The bike industry is full of dream jobs. Professional race photographers, athletes, engineers, graphic designers, startup and small business founders. It’s actually a pretty wide pool, just not a deep one, with few positions open for some of the most sought-after careers. But, for those who want to build a life around bikes and have a skill, trade, or talent to offer, there’s always room for someone looking hard enough.

John Hall can attest to this. Hall is currently one of the most well-known bike mechanics in the industry – which is a bit odd considering that it is probably the deepest section of the pool, and there are thousands of positions for mechanics out there. Very few however can be found traveling alongside the world’s fastest mountain bike racers. How did Hall get so lucky to get hired on by America’s fastest downhill athlete, and one of the best UCI World Cup downhill athletes ever? Well, part of it is certainly luck, but there’s much more to it than chance.

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