Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sheldon Brown (born July 14, 1944) is an American bicycle mechanic and technical authority. He maintains an extensive website containing authoritative articles relating to bicycle mechanics and maintenance, as well as a thorough glossary of bicycling terminology. He also mirrors the technical work of Damon Rinard, among others. He is an accomplished amateur photographer and his site is well illustrated with his own photographs.
He is an enthusiast for many neglected forms of bicycle including Raleigh and their English three-speed cycles, the Sturmey-Archer hub in general, tandems, and in particular fixed-gear cycles. Sheldon Brown has also written a well-regarded guide to wheelbuilding, available on his website. His trademark beard and Igor, a plastic helmet-mounted eagle[1], are matters of frequent comment.
Sheldon Brown serves as the "Parts Manager, Webmaster and general Tech Guru" of Harris Cyclery, a bike shop in West Newton, Massachusetts which also sells bikes and parts over the Internet. He is also a frequent participant in online cycling forums such as the rec.bicycles.tech Usenet newsgroup. His April 1 additions are eagerly awaited by the online cycling community. On some groups, links to his site in response to technical questions are flagged with the abbreviation AASHTA (As Always, Sheldon Has The Answer).
His expertise is also recognised overseas. In 2004 he was recognised for his contribution to cycling by the UK's Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC). Sheldon Brown currently writes the "Mechanical Advantage" column for Adventure Cyclist magazine [2]. His site is referenced in the technical library of the CTC. [3][4]
