Crank on, Captain Bike.
February 4, 2008 12:59 PM Subscribe
RIP, Sheldon Brown. Head tech for Harris Cyclery, keeper of a vast (and very web 1.0) compendium of bicycle repair lore, often linked funny guy, and a standard answer to every bicycle question in AskMe.
Oh no.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:10 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:10 PM on February 4, 2008
yeah.. saw this on bikeforums a bit ago. such a sad day for bike obsessives like me.
posted by mrballistic at 1:11 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by mrballistic at 1:11 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by dances_with_sneetches at 1:13 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 1:13 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 1:14 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 1:14 PM on February 4, 2008
Damn. I thought he was the kind of tough old bird who would live forever.
posted by maudlin at 1:15 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by maudlin at 1:15 PM on February 4, 2008
I learned more about bikes from his website than any book I ever bought.
posted by jpeacock at 1:16 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by jpeacock at 1:16 PM on February 4, 2008
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Oh man Sheldon Brown. I owe you for everything I know about bicycles. May the internet keep you alive forever.
posted by thebigdeadwaltz at 1:17 PM on February 4, 2008
Oh man Sheldon Brown. I owe you for everything I know about bicycles. May the internet keep you alive forever.
posted by thebigdeadwaltz at 1:17 PM on February 4, 2008
Always meant to stop by Harris and thank him in person one day. RIP.
posted by bobot at 1:18 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by bobot at 1:18 PM on February 4, 2008
Oh no!! I leave Boston and look what happens.
Godspeed, my good man...
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posted by mykescipark at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008
Godspeed, my good man...
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posted by mykescipark at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008
That's sad, he was rad.
People like Sheldon Brown are a great example of how great a medium the internet can be.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
People like Sheldon Brown are a great example of how great a medium the internet can be.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
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nthing the debt of gratitude for his vast amount of knowledge and enthusiasm for all things cycling... I learned a lot from his website. my prayers go out to his family and friends.
posted by dubold at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008
nthing the debt of gratitude for his vast amount of knowledge and enthusiasm for all things cycling... I learned a lot from his website. my prayers go out to his family and friends.
posted by dubold at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008
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Not just a loss for cyclists. To my mind, he's the ultimate example of what the web is for.
posted by dickasso at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008 [9 favorites]
Not just a loss for cyclists. To my mind, he's the ultimate example of what the web is for.
posted by dickasso at 1:21 PM on February 4, 2008 [9 favorites]
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Should there need to be a fund to keep his website going, I'm in.
posted by mkb at 1:22 PM on February 4, 2008
Should there need to be a fund to keep his website going, I'm in.
posted by mkb at 1:22 PM on February 4, 2008
Wow. Just googling randomly for bike stuff I'd end up at his site. Yes, his site will form his memorial.
posted by jouke at 1:24 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by jouke at 1:24 PM on February 4, 2008
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I always thought of him as almost a force of nature for the internet - some sort of ageless, infinitely knowledgeable river god. Damn.
posted by The Bridge on the River Kai Ryssdal at 1:27 PM on February 4, 2008
I always thought of him as almost a force of nature for the internet - some sort of ageless, infinitely knowledgeable river god. Damn.
posted by The Bridge on the River Kai Ryssdal at 1:27 PM on February 4, 2008
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I used his site, reviews, and advice to get my most recent bike, which turned out awesome. He was a great resource.
posted by procrastination at 1:28 PM on February 4, 2008
I used his site, reviews, and advice to get my most recent bike, which turned out awesome. He was a great resource.
posted by procrastination at 1:28 PM on February 4, 2008
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I feel the same as The Bridge…. He was one of those unique and necessary figures. If he didn't exist, the Internet would have to invent him.
Now what do we do?
posted by adamrice at 1:33 PM on February 4, 2008
I feel the same as The Bridge…. He was one of those unique and necessary figures. If he didn't exist, the Internet would have to invent him.
Now what do we do?
posted by adamrice at 1:33 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:36 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:36 PM on February 4, 2008
OMG, this is horrible. The cycling community will miss his wit and knowledge. It has been a rough few years for him. God bless you Sheldon. You have given more than you have taken.
posted by caddis at 1:45 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by caddis at 1:45 PM on February 4, 2008
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I learned about more than just bikes from him. Godspeed.
posted by casaubon at 1:48 PM on February 4, 2008
I learned about more than just bikes from him. Godspeed.
posted by casaubon at 1:48 PM on February 4, 2008
I first encountered Sheldon Brown's site in college when I had bought this beautiful early 80's Pinarello with Nuovo Record parts that I couldn't figure out how to work on. A buddy pointed me to his site, from which I learned almost everything I know about vintage bikes. I still visit it all the time, since you can find the answer to pretty much every bike related question there.
