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(July 14, 1944 - February 3, 2008)
cyclist, ambassador, more
Sheldon
Respects
Eulogies
Obituaries
- by rob hawks
- by forbes bagatelle-black
- by plum
- in the boston globe
- on anarchocyclist.ca
- on belgium knee warmers
- on bent ride online
- on bicycle fixation
- on bike biz
- on bike friday
- on bike portland
- on bike radar
- on bike retailer
- on bike snob nyc
- on bikemagic.com
- on blacknell.net
- on chico gino
- on cyclelicio.us
- on cycleninja
- on cycling finial
- on cyclingedinburgh.info
- on dane 101
- on drumbent
- on harris cyclery
- on interbike
- on invisible summer
- on make zine
- on metrocyclist
- on patch
- on pedal revolutionary radio
- on see a puffin eat a fish
- on sfcyclotouring
- on south of the golden gate
- on the cycling curmugeon
- on underwire, via wired
- on universal hub
- on velonews
630 comments:
1 – 200 of 630 Newer› Newest»living in a city where i didn't speak the language, didn't know how to change a tire, only knew that i was riding my bike raw exploring the nighttime city, and meandering home all the next day. met a few people who liked bikes, but where where were the mentors? where was the community?
then i stumble upon this fellow 10,000km away, covered in snow with tape all over his helmet and a plastic familiar, more consumed than me, but just as geeky...and the documentation on that man!
it changed the way i thought about transmitting knowledge, and where community could live.
sir, i salute you, your generosity and all your hats.
A true champion of the sport. Well done, Sheldon.
I only discovered Sheldons' site a couple of years ago but used his information countless times. I wish I could have met him. Sounds like he was a really great and generous guy. My thoughts to his family and friends.
He answered a few emails from me as if he had absolutely nothing better to do with his time than help me figure out what size chainring would work best for me. A super nice guy...
I have just heard the tragic news of Sheldon's death.
Please pass on my condolences to his wife and family.
Sheldon and I used to chat online infrequently and he helped me out with a few technical issues in the past.
I hope his website and the extremely valuable knowledge contained therein can be maintained as a testament to this giant of the cycling world.
My condolences to his wife and kids. May his soul be bound up in the bounds of eternal life and his memory forever be a blessing.
My next ride is for you, Mr. Brown...
This is a sad day for everyone in the cycling community. Sheldon has helped so many of us whether he knew it or not.
Thank you Sheldon for all you have done.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Sheldon, but every sense I got of him was he was a larger than life icon in the world of cycling, happy to share his knowledge with you, because he had accumulated so much in the course of his life.
As we are all lessened by the loss of him, we are all better for having known him.
Now go out, ride your bike (ANY bike) and help out someone who knows a little less than you. That's the best legacy anyone could hope for.
To his family and friends, my deepest condolences. Know that he touched countless lives, and we mourn your loss with you.
And if there is a hereafter, I expect Sheldon is there, smiling, with Igor, cycling happily along, freed from the disease that kept him from his bicycle.
Rest in peace, and Godspeed.
Like many others, I had the opportunity to exchange emails with the Captain.
He will be missed, not only as source of cycling knowledge, but also as a great human being.
He took his time to send me an email of great warmth , knowledge and wit. My thoughts are with Harriet and the kids....
A fantastic ride you gave us all mr Brown
Chapeau
Mr D
i'm really sad to hear about Sheldon Brown's passing. I live in france but I was a regular vivitor of his website. I admire what he's done for the cycling world with his skills, pedagogy and positive attitude.
He made me love my ride even more.
May he rest in peace and tweak some bikes up there.
The first time I found Sheldon's site I was looking for some bicycle related information. I came away from that visit in awe of the man.
Apart from his diverse interests the thing that was amazing was his eloquence and openness.
His are the qualities that our society should should ascribe to.
I'm sure that his was a VASTLY linked site.
My condolences to Sheldon's family.
I'll miss you.
I am one of the fortunate ones, that got to know Sheldon in person. I even provided him with his first ride on a recumbent trike, which like any contact with a new bicycle, had him grinning.
I most remember his wit, my last visit with him (to pick up an obscure recumbent tire) had him making a wry comment about the "wisdom" of the big dig builders who substituted concrete for the original designs aluminum ceiling panels.
I also remember his love of music - he did a lot with Boston groups like The Revels, and the Gilbert and Sullivan players.
He was taken far too early.
Jeff "Wish I had an interesting trope here" Del Papa
Founder; The New England Rubbish Deconstruction Society; The NERDS
The first US Junkyard Wars/Scrapheap Challenge team.
Thank you, Sheldon. You will live on.
The cycling community has lost its best friend, best mechanic, best knowledge source, kindest mentor and best sense of humor.
Beyond reading his newsgroup posts and emailing him a question or two (to which he kindly replied), I didn't know him but I feel a profound sense of loss.
I hope his family can gain some comfort from knowing that so many loved him and so many will miss him.
Thanks for all of your help Sheldon. You helped solved many an obscure problem with a bicycle and helped bring back the joy in it.
All the best to the Brown family.
Like others I'm sure, I often referred to Sheldon's pages when I wanted to impress someone with "my" bicycle knowledge. We were merely imposter wannabes. He was the real deal.
Thanks, Sheldon, for all you gave us.
Here in India, we have read and shared the bike tips given by Sheldon. The cycling community has lost a guru, but his website is a living testimonial for the things he did in his lifetime.
Sheldon was able to solve a problem for me that no one else could, or cared to try. He had such a positive attitude about everything. I never met the man and I will be lacking that forever. Thank you for everything, Sheldon Brown. My heart goes out to your family and friends.
Sheldon Brown is a cycling icon. His contribution to the sport can't be measured in the facts and knowledge he so freely shared, but in the number of people whose lives he enriched.
GB
Sheldon was incredibly generous to the cycling community. His website contains a ton of information, and helped to inspire me fix up an old touring bike, and get back on the road again.
My condolences to the Brown family. I am very sorry to learn of his passing.
