My business is called "Bicycle Support by Mark". Its goals are to provide neutral mechanical support for bicycle-related events and offer full-service mobile bicycle repair, sales, and fittings to the general public and racing enthusiasts. Also a bike studio for bicycle fittings, repairs, sales, and consultations. See the complete and comprehensive list of service and rates here. NEUTRAL SUPPORT - Most neutral support programs are corporate-sponsored with complete financial backing and all the goodies they need. Mine is an independent business - grassroots in biking lingo - that purchases the best equipment. Eliminating the need to please sponsors removes a huge burden that often results in unearned and exaggerated praise for marginal, often shoddy equipment. Having the flexibility to choose the most appropriate equipment without compromise or obligation benefits the racers, companies, and all those involved with successful bicycle events. The best equipment and service come without the hype...it is difficult to be "neutral" otherwise. Besides, free stuff has a cancerous effect on the whole truth. I'm certainly not spending my hard-earned money on anything less than the best. American companies and jobs matter a great deal to me so the bulk of my equipment and partners exemplifies this belief. All neutral support bikes in my program are meticulously hand-assembled by me. Wheels are carefully hand-built from a pile of parts by me, based on proven designs with proven components and methods. Every wheel has a unique personality, every bike its own nuances, nothing is assumed or taken for granted. I strive to provide the best race support service with an enormous variety and quantity of equipment and tools. At a typical race I will bring seven bikes, 25 or so additional wheels (up to 17 different combinations of rear wheels alone), repair parts...you have to see it to believe it. My presence is designed to enhance the venue without diminishing the involvement or visibility of sponsors who pay for the privilege of being there. Many mechanical problems may cause a rider to drop out of their event. Almost all of these are easily remedied when a well-equipped and -trained mechanic is at hand. As of yet I do not have a cure for rider apathy or poor preparation. Other than that, unless something extraordinarily unusual happens then you're gonna ride! Several hundred races as a neutral support mechanic ensure I am one of the most talented and diverse technicians: road races of every discipline, cyclocross, state and national championships, multi-day international stage races, UCI-sanctioned events, charity and fundraising rides, multi-sport events, ATB/mountain bike, seminars, and workshops. Most are in the northeast USA where the program is based. BICYCLE REPAIR - Almost two decades of industry experience include all roles involved with running a high-end bicycle shop. You are assured of the highest quality service, consistency, attention to detail, and professionalism. Every bike shop says the same thing and every one has the best of the best whether service, parts, bikes, employees, knowledge, etc. You can learn how to wade through all the blabber with a few minutes of research on my website. For a more personable exchange, bring me your bike for a thorough inspection and learn where it's been shortchanged. A fully mobile service in addition to a retail location has many advantages. Convenience, accountability, and time savings are three huge pluses. Mobile service can be less expensive than a trip to the store but it's so much more than that: you decide where, when, and what you want from the experience. You have sought my services because your needs have not been met elsewhere. More of an armchair quarterback now than dedicated competitor, I’ve participated in all kinds of bicycle races, triathlons, running, and other athletic activities that keep me fit, alert, and aware of the intricacies of wellness. As a former professional fitness educator and personal trainer, I have extensive knowledge of biomechanics, healthy lifestyles, diet, proper training, injury management, and education. My experience with energy work and healing arts finds a useful outlet, too.
QUALIFICATIONS:
USAC Category 2 Mechanic USAC Category B Road Official USAC Category B Track Official USAC Mountain Bike Category C Official USAC MotoRef Category C Official Certified Fitter three times over and other certifications
I love to work on bikes. It's a mechanical thing that has intrigued me since deconstructing toys as a toddler. As wisdom lethargically arrives it becomes more apparent how precious and fragile the body is. The thought of a bike or components failing under any circumstance is scary. My experience and knowledge - flattering or not - err on the side of safety and function before anything else. All bikes I service have the same importance and get the same treatment, i.e. the best possible. I'm not a bike snob or elitist but a very particular service snob and happy to admit it. Every company will create something that is defective, hopefully just an occasional piece that never reaches the retail market and not something that thousands already have, or tens of thousands as some irresponsible frame/fork manufacturers have let through. Seriously, manufacturers, how long have people been making carbon fiber forks, are you really that phukking stupid that you still can't get it right? Seriously??? Even with precision machining and molding processes the human element ensures no manufactured part or process will be perfect. The ownership and resultant fix determine a company's true value. Without a thorough inspection by an experienced eye you might get that lemon. Your (competent?) mechanic is the final quality control expert. Simply, quality control is the willingness to throw something away. Recalls or scrapping an entire production run can severely impact revenue. The financial concern usually trumps the moral concern and the product is delivered anyway. Countless examples can be seen with a simple internet search. Can you blame these companies? As long as the costs of potential lawsuits are lower than the costs of recalls, there's no reason to risk a profit. Collateral injuries are just another byproduct of their business model, let the consumers deal with it. As this mentality trickles down the supply chain, it is bolstered by the attitude adopted by most retail environments. Shops are afraid to question manufacturers' low-quality products because they rightfully fear repercussions. Retail shops will overlook or sidestep the truth when it reflects unfavorably on their products (profits). Shop owners generally forbid their employees from discussing all the pros and cons. The consumer gets the short end of the stick while the employees dodge another pink slip. Retailers could use the collective power of rebellion by banding together and refusing to purchase bad products or technology. Instead they cower under spineless diplomacy with "Thank you sir, may I have another?" and say nothing. If they don't stock it, the next guy will; as long as one shady seller exists then all other sellers will have to act in the same manner to preserve their sales. It's not possible to improve the industry under these conditions. Regarding equipment like wheels, frames, derailleurs, tires, chains,...you can buy these anywhere. One derailleur is going to be exactly the same as the next. The price you pay or where you purchase something has NO effect on how well