Back to school?

It as bean a while since I welded, 2 or 3 years, and I'm now a substitute teacher at our local professional school. It's a 3 day gig just for the fun of it. It's lunch time and I can't wait to weld this afternoon.

Carpenter and Welding teacher.

Fall and winter is off season for our bike shop. We are closed from November to the end of February. During this time, we place orders for next season and then we have time to work on personal project or get a second job to make ends meet.

So, for the first time in 4 years, I started to look for a job. I wanted to learn a new trade. My younger brother is a carpenter and it seemed like a great job. So I went to meet is boss and I started to hammer the same day. I'm so happy to get to work with my brother. What's funny is that he's now teaching me things.

Two weeks later, I got a call from my former welding teacher, how's now the school director, he needed me to substitute an injured teacher. So I accepted and started to give welding classes to two groups of welding fanatics. At first I found it boring but when I got to know the students, the job got much more interesting. It was a wonderful experience and I would do it again if I had too.

Mathieu Albert

2008 racing season...

Like I said the last time, my racing times improved by 5 minutes each race and that I podium, third, for the first time in the expert class. Well, I had my eyes on the second step of that podium and it happened on the last race of the season!

I went all out at the starting gate to have a good position when the technical part of the course would start. It turned out to be a good decision because I battle for second with a guy that was in better shape than I was, but less experience and skilled in the technical sections. He would pass me on the uphill and I would pass him on the steep and twisty downhills. Lucky for me the course ends with allot of tight, rocky single track and that he flatted on the last lap. You have to me really smooth at Camp Fortune to finish the races. I was only 5 minutes from the first guy, which mean that I still improved me time.


It was my last race on my custom 29er frame. Next season I'll be racing on a Gary Fisher HIFI 29er. I've tested the bike last fall and it's lighter than my hard tail and the ride is much smoother. I can't wait to get my hands on that ride!

Happy holidays,

Mathieu Albert

Work and vacation...

Once again, winter is back and biking season is over for the most of us. Last summer was my first season as a bike shop owner and I have to say that it was a great summer for me. Working with the public, meeting new people every day, managing orders and bike repairs were all thing that I've missed in the past years.

I've also had the pleasure to work with my new business partner, Daniel Bennett. It's the first time that I can say that my coworker can do all the same things that I can. It was the same thing for him. This is why we had the chance to take 2 weeks of vacation each. My first real break in 4 years! During my time off, my girlfriend and I went on a biking trip in beautiful Charlevoix. 8 days of climbing hills and rain! We had so much fun.

Mathieu Albert

I love biking!

It has been raining allot this summer, but it didn't keep me from biking more than the past couple of years. Between organizing road rides on every second Monday, MTB ride on every second Tuesday and XC racing on every second Wednesday I bike to work a couple of times each month.

As you read before, my first race was close to being a total disaster, but I got better as the weeks went on. I'm in allot less pain when climbing and hitting trees is fare less frequent now. I've improved my time by 5 minutes each race. Which mean that now I'm only 10 behind the first guy in the senior expert class. I've even reach my goal of finishing on the podium with a third place last race, only 30 seconds from the second position! It's the first time that I've podium in the expert class, but now I want more, second place with the first guy in sight. We'll see how it goes...

I'll also take part of the Q-Cup at Fortune on the 10th of August. I have no expectations for this one.

All this biking have been done on my custom 29er. At the beginning of the season, it weighted 32 lbs... Now it's 28 lbs. Still not a racing machine, but it will have to do for this season. The frame is as solid as the first day, but the paint is pealing off a little. I'll probably repaint it in the next month.

'till next time,

Mathieu Albert