Hi to all from Curtis Odom (C.P.Odom)
New guy to the sight and glad to be here. Several old and new friends suggested that I come on board here. I have had a lifelong love affair with bicycles and cycling. Oddly my love of cycling grew out of my love for surfing. As a twelve year old riding my bike to the beach everyday (or home soaking wet) quickly turned it into a rust pile. This led me to discover the wonders of mechanics. I found my first cruiser in the trash around 1973 in my home town of Pacific Beach, CA, it was a Schwinn straight bar. To make the long story short I spent twenty years racing road and track bikes at a very high level, twenty years working in the bicycle industry, many years as a mechanic and shop manager, later as a production manager and designer for a bicycle company. The next stage of life was back to school for engineering and on to non cycling work. During my back to school time I did consulting and design jobs for the bicycle industry.
Along the way I have had some great mentors who taught me the hands on old school approach to design and fabrication. They taught me body work, welding, painting, machining, etc. In these things I am a decent amateur and they served me well in my hobbies and at work. Another ten years was spent in corporate engineering. The last eight years as an Engineering Manager (CAD Department) for the worlds biggest power tool and home hardware company.
Now I find myself a victim of the economy and trying to get back to my roots.
Curtis Odom
New guy to the sight and glad to be here. Several old and new friends suggested that I come on board here. I have had a lifelong love affair with bicycles and cycling. Oddly my love of cycling grew out of my love for surfing. As a twelve year old riding my bike to the beach everyday (or home soaking wet) quickly turned it into a rust pile. This led me to discover the wonders of mechanics. I found my first cruiser in the trash around 1973 in my home town of Pacific Beach, CA, it was a Schwinn straight bar. To make the long story short I spent twenty years racing road and track bikes at a very high level, twenty years working in the bicycle industry, many years as a mechanic and shop manager, later as a production manager and designer for a bicycle company. The next stage of life was back to school for engineering and on to non cycling work. During my back to school time I did consulting and design jobs for the bicycle industry.
Along the way I have had some great mentors who taught me the hands on old school approach to design and fabrication. They taught me body work, welding, painting, machining, etc. In these things I am a decent amateur and they served me well in my hobbies and at work. Another ten years was spent in corporate engineering. The last eight years as an Engineering Manager (CAD Department) for the worlds biggest power tool and home hardware company.
Now I find myself a victim of the economy and trying to get back to my roots.
Curtis Odom
