Sheldon Brown
Many cyclists have heard that Sheldon Brown passed away this last weekend.
I only met Sheldon once (at the 2004 Interbike), but he’s been a constant and important part of the online cycling community for as long as I’ve been involved. I was getting serious about cycling in 1996 and that is around the time that he started his famous website and glossary (the glossary started in summer 1996). I didn’t like any of the books out there and ended up using some of his articles frequently when learning my way around a bike. I learned a lot from Sheldon’s website.He was very generous with his information and never asked for anything in return.
It’s an incredible loss.
Thank you, Alex, for noting Sheldon Brown’’s death. Like you, I first encountered Sheldon through the internet in the 1990′’s. Since then, he has never been farther away from me than the nearest keyboard. Whether I wanted to reference information on his website or ask him a question, he was always there. I was astonished each time that he would reply to a question I asked him — How could someone who received so many emails possibly take the time to respond to mine? Yet I never met him in person. He seemed perfectly at ease in this long-distance role: weaving a far-flung community among those who share a passion for cycling, most of whom would never meet one another. Our points of reference, and the intellectual underpinning of much of our debate would be vastly different without his contributions.
Alex,
Many kind things have been said about the passing of Sheldon. Like you, he lead me into the depth of cycling like few others. May his spirit pass onto someone.
Steve
In Central CA