Ron & Jan Brunk, Founders & Previous Owners
It all started in 1982 with Ron and Jan Brunk.Though retired now and off living the dream adventuring by bike whenever they want, Ron and Jan are still members of the Glacier Cyclery family. Ron was once a potter, bakes a delicious scone, and rolls in a ’72 MGB which he restored. He has developed a propensity for bikes we used to refer to as “old ten-speeds”. Jan can ride a unicycle and can also play the accordion, two talents which seem best combined. The Brunks enjoy tandeming (conjoined cycling), XC skiing, growing amazing vegetables and living the Montana lifestyle. The Brunks are veterans of cycle touring and have pedaled many multiple-day rides. Their garage contains an Ibis Cousin It tandem, a Miyata unicycle, a Kona Process 134 CR, a Kona Jake the Snake, a Giant Defy Advanced carbon road machine, a Santa Cruz 5010, a Jamis Nova, and scores of ‘Cino’ bikes (which we used to refer to as “old ten-speeds”).
Michael Meador, Co-Owner
Michael came to Glacier Cyclery in 1998 from Oregon in hopes of trading rain for snow. Mike enjoys cooking, riding slow, snowboarding, procrastination, weight fluctuations, controlled explosions and short bicycle tours. Mike dislikes telemarketers, politicians, and haircuts. Mike leads a contented life with his two boys and a couple of ill-behaved pets. When not riding or working, he is in a board meeting with the Whitefish Legacy Partners helping to further develop our local trail system. In his garage, Mike has a Burley Hudson touring bike on which he’s slayed a deer, an ’87 Fat Chance which he should sell but believes is worth more than it actually is, a Kona Wo fattie, a Surly Krampus, and a Pivot Firebird which he purchased based solely on color.
Tyler Tourville, Co-Owner
Tyler hails from Wisconsin and has been a Glacier Cyclery fixture since 2001. Tyler, his wife Brandy, and son Tiptin live up near Canada which helps in explaining Tyler’s obsession with the procurement of firewood. Tyler’s other obsessions include the gathering of huckleberries, the storage of huckleberries, and cooking with huckleberries. Tyler also enjoys snow removal, Coca-Cola, ultra-violent video games, and cycle commuting 40 miles a day which he frequently does aboard either his steel Kona Rove gravel grinder or his Kona Big Kahuna depending on whether he craves tarmac/dirt road mix or soil on his ultra-endurance commute. When shredding singletrack, Tyler pilots a Kona Process X 29er with it’s HUGE 29″ wheels. Oh, and he owns a Kona Woo fat bike because why not?!
Vanessa Gailey, Co-Owner
After way too many past lives working in real estate, graphic design, and marketing, Vanessa Gailey stood up from her desk and decided to work in a bike shop for fun. Now business manager and co-owner, the job may have more hard work sprinkled into the “fun” than she expected! She came to Whitefish almost 25 years ago by way of Crested Butte, CO, where she learned to shred on the legendary singletrack. Her happy place is pulling into a campsite in her #vanlife with bikes on the back, ready for a weekend of riding. Gravel? Sure. Mountain biking? Hell yes! Bikepacking? Please! Road biking? Nope. She also has a rad husband named Chuck who happens to be the main reason that Vanessa now owns an ebike. Vanessa’s stable includes a Santa Cruz Highball (for bikepacking), a Santa Cruz gravel bike for exploring Montana logging roads, the aforementioned full suspension Pivot ebike mountain bike for tackling climbs without training for it, a Kona Wo fat bike, and a 1970 Raleigh 3-speed.
Raser Powell, Co-Owner
Raser hails from the far away climes of Martin City which isn’t really a city and is only about 15 miles from Whitefish. Some say he is a dog whisperer but for some reason he has a punk cat. Now co-owner and sales manager, he started here at 16 years old, applying as soon as he got his driver’s license and could drive himself to work. Raser prefers the outdoors to the indoors and seemingly enjoys almost every activity that our lovely valley has to offer. When he’s not in the shop at Glacier Cyclery, you might find Raser fishing or paddling rapids, or under his truck, or snowboarding, or skiing, or sitting on a peak contemplating his fine life, or maybe writing a beautiful verse of poetry concerning the beauty of a pine cone. Most likely though, you’ll find Raser enjoying the deep woods embracing the laws of gravity aboard on whatever full squish bike he is trying for the season, or disappearing amongst his beloved lichen on his Kona Unit X. Go speed Raser, Go! Oh, and he has a Kona Wo fat bike too because he has a world of winter at his back door.
Aaron Roberts
If you want a clean bike or a tasty kombucha, this is your man. Aaron and his partner Rebekah had a kombucha taproom in Whitefish previously, but we are glad he decided bikes were more fun because he is now a key member of the mechanic crew. Not sure how he can make a dirty 10-year-old bike look brand new, but he can. It’s like magic. He’s a Flathead Valley native (yes, they do exist!) who has recently gotten involved in a local housing advocacy group to try to help other locals remain in the Valley. Aaron loves riding his spotless hotter than hot pink Pivot Switchblade on local trails with his young ripper son Brixton.
Jessie Kay
Nickname Jessie Diggins, this former Nordic racer moved to Whitefish from Bozeman a few years ago and thank goodness she picked Glacier Cyclery as her local bike shop. You can learn a lot from Jessie; she is a PMBI certified mountain bike instructor and US Ski Association Nordic Coach. Her background as a Head Development Team Coach for Bridger Ski Foundation and current role coaching with the Glacier Nordic Club hopefully have given her the patience to deal with her Glacier Cyclery coworkers. During the winter months, she is our resident Nordic guru and wax tech. Not enough room to list all of her skis, but her bike quiver includes a Giant Revolt gravel bike, Juliana Roubion mountain bike and Kona Unit with a big front basket for her work commute.
Joby Dynneson
Speak softly and carry a big stick. More on theme, a big bike tool. Joby is a skilled jack of all trades with a humble quiet demeanor that sets his apart from most of his Glacier Cyclery coworkers (we are all pretty loud around here). Joby has decades of experience in the bike industry, is a scientist first and foremost, and has a family vegetable farm that supplies the shop with endless asparagus in summer. Joby wondered into Glacier Cyclery after 10+ years as a manager at a bike shop in Bozeman, mentioned that he relocated to the area, and we jumped on the opportunity to add him to the team!
Erika Miss Fitz Fitzgerald
Tough enough for instructing 5am spin class, teaching swarms of 6th graders, running marathons, and living in a one-building town in Alaska – that’s what this woman is. After moving from Alaska to the busy metropolitan area of Flathead Valley, Erika quickly discovered that a Kona Libre CR DL drop bar gravel bike is a must-have. Nothing like a leisurely day of 70 dirt road miles to get out and get away from it all. Her other bikes are a 907 hardtail mountain bike (Alaska yo!) and a Kona carbon Hei Hei because she “loves to climb” but we are currently in the process of brainwashing her into buying a full-suspension, knee pads and platform shoes.
