose this.”  It was the Ritchey TorqKey, a 5nm mini-torque wrench with a 4mm bit, that fit in the palm of my hand.  “All these parts have to be torqued to the proper specifications,” she said.  She was so adamant about torque on the S-Works bikes that she gave each one of the girls on the team their own TorqKey to use when they assemble their bikes after travel.  I was aware that torque was a big deal, but until that point, I hadn’t utilized a torque wrench very often.

Since that point, I’ve used the Ritchey TorqKey ALMOST EVERY DAY.  It’s a really small tool that fits easily in any toolbox/collection and is a necessity if you’re working on anything carbon.  I’m extremely excited about the Ritchey Torque Wrench (manufactured and licensed by Effetto Mariposa) that I just got in for review (via VeloReviews.com).  If it’s anything like the TorqKey, I’m sure it’s a tool that I won’t be able to live without.

My Favorite Tools, Part 1

As I was digging through my small toolbox on my workbench today, I thought to myself, “what are a few of the tools in this box that are just… cool?”  I picked out two of the tools that I really love, but for different reasons.  One, because of the circumstances surrounding how I got it, and the other because of it saving my butt on a daily basis.

1.  Shimano TL-CN31 Chain Tool

I came across this tool in 2005.  In January of that year, I attended the USA Cycling  Bill Woodul Mechanics Clinic at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  I wanted to get into working at professional races, and in order to do that, I needed a license.  The clinic was the next step in my journey to doing so.

I learned a lot at the clinic.  We had some great classes and instruction from great instructors like Calvin Jones (Head Mechanic – Park Tool), Ric Hjertberg (Wheelsmith, FSA, WheelFanatyk), TJ Grove and Andy Stone (Veteran Race Mechanics), and many other professionals in the industry.  The wealth of knowledge I picked up in just a few days in snowy Colorado in 2005 has stuck with me ever since.

The last night we were at the clinic, all the students (including myself) decided to head out for a good time at a local bar across from the Olympic Training Center called “The Finish Line.” It was a real hole-in-the-wall joint, but it was within walking distance and… what the heck, why not?  Some of us had a little TOO MUCH fun and ended up dancing with local cafeteria ladies and really making fools of ourselves, err… myself.  I had a fun time, but got a little out of hand.

(NOTE:  To this day, I still see guys from the Mechanics’ Clinic on the race circuit and all over that recall, “Hey… you’re the guy that got drunk and danced with that lunchroom lady at the Finish Line!”  Yeah… I’m THAT guy.)

The next morning was not a good morning for me.  I felt pretty horrible, and it showed.  I showed up for the last day of class with my beanie pulled down, sunglasses on, and was completely dragging.   At the clinic, several of the sponsors have product giveaways to the attendees, randomly.  A few of the top prizes included a Park Tools workstand and the Shimano TL-CN31.  I wanted the Shimano Chain Tool… badly.  It had cherry handles and sold at most shops for $120.  Not many people have a tool like that… I had to have it.  What were the chances of me winning that drawing, especially after my escapades from the night before?  Not good, I’d have guessed.

Chris Clinton, veteran mechanic and chief instructor at the clinic, was drawing names out of an envelope for the winners of the prizes.  He looked at me and jokingly said, “You think just because you’re hungover, I should draw your name for this prize.”  Of course, I shook my head… I wanted the tool!  Chris reached down into the envelope and pulled out… my name!

I don’t know if I could go without my Shimano TL-CN31.  It’s one of my favorite tools in my toolbox.  It’s exotic, it’s a very cool tool, and I have a story to go along with it… even if I did have to dance with a cafeteria lady to get it.

I mentioned a second tool in the introduction… you’ll have to wait on that one for my next blog post.