Our Talented Re-Cyclery Staff Share Their Passion for Bikes

Archive Post from July 9th, 2018

Trips for Kids Marin has a team of highly skilled, passionate staff who enjoy sharing their enthusiasm for biking while giving back to the community in the best way they know how. Here’s what some of our Re-Cyclery Bike Shop staff shared about their biking history and why they love working here. ​

In this post, we will hear from four of our talented Re-Cyclery staff, they are:

• Mick, Shop Mechanic, TFKM employee for two years
• Brian, Shop Manager, TFKM employee six years
• Myron, Shop Sales, TFKM employee ten months
• Sherry, Shop Mechanic, TFKM employee three months

Why did you decide to work for Trips for Kids Marin?
Mick: I was retired and decided it was time to “give back.”
Brian: It is a fun crew to work with, and I believe in the organization.
Myron: I sought an opportunity to help the community through bicycling.
Sherry: I love working on older bikes and seeing them finding new owners.
​
At what age did you learn to ride and why is bicycling still an important part of your life?
Mick: When you get to be as old as I am, I can’t really remember when I started.
Brian: Four years old.
Myron: I first rode a bike at five years old.
Sherry: Around five years old I think. 

​
What is your favorite aspect of riding?
Mick: My favorite aspect of riding is the feeling of freedom and getting away from the humdrum of life. As Robin Williams once said, “Cycling is the closest thing to flying.”
Brian: The thrill and the need for speed.
Myron: My favorite aspect of riding is learning new skills. I still love to bike commute and trail ride.
Sherry: Biking gives me time to think, allows me to be accessible (e.g., make eye contact with other road/path users), keeps me fit, saves me money, moves me at a pace that allows me to see what flowers are in bloom. It is the most elegant solution I know of to heal so much that ails us at every scale of human organization from personal to community to global.

​What is your favorite part of your job?
Mick: Interacting with our customers and the enjoyment of restoring a cast-off bicycle to 100% functionality. In addition, knowing that the work we do in the shop and our customers’ support goes to a good cause that makes people happy!
Brian: Constantly being challenged.
Myron: Educating the public on bike riding.
Sherry: Learning new things.

What do you wish you knew about bikes as a kid that you learned later in life?
Mick: Just how to bring such a fun object (a bicycle) back to life.
Brian: How to change a tire.
Myron: The importance of regular maintenance.
Sherry: Even if it looks like an insurmountable mountain, go at it one pedal stroke at a time, and it is possible to get to the top.

​We want to hear from you!

​Why are bikes important to you? What do you wish you knew about bikes as a kid? Join the conversation and share your answers in the comments below.