"What's the Best Bike Company You've Worked At?"

The question in the subject of this post - "What's the best bike company you've worked for?" - is one I hear relatively frequently. It's usually due to the fact that I'm meeting up with a former coworker that I haven't seen in a long time, or when people find out I've worked in the industry most of my career. As I write this I'm not in the cycling industry, but it's hard not to think back often... especially when people ask me this kind of question.

It came up again a couple weeks ago and I've been thinking about it on and off since that time. I thought I'd try to make some sense of the question, for myself, and if others are thinking about this industry for their career. The more I think about it, I also think this kind of analysis would show similar patterns in other industries. Industries with a variety of similar companies in the same space, vying for the same customers and using pretty standard products (the bike hasn't changed too drastically in its 200+ year history - unless you're seeing it every day from the inside).

So for those that don't know, I've worked for the following 5 cycling companies in my career, in chronological order - SRAM Corporation, Hayes Bicycle Group, Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), Trek Bicycle and Specialized Bicycle. The last two being the largest US-based cycling companies in the world and both ranked roughly 2nd & 3rd globally. As far as I know, these two major brands only trail one company in annual sales, Giant Bicycle. This formidable, long-running and competent brand is not based in the US, but in Taiwan. They have often produced bikes for both of the other brands, and may still today. Side note: I've also worked for some regional/local bike shops (or independent bicycle dealers (IBDs)) - I would not trade this experience for anything and think it was a great place to start my career in bikes.

Back to the main question - "Who's the best?" My answer to this question is not an easy one and please don't feel bad if you get bored reading this and come back later (or not at all). 

If we simply look at my length of tenure the best company would be QBP. I worked there for 8 years, straight through (never leaving and going back, which seems pretty common, in the cycling industry at least). The 2nd best company on this list would then be SRAM. I worked there for about 6 years, one stretch of 4 years (leaving for an MBA program) and then going back for about 2 more years. My time at the other three wasn't necessarily shorter because I didn't enjoy working there, sometimes life gets in the way and the employer-employee relationships doesn't last as long. 

At this point I'm going to veer a bit off-topic and review some of the things that all or most of the companies on my list have in common. It's pretty interesting to realize how much they do share:

Hippies - not all but most of these companies were started by hippies or people outside of the normal business world drudgery who embraced bikes for themselves and wanted to share this passion with others. Steve Flagg, Dick Burke (who I never met but worked for his son, John) & Bevil Hogg (who I also never met but I know he started a whole different bike company later on), Mike Sinyard, and the four guys at SRAM. Steve was a true hippie and I think I would put Mike in the same boat. It suited them all very well and I only mean that term in this context as a complement to their desire to forge their own paths, er, trails. It's not a slight at all. In fact I'm not sure a regular business person (whatever that is) could have even started these companies in the US in the 1970s.

Vision - many of the men have a type of vision I rarely have seen in others, in or out of bikes. Steve proved this through his company's history, and when I've heard him speak or bring ideas to fruition, that he simply thought broader, more inclusively and down the road further than anyone. I suspect Mike is the same way, in slightly different facets of the bike word. I think most of these men are, whether I got to witness them firsthand or not... you sort of have to be to get some of this now large companies off the ground, with the shared values & vision that they started with.

Passion - I won't pick a winner here. Having worked at these places it's clear to me that all of these founders have major passion for the products, health benefits and incredible camaraderie in this industry.

Start-Ups - These guys started with nothing. One pulled a bike trailer behind his own bike to sell tires from shop to shop throughout the Bay Area. One started making bike frames out of a barn in the middle of Wisconsin (the winters get pretty chilly!). And another literally started out of his garage, selling spare bike parts to bike dealers around the country. In a certain twist of fate, these three companies all started about the same time, rode the gas crisis cycling boom straight to the MTB bike boom, through the Armstrong years, and now into what we have today. Of course, not all the men were involved the entire time, but they set-up their companies for lasting success, in my opinion.. whether the next leaders could keep it going or not. You can also find similar stories at other US bike companies, I've just not worked for them (yet).

Having discussed those shared traits, I think it clear to see that many of the companies in the bike world start out similar but I also know that every one of them changes a great deal and never stays the same. If they did I would probably still be at QBP. Of course, I am not and I've also recently seen and heard that's it's not really the same company as when I worked there. Their president has changed, the industry & companies have to change in some ways constantly and this year, all are dealing with the pandemic.

I will end this long diatribe simply by giving some awards to my former employers for things noticed by me as the best thing they did during the time I was there. They might be different now. If you're looking at cycling for a career, I'd encourage you to check out any potential employer for yourself, heck, maybe even try a few like I have.

Best Employee Engagement & Career Advancement - QBP

Best Vision for Cycling Globally & Embracing Technology in Bike Shops - Trek

Best Product Development & Passion for Racing - Specialized

Best Underdog - Hayes Bicycle Group

Best Growth Story to Witness Over Time - SRAM

To be clear, this is all simply my opinion, and I'm not even handing out any actual awards. One other thing I will point out, that all of the companies I've worked for share, is amazing coworkers. People who have passion for bikes, people who are smarter than me and teach me new things, people who are willing to lend a hand to anyone, people who I still consider my friends... and people who, in some ways, I still consider my coworkers to this day. 

2018/19 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup (Lee Valley VeloPark), London, UK

What do you do in London? Well, there are TONS of things to do, but as a cycling fan, when you stumble onto the UCI Track World Cup ticket page, you do anything you can to attend.

While they'd sold out the "more prestigious" evening program, we were able to hit the afternoon session and see what it's all about, up close. This is a very well-run event, and very interesting and fun to be a spectator - Loved it. 