Thank you for all of your sacrifice and dedication to the cycling work not to mention human kind, Your knowledge and generosity will never be forgotten!
Sheldon was an inspiration to us all. I hope that we can all take a little bit of what life meant to him and pass it on to others, whether it be through bicycle knowledge, willingness to help others, or the sheer exuberance that he seemed to emit through as impersonal a medium as the internet.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends and all who had the opportunity to know him as a person.
I never met him, but we exchanged a few emails on correcting some of his links in his massive bicycle glossary.
I am sad that he will not be there for the awarding of his children's advanced degrees, no longer post his April Fool's contribution and won't be around to help another newbie find some obscure, but important cycling info.
Sheldon Brown leaves large shoes to be filled; perhaps they never will be by one person. I know I will continue to refer to, and refer other people to his website, which I hope will be kept alive for all our sakes.
Rest In Peace, Sheldon. You will be missed. My condolences to the Brown family. Next ride's for you...
Sheldon Brown made many different lists, but these ones jump out at me now. And he meant it!
Some Things I Believe In
* Democracy
* Duty
* Equality
* Exogamy
* Family
* Freedom
* Justice
* Kindness
* Law
* Love
* Loyalty
* Mathematics
* Science
* Space Exploration
* Truth
Some Things I Do Not Believe In
* Angels
* Astrology
* Death Penalty
* Devils
* Elves
* Faeries
* Faith
* Gods
* "Intelligent Design"
* Leprechauns
* Luck
* Magic
* Racial Purity
I owe much of my mechanical aptitude to Sheldon. My mantra became "If it's good enough for Sheldon, it's good enough for me". I'll be eternally grateful.
My most sincere condolences.
-Chris
Trek Fit for Women Demo Tour
Mechanic Chick
Thanks Sheldon. I gained so much knowledge from you on a daily basis for so long that when I read about your illness last year I was shocked to the core. Yet even through the sickness you suffered you never gave up and continued to be the hero you are.
For you to no longer be a part of this world takes pain to a knew level. We should all mourn for your family, your friends and each other because we have all suffered greatly with this news.
~ride on
So long, Sheldon. That Sugino triple that you recommended in lieu of a "racing triple" has seen miles of useful service. And we will miss your tandem-related posts as well.
Bon voyage,
Khal Spencer
I only knew Sheldon through the internet.
Sheldon came across as gracious, funny in a generous manner, interesting and helpful even on the internet. I can only imagine what a lucky gift it must have been to know him in person.
I would never have started building up my own bike without you and all the tips on your webpage. Thank you!
I was very sad to hear of the death of this man. I am thankful and indebted to him for the hundreds of times I referenced his website. Truly a remarkable character and my condolences go out to his family.
Thanks Sheldon,
Troy in Minneapolis
What a great guy! I wish I could have met him. Indeed, a wonderful ambassador to the sport!
I found SheldonBrown.com when I got back on the bike after 20 years off. I did not know a crank from a hood. After I learned some terms, I kept going. Sheldon promoted cycling for all. I became a cycling merit badge counsel for scouts and a regular cycling commuter from Chicago's north suburbs to the Loop, and I owe much of my inspiration and knowledge to Sheldon. I will miss him.
The undisputed giant of all things bike in America.
If it wasn't for him, my seatpost would still be stuck. Trivial, yes - but somehow (although I never met the man) I think he would be pleased about that.
Thanks, Sheldon.
Rubber side down, eagle side up, my brother. Give my best to Fausto Coppi and the rest of the gang, and don't spend all your time tweaking wings for everyone. Ride lots.
thanks, sheldon
thanks, sheldon
Sheldon,
You inspired great confidence in many a home-mechanic. You provided vast knowledge which was communicated clearly and with great humor and compassion.
But above all your humanity and generosity will remain a legacy that will touch many inside and outside the bike world.
I know that my corner of the universe was better with you, and is worse without you.
Thank you, Sheldon Brown.
To Sheldon's Family,
Thank you for letting us all be a part of your lives. Sheldon will be missed, but he has left so much for all of us to learn from and live by. Thank you for sharing Sheldon with us.
To Sheldon,
To one of the greatest ride leaders I will have the pleasure of following. Although not physically riding with you, your leadership, mentoring, knowledge and above all else, love and passion of LIFE, will be truly missed. Your dignity and grace were truly humbling as you took us through the last year.
With much love and respect,
Eric Kondo
What can I say? Sheldon Brown was (and continues to be through his internet legacy) a fount of knowledge about all things bicycle. He's taught me more than I could ever fully acknowledge or even abstractly quantify. Sheldon had a way of explaining things that I could never hope to duplicate. It's for this reason that I have often referred people to his website. Hopefully, I will continue to have the option to do so in the future as nobody I've come across combines technical knowledge with plain common sense like the man I viewed as my greatest teacher in the bicycle world. Rest in Peace Sheldon
a enormous loss for cycling.
Thank you for everything, Sheldon
If there is one thing Sheldon thought me, (disregarding all that technical and practical knowledge concerning bike and life), it was that All those head on winds, bikes, roads, hills and beautiful days are only there to the soul purpose of enjoying them to the fullest. Ride on in his memory.
He was a guiding light to all those wanders, gentlemen, cycling freaks, couriers, mechanics and the slightly odd that make up our scattered and diverse bicycle culture.
Always a helpful hand, with advice, information and good service.
Thinking of Sheldon and smiling in Winnipeg, Canada.
Nearly everything I've learned about a bicycle came from this man. I hope I can learn as much about being a good person from him as well. From the outpouring it seems entirely possible.
I don't think Sheldon will ever know the extent to which he helped people. I know I was one of countless cyclists who eventually found their way to Sheldon's writing and was helped by it and made better for it.
He will be missed and remembered as s giant of cycling.
My condolences to all of Sheldons family. Sheldon left us all with a wealth of knowledge and a little coookyness. Thanks Sheldon, we'll miss ya.
i learned so much about bicycle maintenance through sheldon's writings. i hope his site is archived so future generations can read it. my son some day might learn something about single-speed bikes reading sheldon brown... how cool would that be?
cycling may have been the topic, but to me, 'how we should treat each other' was his real message. thanks sheldon!
