The World's Most Famous Bike Mechanic Is Retiring After 28 Years

Today Calvin Jones is riding off into the sunset as he retires from Park Tool after nearly three decades. You know who that is right?

Way back in 1997 Park Tool brought on a man with a reputation for education and organization but there wasn’t a plan. Jones was an expert mechanic and former teacher at Barnett Bicycle Institute but he also had a reputation for standardization.

Professionally speaking that standardization can be thought about in terms of the work Jones did for Team USA. Jones had worked for World Championships before, saying that “As one of the volunteer mechanics working at the Shimano Multi-Service tent, I saw first hand that there was no dedicated support for the US Team. Athletes, including the USA riders, such as Steve Tilford, simply stood in a long line at the Shimano tent for as long as it took to get their bikes serviced.”

Jones fixed this in 1994. Again in his own words, “My vision for Team USA technical support was put into action at the 1994 World Championship in Vail, Colorado. This was the first time there was a staff of mechanics whose primary responsibility was service to the athletes at the USA team hotel. In fact, all USA riders competing at the Worlds are welcome. I call this effort the USA TEAM SHOP, both to emphasize the team aspect, and to model the professionalism of a retail shop. As our reputation grew, we began to get more elite riders and their mechanics, needing service, or needing to borrow tools.”

What was perhaps the most different from other mechanics of the time though, was the way Jones used that professionalism to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Instead of gatekeeping, Jones looked to bring more riders into the fold of professionalism and understanding. He helped formalize bicycle repair as something teachable.

Park Tool saw that as something that made sense within the organization and from there things took off. While he initially helped with product testing and general shop wisdom it wasn’t long before Jones moved back to a teaching role. The difference at the time was that he was no longer teaching to a dedicated class but rather anyone who wanted to learn to use Park Tool. His role shifted into Director of Education and things took off.

Today Jones is well known with his famous mustache gracing the screen on many of the Park Tool educational videos however that will change going forward. After 28 years of education, Calvin Jones is stepping down.

Eric Hawkins, Park Tool’s Owner, CEO and Chief Mechanic shared that “I think the thing I admire most about Calvin is that to this day he lives and breathes what he teaches. 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 himself shared that “Moving on from Park Tool, there are some educational projects that I would like to be part of. Plus, I am looking forward to focusing more on my riding and figuring out when to use this dropper post.”

According to news shared by Park Tool, Jones will also “continue to be involved with the Stillwater chapter of the Minnesota Cycling Association and will maintain his seat on the board for Project Bike Tech.”

For those who wish to take the time to say goodbye, your last chances will be iceBike* 2026 in London and Frostbike 2026 in Minneapolis. After that it sounds like while Jones will have the opportunity to slow down a bit, “his retirement plans already include periodic contributions to future Park Tool video projects.”

As a final note, the team at Park Tool shares that “The entire staff at Park Tool sincerely offer him their best wishes in his retirement.” For more information visit the Park Tool website.