10 Questions With... Zack Vestal

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Zack Vestal spent most of the last decade as the mechanic for the Trek-VW mountain bike teams, and getting some quality cameos in the Gripped Films features.  Last year, his traded his toolbox for a keyboard, becoming the Technical Editor for VeloNews. 

(photo by Robert Vestal)

10 Questions With... Zack Vestal

(GamJams) 1. You got your start working in a shop and eventually wound up as the mechanic to a top team.  How did you make that transition and did you become 100% full time with the team or did you still spend time at the shop?

(Zack Vestal) In 2003 I was the manager and mechanic for the Trek-VW regional teams program, in the Colorado region. at the time I was freelancing as a mechanic and doing just a little part time at a shop in Boulder. At the beginning of 04, I got the full time job with Trek-VW and it was a full-throttle, full time job.

(GJ) 2. What were your favorite and least favorite things to work on as a mechanic? 

(ZV) I wouldn't say that I had any favorites or least favorites. It's all part of the routine, and you have to do it, so you try to chip away at the chores and just get them done right. I will say however that it was always a bummer to build a fleet of sweet new race bikes, then have the very first race of the season be a full on mud fest. You'd start the morning with just perfect bikes, then finish the afternoon with a pile of smoked parts that needed replacing after just one event.

I will also say that changing tires is more of a bummer than it used to be. We always ran tubeless with Stan's sealant, so if you had to run them through a bunch of tires, by the end of the day you are just covered in Stan's, and it's all over the ground, and kind of a drag.  But overall the experience of prepping race bikes is really fun, and fostering the success of riders is also really rewarding.

(GJ) 3. Europe or North America?  

(ZV) I always preferred working in the US, because we had our truck and trailer and all the parts we needed. In Europe, you lack a lot of resources and it feels really challenging. Plus you're in sweet towns over there but don't have time to enjoy them. Now with VeloNews Europe is much more enjoyable, because not only are you there to spectate, you're then turning around and relaying the sights back to everyone in the USA.

(GJ) 4. What's your best memory of your time working with the Trek team?  

(ZV) Honestly, so many I couldn't count. Jeremiah Bishop winning the marathon national championship in 2008 was really cool. The very first year with Trek-VW, in 04, there was a lot of cooperation between our team and the Gary Fisher team, and the mechanic there, Ben Coates and I had a great season of not only sharing the workload but also messing with each other, and that was fun. Also, I think it was in 2007 in Snowmass we had a raging 1980's party at the end of the season. That was fun... as were all the parties and stuff. I would say on the whole, simply being a part of the scene, being adopted into this group of really great people and tremendous athletes, that was really an honor for the whole time I did that work.

(GJ) 5. How did you transition into writing from being a mechanic? 

(ZV) I'd been blogging for Trek from day one, so I had a little practice. Also I did a lot of writing in college, so it didn't take much tuning up to get the creative thoughts going. 

(GJ) 6. What's the best thing about being a cycling journalist versus being mechanic for a team? 

(ZV) There's so much less manual labor involved with writing. The heavy lifting on the MTB team was starting to wear me out. Long days, long drives, and literally the heavy physical work of washing bikes, loading trailers, etc. I like the creative aspect of storytelling and coming up with interesting ways to say things.

(GJ) 7. What product or trend are you the most excited about right now?  

(ZV) Dura Ace Di2 electronic shifting will change the way we shift gears in the next decade.

(GJ) 8. Do you ever actually get to ride, and what kind of riding do you most enjoy?  

(ZV) Heck yeah! I have to ride, to test various parts and products. It's a nice perk of a requirement of the job. I have an excuse to stay out longer on the lunch rides. I do a lot of road riding. I love 4-6 hour road rides through the high mountains of Colorado. And I do like good mountain biking, but I have a little less time for it lately. 

(GJ) 9. What tools should absolutely every cyclist have in his/her tool box?  

(ZV) A complete set of allen wrenches, needle nose pliers, torx T-25, small screwdriver set, chain tool, tire levers, and of course spare tubes and pump. You can do a lot with just those basics.

(GJ) 10. What wrenching skills are absolutely mandatory for any serious cyclist?  

(ZV) The knowledge and tools and spare parts to change flat tires is absolutely important. It’s not that hard but I can see how it is intimidating for some. But flat tires will pretty much end a ride, quickly. Whereas if you can fix it, you can be rolling again in literally five minutes.

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David Kirkpatrick is a Features Editor with GamJams. He is enjoying growing fame through his blog Flamenco Chuckwagon, and as promoter of the lauded Lost River Classic.