Truly, a legend. He will be greatly missed. I hope someone takes steps to preserve (or even continue to update) his site. I can't imagine he'd want it any other way.
posted by dseaton at 1:49 PM on February 4, 2008
Truly, a legend. He will be greatly missed. I hope someone takes steps to preserve (or even continue to update) his site. I can't imagine he'd want it any other way.
posted by dseaton at 1:49 PM on February 4, 2008
I first encountered him as a voice of sanity and experience in the all-too excitable rec.bike forums. Much of what I know about bikes I learned from his wise interjections into the froth opinion and bile that was rec.bicycles.tech. His website is Sheldon "Captain Bike" Brown condensed, true, but misses much of his essential humour and good nature.
Though we never met in person, I'll miss him a great deal.
posted by bonehead at 1:51 PM on February 4, 2008
Though we never met in person, I'll miss him a great deal.
posted by bonehead at 1:51 PM on February 4, 2008
ps. He just updated his journal yesterday! Maybe someone could put on a fake beard and bald cap and go pull the Obama lever for him tomorrow...
posted by dseaton at 1:52 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by dseaton at 1:52 PM on February 4, 2008
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There are four mid-century English 3-speeds parked in my living room, all of which owe their ridability to Sheldon Brown's exhaustive online advice. He really was an incredible resource for the cycling community.
In addition to maintaining the Harris site, and the twisty maze of passages that is sheldonbrown.com, and answering questions on bikeforum and other cycling sites, he'd been blogging since 1998, and posted his most recent entry just yesterday (when he decided to vote for Obama). Most people weren't aware, I think, that he hadn't ridden a bike in a few years, due to mysterious neurological problems which ultimately turned out to be MS.
The man certainly made his mark on the Internet. I wonder how long it will take for bitrot to erode his long, long shadow. Hopefully Harris will support and encourage mirrors, and custodial parties will step forward to take over curation of the niche sites, like Retro Raleighs.
posted by mumkin at 1:53 PM on February 4, 2008
There are four mid-century English 3-speeds parked in my living room, all of which owe their ridability to Sheldon Brown's exhaustive online advice. He really was an incredible resource for the cycling community.
In addition to maintaining the Harris site, and the twisty maze of passages that is sheldonbrown.com, and answering questions on bikeforum and other cycling sites, he'd been blogging since 1998, and posted his most recent entry just yesterday (when he decided to vote for Obama). Most people weren't aware, I think, that he hadn't ridden a bike in a few years, due to mysterious neurological problems which ultimately turned out to be MS.
The man certainly made his mark on the Internet. I wonder how long it will take for bitrot to erode his long, long shadow. Hopefully Harris will support and encourage mirrors, and custodial parties will step forward to take over curation of the niche sites, like Retro Raleighs.
posted by mumkin at 1:53 PM on February 4, 2008
But bikers don't rest in peace. They coast in peace.
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posted by uandt at 1:56 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by uandt at 1:56 PM on February 4, 2008
That's very sad. I'd heard knew there were concerns about his health and that he had to stop riding a few years back. Even that didn't stop his generosity. The man is a hero.
posted by hydrophonic at 2:02 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by hydrophonic at 2:02 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by bonecrusher at 2:03 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by bonecrusher at 2:03 PM on February 4, 2008
Just this past week, I was talking with someone about Sheldon's crazy facial hair. His site was definitely what I would consider to be the best of the internet.
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posted by hooray at 2:05 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by hooray at 2:05 PM on February 4, 2008
But bikers don't rest in peace. They coast in peace.
Not on a fixie, they don't.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:07 PM on February 4, 2008 [4 favorites]
Not on a fixie, they don't.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:07 PM on February 4, 2008 [4 favorites]
This breaks me up. Me and almost everybody I know learned about bikes from Sheldon. The world lost a great man.
posted by ardgedee at 2:07 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by ardgedee at 2:07 PM on February 4, 2008
I learned a lot from him, and Harris will be a quieter place in his absence.
