Contact me- bernard@sramnrs.com

We will be working the Beaufort, SC, Walterboro, SC, Spartanburg, SC and Sandy Springs, GA events, if you are interested in volunteering at these events, please contact me on bernard@sramnrs.com. Or meet us at the SRAM tent on course and introduce yourself.

Cheers

Bernard

USA Cycling graduates 49 from 2009 Bill Woodul Mechanics Clinic

by VeloNews.com

December 17, 2009Comments

Press Release

USA Cycling is pleased to congratulate the 49 graduates of the 2009 Bill Woodul Mechanics Clinic which took place at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Dec. 9-13.

Mechanics came from around the country to take part in the clinic which covered everything from wheel changes to bicycle design fundamentals, and from team mechanic responsibilities to tubular tire fundamentals. Three full days at the only instructional seminar of its kind in the world gave students the unique opportunity to learn from industry experts, receive hands-on experience, and network with leaders in the cycling industry.

“I thought it was important for me to come here. I‘ve done some race support, both neutral and with teams over the past two years, and I really thought this would be a good opportunity to fill in some of the gaps and flesh out what I already knew,” student Max Thomas, from Minneapolis, explained during a wheel change class. “There are a lot of little techniques that will make it go faster and I knew I would get those here.”

The students come from a variety of backgrounds and goals, but all left with an enhanced ability to provide the best tools possible, for all types of riders. World-class race mechanics with national, as well as international, experience served as instructors and made presentations on topics including:

·        Race support across all disciplines of cycling

·        Team and neutral mechanic responsibilities

·        Coach and soigneur interaction

·        Wheel changes

·        Team inventory procedures

·        Bike inspection and wash

·        Tool, equipment, and supply needs

·        Bicycle design and material fundamentals

·        Fork theory and tuning

·        Wheel theory

·        Tubular tire fundamentals

·        DOT compliance

·        Packing and transportation

“The overall goal of the clinic is to increase mechanics’ skill sets in order to keep riders and spectators safe and also to raise the professionalism of the sport,” said Calvin Jones, who has been an instructor for the clinic every year since 1988. “And the number one thing that the license gives to mechanics is the education that they had to come through the clinic to get, as well as the networking and the opportunities to work at various USA Cycling events.”

The 49 graduates of this year’s clinic have now earned the right to carry a USA Cycling mechanic’s license – a right which makes them eligible for certain industry jobs with cycling-related companies or professional teams. The license also enhances their employment opportunities at local bike shops.

“It gives you both credibility and a means of insurance,” said Thomas. “You’re supported as part of a network. You can find work and your name is out there for people to contact you.”

The Bill Woodul Mechanic Clinic is named after USA Cycling mechanic Bill Woodul who held the first clinic in the late 1980’s as a way to recruit mechanics for his program. Past graduates of the program have gone on to work for teams all over the world.

Thank you to the following instructors for making the clinic possible:

Dave Arnauckas – Shimano

Butch Balzano – SRAM

Matt Bracken – Pedros

Chris Clinton – ProMechanics

Nick DeLauder – Fox Racing

T.J. Grove – Biketek, Inc.

Ric Hjertberg – Wheel Fanatyk

Chip Howat – C.S. Howat & Associates

Bernard Kocis – SRAM

Calvin Jones – Park Tool

Marc Niemiec – Mavic

Andy Stone – BMC Racing

Congratulations to these 2009 graduates:

Andrew Chaffee

Jack Lundquist

Stephen Pardita

Dustin Barrientes (Dallas, Texas)

Brian Bluemle (El Paso, Texas)

Bobby Charlton (Twin Falls, Idaho)

Roscoe Cummins (Calif.)

William Hall (Springfield, Mo.)

Kyle Jones (Eaton, Colo.)

Jim Jones (Athens, Ga.)

Robert Love (Longmont, Colo.)

Robert Malsch (Larkspur, Colo.)

Thomas Nyzio (Pawtuckt, RI)

Sam Siemens-Luthy (Steilacoom, Wash.)

Joseph Spuckler (Plano, Texas)

Clark Stough (Glendale, Ariz.)

William Swan (Bay City, Mich.)

Max Thomas (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Marcel Van Garderen (Fort Collins, Colo.)

Travis Buck (Seattle, Wash.)

Marcio Cemin (Miami, Fla.)

John Paul DiTomaso (Woodland Park, Calif.)

Sean Eagleton (Redwood City, Calif.)

