Link: BikePortland.org � Blog Archive � Sheldon Brown R.I.P (1944-2008).
Sheldon Brown was such a nice nice guy. Had an encyclopedic knowledge of all things bicycles, especially the old and obscure ones. He documented his life, his knowledge, and many other thoughts here: sheldonbrown.com. Hopefully Harris Cyclery will keep it out there for the rest of us to remember Sheldon each time we need to calculate gear inches, or to research an odd bicycle fact.
I emailed him on a few occasions for help with a french bottom bracket on a bike that I found, then something about my Bridgestone project a few years ago. For the thousands of emails he gets, he was very happy to answer my questions.
Also, I'm especially touched, as I've been following him via his Journal with the challenges of his Multiple Sclerosis. Given my bicycle passions and my MS...I felt a little more connected to him and his experiences. I sent him a note of encouragement when he was finally diagnosed, here's part of our conversation: (I was excited that he remembered my XO-1, he called it neat!)
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Sheldon: Well, as scary diseases go, MS really isn't that bad. Not likely to kill us, after all, and the handicapped parking is a great perk!
Another nice thing about MS is that it's a no-fault disease. Nobody's going to think you got what you deserved 'cause you ate the wrong foods or slept with the wrong people or did anything else culpable.
ME: Best wishes--even though you might not want to enter just now--welcome...
Thanks! I'm actually in pretty good spirits. Aside from the inconvenience of MS, my life is a dream!
Illigitimi non carborundum!
Sheldon
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He hasn't been able to ride his bikes for a long time. MS
progressed very quickly for him this last year or so. I'm pretty lucky
that I can still get around by foot and by bicycle... maybe not as fast
as I used to be, but I'm out there...
Thanks Sheldon!