Alexi Grewal.
I don’t often use my blog to send people to someone else’s but I feel compelled to today.
Alexi Grewal was a member of the Coors Light team back in the day and I had the privilege of building the bikes the teams used while I was the head custom builder at Serotta. It was a lot of work and very rewarding most of the time. Sometimes, it was less so. The bikes I made for Alexi Grewal were particularly time consuming and difficult to build and I sweated over every detail. Alexi was less than appreciative and to be blunt that sucked for me. He was gruff and rude and difficult to work for and that sucked the fun right out of the deal.
Yet at the same time I had huge respect for his abilities and shear beauty on the bike. To watch him ride made me smile and to know if was on a bike I designed and built for him made me smile all the more. I never got to know Alexi but I would have like to if he would have allowed it – which I doubt he would have.
Many years have passed and Alexi has done a lot of living in that time. He has decided to make a comeback to pro road racing and even though he is no longer 25 years old I would not bet against him. I’ve very much enjoyed reading his blog. He is raw and honest and self deprecating and it makes for some very good reading.
I have sent some money to Alexi – not a lot but a show of support for a flawed but great man. I wish him all the best and would love to build another bike for him. I know he doesn’t see himself as a hero and I’m not sure I do either but he is someone who gets a huge amount of respect from me. I wish I could be riding in the peloton when the kids ask who the old guy who just outsmarted them is. It’s Alexi.
Dave
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I lived in So Cal in 1984 and attended the Olympic road race in Mission Viejo. Grewal won a great race that day and provided me with a lifelong cycling memory. I’ll probably donate something too………..