While I never knew Sheldon, I did visit his site on many occasions. Sometimes to look at his bike collection, and other times to figure out some bike part dilema.
I feel as if I knew Sheldon becauseof the pictures he posted of his family and because of he time he took to develope the resource know as sheldonbrown.com. His site represented something special because it was him sharing a knowledge in which few had. Sharing is less common than we may think and that is why Sheldon's passing will resonate with so many of the faithful two wheeled devotees.
It is some sad news.
My heart goes out to the Brown family and friends who knew him like a brother, father, friend and lover.
We are slightly less for his passing.
I met Sheldon at the Bicycle Repair Collective in Cambridge. Sheldon taught me much of what I know about bicycles, especially how to think about them.
He will be missed.
Michael Wilson
Like many, I only knew Sheldon through his online postings. For years I have looked through pictures, read wisdom, and laughed at various witicisms he posted (I want one of those torque wrenches).
The cycling community has lost a great friend.
I was shocked when my little brother texted me today to tell me Sheldon had died - we had both occasionally visited his websites when looking for info on cycling and fixing bikes.
Sheldon was undoubtedly a clever and knowledgable man, but his most remarkable quality was his generosity to people he never met.
I emailed him on a couple of occasions when I couldnt work out how to fix something - both times he responded with incredible promptness and attention to detail. I was amazed that someone could be so kind in sharing their knowledge and giving their time to strangers. His humour, individuality and generosity of spirit will be sadly missed - perhaps we could all do with taking a leaf out of his book and commiting a few random acts of kindness.
My condolences to his family
Sonya W, Nottinghamshire, the UK
Tranquility Base here: The Eagle has landed.
It's 1996 and I see this guy in my club riding this reeally cool bike, look, it doesn't have any gears! No derailers. Howz that work?
I work up the courage to ask him, he's a racer type, sorta taciturn and he doesn't volunteer a lot of information. I gather it's the same way with lots of cycling stuff, underground and passed by word of mouth.
At a T-Town flea market I buy one of their used Lotus track bikes, from the AirProducts school of track riding or whatever-the-heck-it's-called.
I need to get it road-worthy, but how? I point my Mosaic web browser thingie to this web site that is all about fixed gear bikes. It's like finding the Ark of the Covenant in your backyard. Just a treasure trove, and all for free.
It's run by this slightly crazed looking guy who is just passionate about bikes. He writes plainly, clearly and lucidly about bikes. Arcane stuff, modern stuff, it's all there.
Thanks.
Kindest regards to his wife, children and family. I hope that these tributes will help to ease your burden a little.
Pete LaVerghetta
Cheltenham PA USA
Hearing the news today makes this a truly cold winter’s day; however with Sheldon’s help and advice I will bicycle home this evening with him and his family in my thoughts.
L'entusiasmo per la bicicletta lo devo un po' anche a te. Grazie e ciao.
If I am a bike enthusiast, it is partly due to you. Thank you and bye.
Sheldon was a rare bird, knowledgable beyond comprehension, yet quiet and helpful to all who asked of his time. Our last conversation was at Interbike, and in spite of his malady, he was chipper and excited to see what was new in cycling.
Tailwinds always, Sheldon.
Mark
When I returned to cycling a few years ago, I emailed Mr. Brown out of the blue with questions about buying and repairing bikes. He was exceptionally generous with his knowledge (and his opinions! ;).
I'm sure that I am but one of who-knows-how-many thousands of people Sheldon Brown has gotten back on the bike, and for that I thank him.
He is a giant in our sport.
Jeff Ingram
Newport, OR USA
Individuals like Sheldon are the true heart of a civilization. His passing touches a community beyond what I believe even he realized existed.
Since we cannot express how thankful we are for everything you did for pretty much everyone in our (a bit more sad today) sport, we ride in your memory, now and forever.
Ride In Peace, Sheldon!
Alex
wow, bad news. this guy fixed my bike a bunch of times...and i never met him! i'd be a much better person if i were half as passionate about half as many things as sheldon seemed to be.
I hate tearing up at work. Thanks for tips, thanks for teaching me to build a bike top to bottom, thanks for the laugh, Sci Refs, thanks for being a humanist and thanks for taking the mystery out of things.
The path for cyclists and society at large is a lot darker today. We can only hope that his words, style and humanity live on.
What always mystified me was where he found the time to do all that he did. He answered my emails in seconds, it seemed, with well-thought answers. Truly amazing.
So many Sheldon stories. One man commented once, years ago, about meeting the legendary Sheldon Brown. The man had taken his bike to the shop for repair. Feeling sheepish, he said, "I only use it for commuting." Sheldon stopped, and fixed him with a significant look, "Commuting is the most important thing you can do with a bicycle." The man left with a new perspective on cycling, and himself.
...sheldon, you were more than the sum of the parts you knew about...
...& i think you knew them all...
...ride in peace...
I asked once of him, and he replied immediately. I've told many cyclists with questions "I don't know, go to Sheldon Brown's web page, all the information is there."
He will be missed much by all cyclists, for there are very few who haven't heard of him.
Now he rides where the road is always flat, the wind is at his back, and there are many interesting cyclists along the way.
Thanks, Sheldon.
Wow. What a totally tragic loss. I emailed Sheldon a few times with questions, and, he answered them as one of the NICEST guys I've never even met. Super friendly and knowledgeable.
Sheldon, you'll be missed.
My contact with Sheldon was limited to the website, but for any visitor there Sheldon's love for all things bicycle shined through. Thank you for your great heart.
Kevin
Sometimes you don't realize how much somebody
means to you until they are gone forever... like
Sheldon. He is gone forever but something tells me he is fixing up someone's bike wherever his is.
Rick Kent
Living with MS since August '02
Happy helpful person and kind soul. Those Huret drive trains will run a lot smoother in heaven.
I was deeply saddened to read about the sudden loss of Sheldon Brown who touched so many lives in such a positive manner. I wish to extend my sincere condolences to Sheldon's family.
