We lost a good one this weekend........ RIP John Cuchessi

[Jwag]

John Cuchessi was a fixture in San Clemente...And will be missed.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/s...6724-bike-shop

[Rob]

Man this sucks. What a tragic loss.

[ThinkFast]

Popular San Clemente businessman dies in bicycle mishap



San Clemente's John Cuchessi, 54, mysteriously turned and crashed Sunday while doing what he loved best.

By FRED SWEGLES
SUN POST NEWS
Comments | Recommend

When John Cuchessi went for his final bike ride Sunday, he could not have known the impact he would leave behind in San Clemente.
"He can't be replaced – not in my heart anyhow," said his friend and cycling buddy Gary Nicotra.
"He's been such a great person in the cycling community of San Clemente," said Susan Tudor, a friend.
"Nicest guy in town," said Dave Cook, San Clemente's municipal golf-course pro and a Cuchessi surfing buddy since they were kids.
Cuchessi, 54, died Sunday while returning from a bike ride to Camp Pendleton – a ride that he and the San Clemente Renegades did every Sunday.
Witnesses said Cuchessi was on a downhill bicycle sprint from a railroad overcrossing at San Onofre State Beach when he suddenly, mysteriously turned to the right and hit a fence. He reportedly died in an ambulance on his way to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente.
As word spread, the hospital filled with stunned friends and relatives. San Clemente Cyclery – the business Cuchessi founded in 1974 – became a shrine with flowers and messages.
Friends painted a picture of a businessman generous to a fault. He would repeatedly say "Pay me next time" and would drop whatever he was doing to perform a quick bicycle repair for someone at his door.
"A wonderful heart, a wonderful spirit," Joe Rodarti said.
Patrick Maloney, who delivered mail to the bike shop and had known Cuchessi since childhood, attended a Bible study that Cuchessi held on Thursday nights in the shop. "He remembered everybody's name … remembered something good about everybody," Maloney said. "People would go to his bike shop and stay. They just loved him. He loved them back."
Mike Morrill, a cycling pal for 31 years, said: "He had a food bank that he ran out of his shop. He was helping the homeless guys out with food."
Nicotra said he, Cuchessi and a few others founded the San Clemente Renegades in the early 1990s as an offshoot of the San Clemente Velos, a racing group. "We decided to start our own recreational club," Nicotra said. "We're more of a social club. There's about 80 of us. Some of us do race, but we're more about just promoting cycling and fellowship."
The club holds holiday parties and takes recreational rides, including the one to the south end of Camp Pendleton on Sundays.
"One of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet," Nicotra said of Cuchessi. "I feel like I've been robbed. How many people do you know in business who feed homeless people and take bikes to orphanages in Mexico?"
Contact the writer: fswegles@ocregister.com or 949-492-5127

[DeeZee]

I have been in that shop a few times and he and the other guys were super nice.

RIP

[ghixon]

Too sad. I had a chance to meet him a year or so ago. Very nice guy - he will be missed.

[northshore]

Damn manthe impact must of been pretty bad.

[OMR]

A very sad day for South Orange County cycling indeed. A man in our society is measured by many things: money, fame, looks, property, etc. To me a man is measured from the impact that he has on people. John was one of those people that had a great impact on those that he touched. He will be sorely missed by his friends. One can only hope that he is somewhere riding with sun on his face and the wind at his back on an unending ribbon in the sky.

[L8 APEKS]

What the hell is going on lately with all of these bike related tragedies?!

[boludo]

Thanks for the post. I drove by his shop last night hoping to get some parts. It was not open and I saw the signs and flowers all over.

Too bad. He is one of those types that, no pun intended, lives and dies biking. He was an ambassador to the sport.

[DownHillPhil]

ANOTHER....
http://www.socaltrailriders.org/foru...e-weekend.html

[kbteachme]

John worked on my old Ellsworth ID years ago when I lived in San Clemente. He is a wonderful person and will be missed.

[bighit8]

I thought the guy looked familiar. I bought a KHS Montanta sport( my first MTB) from that guy when I was in the corps.Super nice guy from what I recall. R.I.P

[kbteachme]

We will miss you!

[brownlandshark]

Very sad indeed. We will miss you John.

[craig z]

Really sweet guy.. I went into his shop once, to do a SS conversion, he was SO helpful in sourcing parts.. also giving me the 411 on the local riding.
Dang--- god bless ya man.

[roach]

Even in today's sea of corporate bike malls, SC cyclery managed to stay in business thanks to the super cool nature of John and his true cycling attitude. John and Aaron managed SC Cycles with a Beach City vibe run by genuine cycling advocates. I hope the tradition of SC Cycles can somehow continue.

I can't believe John has been taken out of life while riding. This is a blow to anyone who loves cycling. Condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.

[Team Smitty]

I just was just informed of this sad news today. One of the guys that I work with informed me that he couldn’t work this weekend because he was going to a funeral; I was shocked and am deeply saddened when he told me it was for john.
I would stop in there from time to time on my way home south just because of john was such a cool guy and I would always leave their with the good vibes john sent my way.

I will miss him