Core Staff

 

Paul Nicholson, Abbot
[Email Paul]

Bicycle Way of Life is Paul’s terminal, accidental career. After stints as a restaurateur, photographer, school teacher, factory manager,  graduate student, and writing instructor Paul became an accidental bicycle retailer on a $5 bet. His one insight about bike shops in Eugene; in a place that abounds in choices of products and places to buy them, only a great staff can deliver the service that will distinguish us.

 

Virginia Xing, Performance Analyst, Community Outreach Coordinator, PR,  Bicycle Way Of Life Cycling Team Manager
[Email Virginia]

Cell: 541-632-3432
Office: 541-344-5725

Those of you who have been with the company for a few years will not have forgotten Virginia Xing, our former ferocious office manager. Virginia is back again as our new performance analyst. Virginia moved back from Taiwan in March, 2011.  She is sure to put the fear of Virginia back in your hearts so that no one will dare do his or her job less than perfectly. On the other hand, Virginia is also actively involved in our community outreach program where she is busy inserting love of Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life in the hearts of local cyclists in the area. Perfect balance!

Virginia rides Trek Madone 6.5 wsd and Trek Domane 6.9 wsd road bikes; she also rides a Trek Lush sl mountain bike. On top of road riding and racing, she also started her cyclocross racing season in 2012. Virginia could be found at the Alder Street store most of the time and our downtown Charnelton Street store a couple of times a week.

 

Ardas Calhoun, Administrative Manager
[Email Ardas]
phone: 541-393-0147

Ardas Calhoun is our in house yogi, she teaches yoga at the Eugene Family YMCA, as well as performing as overseer for HR and accounting for the BWOL. When she is not at her desk, she can be found hiking and/or kayaking in our incredible Cascade Mountains. After years of managing a natural food store, she decided to take a break and work in the exercise end of the healthy living industry and now graciously shares her office at the downtown Bicycle Way of Life office with Paul, Matt, and Virginia. 

 

Matt Ritzow, General Manager
[Email Matt]
Phone: 541-393-0147

When he isn’t overseeing the operations of the Paul’s Empire, Matt enjoys collecting pictures of himself holding large fish that he has caught (or so he claims). He also releases all of the large fish that he allegedly catches so we have yet to see proof that he isn’t merely taking pictures of the same plastic fish in different exotic locations. In addition to his fishing delusions, Matt for many years has been one of Oregon’s premier road racers. If you need advice about road bikes, road racing, racing tactics the racing scene, talk to Matt, whose expertise in this area is real, unlike the fish. Matt rides a Madone 6.5 and a Fisher HiFi Pro, a Raleigh Team, and he commutes daily on his Trek Portland. Favorite Ride: To the Nearest Fishin’ Hole.

 

Michael Martin, Shop Manager at 556 Charnelton St.

Phone: 541-344-4105

Ever since his first attempt at riding a neighbor’s two-wheeler ended in a collision with a parked car back in 1956, Michael has been living a “Bicycle Way of Life”. Along the way he has explored just about every aspect of cycling – from commuting to racing, to long-distance touring. Michael likes to “ride them, fix them, sell them and build ‘em” A cross-country bicycle trip that led him to Eugene from Pennsylvania, also passed through Urbana, Illinois where he first met Paul, his future employer. If you’re interested in going for a ride up the nearest hill and need a companion or just want advice on where to explore next on a bicycle, give Michael a call, or stop in at the 556 Charnelton Street shop. Michael rides a Trek Madone 5.2, and a Trek Fuel EX8. His favorite ride: Any ride that goes uphill both ways.

 

Rod Bautista, Shop Manager at 556 Charnelton St.
Phone: 541-344-4105

Rod is the inventory of the Charnelton Street store and the head of the Bicycle Way of Life physics department. He wears the additional hats of chief electric bicycle mechanic and unofficial company therapist. Check out our mountain bikes at the Charnelton Street store.

Rod also pitches in as an additional store manager at the downtown Charnelton Street store. Rod’s wide experience includes machinist, frame repair, and custom fabricator.

 

 

 

Joe Peck, Shop Manager at 2480 Alder St.

[Email Joe]
Phone: 541-342-6155

Joe defected from the dark side (serving cars) to serving bikes – may the force be with him. Joe came to us from Les Schwab, he says that he needed a job where he wouldn’t have to shave as often. Joe and his wife had a beautiful baby girl almost three years ago. Now they have another one on the way. Joe owns a multitude of bikes and a Chariot Cougar 2 trailer so he can take his daughter along for the ride. In addition to his bikes Joe has a vast collection of socks. If you see Joe and ask to see his socks you’ll get a 20% discount on socks!

