The Cycling Sports Group announced the opening of their new 4,500 square feet of engineering space yesterday at 17 Trowbridge Drive. Governor Dannel Malloy came to the Grand Opening of the workspace, cutting the ribbon and receiving a helmet from the group. Malloy said the helmet will encourage him to get his old bike out and promote bike usage.
First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker, who recently recovered from a bad bike fall, was also there. “We are so happy to have this world class organization here in Bethel,” he said.
In a tour of the facility, Vice President Chris Peck demonstrated several of the new bikes designed for racing, mountaineering and simple pleasure riding. He explained that the company's designers and engineers have created the fastest bike in the world, with the narrowest profiles.
Lifting one bike with two fingers, Peck demonstrated the difference between today’s 12-14 pound bikes and those of 25 years ago, that weighed twice as much.
President of Cycling Sports Group Jeff McGuane started working for the company 20 years ago, answering telephones for six dollars an hour. He said, “We have the best jobs in the world. We help people choose a healthy lifestyle.”
“Bikes are good for the world, and they make people happy,” McGuane said, admitting his conrinuing amazement about his position in the company. “To do what I am doing, to start where I started, and to go on to lead this company,” he shook his head with a smile, sipped his beer, and looked out across the crowd of 150 who attended yesterday's event.
