The BWorks team is excited to have recently welcomed Wesley Wilcox as a part-time bike mechanic. It was just a handful of years ago that Wesley completed the Earn-A-Bike program growing up, and now he is busy refurbishing bikes for current students.

We recently checked in with Wesley, who began working with us earlier this summer, to hear how things are going so far and learn more about his love for the world of bicycles, and particularly BMX.

He said bikes have long been an important aspect of his life, even when he was very young. One of his earliest bike-related memories took place in a local library.

“I’ve always been interested in jumping stuff and making little ramps and stuff,” Wesley explained. “But as a kid, I actually found a book at the library about BMX racing, and I thought, ‘Oh, this is sick.’”

By age 10, he was regularly spending time at Benton Park-headquartered Ramp Riders, an indoor skate park and pro shop, and by 12 or 13 he was volunteering there. Then in high school he landed a job at the facility, where he still plays an important role.

“My family’s just always been a big bike family,” Wesley said.

He’s especially invested in the culture and history of BMX. He films videos, and has a sponsorship with Animal Bikes. But he also does a lot of riding on his mountain bike and road bike around the St. Louis area.

“It’s freedom,” Wesley said. “You can get from Point A to Point B really easily. I feel like in the city at least you can get places easier on a bike sometimes.”

He uses his bikes for everything, including food delivery at times.

“I load up my bike trailer with laundry, I go to the farmer’s market, I go to shows,” Wesley explained. “It’s very fun, it’s very relaxing and takes my mind off things. I just go out and explore the city on my bike for a couple hours.”

That sort of freedom and utility, both as a kid and now as an adult, is something Wesley wants to see every young person experience. When he’s at the shop, his enthusiasm while working on a BWorks student’s selected stead is obvious and infectious.

“I love getting kids on bikes,” he said. “Whenever I’m building a bike, I want the kid to be hyped up about the bike.”