This week on 10 Tracks we catch up with one of the best mechanics in town, Mike Woodard. Mike moved to Fort Collins in 2010 from Austin TX. He started wrenching in town at Full Cycle, went to Peloton when they bought them out and then to Brave New Wheel a year later. He and Johnny Daggett purchased BNW in July of 2017. Mike just started his 19th year as a bicycle mechanic.
When do you listen to these: At Brave we listen to a lot of music, all day, every day, so we have a pretty eclectic mix of stuff that were into. You can expect to hear anything from old soul music, to jazz, hip hop, punk rock, to mariachi music and even old country music. Really anything we find that we like. These are a few songs that popped in my head for riding, wrenching, etc. and can be pretty dependent on mood, time of day, activity level, etc. For example if I’m building wheels in the morning I like a cup of coffee and some Billie Holliday, or Otis Redding. I like steady rhythm hip-hop on long climbs, and more aggressive music when riding fast down something steep and technical. Any of these songs could easily find themselves being played in my daily soundtrack.
Favorite Bike: My fav bike is tough, I love my RIP rdo on the trail, and my Velo Orange Pass Hunter on road or gravel, but my daily driver and probably my current favorite is a flat bar, steel, ss cross bike with a front basket and 42mm tires. It’s seen the most.
Favorite Ride: My favorite Trail ride is probably the whole enchilada. Favorite road/gravel ride is probably the Pennock Pass winter ralleye course up the buckhorn canyon, Pennock, Pingree, Poudre, home.
Favorite Tool: My favorite tool is, well, all of them. I know it sounds like a cop out answer, but I really do feel that way. I need them all for specific reasons and I cant do my job without them. We kind of geek out on tools at the shop, have one of almost everything and frequently look for better versions of all of them. Sometimes we even end up making tools that don’t exist to suit our needs.