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posted by zachxman at 2:09 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by zachxman at 2:09 PM on February 4, 2008
Very sad news indeed. God bless Sheldon Brown.
posted by popcassady at 2:16 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by popcassady at 2:16 PM on February 4, 2008
May the road where you're headed be long and carless, my friend. May the wind be always at your back, and may the sun shine warm upon your face as you pedal off into the sunset.
Rest in peace, Sheldon.
posted by hollisimo at 2:19 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Rest in peace, Sheldon.
posted by hollisimo at 2:19 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
I have never gotten watery over a celeb obit, till now. Goddamn it.
posted by everichon at 2:26 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by everichon at 2:26 PM on February 4, 2008
I learned everything I know about building bikes from his website. It's funny, it's easy to forget about the real people behind websites. He helped me out bigtime, and he never would have known it. But the bicycle I ride every day never would have been built without him. With all of the bicycle opinions on the Internet, his site was the only one that said, "Sure! You can build that! Here's how!"
posted by pantsonfire at 2:26 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by pantsonfire at 2:26 PM on February 4, 2008
I can't add anything more here then everyone else has. I've read so much of his site that I felt like I knew him.
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posted by lester's sock puppet at 2:27 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by lester's sock puppet at 2:27 PM on February 4, 2008
There has got to be a ride for him. Somewhere, everywhere.
posted by jmgorman at 2:31 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by jmgorman at 2:31 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Jesus, I was just doing research last night on a potential new bike purchase and ran across another one of his tutorial/how-to/review pages for the millionth time in my searches. I must have read his site hundreds of times while doing research for various aspects of cycling. Big loss for everyone, he was such a valuable resource.
posted by mathowie at 2:35 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by mathowie at 2:35 PM on February 4, 2008
Ah, hell. As a purely recreational weekend rider, I loved his stuff - his welcoming, friendly personality just shone through in his writings. Count me in as another who'll miss him without ever having met him. Peace out, Captain Bike.
posted by GrammarMoses at 2:43 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by GrammarMoses at 2:43 PM on February 4, 2008
Not on a fixie, they don't.
But i prefer imagining the old dude coasting into the sunset or something. Brings a whole new meaning to spinning in his grave though...
April 1 this year will be so boring without him
posted by uandt at 2:53 PM on February 4, 2008
Sheldon Brown's calm, clear words taught me how to true a wheel, replace broken spokes, split and fuse a chain properly and taught me more about bikes than I ever thought I'd be able to learn on my own.
If there's any sort of afterlife, if there's any sort of creator of this universe out there - Sheldon Brown is giving that creator bike tuning tips right now. He was that good.
posted by loquacious at 2:56 PM on February 4, 2008
If there's any sort of afterlife, if there's any sort of creator of this universe out there - Sheldon Brown is giving that creator bike tuning tips right now. He was that good.
posted by loquacious at 2:56 PM on February 4, 2008
What a loss. I learned a lot about bikes from his website.
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posted by felix betachat at 3:00 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by felix betachat at 3:00 PM on February 4, 2008
Trust me, Sheldon "Coasting Is Bad For You" Brown is not coasting.
posted by vishnubob at 3:05 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by vishnubob at 3:05 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Sheldon Brown is giving tuning tips to the creator bike?
I like that!
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:06 PM on February 4, 2008
I like that!
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:06 PM on February 4, 2008
That's really sad that he's gone. I hope that someone else from Harris will take responsiblity for working on his website. Like everyone else has said above, it was the bible of obscure bicycle knowledge and it deserves someone else as dedicated as him to maintain it!
RIP Sheldon!
posted by jstef at 3:16 PM on February 4, 2008
RIP Sheldon!
posted by jstef at 3:16 PM on February 4, 2008
Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Jesus Christ.
I don't even know where to start. If it wasn't for that man there's no way I'd be on the road even half as much as I am today, and certainly not on a fixie. So thanks for that.
My dictionary has a picture of Sheldon next to the entry for "mensch." He was incredibly generous and kind with this lessons, and never hesitated to answer even the newbiest of newb questions with sagacity, patience, care and humor, and with no apparent expectation of any reward apart from the joy of sharing. And he conveyed this knowledge without ever stooping to personal attacks on those he disagreed with, the way so many self-proclaimed bike seers do.