 

Aaron Shelton, Shop Manager at 3870 W. 11th Ave.
Phone: 541-343-2250

Aaron began his career at Paul’s as a high school intern. He has been with the company ever since! In addition to Aaron being one of our most bicycle expert mechanics, he is an expert welder, an accomplished bowler, and a series champion autocross driver. You can meet Aaron, a mainstay of our company, at the W. 11th Av. store. Aaron rides a Gary Fisher G.E.D., and commutes on a 60′s era Raleigh Sports.

 

Isaac Johnson, Master Mechanic
Phone: 541-343-2250

Your tireless editor, having failed to obtain any information from the subject of this bio, can only discharge his responsibility to introduce staff members to the public based on his forensic investigation. I have in my hand, for example, a list references, that indicate that Isaac is an experienced professional cook. If you have eaten at Bon Apetit or McFadden’s in Portland or at the Cafe Glendi in Eugene, Isaac may well have prepared your meal. So why did we hire him? Beats me! Maybe because two of his references are good friends of mine. Or could it be that we wanted better food at the shop picnic? Or was it because he is a bike nut? Because he has a cool mustache? Frankly, no one can remember. Anyway, Isaac has a Santa Cruz Blur, and a Heinz 57 commuter among other bikes. If any of you, gentle readers, discover why we hired him, send the editor an email.

 

Chris Norton, Master Mechanic
Phone: 541-344-4105

Chris is an all around athlete. She especially excels at ultimate frisbee. The shop guys say she’s a hucker – “and that she’s amazing for a girl.” But they didn’t call her a girl when she was around to point out the distinction. Chris rides a Norco A-Line, a Lemond Buenos Aires, and a Fuji commuter bike.

 

 

 

Tom Barrett, Master Mechanic
Phone: 541-344-4105

Big Tom, aka the B F G ( Big Friendly Giant) is kinda shy unless you mention something about the river. He has lots of pictures of his latest adventures on the Willamette River under his work bench. Tom’s  never too shy to show his river pics to anyone slightly interested. Tom is in his own unique category because Big Tom doesn’t fallow the crowds. He likes to do things his way. Like riding a rigid fixed gear mountain bike.  On his days off, Tom is always  kayaking down the river with his bike and trailer. He never fishes but loves to take pictures of everything along the way. Tom has been fixing bikes for about 20 years. He will tell you the most practical and durable bicycle design will often be the simplest design. Tom commutes about 100 miles a week year-round on his crank forward Rans he built from the frame up. Tom knows hundreds of uses for used bike parts, especially inner tubes. Ask Big Tom about what you can do with tin cans sometime while he’s fixing your flat, you’ll be amazed with his hobo stove stories and pictures.

 

Andrew Alef , Community Outreach
Phone: 541-344-4150

Andrew is a Eugene native and has been hanging around bicycle shops for as long as he can remember. Having elevated to the position of Community Outreach Coordinator, Andrew’s goal is to continue to make Paul’s an integral part of Eugene’s cycling community. From general bicycle advocacy to participation with local school programs and free mobile maintenance at local events, Andrew loves to see people riding bikes.

 

Anna Brenneman, Sales/Service/Space Surgery
Phone: 541-342-6155

After a brief career as a NASA space surgeon, during which she seriously ruptured the space time continuum. Anna returned to earth to accept a position as shop kid at Bicycle Way of  Life.  She was subsequently promoted to grease monkey. Anna loves bicycles so much that she declined an offer to replace D.S.K.  as head of the IMF in order to stay at Paul’s. Anna’s hobbies include bicycling (with helmet), rugby (without helmet), running, eating Mexican food, eating sandwiches, eating legos, drumming, and designing nuclear fusion power plants (in her spare time). Anna’s favorite musical group is Menomena, she likes to read short stories, she drinks way too much coffee for her age, and she likes to talk with her chicken Harriet. Anna has a twin sister who is a foot taller than she – “she got all the altitude, and I got all the attitude,” Anna reports.

 

 

Deireck Ritter, Sales/Service
Phone: 541-344-4150

Deireck moved to Oregon from Arkansas in 2007. Bicycle Way of Life was his first job in Oregon. And we are so very thrilled to have him back working for us.

Deireck rides mountain bike, road bike, cross bike, bmx, unicycles, skateboards and just about anything with at least one wheel. He races cross country mountain and cyclocross. He’s been obsessed with bikes his whole life ever since he got his first bmx bike at age five.

You can find Deireck running around Bicycle Way of Life Charnelton Street store during the week and riding his hard-tail 29er around Oakridge or Whypass on the weekends.

If you ever find yourself needing an answer on bikes of various configurations, Deireck is always here and happy to share his opinions and experiences!