I have loved going fast on bikes for 30 years.  After getting my first mountain bike as a teenager, it didn't take long to commit to a life of putting the hammer down. 

I started racing cross-country mountain bike events in the Mid-Atlantic and inspired by John Tomac took up road racing to improve my results.  Once I joined my local junior team and discovered criterium racing it was like grabbing lightning. I rose through the ranks eventually finding my way to elite amateur competition in France for two seasons before joining my first pro team in Switzerland.

Most of my time in Europe was spent in the trenches of the lowest tier events where the speeds are quite high and the pay is quite low, but I was able to ride a few great races with the top riders of the day (even taking a pro victory) before returning to the USA to continue racing. I won a few races, and a National Championship on the track, but mostly I rocked out, had fun, and rode hard.

After retiring in 2006 I brought my experience to a career in the bike industry bringing new products to life. I have worked in factories in Asia leading the development process. I have also worked with some of the top brands in the world and the most talented and engaged product managers, engineers, and designers. 

I learned more than most about how the bike parts business works and what it really takes to get things to market.  I was bothered by the investments required, the time wasted waiting on production and shipment, and the pressures that the business put on everyone in the value chain.  I thought I could make some real improvements by manufacturing locally, quickly, at a scale that the industry could sustain and still maintain a human-centered outlook, not a spreadsheet centered outlook. 

Through Memory Pilot, I can apply everything I have learned to create truly useful bike parts for athletes who share my passion for riding hard. I can also do things in a way that is leaner, less burdensome on the industry, and more sustainable. I want to help both riders and the US bicycle industry through product that helps to limit distraction and focus on the most important mission critical aspects of our endeavors.

Thanks- 

Erik Saunders