Some day when I grow up I hope to be half the man Sheldon was. He affected more people than you could count, and likely more than he ever knew. His enthusiasm inspired an evangelism that made answering AskMe bike questions an imperative for me, and his site made the answers a no-brainer -- "see sheldonbrown.com" Best of the Internet? Hell, try Best of Humanity.
I never met the man but he was one of the good guys and from all accounts he and his wife raised a wonderful family. My thoughts go out to them tonight.
posted by Opposite George at 3:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
I don't even know where to start. If it wasn't for that man there's no way I'd be on the road even half as much as I am today, and certainly not on a fixie. So thanks for that.
My dictionary has a picture of Sheldon next to the entry for "mensch." He was incredibly generous and kind with this lessons, and never hesitated to answer even the newbiest of newb questions with sagacity, patience, care and humor, and with no apparent expectation of any reward apart from the joy of sharing. And he conveyed this knowledge without ever stooping to personal attacks on those he disagreed with, the way so many self-proclaimed bike seers do.
Some day when I grow up I hope to be half the man Sheldon was. He affected more people than you could count, and likely more than he ever knew. His enthusiasm inspired an evangelism that made answering AskMe bike questions an imperative for me, and his site made the answers a no-brainer -- "see sheldonbrown.com" Best of the Internet? Hell, try Best of Humanity.
I never met the man but he was one of the good guys and from all accounts he and his wife raised a wonderful family. My thoughts go out to them tonight.
posted by Opposite George at 3:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
He's not gone; just up around the next bend.
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posted by jquinby at 3:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
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posted by jquinby at 3:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
I declare tomorrow Sheldon Brown Day in Portlnd. I'm staying home to tear down one of my bikes.
posted by valentinepig at 3:28 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by valentinepig at 3:28 PM on February 4, 2008
When I got my 22 year old bike out of storage, I was having trouble adjusting the derailleur. On a whim, I emailed Sheldon and he was able to tell me about the specific model's quirks. He was patient and helpful, and his site has always been a useful and source of practical biking advice (and silly leg-pulling bike humor, too).
posted by zippy at 3:32 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by zippy at 3:32 PM on February 4, 2008
Damn I learned tons on his site :( , kind of miss him like I miss Sagan.
posted by elpapacito at 3:33 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by elpapacito at 3:33 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Like most others, I never met the man but spent many hours poring over his site. Such a loss, and my condolences to his family.
posted by friendlyjuan at 3:37 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by friendlyjuan at 3:37 PM on February 4, 2008
oh crap. I seriously hope someone keeps the site up, because Sheldon's was the single source for all those perplexing "WTF?!" issues dealing with old specs, french bottom brackets, and obscure Sachs and Miche bits. I mean that was THE place for our shop rats to send the clueless tyro who'd just hauled some crazy prize out of the dumpster / freecycle bin. Cause christ knows *we* didn't want to have to struggle with them.
crappitydammit. I've been referencing Sheldon's tips for as long as I've been on the interwebs. Honestly I *still* have to go do sanity checks there for weird fixed gear issues.
posted by lonefrontranger at 4:04 PM on February 4, 2008
crappitydammit. I've been referencing Sheldon's tips for as long as I've been on the interwebs. Honestly I *still* have to go do sanity checks there for weird fixed gear issues.
posted by lonefrontranger at 4:04 PM on February 4, 2008
I was in my local bike shop this morning when I heard the news. I wouldn't be riding a fixed gear if it wasn't for him. Sad news.
posted by monkeymike at 4:09 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by monkeymike at 4:09 PM on February 4, 2008
Aw man.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:13 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:13 PM on February 4, 2008
This sucks. I bought my last bike from Harris largely because his site led me to my final decision.
posted by nev at 4:41 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by nev at 4:41 PM on February 4, 2008
Who says MeFites can't agree on anything?
Oikaze (tailwind), Captain. Those who ride salute you. Let's start a flickr pool and each send one picture in salute to the captain.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:46 PM on February 4, 2008
Oikaze (tailwind), Captain. Those who ride salute you. Let's start a flickr pool and each send one picture in salute to the captain.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:46 PM on February 4, 2008
I seriously hope someone keeps the site up, because Sheldon's was the single source for all those perplexing "WTF?!" issues dealing with old specs, french bottom brackets, and obscure Sachs and Miche bits.
