Bike Mechanic, Chris French-Drayton

Meet Chris French-Drayton, a true Stalwart’s to the core

In what are you a Stalwart?
I’ve worked in a senior sales & marketing capacity during my career.

My interest in cycling has been a private passion since childhood. During the COVID crisis, I was made redundant; this gave me the opportunity to re-train in the bicycle industry working in a local bike shop.

What is so great about it?
The whirr of the chain and the rhythmic pull on my arms as I haul myself out of the saddle and sprint up an incline, then I settle down into the flat straight road ahead of me, thighs quietly aching. The air smells clean and invigorating; the trees zip by with flashes of green illuminated by sunlight. I feel fresh in the cool morning air and I’m ready for another fifty. My heartbeat is steady and the road is empty. I realise I’ve never been happier or felt more alive.

How it all started..
Watching Greg Lemond beat Laurent Fignon in the 1989 Tour de France by 8 seconds

your life motto..
“Be the best you can be”

where do you want to be in 2 year’s time.
Riding the Col du Galibier

what do you think of the Stalwart apron you’re wearing?
Great product; it adds an air of professionalism to how I present myself to staff and customers. Having tools in the pouches significantly improves my productivity.

Tips & tricks top 3
Things you know as a skilled Stalwart but what everyone should know about.

It is one thing to decide to climb a mountain; it’s quite another to be on top of it.
It never gets easier; you just get faster
“I don’t ride a bike to add days to my life. I ride a bike to add life to my days”