The 2006-2007 season marks the third consecutive year that Pacenti Cycle Design (PCD) has sponsored the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team. The association has been an immensely positive experience for PCD and has also been a great honor for me on a personal level.

A little history: I was born and raised in Southern Connecticut. As a kid growing up in the 80s, BMX and MTBs were all I knew. I enjoyed and excelled at both disciplines. However, in my late teens I became less interested in racing BMX and MTBs and more interested in road bicycles. This was a whole new world to me, but I fell in love with it the very first time I swung a leg over one.

As I became more interested in fine road bicycles, and living less than an hour south of Chester, it didn't take long to discover Richard Sachs. At the time, Richard was widely regarded as the best framebuilder in the country and still is today. Even though I hardly knew anything about bikes at the time, I knew he was the standard I'd wanted to someday meet in my own work as a framebuilder and designer. His work has had a huge influence on my career, as well as on the direction I have taken my own company ever since.

So, when Richard first approached me about sponsoring his cyclocross team, I jumped at the chance. Not only would this be a great opportunity to give back to a sport I loved, but also to a "hero" who had given me so much inspiration overthe years! Professionally, I felt it was a huge feather in my cap to be a part ofthe RS team. Personally I felt I had come full circle; from simply being inspired by Richard to being an integral part of his team. I was thrilled!

I was certain that the association with Richard's team could only be a good thing for PCD. And although I had already built a strong palmares in the bicycle industry as a successful framebuilder and designer, having Richard's team aboard my product would solidify my credibility in the minds of my customers who held Richard in the same esteem as I did.

What I didn't know was how hard Richard would work for me as his sponsor. The level of professionalism he brings to the table really is amazing. The weekly race updates, race photos and team member bios has convinced me that sponsoring Richard's team really is money well spent. As a sponsor, I couldn't be happier with how things have gone for the team over the last few seasons and being a part (however small) of their many successes.
 

When I say ground zero, I am not using the term lightly. Kirk routinely adds to his website and features any and all framebuilders who use PCD products and services. His picture page of framebuilding art is the defacto link for all who desire to see what the independent framebuilders are doing these days. Just check out this eye candy! In addition to be the North American agent for Columbus tubing (the official tubing of the RS atelier), Kirk also stocks many of the small parts that framebuilders need to, er, create their masterpieces!

Prior to starting PCD, Kirk was at Giro Helmets as their production shop manager, did a two year stint as head framebuilder at Bontrager Cycles, and more recently was employed by American Bicycle Group in Tennessee where he held the job of head frame designer for its Litespeed division, a role which saw him responsible for, among other things, creating the blueprints for all the Team Lotto frames and bicycles that were used during that pro team's 2003 European road season.

As we say in the trade, Kirk gets it, and atmo* is single-handedly making it possible for the current crop of newbie framebuilders to have a future with all this. Many thanks to PCD for its continued support of our team as well as for Kirk's enthusiasm and vision to keep artisan framebuilding in the public's eye!!

Richard Sachs is a craftsman framebuilder who has been refining his skills for over a quarter-century.  For more information, please contact: