About Us
Alex (shop owner) has been involved in bike racing since the mid-eighties. He raced bicycles around the country for several years, coached the University of Colorado Cycling team for five years and has worked in bike shops as a sales person and mechaninc for the better part of fifteen years. During that time he has seen a lot of things in the bike industry change and has seen many fads come and go. He knows what works and he tries to avoid the fads. As the shop owner he has realized a long time goal of owning a bike shop. "They" say that Alex likes the fancy stuff. It is probably true, but he definitely doesn't ride it just because it is light or because it is the latest and greatest. He does have stories to tell about racing back in the day and it seems like as the years go by the stories become a bit grander..hmmm.
Chad is one of our main mechanical masterminds. He began working at bike shops shortly after graduating from hig school. He spent a few years in So.Cal but knew he needed to be home in Missoula. Chad has a wealth of mechanical knowledge, is a SRAM trained mechanic and can fix just about any sort of suspension system that you hand him. He brings a bit of levity to the repair area with a laugh that you cannot miss.
You may or may not see Laurel when you come in to the shop. She is the wizard behind the scenes. We all rely on Laurel to to keep things moving like a well oiled machine...which she does very well. If you cannot find her in the shop she is probably out on the trail or paddling the Blackfoot.
Brendan is our resident professional triathlete. He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to finding the right gear to help you reach your next PR. Brendan spends the winters in Tucson working at the cycling house. He has a been rumored to have the ability to fly. No one has seen hi fly. They have only seen him hurtle himself off of 40 ft cliffs and land safely on the rocky slopes below.
Abe is an excellent mechanic and a great resource for all of your bike related questions. Abe has an excellent eye for detail and is able to fix any problem your bike may have from the simple to the complicated. He also possesses a master's skill with all types of suspension system. You can immediately pick Abe out in a crowd. He will be the one on his KONA Stinky with his shirt in the back pocket. "Shirtless Abe" finds a way to make time for the bike shop in between playing drums with his band. He is not just a rock star on the stage but here in the shop, on the bike and on the slopes!
Bio coming!
Buck and Buckley... bio's coming!
Max, or "Mad Max" as he affectionately known, is veteran of M.B.W. He is still the youngest member of the team but with his many years of service he has knowledge beyond his years. We like to think that we don't have any kind of attitude around here but if you are looking for some attitude we are sure Max will give his best shot at it. Max is a "freerider" through and through. He like his bikes big and he likes the drops to be even bigger. We are (STILL)looking forward to the day that we convince him to wear some lycra.
Reed Hails from Wisconson and yes he is a fan of the Packers. From day one we have counted on Reed to be our on the spot fix-it go to guy. He is a top notch mechanic with an eye for detail. Reed's skill and professionalism helped him work his way into the position of Missoula Bicycle Works service manager. Reed has completed the mechanics course at the Barnett's Bicycle Institute and has attended the SRAM Tech School. Over the years Reed has worked closely with various component, fork and wheel manufacturers to hone the skills needed to ensure that all components achieve optimum performance. Reed likes long walks on the beach, cold beers and any stat that proves that Brett Farve is the best QB ever!
Missoula Bicycle Works Employee Emeritus
Wind comes (came) to us from California. He has been in Missoula for a couple of years now spending a better amount of his time skiing up at "the Bowl". Wind is an outstanding mechanic and spent last spring and summer traveling around with the Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling team as their mechanic. From our experience we figure Wind can fix just about anything and if you need you skis tuned, well Wind is great at that as well.
Bio coming!
Jeff is one more of the mid-west transplants that we have working here. Jeff spent several years working at a small bike shop in Minnesota before moving to Missoula to attend the University. You will most likely meet him the minute you walk in the door. Jeff has been a triathlete for over eight years and knows the sport very well. He has helped build our knowledge of what triathletes are looking for and how best to assist them. Jeff also helps to manage the perennial powerhouse triathlon team here at the University of Montana. If you have specific questions regarding triathlon Jeff will be a great resource.
Rocky, rooty single track is where he came from and now Kevin has the smooth long climbs followed by long fast and technical single track descents of Missoula. He once called Pennsylvania home but he sold the full suspension bike for a steel hard tail to conquer the long climbs of the Rattlesnake wilderness area. Kevin is our service manager. He is the one who makes sure you bike is done right the first time. If you have any questions regarding your bike Kevin is the one to ask. Kevin has completed the SRAM STU course and is very experienced with a wide variety of suspension systems, brake systems and drive trains. Kevin is a meticulous mechanic who expects the work to be right the first time!
Shaun is our jack-of-all-shop-trades. He has great skills as a mechanic. His product knowledge is vast, and he manages our shop with effortless skill. He is the nicest person you have ever met andif you have never met him he is the nicest guy you have never met.
Chris has been at Missoula Bicycle Works longer than anyone. He is an outstanding mechanic who knows the shop inside and out and if anyone can help you find what you are looking for Chris will be the one to do it. Chris has been a mechanic since his teenage days at the local Schwinn shop back in Chicago. Fortunately for our customers and us, Chris prefers the mountain biking and ice climbing in Montana to what he had in the windy city. If he is not in the shop more than likely you will see him out on the trails or scoping a new ice route up in the park; Glacier Park that is.
Dave is (was) our store manager and he has been at M.B.W. since nearly the beginning. He is probably one of the most experienced and talented mechanics around. Dave is good at holding all of us to a higher standard. That higher standard has helped earn him a great reputation as a mechanic and wheel builder. Dave has been a mechanic for nearly fifteen years now, nine of those years have been here at M.B.W. If you absolutely cannot find an answer to you question be sure to ask Dave. More than likely he will know the answer or know how to find it.
Amber was another of our resident scholars. She is a graduate of UofM. Amber spent several years at Missoula Bicycle Works sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience. She currently works for the city Baltimore as the Bicycle Pedestrian Planner for the Metropolitan region. We can't figure out how this very western girl was convinced to move east but we hope she will come back to Missoula soon.
It may read like a personal ad but Eric is into steel hardtails, science fiction writing, American muscle cars and waffles. In fact Eric has burned out three waffle irons in the last six months. Eric has worked at several bike shops around the west that specialized in everything from BMX to touring, road racing to freeriding. With all of his knowledge we are confident that he will be able help you find exactly what you are looking for, whether it is a bike, a helmet, shoes or just the right inner tube. His experience runs wide and deep and as our shop manager we rely on Eric to keep everything running smooth.
Brian comes to us via western Washington. He is a top notch mechanic in the old school mold. He is a young guy but talks about Campagnolo components like he was around when Tullio was was designing his first derailleur.