I've heard from at least one guy who's said he'll make sure it stays online if the family and or Harris can't do it. I suspect there are many more.
posted by eriko at 4:57 PM on February 4, 2008
I've heard from at least one guy who's said he'll make sure it stays online if the family and or Harris can't do it. I suspect there are many more.
posted by eriko at 4:57 PM on February 4, 2008
A few years back I was looking to build up an old Italian frame as a fixie and was trying to get some advice about finding a part to fit some other obscure part and - details not important. So I emailed Mr Brown at Harris - if anyone would know, I thought - and got a prompt and very helpful reply, which he signed off with an apology for not being able to completely answer my question because he was away from the shop on vacation in France. Maybe some might have considered that a little over-dedicated, but I suspect he just loved what he did. His contribution to the bicycling renaissance of the last few years is immeasurable.
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posted by normy at 5:30 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by normy at 5:30 PM on February 4, 2008
Damn. Him, his employees/coworkers, and his site have been so useful to me.
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posted by YoBananaBoy at 6:17 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by YoBananaBoy at 6:17 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by Felicity Rilke at 6:43 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by Felicity Rilke at 6:43 PM on February 4, 2008
I had a chance to meet the man and ride with him back in 2003. He was opinionated, but fair, and wise beyond his many years. He also was kind to those who needed help, and took the time to ride with everybody in my ride group - fast and slow, it didn't matter to him.
As a DIY cycle repair guy, his site is invaluable. Hopefully, it will carry on, be expanded, and remain a source of information, enlightenment and debate for decades to come.
posted by songfta at 6:44 PM on February 4, 2008
As a DIY cycle repair guy, his site is invaluable. Hopefully, it will carry on, be expanded, and remain a source of information, enlightenment and debate for decades to come.
posted by songfta at 6:44 PM on February 4, 2008
Sheldon inspired me to go from mere rider to bona fide cycling nut. I wouldn't have had a clue on how to get started really knowing bikes without his dedication.
R.I.P. Sheldon "Rolling off into the Sunset" Brown
posted by a_green_man at 6:46 PM on February 4, 2008
R.I.P. Sheldon "Rolling off into the Sunset" Brown
posted by a_green_man at 6:46 PM on February 4, 2008
I'd echo that I learned more about bikes from him than from any other single source. R.I.P.
posted by well_balanced at 6:53 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by well_balanced at 6:53 PM on February 4, 2008
I've spent a lot of time on his site over the years, and I learned a ton there. Thanks for writing, Sheldon, and thanks for sharing your knowledge, your opinions, your humor, and your joy in cycling.
posted by Songdog at 6:56 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by Songdog at 6:56 PM on February 4, 2008
I remember how excited I was when I found his site- and how delighted I was that the person behind it was so clearly kind, generous, and patient.
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posted by foxy_hedgehog at 6:59 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by foxy_hedgehog at 6:59 PM on February 4, 2008
Oh, no. This is too sad.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 7:26 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 7:26 PM on February 4, 2008
I'm curious what the copyright on Sheldon's site is - does it now belong to his wife, or to Harris Cyclery? Is there any interest in putting it in wiki form for expansion?
posted by migurski at 8:48 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by migurski at 8:48 PM on February 4, 2008
In Wisconsin it is currently raining, misting and the rain/mist combo is freezing to the ground....
I still got on my bike.
And I once made an ass of myself in his presence on bikeforums .... he was very understanding.
posted by Sam.Burdick at 8:57 PM on February 4, 2008
I still got on my bike.
And I once made an ass of myself in his presence on bikeforums .... he was very understanding.
posted by Sam.Burdick at 8:57 PM on February 4, 2008
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posted by contraption at 9:18 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by contraption at 9:18 PM on February 4, 2008
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Aw, god damn. The good ones always leave early.
posted by Astragalus at 9:35 PM on February 4, 2008
Aw, god damn. The good ones always leave early.
posted by Astragalus at 9:35 PM on February 4, 2008
Thank you, Sheldon.
posted by hangingbyathread at 10:45 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by hangingbyathread at 10:45 PM on February 4, 2008
oh man. he seemed like a nice guy and he
gave a lot to other riders.
posted by asusu at 10:45 PM on February 4, 2008
gave a lot to other riders.
posted by asusu at 10:45 PM on February 4, 2008
This is devastating news. Sheldon Brown has been like a perpetually kind oracle forever answering newbie questions for as long as long as I can remember. He was a usenet fixture long before the web got going, and for every snarky (but correct) reply from Jobst Brandt, there would be a hundred incredibly helpful, informative posts from Sheldon. A real loss.
posted by tim_in_oz at 11:12 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by tim_in_oz at 11:12 PM on February 4, 2008
What a wonderful man he was, I've been in tears since I found out… he will be so dearly missed.