it performs. I strive to provide commodities that can't be purchased "off the shelf": the best service and knowledge. I have no vested interest in what you use, where you buy it, who gives you free stuff, or anything other than being the best at what I do, which is providing solutions to your cycling experience. Sadly, companies that embrace effective customer service and maintain a high standard compete on an uneven playing field with the mangy majority. Progressive companies that manufacture honest-to-goodness functional products or offer no-holds-barred services are a rarity. A $300 carbon fiber stem should have better manufacturing tolerances than a $20 department store stem and custom $10,000 framesets must be better than $300 mass-produced ones, right? Actually, no, far from it...very, VERY far. Specialty stores are mostly experts in their own minds. It's believable because all sorts of precise, scientific methods and tools enhance the charade: laser light shows, video cameras with fancy software, etc. They only carry the absolute best equipment, have the most skilled technicians in the industry, the most comprehensive assembly process...isn't this what every shop says? And when that new product line comes in it'll be the best ever until the profits tell them it's time to say something else is the best ever. What message does that send to the consumer in this forsaken sales model, flip-flopping your product loyalties at the drop of a hat? Unfortunately even the "best in their own mind" conveniently ignore the truth to make a sale and outright lie to customers and employees. You would expect this from a political science scholar skilled in the art of deception and fraud, not from a bike shop owner. Questionable characters like this own some bike shops. Or "athletes" who continually get DQed or suspended for violating the rules. Some have never turned a wrench a day in their life, never managed people or worked in a retail environment, and they're telling their mechanics how to work on a bike, their customers what to buy, how to race and train, what to eat, injury prevention, and life coaching. If God walked through the door, they'd argue with Him about existentialism and still think they're right. For your benefit - please, use this fully to your advantage - I am able to offer solutions that are not practical, available, or feasible elsewhere. Too often in the retail environment, manufacturers shirk their responsibilities while shop owners play pattycake. I have no hidden sales agenda and certainly won't sidestep the pros, cons, or safety concerns or squander my principles by making a questionable sale or recommendation. These common shenanigans often railroad a customer. Quality and knowledge glued together with passion are my guiding principles. There is no such thing as a detail, everything is important. Two-minute solutions might require hours of research. Few situations will interfere with my doing the job that every person and bike deserve. I'm certainly not the best at everything but I will not allow my ignorance or a serious case of dumbass-itis to stand in the way. My processes and workmanship are very precise so mistakes are easily identified and prevented from recurring. Play the lottery if you crave uncertainty. My goal is to get you to think outside the box and research your options. Influencing your need for information will empower you to make the best decisions. I'm not going to get in a mental tug-of-war or a game of one-upmanship, if you want to argue about something find a college professor. My opinions and field observations are always available once the facts are laid out. What you do with that information is entirely your choice. The majority of people might understand what I am explaining but will likely continue to do or think the same way. After all, if manufacturers and bike shops are selling or making it, and people are using those products or services, and doomsday hasn't struck, then why change? A fundamental change in the mentality of the cycling industry is overdue. I would like to see the cycling industry rise to the challenge and be more forthcoming with the public. You will get the straight scoop with me, I don't care who or what is insulted by an inconvenient truth, my allegiance is to quality. The current bike shop model has proven repeatedly that it is a failure and the new era of the bike store is arriving. I'm going to embrace it. Big box concept stores are popping up on every corner, only paving the way to the end of the local bike shop as we know it. Sad are those bike shops that are ignorant enablers and willing participants. The new model is service. It's a very hard concept to explain to some people, especially sales reps, as they lack the vision and imagination to see beyond a store filled with bikes, can't fathom how a bike shop can survive without inventory, customers coming through the door, or advertising. Solve that riddle and understand the remarkably liberating new model of the 21st century bicycle store. My customers have always enjoyed the best service because it is my priority. Service quality does not depend on nor change with new products. It does not change with the season when the skis or snowboards are the focus of your local bike shop. It does not change if I stock such-and-such product, it does not change if a manufacturer or distributor shuts me off, it does not change if the biggest and baddest bike store opens up right next to me selling things for pennies on the dollar, it does not change if you buy something from me, online, or another store. It does not change except when I improve it. Customers are loyal to me, not some misguided manufacturer or snakeskin wheel company. Besides, the last thing I want to offer is what every other bike store offers. Go buy it there, please, and when you want it done correctly, call me. I refuse to compete with any bike store regarding junk inventory or acres of lame bikes. I know my limits and gladly excuse myself from the ratrace. Those shops can sell all they want but they will never be able to compete with my service. Ergo, I will not compete with their products, they win. While I can order anything you want I'm not going to reduce myself to an unethical salesperson and push nor purchase it for you. No manufacturer can ransom my accounts and blackmail me into their pockets, they have no influence and no ability to affect anything I do, NONE! I'm just some no-name, piss-ant, rogue bike store and happy to be so. Their business models and practices are anti-consumer and anti-business and the worst part, they will do whatever they want to move their inventory even when it screws over their established dealers. These manufacturers are not bound by any contract that forces them to be ethical or honorable and they'd just as soon dump all leftover inventory to some third-party liquidator destined for the internet, "gray market" product. It is true that almost anything can be purchased NEW on-line for less than wholesale. So why do I want to carry any product? Of course, the retailer is screwed if they violate any provisions, quite the selfish, mutually non-beneficial, industry-destroying, one-way arrangement. Thanks but no thanks.
Living life without passion is like driving through the Grand Canyon locked in the trunk of a car. Yeah, you were there, but what did you experience? - Bioenergetics; Alexander Lowen, (c) 1975, Penguin Books
(c) 2011 Bicycle Support By Mark, LLC - all rights reserved; revised 11/22/2011