Val Kleitz passed away on August 10th, 2011
Val was born on June 8th, 1960. He was 51.
Post your memories on: http://valkleitz.blog.com

His memorial ride is happening Labor Day 2011 at noon at 20/20 Cycle


Later that evening from 7 to 10 PM there will be a Wake at Pike Brewery in the Upper Museum area.

Val used to eat his potato salad with a cone wrench from the workbench.
Park Tool has donated some cone wrenches to us to hand out at the wake. We will have some potato salad on hand to have fun honoring him!


Val's Flickr Page
Aaron's Pictures of Val
Bike Hugger Post
Tubulocity Post

Val Kleitz

From The Bikesmith website, Val's former shop:

At Bikesmith, we believe in bicycles. We believe in bicycles as a healthy form of recreation. We believe in their positive power as a practical form of transportation, whether this means commuting, cargo hauling, and delivery, touring, mobility in congested inner cities, or primary transport for those who cannot operate motor vehicles. We believe in bicycles as a passion - the passion of the racer, ekeing out every possible bit of speed; the passion of the collector, restoring the bike he rode as a child forty years ago; the passion of the homebuilding tinkerer, putting together a chopper or a recumbent such as no one has ever seen. We believe in bicycles as a triumphant example of elegant engineering and efficiency. We believe in bicycles as art. We believe in making bicycling possible for everyone who wants it.


Val has taken a job at Seattle Bike Supply as the Rock Shox/SRAM Techical Warranty Service Manager.
Val works at the shop on Sundays.

Status: Impoverished Aristocrat

Rides: Rolling Jackass 10 speed road bike Rolling Jackass 'Dreadnought' cargo bike, Raleigh Sports 3 speed roadster .

Commute to work: Varies

Favorite bike part: Motor

Favorite animal: Jackass

Favorite food: Available; favorites: Peanut Butter, Honey, Cheese and Coffee Bean Sandwiches, Kung Pao Frittata, Spaghetti Sauce Omlette

Worst ride moment: Premature impact with the ground or obstacles.

Best ride moment: Safe arrival

Abandoned at an early age in outer Mongolia, Val was raised by a band of feral dogs. Later in life he became fascinated by the labyrinths below Constantinople, and attempted to circumnavigate the globe on pogo stick. His dream of becoming a truffle sniffer was destroyed by a cocoa butter allergy acquired during a race to the North Pole under the ice cap, and he turned instead to bicycle repair. He has been known to subsist on peanut butter, coffee beans, and honey, and his mother wears combat boots.

When Val was diagnosed with cancer, we held a raffle to help him pay the medical bills.

Below is a card Val's mother sent to the shop after he passed away. Very touching.