Sheldon was a true icon among cyclists whose knowledge about bicycles was generously shared with anyone who asked including mere mortals like me. I only knew Sheldon through email and his website, but I greatly admired and respected his selfless support of the cycling community.
Sheldon will live on in our hearts, minds, and cyber space forever. Cyclists around the world will celebrate his life each time they spin down a quiet country road or a beautiful trail.
If I let myself go, this would be so very long. Sheldon was an icon. A kind man with a great depth of knowledge that he shared generously with us all. Either through his pages or in e-mails and in person. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. I celebrate his life, but am very sad for his passing.
mark
I need to get that 3spd wheel built.
Bye Sheldon.
Here is a copy of a letter I sent to Harris cyclery yesterday:
Friends,
It was with great sadness that I heard of Sheldon’s passing away. Sheldon and I first met when he was working at Spoke N Wheel in Waltham. At the time I was a cyclist and budding mechanic while in college in Waltham. Sheldon was kind enough to offer me a job at Spoke N Wheel staring in the summer of 1990.
At that point the shop had a manager and a head mechanic, and then me. Sheldon’s bicycle knowledge was unsurpassed, we all know that. But the things I remember were his sense of humor, his very occasional temper, and his constant tinkering to built things better.
In the bathroom of the shop he had hung one of the Shimano instruction guides, the fold out guides that have 6 languages on them and had posted the Japanese side with an area circled in red, and wrote next to it “NOTE!!”.
Sheldon once had me rebuilt a coaster break for a BMX bike. He gave me the Sutherland manual and set me off to work in it. I spent far, far too long, and rebuilt it two or three times. Failing each time. The final time, he checked my work, and sighed and said, okay. Now you know how to overhaul and repack a coaster brake, and we can honestly tell the client we tried to fix it and they need a new wheel.
Sheldon also cherry picked, he worked on all the high end bikes, with great new components. He gave me all the clunkers. He was making me a better mechanic, but I didn’t understand that at the time. Eventually I figure out that if you can fix clunkers, nice bikes are a breeze.
The one time I remember his temper flaring what when some hapless salesman of some non-bicycle thing came into the shop, and tried to pitch something to us. Sheldon walking him back to the front of the store in a huff, showed him the “no soliciting sign” and then showed him the door. I was very surprised I’d never seen Sheldon get so huffy about anything.
Sheldon also had a few standard jokes. I remember him telling almost every new bike owner to follow his six simple steps to bicycle maintenance:
Pump up the tires, oil the chain, pump up the tires, oil the chain, pump up the tires, oil the chain.
Sheldon rode a lot of radial front wheels back then too. Even had a pile of fixed gear bicycles well before they were popular.
Lately he and I had a disagreement about the requirement of hand brakes on fixed gear bikes. It wasn’t that he disagreed with the legal arguments I’d been making, he just thought it was dumb, and he wasn’t afraid to tell me so.
Sometimes when I am out, being a bike geek with other bike geeks, someone mentions Sheldon’s website, and I smile. I smile because I know I can top them, I pause and say, “Y’know, I used to work for Sheldon in a small bike shop in Waltham, Massachusetts.” Works every time.
Just this past week, I emailed him about a 1964 Raleigh I’ve been rebuilding. Of course his website was invaluable in guiding me. But I was stuck. I wrote to him and some other friends, and while the other friend berated me as usual for such an endeavor, Sheldon had one more trick up his sleeve for me. I’d done all the stuff on his website, done all the other tricks he’d taught me, and he still had one more.
I wrote back on Saturday, February 2, thanked him and knowing his health hasn’t been good lately, asked how he was doing. I didn’t hear back from him.
Thanks for everything Sheldon.
Sincerely yours,
Mark J. Ginsberg
Thanks Mark, that's a beautiful recollection and so wonderful of you to share.
I have fewer saddle sores 'cuz of Sheldon.
Ride In Peace
As St. Paul's Cathedral is to Christopher Wren, so is a whole world of cyclists to Sheldon Brown. His kindness and knowledge are part of thousands of bikes and their riders all over the planet. We'll miss him, but "if you seek his monument, look around!"
The heart winces.
There's a Sheldon-shaped hole in the world.
Every comment here is worthy. The man deserved this much, and more.
There were perhaps 6 people in the cycling world that arose out of the 1960's and 1970's whose names can be called on, and are remembered, that have left a lasting impression, on the cycling world. Of these very special people, Sheldon Brown was one.
Farewell, Sheldon Brown. My special condolences to his family, and I sincerely feel your grief. I also hope that your grief will be brief, and soon to be tempered by moments of thankfulness of sunny days shared.
We will all end there, none are excused. While you are on the way, may the wind be at your back, all your roads downhill, and may the rain fall only on your fields. To Sheldon, thank you. To those who are still alive, bless you, live on, in strength and peacefulness.
Cycling has lost a giant.
I recently built up a bike for the first time. If not for his site I don't think I would of had the courage to do it myself.
Sheldon, thank you for sharing your love of cycling!
Missed more than words can say, like another comment read this morning, I don't own any hardcopy bicycle maintenance manuals due to Sheldons online contributions.
In Melbourne (Aus), the MS Summer Cycle is on Feb 24. This ride is to help raise $200,000 towards Multiple Sclerosis research.
If you would like to donate or ride, Team Captain Bike has been created to help in one small way, to honour Sheldons memory.
PS: If anyone can help find little eagle figurines for team helmets I'd like to hear from you!
At the time I got the news, I was reading Sheldon's article on fixed gear conversions, as I am in the process of building one. I found it hard to believe that the man who for so many years had provided me with random cycling knowledge and humor was no longer with us. While I never had the pleasure to know Sheldon during his life, I still feel that a great loss in the cycling community has taken place. Many of the parts for the fixed gear I mentioned above are coming from Harris Cyclery, who's employees I thank deeply for shipping my stuff out today. I would have fully understood if they had not. I would like to do some sort of tribute to Sheldon on this bike, and am looking for ideas.