I remember reading his posts on Usenet and following the link in his sig to a treasure trove of classic web wonder. He was so damn prolific.
The one time I traveled through New England, I went far out of my way to meet the man in person, what a treat!
Authored at least 11,800 Usenet posts
Authored at least 5,841 emails to the phred.org lists
Searching through my own email from recent years reveals several threads that total 27 messages.
His MS was quite debilitating to his balance — he hadn't been able to safely ride a bicycle for a few years, though he was better at it than walking! He'd been using one of those Rascal electric scooters, and riding a tadpole recumbent trike when he could.
Using the past tense so much brings me to tears again…
posted by blasdelf at 1:23 AM on February 5, 2008
I remember reading his posts on Usenet and following the link in his sig to a treasure trove of classic web wonder. He was so damn prolific.
The one time I traveled through New England, I went far out of my way to meet the man in person, what a treat!
Authored at least 11,800 Usenet posts
Authored at least 5,841 emails to the phred.org lists
Searching through my own email from recent years reveals several threads that total 27 messages.
His MS was quite debilitating to his balance — he hadn't been able to safely ride a bicycle for a few years, though he was better at it than walking! He'd been using one of those Rascal electric scooters, and riding a tadpole recumbent trike when he could.
Using the past tense so much brings me to tears again…
posted by blasdelf at 1:23 AM on February 5, 2008
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posted by BrotherCaine at 4:57 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by BrotherCaine at 4:57 AM on February 5, 2008
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posted by benATthelocust at 6:09 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by benATthelocust at 6:09 AM on February 5, 2008
an obituary on Sheldon Brown written by his wife, Harriet Fell, was just posted to the MassBike mailing list.
Further down the thread, there's a reference to a collection running for audio stories about Sheldon Brown for a radio eulogy. If you wish to pay tribute to the man, you may consider contributing.
posted by bl1nk at 6:56 AM on February 5, 2008
Further down the thread, there's a reference to a collection running for audio stories about Sheldon Brown for a radio eulogy. If you wish to pay tribute to the man, you may consider contributing.
posted by bl1nk at 6:56 AM on February 5, 2008
Hey bl1nk, any chance you can post that obit here in the thread (or otherwise link to it)? The link you gave requires you to be logged in to view and I (as well as others I'm sure) would like to read it. Thanks.
posted by friendlyjuan at 8:14 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by friendlyjuan at 8:14 AM on February 5, 2008
Here you go, friendlyjuan:
In 1972, I was halfway home with a flat tire and walked into a bike shop that was just closing -- the bicycle Revival, River Street in Cambridge,. or maybe Western Avenue. Sheldon stayed late to fix it. That's how I first met him.posted by bl1nk at 8:35 AM on February 5, 2008 [13 favorites]
There were 46 bicycles in or around his house "with a few shared wheels", by his recent count, mostly in his basement. He didn't buy bicycles off the shelf -- as a challenge to his mechanical ingenuity, and a way to spend less money and spend more time doing what he liked to do, he cobbled up customized bicycles from parts he acquired mostly through special deals, barter or secondhand, to suit himself or someone in his family. He often came up with a something unique, clever and useful. You may read about his bicycles on his Web site. He had an eye for style, but also, one or two rusty clunkers hung out by the back door getting rustier, for the quick ride to the convenience store, and several old hulks of bikes lived under the front porch.
Much more history could go here...later for that. As David Wittenberg described him in an e-mail this morning: "He knew more about bicycles than anyone else I know, as was always happy to share what he knew." Lemonade out of lemons, serving his lifelong interest in photography: he drilled a hole through the handle of the cane so he also could use it as a monopod for his camera. He could no longer ride a bicycle because he lacked the coordination and leg strength to mount or dismount. He rode a Greenspeed recumbent tricycle slowly.
