HIGH LINE
About us… but yeah really, I'm all by myself! HIGH LINE is a one man show focused on fixing, maintaining and making MTBs shinny. Owned and operated by myself, Vincent.
It all started with my dad owning a go kart track, I’ve always tinkered with him and the people around. I remember being fascinated by the torque wrench, the click of the tool signalising that the cylinder head bolt is tight just enough still blows my mind. That same dad put me on an XC bike when I was around 10, he was a true passionate for a good decade and even opened his own little bike shop (let's be clear, it was mainly to buy his own parts cheaper!). I learned the basics; how to fix a tube, how to replace and adjust a derailleur’s cable and housing, and how a disc brake works.
Like teenagers do, I got more interested in partying than biking. Then, a year traveling around the globe with my sister gently remembered me how I loved mountain biking as we rode in different places. Mostly one epic heli bike drop in the soon to be mecca of the southern hemisphere: Queenstown, NZ. Once back home I got myself back into it with a Giant Glory and met a local crazy dude! He was working on a gnarly downhill trail that became La Grand Combe's track, France, where the Specialized Gravity team and the Commencal Muc-Off team train during the off season. Perfecting the art of taking things apart and putting them back together in the wrong order, I learned a lot about hubs, rims and putting those two together, how to bleed disc brakes and cockpit/geometry set up.
In 2015 with Charlene, my partner, we moved to Revelstoke chasing a new powderland. When summer came around I promised myself that I wouldn’t buy a bike as I thought it would be the start of my financial ruin. During that same summer a trip to Silver Star bike park with other ski bum friends quickly made me forget about that stupid idea. I was back into it and for good this time. I finally got my first modern enduro bike (a 2016 Norco Range). From there it has never been an option to bring my bike to the shop to get it fix, it was only an endless opportunity to satisfy my will to learn about modern bikes. Slowly but surely I learned about new standards, dropper posts, tubeless set ups, suspension tunings and services. It was very satisfying to go on epic BC rides without bottom bracket creaks, flat tires or funky suspension behaviours. That showed me the importance of a well maintened bike.
Yes Charlene, all that time in the garage was absolutely necessary!
In 2021 I really wanted to compare my self-taught skills with real professionals. So, I signed up for a 2 week program at the Bikeroom in Kaslo, BC. It was well worth it. 13 straight days learning with a master mechanic was the first time I liked school! I learned more about frame bearings, the art of brake bleeds, the bottomless craft of building wheels and the best way to be efficient in the shop. I was ready to take on any tasks, the more complicated the better.
In 2023 I finally committed to the obvious: working for myself full time fixing bicycles while discovering and learning the trade. It’s a new adventure that I’m really excited to start. As a very detailed and performance oriented person I’m really excited to organise, develop, and run a successful business. More ready than ever, I want to share my passion for well maintained and dialed bikes with premium quality repairs.
Wow ok, you really got the full story! I guess for a minute I thought I was a guest on a podcast and it was my time to shine! I love podcasts and I listen to a lot of them while I’m fixing your bike. Here are some I listen to the most.
