Michael Knepp

 This is a name not many people know in the world of custom bikes. Michael probably made about 20 frames over a period of a couple of decades. I met Michael when he was living in Santa Cruz back in the '90's. Most of the time he was working construction to make a living but he was definitely a bike person the rest of the time. I lent him the odd frame building tool now and then- he was building the occasional frame as a hobby, some for himself and some for friends. He did try to make it a real job but never got enough business to consider it reliable enough. This frame pictured in this post is one that he built for himself a number of years ago and was his favorite ride.

 Michael was not just a guy who could build a frame, he really had several crafts that he practiced at a very high level. Michael also was an avid painter who sold his work through galleries in Tahoe and Sausalito. He was making flamenco guitars patterned after a very early Torres design-his work was stunning. It seemed like anything Mike would do, he would try to prefect- he didn't do anything half way.

 Now Mike is gone- a battle with cancer did not go his way. He was 63 years old - he left me his old leftover frame building materials about a year before he died. He also instructed me to sell two of his bikes, one that I had built for him a few years ago and this one pictured above.

One of the pieces of frame building leftovers was a crown and steerer that he had brazed together for a project he did not complete. I am using this crown and steerer in my 40th anniversary bike for the upcoming NAHBS. I figured that having a little piece of Mike's work on by bike would be a fitting tribute to someone who was a great craftsman, a good friend and always a person with a funny anecdote to tell about his past experiences as a bike mechanic.Mike seemed to know more about mid-century Simplex derailleurs than anyone else on the planet. The subjects that Mike got into he did so with astonishing depth, almost obsessing on every detail.
I went to visit Mike about a week before he died. He was spending nearly all his time in bed-not having energy for much else. What he did have energy for was to hold court for nearly three hours on the distant past of combing through the attics of old L.A. bicycle shops looking for the choice old parts to complete some of the many restorations he dedicated much of his spare time to. Mike frequented some of the same shops I went to in my teens growing up in Santa Monica. We knew a lot of the same people-we had crossed paths without knowing it many years before actually meeting. I am very sad to lose this friend and feel lucky to have known him. At times he was an over opinionated pain in the ass. Other times he was definitely the smartest person in the room. He could completely aggravate some while being a valued friend to others. He did not live that long or make a big name for himself but whatever he did, he made sure to do it well.
Rest in peace, Michael.