Val Kleitz has made a mark
Saturday, August 13th, 2011This week the NW has lost one of its most original and dedicated bike guru’s. Val Kleitz was a bicycle lover who would rather spend an hour fixing something on your bike that 5 minutes throwing on a new part. He could make your bike sing and your pedals zing. He had a shop for years on 45th near Wallingford called Bikesmith. I knew him after that shop while he worked for S.B.S. and Aaron’s. He would ride his near 100lb Xtracycle from Renton to Kent during the weekdays and West Seattle on Sundays to help out at Aaron’s. You might have noticed him with his Indiana Jones hat, buccaneer boots, gauntlet gloves and Rollie Fingers mustache. He taught me plenty about bikes and life. Unfortunately he passed away this last Wednesday after fighting cancer for almost two years. He will be missed by the bicycle world and here at g.h.y bikes. I hope he is riding the most amazing rides and has his happy smile….I can imagine nothing less.
