Get to know us!

OUR MISSION
In 1999, Tim Richardson and Thomas Jenkins formed Shenandoah Bicycle Company with the goal of supporting cyclists of all levels by providing the highest quality service, products and experience in a unique, inviting and fun environment.

OUR TEAM — HERE’S THE RAD PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF SBC!

Thomas Jenkins and family

THOMAS JENKINS
Thomas Jenkins, along with Tim Richardson, opened the doors of SBC in May of 1999 and has been working full-time at the shop ever since. As a child in the 70’s, Thomas spent his early years riding bikes all around McLean, VA on a Schwinn Scrambler. After forgetting about bikes for a few years (that is what a drivers license will do!), the two wheel passion was reborn with discovering mountain biking in the late 80’s.

After graduating from Radford University (BBA-Accounting) Thomas traveled for several years racing mountain bike for Gary Fisher and Breezer. It was during this time that he made Harrisonburg his home. He originally landed in Harrisonburg for the great riding then never left due to the great community.

Thomas lives only a few blocks from the shop with his wife Julie and two sons Ethan and Carter. Anytime out of the shop is usually spent playing ball sports with his sons or being active in the trail-building community of Harrisonburg. He looks forward to future bike touring in Europe with his wife!

Tim Richardson

TIM RICHARDSON
Tim Richardson’s cycling passion began early with mom’s nurturing laugh. Tim’s mechanical training started by coming home from the landfill with project bikes. The bikes were dismantled then resurrected as cycle monsters and the occasional lawn sculpture. Growing up in a rural area forced Tim to develop creative means of keeping the bikes rolling along with a mother that supported his odd desire to have all his bikes live in his room.

In 1987 Tim convinced a local bike shop owner in Dale City that hiring him was the thing to do, and bike shops have been his home ever since. Although he avoids using Tri-flow as a lube, Tim still revels in the smell as a benchmark bike shop aroma along with the scent of fresh rubber.

Tim moved to Harrisonburg in 1992 to attend JMU where he was trained to be a fence-rider via the Philosophy and Anthropology department. He is developing a website dedicated to drift-racing inside bike shops and is pushing hard to have the spec-class bike of choice be a 24″ Trek 200. Cycling favorites include touring in various countries around the world while singing Black Sabbath tunes in the highest voice possible, as well as mountain biking on awkwardly-technical terrain. Tim can often be found in his service bay talking to whatever bike is in his stand and loves packing Acai bowls.

Kevin Rogers

KEVIN ROGERS
Kevin Rogers has been riding bikes since he was 6 years old. After ending up here in the Valley where he grew up, Kevin got into biking with friends and started helping out with the local ShenRock youth mountain bike team.

Tim and Thomas eventually convinced Kevin to join the SBC squad after many encounters on the trails and in the shop. Kevin lives in Bridgewater with his wife and two kids, and loves riding his bikes on the local trails and roads all year-round.

Ellen Kasiske

ELLEN KASISKE
Ellen’s been riding bikes since she could walk. This amazing woman grew up up in New Jersey and comes from a musical family of BMX racers. Ellen rides road, touring and mountain bikes. Some of her favorite local trails are in Fort Valley. She particularly likes the technical rockiness of those trails. Ask her about riding from Veech Gap to Buzzard Rocks.

When Ellen isn’t shredding she teaches string orchestra at Skyline Middle School and Thomas Harrison Middle School. She’s played violin since she was 9 and studied music at JMU.

… and YES, she has completed the Ring on her first attempt 🙂

Jack Gavin

JACK GAVIN
Jack is a Richmond native currently living in the ‘burg and is beginning his journey thru the trails and pathways of JMU’s Engineering program. He’s been riding bikes as long as he could walk and is known around the shop as the “Wheelie King” … seriously, check out our Media, he can even wheelie at Ute … we’re wheelie serious about this!

Jack spent several years racing mountain bikes in the NICA league and has been in the bike shop industry wrenching and learning about bikes since his freshman year in high school!

When Jack is not at the shop, he’s either out exploring our the local Valley trails, studying over-excessive amounts of Engineering Mathematical stuff or devouring Ramen noodles and cheap pizza. Jack’s here for one thing, to eat Pulp Acai bowls every day and kick some serious butt on all the local downhills!

Luke Martin navigating a 4 foot rock drop on Bird Knob Trail

LUKE MARTIN
My cycling obsession began when my mom bought me my first plastic ramp. I would spend hours using my neighbor’s hill to send me as fast as I could into that ramp. I can’t tell if this is where it went downhill or uphill but if that wasn’t bad enough for my mom’s mental health, I was given my first BMX bike around the age of 12. This is where numerous bandages, and hospital visits began.

