Winter Weaponry:

Winter Weaponry: local sponsors who offer quality products.

(This winter I was fortunate to connect with personal sponsors that made training in the harsh Northwest winter months an enjoyable pursuit.)

(A big toothy grin and a very sponsor friendly haircut! I had a great time doing a photo shoot at JLVELO headquarters in Fremont.)

(My two secret weapons this winter: Bomb-proof apparel made by JLVELO and my first TT bike, a Tiemeyer, which the genius of Tre turned into my deadliest weapon. Internal 3-speed fixed gear hub allowed me to rally on the flats and still mash threshold intervals up Cougar mountains.)

JLVELO: Race in JL makes high quality, good fitting, and durable cycling clothing. I put their winter clothing to the test. The results were impressive, and warm. 

Training in the NW full-time through the winter is no easy task.  I'm thoroughly impressed with JLVelo's clothes, specifically their winter soft-shell and Gamex wind-vest. I'm also a fan of their winter bib tights.

What really appeals to me about JLVelo is that they are a local, family-owned company that places a huge emphasis on customer support.  The fact that they do custom clothing was what really sold me considering I am tall and lanky and I have a hard time finding any stock clothing that fits.

If you want durable, good-fitting clothes for the hard NW winters from a local company with a huge friendly heart and passion for cycling, then you will be very pleased to work with the folks at Race in JL.  You should stop by there retail location and say hello. It’s located right off the Burke Gilman trail at the intersection of Fremont & Stone Way.

Tre at Recycled Cycles: Tre is the best damn bike mechanic I have ever met. This is not an exaggeration or hyperbole. I started working at bike shops when I was 14. I consider my self an astute mechanic. Yet, there is no one I trust with my bikes other than Tre. He is the only person I will ever let touch my bikes, and his hands I trust more than my own. 

(The best mechanic I have ever met. You can meet him at Recycled Cycles. With his dog. His talent comes from a mechanical ability to see outside the box, fixing problems with an unmatched creative flair.)

 

(WINTER MACHINE. Custom full wrap fender job. Powertap. Custom three water bottle cage bracket. Race geometry. I destroyed this thing in more ways than one. And it always fought back.)

(Just picked up my winter machine from Tre. Following my car less mantra, I fashioned a hitch on my bike for my bikes. Much easier than carrying extra bikes strapped to my back like I did for many years.)

Along with having great taste in music, a pleasant and calm demeanor, and an amazing array of finely crafted tattoos covering the majority of his skin, Tre is an encyclopedia of obscure bike knowledge. There has yet to be any question he has not been able to answer. 

Tre is the service manager at my favorite Seattle bike shop: Recycle Cycles. There is no other store that offers as high of quality mechanic work and cycling knowledge on all breeds of bicycles. I know the management intimately, and they are sworn to creating a friendly work environment and a business focused on promoting the growth and sustainability of the Seattle biking community. I’m a loyal customer.