ST. PAUL, Minn. (BRAIN) — Park Tool's director of education, Calvin Jones, is retiring after 28 years with the company. "Moving on from Park Tool, there are some educational projects that I would like to be part of," Jones said. "Plus, I am looking forward to focusing more on my riding and figuring out when to use this dropper post."
Jones developed a loyal following on Park Tool's YouTube channel, which has more than 916,000 subscribers and 13 million annual views. Working with Park Tool's creative team, Jones has hosted hundreds of free how-to videos in the past 15 years.
Other projects Jones contributed to include:
- The Repair Help section of parktool.com, with a library of nearly 200 detailed how-to guides.
- The Park Tool School, a full set of curriculum designed for teaching bicycle maintenance in a classroom setting, first published in 2000.
- The Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair, a complete bike maintenance handbook now in its fourth edition.
- The Park Tool Tech Summit, a recurring series of in-depth seminars and lectures for professional mechanics from 2009 to 2013.
Jones, whose first bike shop job was in 1973, also was team mechanic for USA national teams, mechanics instructor at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and chief instructor at Barnett's Bicycle Institute.
"I think the thing I admire most about Calvin is that to this day he lives and breathes what he teaches," said Eric Hawkins, Park Tool owner, CEO and chief mechanic. "He's passionate about the science of bikes and is a gifted teacher who can clearly explain even the most complex concepts. Through his writings, videos, and personal interactions, he's helped millions understand how their bike works and how to best keep it working. It's been an amazing run, and now, nearly 29 years later we owe a lot to Calvin for his unique ability to demystify bike repair and maintenance."
Jones will continue to be involved with the Stillwater chapter of the Minnesota Cycling Association and maintain his seat on the board for Project Bike Tech. He will periodically contribute to Park Tool video projects and will attend iceBike in London and Frostbike in Minneapolis this year.