He was a man who lived his life so passionately. I have enjoyed pouring over all of his writings and photographs over the years - what a legacy he has created. Rest well, friend.
R.I.P. - A passion as infectious as the sport itself.
I just home from a ride on Canada road on my fixed gear in honor of the Captain. The skies were clear and the wind was easy. I even got to paceline with three roadies who easily could have dropped me. I have read everyone's posts about Sheldon and still feel the loss of one so great and so giving. I am convinced he is in a better place now.
God speed Sheldon.
From Holland, to make sure that Sheldon was a well known bike "guru" and scientifican for the Dutch too we give him our deepest respect, he broadend my horizon, regrets.
From Holland, to make sure that Sheldon was a well known bike "guru" and scientifican for the Dutch too we give him our deepest respect, he broadend my horizon, regrets.
A man with purpose & love...attributes that i hope to reach in my lifetime.
My condolences to his family.
-Beatriz,
Sahuarita, AZ
My vintage bicycle journeys awheel brought me up onto the rear wheel of the internet's most widely recognized and greatest of teachers.
Sheldon Brown's obsessions would merge with our own, and the ride got all the more fantastic and magical along the way.
We have all seen the Phillips Lion headbadge on the old English 3 speed bicycles that say: Renown the world over.
Due to the advent of the internet, combined with Sheldon's long standing dedication and writing on the subject of bicycles it is accurate to say;
Sheldon Brown, renown the world over.
That is really something, when you think about it.
We lost a great lion, we lost Sheldon Brown.
He will be missed, but we all hope his legacy will live on teaching and helping cyclists repair their bicycles far into the future.
humberchristopher29@hotmail.com
(Christopher Robin, from Old Roads.com
Almost certainly the most exhaustive cycling information website, and by some distance. You can get a certain feel for a person by their work, and recognising an interest in thoroughness, obscura and the odd outrageous stroke of invention was easy.
Best wishes to his family - ride on.
Thanks for all of the help. You are a true hero to everything that is cycling. You will be missed.
Goodbye Sheldon,and thankyou for everything.
Thoughtful and generous, kind and wise, all our questions were worthy, no matter how dumb, and the more obscure the better.
To your family, my heart goes out, thankyou for sharing this wonderful man.
Thankyou again,
Duncan in Australia
For those of us working in the shop, Sheldon was our encyclopedia. Sheldon has answered numerous emails we've sent about strange things we've seen and didn't know how to deal with. The man was and is a legend.
Hope you're riding on two wheels again Sheldon.
My eyes are full of tears. Sheldon did share the passion of bikes and bikes mechanics. As so many said, he'll be missed.
Condolences to the family and friends.
Simon
Your writings and knowledge changed what being a cyclist meant to me, and you convinced me to try fixed gear riding. I'll never ride the same. You inspired my friends and I to revive our parents and friends old rides into new adventures. My prayers and condolences.
Thank you, Sheldon, for making the world and better place and for influencing others to do the same. You are loved and will be remembered
Thank you, Sheldon for everything. May the wind be always at your back.
I grew up with his daughter, hung out in their house in elementary school, and a finer, more eclectic, geekier group of people you'll not find. They come over to my family's house on Christmas, with other friends and neighbors, for a grand ol' old-fashioned time, flaming plum pudding and all. With his beard and celtic-geeky Christmas-revels shirts, he was always very Yuletide-festive. Sheldon's thus linked in my mind with holiday good cheer, and it's hard to imagine Christmas without him.
Thank you, Sir!, for everything you've given to all of us.
For a girl finding herself with an antique english three-speed and not having a clue what to do with it (let alone that it was actually identified as an english three-speed), having access to the wealth of knowledge Sheldon provided meant the world. His website introduced me to the joy and delightful obsession that is bike repair and restoration, a hobby that I might not have otherwise explored.
His enthusiasm for bikes of all kinds was contagious, and his wealth of information gave this non-gear savvy female cyclist the confidence needed to step into the often intimidating environment that is a bike shop and to discuss needed bike parts intelligently.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. We all lost a genuine treasure this week...
To share so much with so many--Sheldon was no doubt a generous and kind man. My condolences to his family.
It is with great sadness of hearing the passing of Mr. Sheldon. You have left us too soon sir, godspeed.
My condolences to your family.
...they are never gone, dancing in our thoughts like clouds in the sky.
A wonderful, giving, thoughtful, and wise man.
I want his family and friends to know how much he was appreciated.
Goodbye Sheldon
Yes, thank you Sheldon.
I had not known you long but in a short amount of time you seemed to be speaking straight to me. I rode today for you.
Very sad to hear of the passing of such a kind and generous man.
Sheldon was a mechanic's mechanic. His knowledge was vast.
Sheldon, I'd never met you. I didn't know you. Bu through your writings, your knowledge, and your experience....I was moved. May you rest in piece and with the knowledge that you made a mark here.
I never met the man but often referred to his insightful articles and web pages. I'll continue to benefit from his knowledge and understanding even after his passing. Ride on Sheldon!
63 speeds, man... 63 speeds.
rip to the man responsible for one of the greatest bike resources on the web i hope his bikes can have a museum made for them
He touched us all and left us better for it.
Doug Reid,
Dartmouth, NS
Just another note from one of the hundreds of people who learned from his writings. Wherever I went for insight into bicycle maintenance, all roads pointed directly back to Sheldon's website. Thanks to his website, I am sure many more generations will continue to learn from him. Hats off to you Sheldon.
Every time I consult Sheldon's site in certainty that I will find the answer to my bike tech question of the moment, I smile with my recall of the great joy I felt when one day I received email from him in response to a simple question I asked about brake pads. We exchanged email a few more times, and the conversation was just incredibly easy. I have never doubted that countless other people had the identical experience and were equally delighted.
A wonderful and exemplary spirit, and a good soul. Thanks Sheldon.
Living in a town with very few bike commuters, I had no where to turn to seek advice about bikes and maintenance. Sheldon's website was one of the first to be a bible for cycling.
