Well, that's a very good question.
I'm a bike mechanic, cyclist, commercial agent in the cycle trade and run a business training cycle mechanics as well. In consequence, I know a lot of people "in the trade" and on the periphery - as well as cyclists of all persuasions, their friends, partners, families, cats and dogs ...
And whilst I know that the cats and dogs won't be reading this, lots of people that I know have asked me to write a bit of a blog about what it is that I do, the highs, the lows, the fun bits and the serious, hints and tips, memories and stories, anecdotes and one-liners ... so I thought, well, why not?
Why Pimp My Toolbox, I hear you ask - well, ever since watching Pimp My Ride on MTV, I've thought that every Spanner Monkey's toolbox is a bit like those folks' ride - personal, unique to them, an insight, maybe, into what matters to them, and a bit like peering into a house through the letterbox.
My toolbox is like that - except that you won't get arrested for peering into it at strange hours of the day and night, unlike my letterbox :-)
About Me
- I've been in the cycle trade since I was 16, and a racing cyclist since I was 17. I learned to be a mechanic thanks to some really great guys who took pity on my ignorance & it's to them I owe my time in this most friendly and accommodating of trades. I have worked in America, spent a lot of time in "Old Europe", met wonderful people who have been amazingly generous with their time and knowledge. In effect I have served a very long apprenticeship that is still ongoing today, so although the only formal qualification in this field I have, is as a UCI Level 3 mechanic (one of only 2 registered in the UK), I can sit at a table with engineers and make sensible contributions to the discussion, even if I am *only* a mechanic. Cycling as a sport and pastime has been an amazing journey for me - thanks to cycling, I have been to some very dark places in my soul, I have been uplifted beyond what I thought possible ... I have seen incredibly beautiful things and met people who have become lifelong friends. Cycling is my passion, it's in my blood and I want to share it.
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