You wouldn't have known about his illness from his correspondence, except when he openly mentioned it. He hated euphemisms and didn't mince words: he wrote "I am now a cripple." He remained upbeat, active and involved and said that his illness was much harder for Harriet to take than for him, though "it's damn inconvenient." With his usual mechanical ingenuity, he had bought a hoist secondhand and rigged it to lift his electric 4-wheel scooter in and out of the back of his minivan, and that's how he got around.
But it was a massive heart attack rather than the MS that ended his life last night. He was 63.
He leaves Harriet, a PhD professor of mathematics and computer science at Northeastern University, and the first American woman to complete Paris-Brest-Paris. You may read about that too, on her Web site. Her opening line when she first met Sheldon: "I see you're riding fixed." And then he noticed that she was riding a Holdsworth, a high-grade British bike of the day.
Bicyclists and computer gurus mixed at their wedding in 1979. Would you believe that my seat was next to that of artificial intelligence guru Marvin Minsky? It was. Sheldon and Harriet rode away on a tandem.
Their two children, George and Tova, are both now doctoral students in mathematics.
Sheldon was widely read, with a special interest in science fiction. He spoke French, and read Jules Verne in French, having brushed it up when Harriet was on a fellowship in France and the family spent a year there, 1988-1989. He wrote with lucidity and technical precision, though he had been a square peg in a round hole with conventional academics and never earned a college degree.
Favorite quote from Sheldon:
"Everyone I know in bicycling is at least a little bit crazy, present company included."
Amen, to which I would add, the craziness I know in bicyclists often leads in good directions, or the bicycling keeps it within bounds. I know of a lot of people *not* in bicycling who are very much crazier :-)
Favorite quote about him, I don't recall from whom (Harold Lewis, Ed Trumbull?):
"When they made him, they threw away the mold."
This afternoon, I went out for a bike ride. That always helps get *me* going in the right direction when things are getting out of bounds :-).
I stopped at the post office in Weston and a woman in line ahead of me was saying that everyone is depressed because the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl game last night. Well, we all have our troubles, I guess.
He did a lot for me too; I have a host of fixed gear bikes thanks to him. His influence on so many people is one of the best examples of what the internet is for.
posted by craven_morhead at 8:42 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by craven_morhead at 8:42 AM on February 5, 2008
Thanks bl1nk, that was a good read about a good man.
posted by friendlyjuan at 10:31 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by friendlyjuan at 10:31 AM on February 5, 2008
Indeed. Speaking of good men, is this the only ObitFilter in history without a single negative comment about the deceased, not even one of those "meh, who cares, millions die of malaria every week" comments? If so, that speaks volumes in itself.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:20 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:20 PM on February 5, 2008
.
He gave me my start in this business (heh!). Way back when in like 1996 I got my first used Lotus track bike at the velodrome in Trexlertown PA. There was nothing, nada, no information on fixed gear bikes out there. FixedGearGallery wasn't even a gleam in Dennis' eye. No Ebay auctions, no NJS, no hipsters. No books, even. Except for one guy, who had this web site. It was just out there and I pointed my Mosaic web browser there and just thought, wowwwwww. No secrets, no arcane stuff like 'Europeans use leg rub.' Just volumes of articles, tips, charts, catalog scans, advice, and know-how all dispensed freely. Nice.
posted by fixedgear at 3:18 PM on February 5, 2008
He gave me my start in this business (heh!). Way back when in like 1996 I got my first used Lotus track bike at the velodrome in Trexlertown PA. There was nothing, nada, no information on fixed gear bikes out there. FixedGearGallery wasn't even a gleam in Dennis' eye. No Ebay auctions, no NJS, no hipsters. No books, even. Except for one guy, who had this web site. It was just out there and I pointed my Mosaic web browser there and just thought, wowwwwww. No secrets, no arcane stuff like 'Europeans use leg rub.' Just volumes of articles, tips, charts, catalog scans, advice, and know-how all dispensed freely. Nice.
posted by fixedgear at 3:18 PM on February 5, 2008
A friend of mine emailed me this. I cannot agree with it more.
"We need more like him. A lot more. Nobody would go wrong trying to
be a little more like him."
Thanks for everything, Sheldon.
posted by eriko at 9:57 PM on February 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
"We need more like him. A lot more. Nobody would go wrong trying to
be a little more like him."
Thanks for everything, Sheldon.
posted by eriko at 9:57 PM on February 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
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