As I grew older, the jumps got bigger, the wheelies got longer, and the trails got harder. The evolution of cycling in my life drew me out of club sports and taught me a life I will never let go. Cycling became a great way to meet new crazy friends who had the same interest in seeing who can do the craziest thing without getting hurt while cranking my mom’s 80’s rock jam’s to make things even better.

I owe it all to my mom and dad for supporting me in this lifestyle because it got me my dream job at my favorite bike shop that I never expected to work at. I was constantly finding myself in SBC’s shop with random bike tasks I could not handle alone. Now, after many years of riding and mechanical experience, I am among the best people I have met in my life, and I call them my family.

My bio photo was taken along the Massanutten Ridge at one of the best overlooks I have ever been to. The trail is called Bird Knob and the drop shown in the photo is about 4 feet. It is a popular hiking trail along the Massanutten Mountain range but can also be ridden. This trail is one of the many gem’s we have around the Harrisonburg area. We made it up to the top right around sunset and had to get the shot of this one-of-a-kind rock drop alongside the cliff!

Harrisonburg is home to some of the best mountain biking I have ever ridden in my entire life and whether you are just getting started or a skilled rider, Harrisonburg has it all for everyone!

Madison Matthews

MADISON MATTHEWS
Misty sunrise light
Owls in the autumn night
Mountain bike delight

While I have to admit that I had some help with this haiku, it summarizes some things that really got me excited about mountain biking in the first place. I grew up on two wheels, and have memories from a very early age of being in the garage and looking at my mom and dad’s bikes, thinking how cool they were and all the places you could go on them. My dad and my grandfather were both into road riding, and I’m thankful to have grown up in an environment that encouraged getting out and adventuring. I’ll always remember the first “real” mountain bike rides that we did. At the time they felt like all-day adventures, and really got me hooked on mountain biking. A few years later my dad and I both decided to enter a mountain bike race as a way to get to see new trails in a different part of the state – without having to worry about figuring out where to go or getting lost. That day turned into roughly a decade of focusing on racing and chasing that dream. It brought a ton of good experiences, lessons, and memories. A few of those memories were coming down to Harrisonburg for some of the races here, and being blown away by just how big the mountains were.

Madison Matthews

I grew up in State College, Pennsylvania – a town known for Penn State University. Rothrock State Forest is only a few minute pedal from downtown and in my opinion is home to some of the coolest technical singletrack in the east. It was the perfect playground to grow up and I credit that terrain for developing the style of riding that I most enjoy. A few years ago I came down here to camp and ride the area that Harrisonburg locals refer to as “up north.” Fort Valley is an incredible place and I was blown away by the trails and the scenery. Shortly after that trip, I graduated from college with a degree in welding technology and had the freedom to go anywhere. I found a welding job and made the move to the Friendly City. After getting to know more of the amazing people in our local riding community, I quit that job and started as a mechanic at Shenandoah Bicycle Company in 2020. The SBC family have helped me make this town my home. I’m excited to explore more of what this area has to offer, from riding and hiking, to rock climbing, and dusting off the skis to chase snow in West Virginia.

Mark McGranahan

MARK McGRANAHAN
My name is Mark, and I like bikes. I almost left my bio just that simple!

I have lived in Harrisonburg for 16 years. For most of those years, I’ve been pedaling as often as I can. Originally a road biker, I since branched out to enjoy all kinds of biking including rail trails, mountain biking, and semi-regular commuting to work.

After considering the idea for years, I left a corporate retail job in 2021 (which was slowly eating my soul) and joined the SBC crew. For years, I’ve known many in the Valley’s biking community, including the great folks at SBC. So I finally made good on what I kept saying … “someday I’m going to give up this corporate life and come work for you guys!”.

In April of 2021, the dream came true! It was the right move at the right time, and I’m happier than I have been in a long time. AND I’m biking more! Who wouldn’t love working at a bike shop, right!?!? I really enjoy talking with folks about bikes and encouraging all walks of life to get on two wheels!

My youngest daughter was on the ShenRock youth mountain biking team when she was in high school, which encouraged me to get my first mountain bike. She is also SBC alumni, having worked at the shop during her high school years. So I guess I’m following in her footsteps!

From attempting 100 road miles at the Shenandoah Century to playing around in the woods at Massanutten Western Slopes and the ever-popular Stokesville area, I can’t wait to find my next new favorite ride. The best therapy is on two wheels, and the Shenandoah Valley is rife with bike culture. If you haven’t figured it out yet, get on board! You can’t help but smile when riding a bike!

Fern

FERN
The Fern is a sweet addition to the SBC family and is 100% standard Healer, 4 on the floor. She hails from the Lawn & Garden section of Craigslist and thus far enjoys all the day-to-day workings of shop life. She longs for a good belly rub or hug from all that enter. If you put your time in, she will nibble your ear.