Thursday, December 10, 2009

Staff Profile: Adam Falkner

How does being a bass player help land you a job at Century Cycles? Just ask Adam Falkner at the Rocky River store, whose ability to both wrench on bikes and play a mean blues lick impressed General Manager Mike Petcher during a job interview almost seven years ago. Raised on the east side, Adam is now a resident of Fairview Park and happy to call himself a west-sider.

Q: What was your first bike?
A: A Cycle Pro BMX bike. My dad gave it to me in 1985, when I was five years old. I don’t have it anymore. A few years ago, I gave the frame to Keith Heffernan.

Q: How many bikes do you currently own?
A: I only have one go-to bike assembled, a Raleigh M50 mountain bike that I converted into a drop bar, single-speed touring bike. It’s been called “The Beast.” I also have about four or five projects in the basement, plus I have two frames and a big pile of parts.

Q: What do you like about working at Century Cycles?
A: Great people, laid-back job, going out for beers after work. Making things work is always great. When a person brings us something they thought they would never ride again, then they come to pick it up and it rides like new – that’s a great feeling.

Q: What do you do when you’re not at Century Cycles or riding a bike?
A: I play in a band called Body Massage, which is a funky bluesy-type jazz band. I like to hang out with my girlfriend. I’m always working on cars, either mine or one of my friends’ cars.

Q: I heard Body Massage played at Whole Foods. How was that?
A: Our sax player worked there and got us the gig. It was a blast to see people waiting in the check-out line and dancing. Bizarre but entertaining.

Q: Road or dirt?
A: Lately it’s been more road, although I used to love mountain biking. I fell in to the dark side of road bikers, bicycling for exercise instead of adventure.

Q: What three words describe how you feel on a bike?
A: Sweaty, empowered, fit.

Q: So after a sweaty ride, what beer quenches your thirst?
A: Delirium Tremens is my favorite beer.

Q: What piece of advice do you give to customers?
A: Take care of your stuff and ask questions if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
A: Ray always says get what works for you. I’m a tinkerer by heart and like to put together old and weird bikes. That works for me, but it does not work for everyone.

Q: Where is your favorite trail or ride, in the U.S. and local?
A: Anywhere in San Diego, which is where my aunt and uncle live. Always a pleasure. Around here I like the hilly east side, like the Pepper Pike and Gates Mills area, and riding in the Metroparks.

Q: What’s your biggest accomplishment on a bike?
A: A few years ago I lost 70 pounds in six months just riding my bike. It got me healthy.

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