After following his site and becoming a fairly decent mechanic myself, I wanted to pass along knowledge to anyone who would listen, just as he did.
From now on, I shall remember Mr. Brown on every ride I have the privilege of enjoying.
Sheldon, you'll be forever missed here in Brazil. Keep riding and wrenching, wherever you are now!
Thank you Sheldon for your advice on crank length, more so for modeling such an elegant form of humanism. Take care. Condolences to your family.
As I wrote on rec.bicycles.tech, a thought occurred to me this AM: how many of us ever find a true passion in life, much less a way to make a lucrative living from that passion? Sheldon was truly blessed, which in turn allowed him to bless so many others with his intellect, wit and humble way. Roll on, Captain. Roll on...
Bill Sornson, San Diego CA
I will miss the man. His information was always straightforward, well thought, helpful and direct.
Sheldon Brown was a massive source of knowledge and opinion. He was inspirational! His advice was always direct and helpful. Apparently his work here was finished. Now his bike wheels have wings!
Sheldon left us with a vast source of ready information that hopefully will remain accessible well into the future. Perhaps his heirs can put together a book on his work. It would sell like hotcakes I'm sure.
I never met you but you taught me how to wash my bike and find the best cogset/chainring combination fotr my rides. You epitomize the "community" aspect of cycling. Ride in Peace.
Your writing taught me so much and gave me the confidence to try things on my own.
Thank you.
Thank you Sheldon, I've enjoyed your anecdotes, gained from your knowledge and will share this passion for cycling and life more fully.
It is with great sadness to hear this news. I had never met you, yet wished I did. Your wealth of cycling knowledge is, of course, second to none. You will be truly missed. Cycling has truly lost THE CYCLING ENCYCLOPEDIA.
You will be missed, That GOD bless you aand that your family keep the site too" AASHTA "
kissos
He was an amazing repository of cycling knowledge and he shared it graciously with any and all. Let's learn from him and keep his work and attitude alive.
It saddened me to hear of his passing. I thought about him for my whole ride home, last night. The best way I can honor his memory is to be as generous and patient with what I've learned from Sheldon.
Ride in peace, my friend. The gratitude of those whose lives you touched through your kindness and passion will guarantee you'll always do so with the nicest and friendliest of tailwinds.
Thank you, Sheldon. You will be missed. Your wisdom will never leave us.
Sheldon, you will always be an inspiration to me.
To the family of Sheldon Brown; He was a brother to all cyclists, and the quintessential cycle technician. He will be remembered by all of us and will be sorely missed by the cycling industry. Know that he was repected and loved by many of us. I am sad I never got a chance to meet him, but will read his research forever. Thank you for sharing him with us. He changed many lives for the better. He made a difference.
Ride In Peace, Sheldon Brown. You will be missed.
Michael,
Toronto
Sheldon, you have left us all too soon! Your volumes of information on bicycles, drivetrains, chain cleaning and real man saddles spoke to so many, but your obvious love of life as well as cycling has touched all who have had contact with you.
To Sheldon's family, be assured that so many thoughts are flowing your way,
Godspeed, Sheldon
Sondra
Sheldon... rest in peace. I have learned a small piece of your ocean of knowledge. You will be missed.
Thank you Sheldon.
He not only invented the real man saddle
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html
he was a real man.
I never met him, which was my loss. But I did read his postings, respond to some, and wander many hours through his web site looking for answers. That was my gain. Thanks.
As a cyclist many people ask me for advice on bikes. The best advice I could give was to visit Sheldon Brown's website and Harris cyclery.
I will commute to work early tomorrow morning through a predicted Wisconsin snow storm with a tear in my eye that will change to a smile on my face as I reflect upon how much I enjoyed following a man I never meet. I will miss you and my thoughts are with your family.
JRG
What a wonderful steward: skill, talent, knowledge, and a marvelous sense of humor that he willingly shared with all. Invaluable resource that will be missed. My condolences to his family and close friends.
Gear down and spin freely!
Thanks Sheldon for your generosity.
I first discovered Sheldon Brown, Harris Cyclery, and their websites when I worked for Advanced Transportation Products building Vision recumbents. His website was my bicycle encyclopedia.
Now I'm referring to his site again as I create sample data for a manufacturing management software program. And today I discovered that Sheldon is gone.
How sad. He was an Internet bicycling icon and a tremendous self journalist.
My condolences to his wife and family and to the folks at Harris Cyclery.
Clyde Jenkins, Mukilteo, WA
God bless Sheldon and his family. There will never be another like him. I will think of you often.
Sheldon Brown : Bicycles = Michael Jackson : Beer
While I never had the privilege of a conversation with the good Mr. Brown, I feel a huge sense of loss and offer my condolences to those who loved him most. Godspeed Sheldon!
You taught us how to ride.
In many ways you taught us how to live.
I found Sheldon's web site nine years ago when I was just getting into cycling as an adult. His articles were my first lessons in bicycle maintenance. I came to enjoy working on my bike almost as much as riding on it. Without this facet of cycling I may have drifted away from the sport.
A few years later I remember telling my wife that Sheldon himself responded to a question I posted on rec.bicycling.tech. Even she knew his name.
Thank you for enriching a sport I've come to love.
From Dallas, TX...
Oh Captain! My Captain!
I remember reading Sheldon's column in Bicyling magazine many years ago. Just six years ago, I was hit by a car while riding. While recovering, I built up a fixed gear bike that I still ride. During the process, I called Harris Cyclery to order some parts and Sheldon answered the phone. I still remember the conversation. We talked about bikes and we talked about the accident. It was like talking to a long lost brother. We swapped emails a few times after that. What a priviledge to have known him. What an incredible contribution to the world he made - and not just the world of cycling. We will miss him. I will miss him.
Sheldon used to hang out with the head mechanic at the shop I worked in as a bike racer. (Life Cycle, Cambridge, MA, 1977). He was then a deep well of knowledge of all things bicycle, especially of fix gears and English 3 speed hubs.
The world is a better place because of you. Thanks, Sheldon.
