Mitchell Robinson Gainesville Florida: A Day At the Races

Mitchell Robinson of Gainesville, Florida is a professional bike mechanic. He is the

owner and operator of Bike Speed Repairs, a bike shop he opened in Gainesville
in 199.
He has earned an international rep!tation as a bike mechanic. Mitchell Robinson
has traveled to "!rope as a member of #eam Generica on $ve occasions. #he
team is headed b% Bel&ian rider Marco d'Marco.
(#he #o!r is hard on riders,( sa%s Mitchell Robinson of Gainesville, Florida.
("ver%one knows that. B!t it's hard on the bikes, too ) and on the mechanics who
$* them.(
He sho!ld know, since he has been a team mechanic at $ve #o!rs, as well as in
$ve Giro d'+talias. Mitchell Robinson of Gainesville, Florida recentl% took
time o!t from his Florida bike shop to describe a t%pical da% in the life of a #o!r
de France bike mechanic.
Most of the mechanics are !p earl%, he sa%s, as earl% as -.// a.m. 0fter eatin&
breakfast the team mechanics &et the team bikes from the tr!ck the% have been
stored in overni&ht and ri&ht awa%, check the tires to make s!re the% are
properl% in1ated. Most of the bikes have been prepared the ni&ht before, b!t
each one is &iven a $nal check, and an% last2min!te tweaks are done at that
time.
B% 3.4/, he sa%s that all of the team's bikes are loaded onto the team vehicles
and driven to where that da%'s sta&e be&ins. #he bikes are all read% to &o b% this
time. #eam vehicles that trail the main pack of riders, called the peloton, are
loaded with all necessar% tools and spare parts. #he% are also ref!eled.
B% 1/.5- the teams are all assembled at the startin& point. #here is still plent% of
time, tho!&h, beca!se the races !s!all% don't be&in !ntil 1pm. From 1pm !ntil
the sta&e ends, which ordinaril% takes abo!t $ve ho!rs, the riders cover an
avera&e of abo!t one h!ndred miles and the mechanics trail behind in the team
cars. 0n% mechanical iss!es for an% of the team riders are dealt with swiftl%, with
the main ob6ective bein& to &et the rider back on the road as 7!ickl% as possible.
Mitchell Robinson of Gainesville, Florida has the rep!tation of bein& one of the
faster mechanics on #eam Generica.
8nce the sta&e has ended, the riders eat and recover for the ne*t da%'s sta&e.
#he mechanics, however, have a lot of work still before them. 8ne at a time,
each bike is cleaned and known mechanical iss!es are dealt with. "ach bike is
also inspected. +ts drive train is cleaned with a br!sh and hi&h2press!re power
washer. 9ables are inspected and often replaced re&ardless of their condition.
0fter all of the team bikes have been thro!&h the rit!al and declared read% to
ride, the% are loaded back onto the team tr!ck and trailer, and locked down for
the ni&ht. 0s an added sec!rit% meas!re a car is backed !p a&ainst the trailer.
#hat wa%, sho!ld someone mana&e to break the lock d!rin& the ni&ht, the o!t2
swin&in& door still cannot be opened.
(0nd the ne*t da%,( sa%s Mitchell Robinson of Gainesville, Florida, (we &et !p
earl% and do the whole thin& a&ain.(
#o know more information please visit o!r blo& site.
http://mitchellrobinsongainesvillef.tumblr.com/