Michael Gavagan (Wilmington, Del.)

Andy Haggerty (Mountville, Pa.)

Nicholas Kemp (Mercer Island, Wash.)

Bryon Moundy

Jon Ray II (Owasso, Ok.)

Mark Wagner (St. James, NY)

Gustavo Walder (Miami, Fla.)

James Weigand (Arlington, Va.)

Michael Jenner (Nottingham,  UK)

Lew Chin (Chicago, Ill.)

JT Lyons (San Diego, Calif.)

Cory Osth (San Diego, Calif.)

Kyle Robinson (Divide, Colo.)

John Roberts (Los Alamos, NM)

Eluid Agruelles Jr. (Corpus Christi, Texas)

John Caton III (Wakefield, Mass.)

Joe Devera (Santa Cruz, Calif.)

Will Rose (La Mesa, Calif.)

Erik Walter (Naperville, Ill.)

Tyson Greenman (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Rosanna Lloyd (Chicago, Ill.)

Kevin Corsello (Chicago, Ill.)

Christopher Griffin (New York, NY)

Drew Hettinga (Glen Elyn, Ill.)

Matt Keane (Virginia Beach, Va.)

Taku Sekine (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Providence Rhode Island June 29^th and 30^th

9:00am to 5:ish pm

  InstructorsMerlyn Townley – Category One Race MechanicButch Balzano – SRAM Neutral Race SupportJustin Koch – USA CyclingBernard Kocis – SRAM Neutral Race Support Some but not all of what you’ll learn• Neutral/Road/Mountain/Cyclo-cross support • Gluing tires • Washing • pit set-up • Working with athletes and staff • Wheel changes • Responsibilities of the team mechanic • What to expect on the road • Driving in a bicycle race Apply what you learnApply what you learn at the clinic working for the SRAM Neutral Race Service in the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race 7/3 thru 7/6. (This is not part of the clinic but an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge, experience and exposure at one of New England’s premiere cycling events.)Cost$200 for this two day clinic. Price includes Race Mechanics Guide and lunch both days. It does not include the cost of the license itself. Payments for the clinic are to be made in advance and are non-refundable. Directions3 Steeple Street, 125 Canal St, Providence, RI 02903 www.3SteepleStreet.com For more information and to sign up, please contactMerlyn Townleywhereismerlyn@gmail.com All students must have a minimum of 3 years shop experience.

2009 Eastern Race Mechanics Clinic

Providence Rhode Island

June 29th and 30th

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

   Instructors Merlyn Townley – Category One Race MechanicButch Balzano – SRAM Neutral Race SupportJustin Koch – USA CyclingBernard Kocis – SRAM Neutral Race Support Some but not all of what you’ll learn  • Neutral/Road/Mountain/Cyclo-cross support • Gluing tires • Washing • Pit set-up • Working with athletes and staff • Wheel changes • Responsibilities of the team mechanic • What to expect on the road • Driving a car in a bicycle race Apply what you learn Select participants will be chosen to join the SRAM Neutral Race Service at the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race 7/2 thru 7/5 in Massachusetts. While the race is not an official facet of the clinic, it’s a valuable opportunity to gain experience and exposure at one of New England’s premiere cycling events. Room and board is included for that event. Please note all students are required to have a minimum of 3-years shop experience as a bicycle mechanic. Cost $200.Price includes clinic, race mechanics manual/guide and lunch (both days). Payments for the clinic are to be made in advance and are non-refundable. License is an additional fee of $50, issued by USA Cycling.The license fee is a separate transaction and will be collected on site. Clinic Location/Directions 3 Steeple Street, 125 Canal StProvidence, RI 02903www.3SteepleStreet.com  For more information and to sign up, please contact  Merlyn Townley802.282.2852whereismerlyn@gmail.com  

So…last season, with a men’s team, I was able to find a mechanic who could arrange to be with us for almost 2 weeks on the road working 2 stage races. How did I find this guy? From Justin, the USAC head mechanic. I asked him to post a ‘mechanic wanted’ email to the licensed USAC mechanics and from that one guy emerged. He worked out quite well! Although by the end of the first stage race he was showing signs of fatigue which is to be expected when you first jump into life on the road.

