In Memoriam: Frank Francis at Bicycle Johns

[STP]

Frank Francis, 60 something, bike wrench and wheel builder extraordanaire, passed away three days ago from
complications of pneumonia. He was working at the Bicycle Johns store in Reseda on Reseda Blvd. I knew him for almost a decade and yet, as with many of us, I knew little of his personal life.

I remember the countless times I walked into the shop and spied the silver hair over the rows of bikes, tweaking a derrailluer, or cussing as he tried to put a tubeless tire on a wheel. He was a fixture for years at the former Cyclepath bikeshop in Lancaster and that is where I met him almost ten years ago.

Frank was a stubborn cuss and had a truly original personality. He had a sardonic and some might even say, sarcastic sense of humor, but it was always funny. The tall silver-haired lanky figure with the blue Park apron was the guy I trusted to build a few of my wheelsets.

He was a former Tour de France wrench at one point in his life and was recently running the womens road racing team at Bicycle Johns. Frank had built over 5,000 wheelsets in his lifetime. He had a small metal box, that contained thousands of 3x5 index cards. Each card detailed a wheelset that he had built, with information on what spokes he used, length of spokes, hubs and other important information, so that if you ever had to bring it back for a broken spoke, he'd already know what you needed. For the wheelset he built for me and that is still on my bike five years later, it's hardly ever had to be touched and only had to be rebuilt last year when a spoke finally broke and the rim was literally wore out. When Frank built a wheelset for you, it only had to have an initial truing and maybe, you might have to tweak it slightly once a year. And that was riding those same wheels three to four days a week and racing them from Spring to Fall and I'm not easy on my wheels either.

He was a Landshark afficianado and had developed a close relationship with the founder. Frank always had the most bitchin' 'Shark' road bikes. He was the guy who turned me on to Assos gear and I ordered a replacement set of the Airblock jacket, tights and shorts from him just last year. And to this day, I won't wear any other brand of cold weather gear. Frank was about top-flight bikes and gear. He hated working on department store POS bikes. One of the shops he worked at took in just about anything and I'd often remember him peering over his glasses and I'd have to crack a smile as he'd mutter and curse under his breath to get a battered Shimano STX rear derrailuer to behave like it should on a bike that was worth of all of ten dollars.

When he worked on your bike and replaced a whole drivetrain, often, the only thing you had to do afterwards was twist the barrel slightly to compensate for cable stretch. When you got your bike back from Frank, you could always count on your bike running sweet and smooth.

Decades of experience stood behind his work. He was an expert at finding 'funny noises' on just about any bike. I remember my old race bike, a K2 Razorback would sometimes creak annoyingly. I tightened up everything on the drivetrain and finally brought it to Frank. The next day, we were standing on either side of the bike and he showed me that it was the cable ferrules that were making the noise, as they flexed inside the cable stops on top of the frame when you turned the bars. I would of never thought of that and I learned a lot from him.

He always took good care of me and my bikes. We had a perfectly stupid ceremony that we'd practice whenever I'd come into the shop. I'd enter, walk in, greet him and we would shake hands vigorously for five minutes or longer, while asking each other, just how it was going, neither one of us willing to be the first one to quit. Other customers would look in in amazement or they'd be just dumbfounded and wonder what the heck was going on.

Many of my buds and I are bummed at his passing. I didn't know a lot about his past, but he had an old injury. A large chunk of muscle permanently missing from his calf and he had told me that he got it racing road bikes. There was no tale of harrowing deeds, no details, just that statement. That said a lot about him and I wondered what befell him decades ago on some piece of asphalt somewhere out there in a race long forgotten, except by old men.

My girlfriend was wanting to send him a christmas card or get ahold of him, because it's been a while since Frank and I talked. And now...

[OMR]

Originally Posted by STP

Frank Francis, 60 something, bike wrench and wheel builder extraordanaire, passed away three days ago from
complications of pneumonia.

I'm sure Frank was wealthy beyound imagination with friends like you. People are always measured by those they leave behind.... nice job of honoring him, grasshopper

[Dino Brown]

Sorry to hear the news of his passing. Thanks for the thread. Reminded me there are a few people I should say HELLO to. Life "IS" short.

Just wondering if he ever worked at the Bicycle John's in Burbank.

[speckledtrout]

STP, that was a mighty fine eulogy you wrote. choked me up, damn you.

[PacMan]

That is an awesome way to pay tribute to your friend. Sounds like an awesome guy.

[Tedroy]

It's that time to reflect on the blessings life gives us. I'm sure Frank would love you back! Great post.

[mottmcfly]

Way to go STP. I didn't know him but I bet he would have loved what you wrote.

[STP]

Originally Posted by Dino Brown

Sorry to hear the news of his passing. Thanks for the thread. Reminded me there are a few people I should say HELLO to. Life "IS" short.

Just wondering if he ever worked at the Bicycle John's in Burbank.

Thanks all, and I was choked up too. Shed a few tears at work (kind of embarrasing, but nobody seemed to notice and maybe it's because I looked away and got some privacy). I believe he did work occasionally at the Burbank store with Kevin. He will be missed.

[mntbiker12]

Great writing STP - as good as any of your race reports! It reminds us that there is bike stoke everywhere in life and in death. RIP Mr. Francis - I'm sure you're on two wheels wherever you are.

[Pain Freak]

Sorry for your loss there, Regis. I never had the pleasure to meet him , but he did work at a store with a top notch rep, so that also speaks for him. Thanks for letting us know him some what.

[Matt Cicciarelli]

I had worked with Frank at Cycle Path for a couple years... Everything about wheel building I know, is due to this man.. Everyone just knew him as the grumpy guy at the bike shop, and/or one of the greatest mechanics ever.. I will remember him everytime I ride and lace up a wheel.. I will miss you Frank Francis, and I will see you in another world.

With love, Matt Cicciarelli

[awiner]

I stopped by the Reseda Bicycle Johns this morning to say hi to Frank. Kevin, who was working there told me of Franks death. Very sad. Frank built my bike this past summer and I really liked him. His old school workmanship was really appreciated right down to the soldiered derailer cables.

RIP Frank. You will be missed.

[bighit8]

Wow, that is sad, I had tears in my eyes, never met the guy. Sorry for the loss.
R.I.P Frank. He is on his chariot in heaven.

[awiner]

Originally Posted by Dino Brown

Sorry to hear the news of his passing. Thanks for the thread. Reminded me there are a few people I should say HELLO to. Life "IS" short.

Just wondering if he ever worked at the Bicycle John's in Burbank.

Frank did work at Bicycle Johns in Burbank. The Reseda store is closed on Mondays. Therefore, Mondays is when you would find Frank in Burbank.