Brandon Elliott, Owner, Iron Cycles

Say Hi to Brandon here, and make sure to visit him at Iron Cycles.

1) How/when did you get into cycling as a profession?
November 2008, I'm new to the business! I got into it from racing. I loved riding my bike, and I loved working on my bike. I had plenty of free time and the passion to do something new, so I dove right in!

2) How does your organization directly benefit cyclists?
We like to think by keeping people on the road, we're helping them save the environment, reduce road congestion, and keep people healthy. We work hard to fix everything that comes our way as quickly as possible.

3) Do you specialize in a certain type of cycling?
We work on anything that comes through the door, but we spend a lot of time riding cyclocross and road bikes. Many of us have a passion for mountain bikes, but without much riding around here cyclocross gives us our dirt fix.

4) What are your "must-have" items for cycling (this could be a tool, an accessory, a food, etc.)
DAG-1, derailleur alignment tool. Pedros Allen set, it'll fit just about anything on your bike. A T-25 driver. A wheel truing stand. Cable cutters. With those few tools we can fix about 95% of everything that comes in!

5) What do you see as the biggest area of opportunity in your niche market?
Cyclocross. Seems as though a lot of people haven't even heard of it, but once we can get them to a race they are almost always hooked. It's the most fun we've ever had on a bike and love sharing that with others. We've seen huge growth in our short time and don't see that changing anytime soon!

6) How do you think the cycling community has changed in the last year or two?
We're trying to make it more accepting. Cycling's "roadies" have a history of being a bit harsh toward newbies which can make it tough to get into the sport. We're trying to push hard toward developmental groups, Cat 4 and 5 riders, as well as women. The more people out there the more fun we have, so we see no need to prevent new people from joining in.

7) What's your most helpful tip to a newbie cyclist?
We preach on keeping bikes clean, but can't say it enough. The saying is long in the tooth, but an ounce of prevention is worth a lot more than a pound of treatment. While we stay in business by selling stuff, we really want everything we service and sell to last. And if riders aren't taking care of their parts, especially the drivetrain, it's going to wear out prematurely. Lube our chain! Clean the road grime out of your cassette. And if something doesn't feel/sound right and you aren't sure what to do, BRING IT TO US! Don't let it go and expect it to go away. We don't charge to look at your bike so the only thing you have to lose is a few minutes. Better safe than sorry.

AND FINALLY......

78) If you could go on a bike ride with anyone (living or dead), who would it be?
That's tough. If it were someone in the bike industry, probably Gary Fisher. A rider and businessman, it would be interesting to pick his mind about the evolution of mountain biking and the cycling industry. Outside of the bike industry, well, I just don't know! My head is always thinking about bikes! Let's say Tim Johnson, even though he's a pro rider so kind of in the industry, he's not selling bikes. After all of his National Championship wins in cyclocross, I'd love to talk training, racing, and managing his seasons.