RIP Sheldon

Sheldon Brown, a legend in the cycling world, died on Sunday, Feb 2, 2008

Sheldon Brown, widely known for his encyclopedic bicycle knowledge, passed away on Sunday night of a massive heart attack. He was 63 years old.At Harris Cyclery in West Newton, Massachusetts, Brown offered his general expertise to the shop while also running its website. But he is best known for his own space on the web, Sheldonbrown.com, which launched in May 1996. There, he cataloged thousands of articles he wrote about bikes both new and old, every kind of specific bike part imaginable, and in-depth maintenance and repair guides. A legend in the world of cycling, Brown’s website attracted millions of visitors.In addition to his website, over the years Brown contributed to cycling publications including Bicycling, Adventure Cyclist, Bike World and American Bicyclist.Brown grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts. His interest in bicycles began as a child when he would gather discarded parts to resell for extra money.

Health problems began to plague Brown in the fall of 2005. By September 2006 he could no longer ride a bike. Doctors, at first stumped, eventually diagnosed him with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis in August 2007. Brown is survived by his wife, Harriet, and their two children, Tova and George.