(lauren, uk wrote, "some things I don't believe in: angels ..." I believe in angels. The woman in the right turning truck who yelled my presence was my angel. Without her, I'd be chatting with Sheldon now.)
Ben Jeffries
aka 79pmooney
Sheldon didn't know me from a hole in the wall. Yet every time I emailed him he was exceptionally nice and very helpful. No reason for him to be nice/helpful other then he was an amazing man!
Thanks go out the family/friends for sharing Sheldon with the rest of the cycling world. He will be sadly missed!!
Thank you, Sheldon, for settling many debates, answering many questions, and providing many with invaluable information.
The world has lost a truly good person, and the cycling world mourns the passing of a man who embodies what it means to be a cyclist.
thank you sheldon, for your wit,your knowledge and honesty.
you will be missed.
No se por que en este mundo gente tan buena tiene que partir tan pronto, muchas gracias por tanta enseñanza y ayuda sin mirar aquien ojala conseven el webside para fucturas generaciones hay alli valiosa informacion.
Mis condolecia a Su esposa al igual que su Hijo & hija y que descance en paz. Perzonas como Mr. Brown quedan muy pocas en este mucndo.
I have always been able to find answers to my countless questions at sheldonbrown.com. Thank you, Sheldon! You will be missed.
a great man and the world's a poorer place for his passing.
I imagine he's still riding his bike, smiling down on us all ... his spirit lives on. No one with so much passion and energy ever truly leaves us. Sheldon, my next bike ride is for you.
A diamond geezer if ever there was one!
through his amazing knowledge i got to understand cycling in a way that i never could have otherwise. thanks for changing so many lives through cycling.
I lived in Netwon for three years, probably met Sheldon. But it wasn't until I came back to Wisconsin did I truly understand what an invaluable resource Sheldon Brown was and still is to the world of cycling. I certainly hope his website lives on as his legacy, because I can't count the number of times I learned something from it. Godspeed Sheldon. I'm saddened, but more than that, I'm grateful that cycling was lucky to have you.
never meet him, but his knowledge help keep me out on my bike and loving life...thank you for all your work...r.i.p. Sheldon
A Great Man , Mentor an Tech. Always there to help an lead you to the Right answer. With Deep sadness to our world also to -Cycling) He Will be Missed
Ciao
P>O New Hampshire
Sheldon, you've given more to the bike world than anybody could possibly know. Thank you.
I'd be lost without all of the obscure Raleigh Twenty info, if a bit more productive at work.
My condolences to Sheldon's family and friends.
Looking through the comments: India, Holland, Brazil, Australia - simply inspiring. I almost regretted having never met or emailing him and then I thought this: his legacy is SO impressive that I never HAD to email him. A friend recommended his website to me back in 1998 or so, and I've been referring to it for years.
Now that he's had a chance to ride the wind, he's probably already tinkering with it :)
Strange to sit here and cry at my computer for someone I never met. I felt like I knew him after reading many of his Web pages, and I will miss him.
Ride in peace.
Drat.
Just learning about gears on your site Sunday.
Godspeed in your breakaway.
Like many folks leaving comments, I didn't know Sheldon Brown.
I recently saw some video footage of the memorial services and vigils following Princess Diana's death. I couldn't understand the wailing; I couldn't understand the grief; I couldn't understand the immense hurt that some English were experiencing for someone they did not know.
Now that Sheldon is gone, I understand.
I'll miss you, Sheldon. Thanks for making me a better person even though we never spoke.
Justin
My condolences to his family. A very sad day for the cycling community
For me and many, Sheldon Brown was an outstanding guy, veritable encyclopedia of cycling knowledge which he never hesitated to share.
Rest in peace, Sheldon Brown. Though if it is like that, I'm sure you're already tinkering with the gear ratios in the ever after.
Rod
Sheldon knew a lot about bikes, but he was a real expert at life and living well. I'll always think about him on those warm, sunny days when the bike is humming along, and those cold, dark commutes. He found joy in both. My best wishes to the family. He was very proud of each of you.
Sheldon responded to my e-mail queries, quickly and graciously, once about 10 years ago, and again last year. He was a class act and a generous spirit.
I can't imagine anyone making a contribution to the bicycle world that could even approach his.
His death is a huge loss to so many cycling friends who never met him in person, but his work will be a gift, and guide, to us all for a long time to come.
Sheldon taught me at least half of what I know about cycling.
He even responded to my emails!
I will always be grateful for his contribution to my life.
Sheldon's personal involvement in everyone's bike tech questions is a rare generosity. The volumes of tributes are testimonial to this and his intrinsic part in the cycling community
Simply a sad day in Cycling!
You cannot say what needs to
be said... Sheldon would like
it that way. Ciao
I learned much from your excellent notes on cycling. Many thanks!
My condolences to the family and friends; Sheldon's knowledge and willingness to share his passion for cycling has helped countless people. Sheldon will be missed.
First, I would like to express my deepest condolences to Sheldon's family.
To Sheldon -- I used your site several times to look up obscure parts. Intrigued by whoever would log these obscurities, I read your journal. I read fairly frequently, and was always amazed at your spirit. You will be sorely missed.
Ride on, sir, ride on. My next ride is in your honor.
two years ago i knew about mr sheldon and his very interesting web site about single speed convertions, and from that time i put a link from my blogs to more cyclist will know more about mecanic cycling troubles. was a very high inspiration to me and my friends here in Santiago of Chile.
Thank you mr brown, i hope all your knowledge will increase in our bikes.
have a nice ride wherever you will be!
More than just a cyclist and an amazing person to meet.
I was introduced to his as a cycling resource but no one can ever quite sum up how impassioned he was.
Hope you are smiling down on all you have inspired.
Sheldon was a national, indeed international, treasure for cyclists everywhere. I regularly consulted his web postings at Harris for technical information or just to enjoy his unique view on life and always had my curiosity satisfied. I am sure that Sheldon is riding in a wonderful place right now and send my condolences to his family and the people at Harris. Sheldon, you will be missed.
