The President’s ‘First Mechanic’: Cycling Store Owner Remembers Times With Bush
Although President George W. Bush calls him “the Pinkster” in letters, Santiago Gonzalez goes by “Pinkey” to the Georgetown residents who visit his store on M Street.
Published February 12, 2008 by The Hoya.com
Although President George W. Bush calls him “the Pinkster” in letters, Santiago Gonzalez goes by “Pinkey” to the Georgetown residents who visit his store on M Street. Gonzalez, who immigrated to the US from Spain, is a bicycle mechanic and co-owner of Revolution Cycles, a four-store chain of bicycle shops in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. About 10 years ago, Pinkey started Revolution Cycles, now reputed as the chain that supplies Bush with his bicycles and bicycle maintenance. They also provide similar services to the Secret Service, John Kerry and locals. This week, THE HOYA sits down with the man who Bicycling Magazine dubbed “The First Mechanic.”
How long have you been working on bicycles?
Me? Uh … too long. About 20 years.
How did you get involved in this business?
Way back when … I was a young kid, a real good friend of mine open[ed] up a bike shop, [and] I used to go hang out after school [and] do my homework and stuff. So he says, ‘Well we’re gonna need a mechanic ’cause the business is picking up.’ He left town and sold me his business.
Do you race?
I’m from Spain. … We didn’t have that kind of means of supporting a racer, so no. … I wish I did.
What kind of bicycle does the president ride?
He rides a [Trek] Fuel EX 9.5. There are only three in existence. We have one that rotates between the stores. XTR components, top of the line. It’s painted the Air Force scheme [like Air Force Once]. It also has the presidential seal. It’s a mountain bike.
How did you start working on the president’s bicycle?
Literally when he took office, ’cause when he took office, Trek donated 20 bikes to the Secret Service, and then from that point on, he was riding and he was not fitted correctly by whoever had sold him his previous bike. The owner of Trek was in the presidential fitness council [and] knew [the president], and he told me he was having issues with the bike. He recommended [that] my partner come and set him up on the bike, and from that point on, we became his store.
Would you consider President Bush a bicycle enthusiast?
Oh yeah. My partner has gone with him for a few rides. Some have the misconception [about] the president ‘yeah, he rides.’ He rides hard, he’s an avid cyclist; he likes the good stuff — very serious. He rides very, very hard on the bike.
Do you also deal with the Secret Service?
We deal with the majority of the Secret Service people, the Vice Presidential Secret Service. We also deal with … the Presidential Protection Detail, the guys that always ride with him. … We always deal with the police agencies in town, even the police guys from Georgetown.
How often does he ride it?
It’d be hard to tell you. He does ride quite a bit. I would say probably often.
Have you ever interacted with (even ridden with) him personally?
No I haven’t. There’s a little issue with me not being a citizen. I was born in Spain and I’ve been here 41 years.
He’s even asked my partner, ‘When are you going to bring the Pinkster, his nickname for me, riding?’ [My partner] said to me, ‘I don’t mind if you come, but you better get your ass in shape because he’s serious.’
Do you sell and maintain bikes for Law Enforcement?
It’s like a half and half. We’ve sold half of the bikes for [Law Enforcement in the D.C. area]. They come up to us especially when they find out we have serviced the president’s bike or when they find out the other law enforcements have serviced the bikes [with us].
Tell me about your business.
We have four locations. We have one in D.C., one across the bridge, Stepford and one up in Rockville. It’s usually like a mix, local residents … people who come from all over Washington. I’ve also done Bill Clinton’s bike, one of the ones Lance Armstrong gave him. … The second race Lance won, he gave him a replica of the one [he used].
I almost had three presidents when Kerry ran. He went bike riding; he borrowed [bike store workers’] stuff. When he came in he was by himself. There was an article in one of the magazines. … They were poking fun [at Kerry’s and Bush’s bicycle riding].
We get a lot of clientele. … The Kennedys, Robin Williams…
Did the president pick his bike?
That’s a good question. I don’t know whether he picked it. He knows what he wants. He chooses the certain things he wants on his bike. When he bought a newer bike from Trek, he wanted a mirror copy of the one he had. It was a new frame. … Instead of painted [like] Air Force One … it had stars … faded from blue to white. The Secret Service guys came in and said, ‘Spitting image of what he’s riding. Same measurements.’ Believe me there was an issue when we couldn’t get his seat post — everything had to be identical.
When he got the first bike he had regular pedals. … After a while my partner approached him and he said you might want to consider ‘clipless’ [pedals into which special shoes fasten]. … [The president said,] ‘Bring some to the White House and fit me up.’ He gets up on the bike riding around the White House. He was up on the White House lawn riding around with him.
— Interview by Evan Regan-Levine