I have been working in bike shops since 1995. I moved to Seattle in 1997 and came to work for Neil at the Montlake Bike Shop. I own and ride all kinds of bikes but mountain biking is my true love. On weekends I can be found riding at Galbraith in Bellingham, the north shore of Vancouver and Whistler.

Over the years I have worked in the shop, on the sales floor and now mostly in the office. In my current position as buyer and general manager, I am responsible for keeping the stores supplied with great merchandise and educating the staff on the products that we carry. It is my job to make sure that the managers and staff have the information and resources to do a great job for you. I am in the Seattle store every weekday and am always interested in your input on what we can do to make sure we stay your favorite bike shop.

I started riding bikes at 4 years old and have loved the sport ever since. In 7th grade I followed a local bike shop manager for my "job shadow," an event where you follow someone through their work day in a profession you want to do. Many years later I now manage the best bike shop in Seattle. I raced BMX for many years and traveled the country going to national races. Then in 1997 I began working at Montlake Bicycle Shop. I soon started to ride mountain and road bikes. I have since pushed myself to do all types of cycling: BMX, mountain, road, trials, dirt jumping and bicycle polo. I currently can be found jumping at Greenlake, riding through the many mountain trails in the NW, dominating the polo court, commuting through Seattle, riding anywhere and time I can.

I have held every position at MBS: grunt, bike builder, mechanic, sales, service manager, certified bike fitter and store manager. As a SICI certified bicycle fitter, I help people enjoy cycling more than ever thought possible. My goal as a fit specialist is to make the athlete more comfortable, more efficient, and ready to take on new cycling challenges. Through interviews, on bike adjustments and a little coaching I can get you the most out of every pedal stroke. There are few things more satisfying to me than getting someone to enjoy our sport more!

I started working at the shop in April 2007 as the Receiver; when Leon took the managerial position at Kirkland around September of last year, I took over for him as bookkeeper. My main bike-related activity is commuting; I live in Redmond and commute the 50-mile round trip on the Sammamish River and Burke Gilman Trails several days a week. I also road ride recreationally and will soon be getting my first mountain bike to give that a try. I'd ultimately like to do some long-distance touring, so the commute is great practice for that, plus it is a nice ride almost completely avoiding roads and traffic. I think promoting alternative transportation such as bike commuting is important and I'm glad to be working at a place that supports that view. I'm also a student at UW and will be graduating in the spring with an Anthropology major and Political Science minor.

I grew up in the Great Plains of Southern Michigan where the greatest challenges of a bike ride are headwinds and dog attacks. Riding bikes around Seattle certainly poses different challenges, but, nonetheless, I consider time spent pedaling in the Northwest as time well spent--especially during my daily commute. You can find me in the front of the shop from Sunday to Thursday keeping the rental department rolling smoothly and endorsing arm-warmers. Outside of the shop, I can be found mountain biking, single-speeding, road-biking, seattle bicycle polo-ing, rockclimbing, and taking advantage of sharrows.

recent transplant from the sierra nevada....adventure xc from the git-go....lately - it's all about the big bikes....love riding in the mountains and the beer that follows....biking to work is almost, but not quite, that cool....other interests would be skiing in the cascades, rock climbing, pondering the mysterious ways of mother nature, pretending to play guitar, riding the colorado trail, ripping a-line, and eating as much blackberry cobbler and ice cream as possible

When I saw E.T. for the first time, I became completely inseparable from my bike. As a young boy in Texas, I rode my bmx everywhere. My friends and I organized grassroots bmx races and dirt jump competitions in the rural areas around Houston. From an early age, it was obvious that I loved riding bikes and challenging myself. This affinity has never dwindled. In more recent years, I found a hobby in restoring vintage road racing bicycles, mostly from the UK and France. Nowadays, I spend a good deal of my free time and energy focusing on road racing and cyclocross in the off-season. If you see me outside of the shop I'll most likely be wearing spandex and riding out to Snoqualmie Falls pretending that my bike is flying like the bikes in E.T. For me, bicycles represent a solution and the ultimate form of personal freedom. I'll ride my bike until I drop dead.

I entered the bicycle industry two years ago essentially on a whim. I had been commuting by bicycle for a couple of years prior and decided I wanted to work on and around bicycles. After attending classes at the United Bicycle Institute of Ashland Oregon for mechanic work, wheel building and suspension maintenance I became employed at Montlake and haven't strayed since. My area of cycling expertise revolves around car ownership avoidance. I have a great appreciation for all cycling technology but certainly favor those things that are functional, durable, and well made with less emphasis on weight savings.

I began working at Montlake Bicycle Shop in March of 2007, and have maintained my position since. Previous to that, I had gained a little knowledge regarding bicycles volunteering for the free local bicycle collective space The Bike Shack and for local non-profit The Bikery. I enjoy riding through dense Seattle traffic or along open Seattle vistas on my golden fixie with almost no handlebars, or searching for old Durace or Suntour parts.