For the London Olympic Games the city created a "velopark", which held a number of cycling events during the games, including; BMX, MTB, and Track, plus a Cyclocross course is also on the grounds. It's a very well-done venue, inside & outside.

This infield is where all the country teams set-up their "camps" for the length of the weekend event. They prepare, rest, warm-up, cool-down, and have their bikes inspected in this large area during the weekend. Each country has their own little "paddock".

The track's turns are banked at 45-degrees, so speed keeps you glued to the "floor". Speaking of the floor, the track is made of Siberian Pine, brought in special just to make the track's surface. It's rumored to be faster than any other woods that could have been chosen. You still want to avoid crashing on it. Owwwwiiieeee.

This is the view from the tickets we bought. Not amazing, but for the price, I thought it was well worth it, and really not that far from the track either.

Butano State Park, Pescadero, CA

[this location is actually up the road from Pescadero, but well worth seeking out some other spots along Highway 1]

Any ole Sunday is a good day for a new hike, right? I think that's true. This trip was to a smaller state park about 1.5 hours from my home, to a place that had designated trails and redwoods. We picked out some smaller loops and strung together what should have been about a 4-5 mile hike. Also note, much of the terrain by the coast here is up and down. There's not a ton of flat walking or topography to be had.

[I'm sure this idiot fell]

Love the ferns.

Only a small trickle of water through this stream, but nice to see none-the-less.

Those are horizontal spiderwebs all over this redwood. I'd never seen anything like it. No rhyme or reason to it that I'm aware of.

There are many felled redwoods along the trails as well. Some quite large, maybe 5-9' across at the root ball. Don't know why these are falling either, but we did come up with some hypotheses.

By far, this is THE largest slug I've seen to date. It's actually known as the Banana Slug, obviously!, and is easily 5-7" long as it slugs along the ground (that's my medium-sized hand above it for some context). I really had a hard time believing how big this was. I mean, it's the slug that eats like a meal, for sure.

All kinds of lichen and/or moss on many of the trees. I'm pretty sure every redwood area is inland from the ocean by one hill or mountain range. The weather then gets pretty cool and damp over the hill each day, and helps the redwoods take hold over centuries. I could easily be wrong, but I look forward to finding out on my on. Perhaps the California Academy of Sciences is next on the list? (https://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/giants-of-land-and-sea).

One note, we were not able to walk our planned route. Though I think my spidey-sense and general sense of direction is good, we did not follow the route we planned. I think this park could have better signs on their trails, but they may not have the funds to do so. We made it work regardless, but it's always nice to complete what you've planned.

Notes on Pescadero:
I'm pretty sure "pescadero" means "fisherman" in Spanish... which makes a lot of sense b/c this small, one stop sign town, is located about a mile or so from the Pacific ocean. It allows easy access to Butano and is also a cute little town in it's own right. We started with lunch here, but also found they offer coffee, shopping, and a local pub/bar too.

We visited Arcangeli Market for an excellent sandwich and then headed into the woods. The market takes debit/credit cards, has a real bakery offering, and was as busy as heck, for a small town Sunday. I grabbed their Chicken Club on foccochia, it was tasty.

Cafe Domestique, Madison, WI

It's nice to have local coffee purveyors and coffee shops in any town you live in. It's even nicer to have a comfortable, well-appointed, Intelligentsia-offering, cycling-themed local coffee shop. I finally got to visit one in the latter category last week, it's called Cafe Domestique.

For those not in the know, the French word "domestique" means "domestic" or "household". As another example, a "home computer", in French, is called a "ordinateur domestique".  In the cycling world this word is used to describe a rider who works hard everyday for their team leader, no matter the weather or terrain. They protect the chosen team leader in each race they ride, from wind, other riders, obstacles, etc. Perhaps, from the team leader's point of view, it means a person that they can always rely on, they find comfort in, and as someone who will take care of and protect you.

If that last embellishment of mine is true, it seems fitting that this cafe is in a quaint, quiet, family neighborhood, has a very cozy feel, and is easily accessible by bike. It feels like you belong when you walk in and the service and product meets those same values, imo. It's not at all a massive space, which helps it match the houses in the neighborhood, and feel very comfortable upon entry. That said, I'm not sure I'd bring a large group of people here, with a 4 chairs next to end tables (pic above) and 3, four-top tables, it only seats about 16 people. Despite that, I think this is perfect for this space and feel. I wouldn't change a thing.

(how many chainrings can you count?)

Since I was intending to sit for a spell and get some reading done, I went in headfirst and ordered an iced mocha (decaf, sorry) and picked out a nice raspberry muffin to go with it. Both were solid. Not only that, but Batch Bakehouse is a couple doors down, which is where I presume my muffin was born... and near the end of my visit, a woman came in from a local cupcake joint to drop-off fresh-baked cupcakes. The proprietor placed said 'cakes under the glass dish on the front counter right away. People helping people (eat cupcakes) - it's a beautiful thing.

The bicycle name is borne out in the space well, with cycling items, bikes, and books on display. They were showing the live stage of the Giro di Italia too "boot" (get it? Italy looks like a boot). Don't worry - sound was muted and great music was playing for the customers.

See that little doorway on the right - this store is connected to a small cargo bike shop, known simply as "The Cargo Bike Shop". They're not always open at the same times and have separate entrances, but still work together and even combine events. I'd overheard they do a monthly family ride and, if I heard correctly, music for kids in the cafe once a month. Word on the street is it fills up fast.

If any of this interests you, I'd encourage you to click their links...

Cafe Domestique

The Cargo Bike Shop

I didn't even get to talk about Intelligentsia, another famous export from Chicago. Perhaps soon.