This brings me to the 2009 season and my new gig with the SRAM NRS program.
For those mechanics who are currently licensed and for those who want to get a license (refer to the above RI clinic) let me offer an opportunity to work with me and the other SRAM NRS guys; Butch, Jose and Chad at events around the country throughout the season. You will get experience during the races but also experience with the preparations before and after events. Probably even get introduced to the other neutral programs and teams around the country for opportunities with them.

OK so what’s the point??! Simply put, there is a full calendar of events scheduled for the SRAM NRS service and plenty of opportunities for mechanics wanting to experience the thrill and satisfaction of supporting races and racers.

Look for a new website about SRAM NRS soon (www.semeventsllc.com) and new Facebook and Twitter pages! And please contact me for info and your ability to work events…bernard@cyclewise.us

Hope to see you soon!
Bernard

For Team RACE Pro, the Vuelta Chihuahua was the final event for our 08 season. But….we did wonder if the boys would be able to maintain racing fitness over the weeks since Univest…have to admit, they were in good form and raced well.

Most of the team assembled in Toronto with a transfer in Dallas where we met our swannie for the event, Benny, who works for one of the BIG teams but was able to gig with us. While we were going through US Customs from Toronto, I was interviewed by a Mexican-American officer who felt it was his duty to ask me what race we were doing in Mexico….3 times!! Each time I said ” Vuelta Chihuahua” (with an emphasis on the V). Finally, he corrected me and pronounced Vuelta with a ‘W’ which sounds line ‘Well-ta’. I guess my extremely poor pronunciation provoked his response and correction. Kind of funny, at first I thought I was going to be pulled out for secondary questioning and search, but it was just a diction lesson!!
From DFW we hopped on a prop puddle jumper to the Chihuahua airport. Cruising through Customs brought us into a warm, dry and high (altitude…easy now) morning in Mexico. A stake bed truck and limo bus were waiting to wisk us through the countryside to our accommodations. The hotel had a banquet room waiting for the teams to fill with bikes, bags, boxes, wheels, tools, drinks, food, etc. Which we did.
They also cleared the outside patio and installed temporary water hook-ups for the mechanics, including lengths of hose (which was good news for me as I did not pack our hose to keep excess baggage to a minimum). Thankfully, this happened at each hotel!

Teams were provided with 2 cars and a passenger van. We were lucky to be given 3 vehicles that worked every time we turned a key. This was apparently not guaranteed for all vehicles as we helped jump start several cars at the race caravan parking. Most of these cars have seen better days and ours was no exception. Paint peeling from the bumper, dents and dent repair pocking the exterior and a surprise realization…we had no rear-view mirror on the interior!
We eventually found one in an auto parts shop and installed it for less than $6.00 USD. Now I can sleep instead of looking out the rear window and doing a running commentary on the riders, cars and officials coming from behind.

Racing went off on time and in good weather, for the most part. A bit of rain happened overnight once which left unwelcome puddles that, of course, were directly in the racing line…good thing hoses were available!

Speaking of racing, the terrain was unbelievable. We were racing from 1400m to 3000m through high valleys, mesas, deserts and mountains with climbs that were snapping legs daily…and the descents were doing damage to bodies and bikes. Our youngest rider went to the edge, quite literally. On a fast dangerous descent, he attempted to avoid a rider in full wheel lock which sent him rocketing through the rock strewn shoulder clipping his crank/pedal on a rock flipping him over the bars and tumbling to an eventual stop, just inches (really!!) from a 30 foot drop!! If his adrenaline wasn’t fully pumping from the crash, once he looked at where he stopped, it was full gas then! Among the usual damage you would expect, he managed to bend the pedal axle, that was a first for me. At the same time, another of our team was exploring the bottom of the same cliff as he was forced off further down the road. He was much less damaged and his bike still ridable.

A few of us mechanics had a daily search and running auction for tubular glue, promising anything and everything to be able to stick new tires for the following day. (fyi, flying with tubular glue is illegal and subject to monetary fines and jail time, of course, no one does this)

Then we come to the point where riders, management and other staff begin to exhibit signs of discomfort and tendency to hoard toilet paper…yes, Montezuma’s revenge made it’s way into our team hitting our DS first. On one stage we stopped for a nature break and I ended up driving the remainder of the stage while he went through fever chills in the back. We didn’t see him for 16 hours, but he rebounded and carried on in his usual good nature. While the rest of us were re-enacting the same thing many times a day (this is where TP hoarding comes in) which carried on well after we returned to our respective homes.

Despite the challenges, the race was well done and well received by riders and staff alike. It is a hard race. One I would like to do again.