Bicycles have been a major part of my life since my first Huffy 19 years ago. From teaching myself to ride a bike, to the physics of doing somersaults down hills and building wheels, to the global economics and politics that effect the industry, to getting to class, bicycles have been a catalyst of learning to me, of self-reliance, and DIY. I use my bike everyday, to get to work and to think on.

Then and now, I am thankful for the break given to me as a very green but enthusiastic bicyclist. Starting at the Bellevue Montlake Bicycle Shop was a great opportunity to learn. Having been an avid mountain biker and bicycle tourer I brought some practical experience but have most enjoyed investing time in the technical and mechanical aspects of bicycles.

Twelve years later I have made the rounds of MBS locations, five in total. Now in the Seattle store as a Monday through Friday Service Tech I may be my happiest. Being able to provide a commuter with a safe and reliable ride or a mountain biker with a refreshed suspension system is satisfying. I do believe this quality and service oriented view is shared by my co-workers and am certain it is one of the reasons I have stayed with Montlake Bicycle Shops.

My first bike, a little red Schwinn, did not have training wheels. My dad taught me how to ride it when I was 3. When I ride, I'm still that kid.

I have worked for the past 13 years as a bicycle mechanic, 8 in sales. I have attended countless sales and service clinics and conventions, including Interbike and NBDA. I have been fortunate enough to apprentice under master mechanics: Dan Schneider at Two Wheeler Dealer in Rapid City, SD; Jim Lux at Freewheel Bike in Minneapolis, MN; Victor Baumstark, Rob van Wyk, and Eric DeBolt at the Montlake Bicycle Shop in Seattle, WA.

I enjoy every type of riding but I am a mountain biker at heart. Though I began riding bikes at the age of three, my obsession with cycling began when I bought my first mountain bike in 1992. I competed in mountain bike races with my father from 1992-1997 and retired from racing after winning 1st place in the Black Hills Mountain Bike Association's 1997 point series. I currently ride to work, on group rides, or at Seattle Bike Polo gatherings. I enjoy talking to any rider, regardless of their experience level or the value of their bike(s).

Master of mountains, Rider of roads, Climber of rock, Begotten of Gilgamesh and Gargantua, Purveyor of all things and none, Son of Joel, Conqueror of the seas, Skier of the mountains, Navigator of the globe, Seller of fruit, King of Ducati's, Son of Claire, Queen of New York, Healer of plants, Painter of Pictures, Leon! Master of men, Granter of wishes, Thrasher of Thieves, Colossi, and mages, Product of love, Product of hate, Sojourner of peace and war, Sailor of ships, Conqueror of minibikes, best of bicycle polo. 
Leon Charles Ettelson

I have been riding since I was six years old. I started Mountain biking when I was 13 at Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill, NY. When I was 18 I learned about Trials, which renewed my love for riding and taught me all new ways to injure myself on a bike. In 2001 I started working at ET Cycle Center in Croton Harmon, NY as a Salesman. In 4 years of working at ET I learned an extraordinary amount about both the technical as well as the pure enjoyment of bicycle riding. While at ET Cycle Center I lead group road and mountain bike rides. I also worked directly to help WMBA "Westchester Mountain Bike Association" to further their non profit organization.

Since starting at Montlake Bicycle Shop I have discovered how versatile bicycles truly are. One example is the enjoyments of riding a fixed gear bicycle. Currently I spend most of my time on my Urban Polo Bike but I also enjoy playing around on my Mini bike which has 16" wheels, it is very versatile and good at doing many things… one of them is not riding long distances. I also enjoy commuting to work whenever the opportunity is available. I found that riding a bicycle is like meditating for me - it clears my mind and helps me make sense of the world.

I learned how to ride a bike at seven years old and have been riding some kind of bicycle ever since. When I was a kid, it was the only way that I could get far enough away from my house to feel like I was free. As I got older, it became my way to get to school, the store or a friend's house. After riding from my home in Kirkland to school in Bellevue for a couple of quarters, I decided to try and get hired somewhere where I could learn more about bicycles, the repair, history, culture and future. I was hired at the Kirkland store in the summer of 2007 and have become even more of an enthusiast/advocate than I already was. I currently am addicted to my sweet blue Motobecane that I got for free and converted to a fixed gear. It sleeps in my room with me. I believe that bikes can save the world.

Joe has been into cycling since the Stu Thompson BMX era. After a hiatus to work on his big brain in college, where he spent more time racing road, mountain, and cyclocross than studying, he returned to the bicycle industry to follow his passion. When not on a bike he spends his time with his wife and two dogs. He currently resides at Bench 2 at the Kirkland location.

I've been mountain biking for about seven years now. My favorite riding spots are North Bend and the Whistler Bike Park. Some of my other pastimes include wakeboarding, skiing, and building/flying radio controlled planes. I have been working at the bike shop since September 2007 and enjoy spending time around people who also love bikes.