Colin stevens
I have been building things my whole life. First Legos, then bicycle dirt jumps, then tree forts in my youth on the Oregon coast. Then computer code during high school and a brief stint at the University of Washington. The mental challenge of developing computer code was fun, but my heartfelt motivation for building things stems from finding solutions to everyday needs in my life, and sharing those solutions with like-minded people. As an avid cyclist, I needed better ways to transport things by bicycle, so I started building bicycle accessories.
When I met Val Kleitz, he was clearly a kindred spirit: a bicycle mechanic with a strong focus on practical cycling, enthusiasm for tackling any mechanical problem, and decades of experience beyond my own in building things. He was already a legend in the Seattle bicycle community. I got to know Val by visiting him at his bicycle shop, and attending social “cargo bike rides” that he organized. My huge cargo trailers loaded with bike parts, firewood, and groceries, and Val’s Xtracycle conversion with custom-welded front basket and motorcycle-style centerstand were wild-looking anomalies in those days. It was joyful then to feel like we were blazing a new path with our weird inventions. It’s joyful now to see how popular cargo bikes have become, and to have turned some of our crude inventions into high quality, mass-produced accessories that are used all over the world.
The role of machinist and metal fabricator is perfect for the insatiable builder. We are challenged daily to efficiently design and produce precision parts, and to integrate new technologies and techniques into our repertoire. Val built his original Rolling Jackass stands with repurposed bike parts and the basic hand tools he owned. Now, I am able to efficiently build higher quantities using CNC machining equipment and other modern fabrication tools. I still love getting to spend my days designing and building practical bicycle accessories, and despite all the technology, sometimes I still feel like a kid playing with Legos.
The Rolling Jackass centerstand was originally designed by Val Kleitz, owner of the Bikesmith in Seattle. He built them for several years using nothing more than a hacksaw, grinder, and a brazing torch.
Val Kleitz
(from the old website of Val’s bicycle shop, the Bikesmith)
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.
After Val closed the Bikesmith and moved on to a different job, he found that there was still demand for the stands and contracted me to make the parts for them. We redesigned the stand to take advantage of the tooling in my machine shop, and went into production. I fabricated the main components, and Val constructed various brackets and adapters, and did the assembly, testing, and sales. After several years, this happy arrangement was ended by Val's untimely death in the summer of 2011. Now I continue to sell the Rolling Jackass, performing all aspects of design, fabrication, assembly, and sales myself. 10% of sales go to support Val’s widow.
R.I.P. Val Kleitz June 8th, 1960 - August 10th, 2011