About Mike

Here at GearDrool we drool over gear while bombing down some sweet singletrack, banging out a DIY project around the house, or taking a hike with the family and dogs. This site will share and spread our love of gear and how we use it. A lot of GearDrool is bicycle focused, as bicycles seem to occupy most of our free time and our dreams. But, we also have homes, families, dogs, and enjoy other gear-worthy activities and plan on sharing our adventures with you. Along the way we’ll focus on the gear we are using and how it functions in the field.

My name is Mike and I can’t sit still.

Neither can Trevor, my brother in-law.

When we get together, usually lots of productive stuff happens or we go ride bikes for hours and miles, up and down mountains. In some ways, Trevor and I are different, but somehow the same. One day he came to visit me in Asheville; we rode bikes, saw a black bear, drank some beer, and decided we needed to do something. GearDrool is that something.

For me, GearDrool is an outlet to celebrate the bicycle and everything it has taught me about life, particularly the concepts of self-sufficiency and do-it-yourself (DIY). It also is an excuse for me to get out and ride or hike; take pictures, shoot video; document and report. Trevor and I figured, “why not report what we are doing and what we are using?”

We DO NOT ride gold plated bikes at GearDrool.

A lot of websites and magazines focus on the latest 13 speed, carbon cassette with diamond-plated, electronic thingamigs.

At GearDrool, we appreciate good equipment. Sometimes we buy fancy gear, but most of the time we buy functional gear. Personally, I’ve spent a lot of money on clearance items and closeouts and last year’s model and used stuff because it all works just as well if you take proper care of the gear. What really matters is getting out and doing stuff, but it doesn’t hurt to have some gear to enhance the trip.