Memorial bike ride planned for Tom Cuthbertson

He actually didn't stand there and help, offering advice as he looked over our shoulders. He patiently helped us from the pages of his wonderful repair manual, “Anybody's Bike Book.”

Cuthbertson died of cancer on Oct. 10. He was 60. The memorial ride is planned to celebrate Cuthbertson's accomplishments to raise bicycling's popularity. A post-ride fund-raiser will help offset his family's expenses in his fight against cancer. VeloNews reports that donations can be made to his wife:
Colleen Brokaw
170 Peach Terrace
Santa Cruz, Calif., 95060

The ride begins at 9 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 13 at Sprocket's Bike Shop, 1420 Mission St., Santa Cruz. Cuthbertson began his bicycle work there in 1969 when it was known as the Bicycle Center.

In announcing Cuthbertson's death, Jim Langley wrote in RoadBikeRider.com:

“Tom was one of the guys that put Santa Cruz on the map as a cycling town. He blazed a lot of the trails that everyone rides today. He was one of those local legends that everyone looked up to.

“Tom was suffering badly so everyone's relieved that he's at peace now.”

Cuthberton's book help demystify bicycle repair for me and kept me entertained during some hairy wrenching adventures. It travelled cross-country in my panniers and is still frequently consulted. My copy is dog-eared and well greased. Leafing through it, I'm reminded of challenging projects I undertook by the evidence of black fingerprint smudges on certain pages.

Consider part of his advice for the frustrating art of installing a new tire on a rim. Don't use a screwdriver and try not to use the tire irons, he cautioned:

“So use your hands and your patience and your perseverance. Franz Kafka once said, 'There is only one human sin — impatience.' Not that I expect you to keep that patience when that tire bead bites your finger, then jumps off the rim. When you've just got to throw something, don't throw the wheel. Grab a handy wrench and throw it. It will make a much more satisfying clang, and it won't bend.”