The worldwide bicycle community has lost one of his most colorful and generous members. His technical musings are invaluable for everyone seriously interested in cycling.
My condolences go to his family and friends.
He was very bright man... I used to read his articles quite often, and each and every of my bike-related questions were answered by his information. My condolences to family. Mr. Brown, we'll remember you forever! R.I.P.
Artur Yelchishchev, Estonia.
My condolences to the family.
I depended on my bicycle for transportation from 1995 to 2007, with Sheldon Brown's web site as my primary source of information. I have learned a great deal, and I've also been able to give advice to others.
I do hope that the information on the web pages will remain available, as it would still benefit many people.
You alive in our memory, Eagle.
All my best to the family!
Thanks Sheldon for all the great write ups and tech help!
You will be missed!
You were an Icon in the cycling world.....
He was a real advocate and served as an example to all of us. The community is richer for his having lived.
He'll be missed by many...
-Selim
Izmir, Turkey
I'm just finishing a fixed gear conversion with a Tange steel frame from 1977 and I built the wheels on Harris hubs--I'm going to name it Sheldon.
Let us hope that Mr. Harris will continue serve as an inspiration and a font of knowledge for cyclists for years to come, perhaps even for those who have not yet even taken their first bike ride! The Sheldon Brown website must remain on the web (even if never updated again) as the best of all possible memorials.
To Sheldon's family, friends and coworkers, all best wishes at this difficult time.
J, Pittsburgh
I am an avid cyclist mostly off-road and mostly singlespeed. I just wanted to offer my condolences to Sheldon's friends and family. I did not personally know Sheldon but I have used his information countless times. It seems to me from everything I have read that Sheldon was a caring, insightful man and the world will miss him. I just hope that he is pedaling and wrenching somewhere. Godspeed and thanks again for everything Sheldon.
Sincerely
Fred
Here was a fellow that loved giving back to the sport that gave him such enjoyment. I spoke with Mr. Brown on the phone at Harris Cyclery and read his many many technical articles on his web pages, and learned more from his teachings than from anyone else I have encountered in cycling. It's because of Mr. Brown that I can build and maintain my own wheels, previously an arcane art. Rest in peace Sheldon, and I hope the cycling in Heaven is fantastic.
Sheldon - your impact on the world will not soon be forgotten. Thank you for sharing your genius with us and we'll keep riding, just for you.
I had no idea he had been diagnosed with MS. His outlook was very positive and should be an inspiration to those of us with the disease.
JM
May you be on roads we can't even imagine. Cheers to Sheldon and the impact he has had on cycling and cyclists around the world.
My sincere condolences to the family. May their hearts be lighter knowing the legacy of their beloved Sheldon is grand.
- Chris & Sara
Thank you for sharing your bike knowdlege to all entusiast riders over the world!
I hope the legacy of knowledgement will be continued!
Brazilia MTB
Thanks for all of the bike help over the years Sheldon. Your site was one of the first I discovered when I started riding seriously. May you live on in cyberspace for many years.
Brilliant, funny, humble, generous, inspiring, zany. There is no doubt that he was all these things and more.
He will live on in our hearts.
Thank you Sheldon.
I built my own bike a few years ago because of Sheldon Brown. He answered my emails, usually within the same day, as if I were a dear friend.
We had never met.
He inspired us all about cycling. But more importantly, he taught us what it means to be human and the effects of random acts of kindness.
God bless.
Sheldon Brown, cyclist, mechanic, polymath: we shall miss him greatly.
Rowan of Ravara.
Thank you for always sharing your gift no matter what.
the world is a better place for having had you in it.
Craig D. in Chicago
Bicycle mechanics, both professional and amateur, will miss the insights and wisdom that Sheldon gave to the bicycle community.
Many of us know so little about bikes, except that we like to ride them. What many of us do know we learned in large part from reading your writings. Thanks Sheldon for your generosity, your wisdom and your humor. You helped so many of us. Wish we could have met you and thanked you in person.
You inspire us!
I think Sheldon should be a model for all of us - he was always willing to help out without getting anything in return - and all just because he could. My heart goes out to his family.
After knee surgery in 1994 I couldn't run anymore. I was talking to some bike messengers in Boston and asked where can I get one of those bikes....Go see Sheldon. Sheldon converted an old 10 speed for me. The day I took it home he said, "don't brake too hard or it will really hurt" he was right. 2 years later when I was ready for a real fixed gear he had a sample frame that someone made to his spec. He built it up and I still ride it to this day, I guess I'll keep it "cause its an original Sheldon.
Thanks Sheldon, you were truly unique........
Ride on !!!!!!
Sheldon was a real ambassador of the nobelest invention of man. He sung it's praises, taught many how to access and appreciate the simple magic and did it with a humanity that should be an example to us all.
I'm getting all teary eyed as I write this and I never even met the man. I spent many hours in his writings though. His knowledge and spirit has gone into the bike and the ride I do every day.
My sincerest condolences to Sheldon's family. I've never met you either, but from everything I've read, you are wonderful people that were loved very much. If I am this sad, I can only imagine how you must feel. The man was a truly sterling human being.
What a great guy you were, Sheldon. You inspired me to attack any tech problem with creativity, fearlessness, and whatever I had on hand. I learned so much from you about bicycles, cycling, and pure joy. April 1st will never be the same for an entire community.
Ride on, dude.
medici
Thank you Sheldon for all your generosity to this sport we all love so much. My thoughts and prayers are go out to the family during this time of loss. While Mr. Brown may no longer be with us, we are so very fortunate to have his words, his enthusiasm, his love for all things bicycle related, live on forever.
I first learned of Sheldon 30 years ago when I picked up a repair manual he had written. Perhaps ten years ago I started reading his web site, his journal in particular. His depth of knowledge in literature, film and music was incredible to me. The header says that he wrote it mainly for his kids but he must have known that many of us read every word and were better for it.
It's tough to realise that there will be no more journal. My heart goes out to Harriet, Geotge and Tova. Chapeau Sheldon! I hope your riding a fixed gear tandem somewhere right now!
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