Wearing many hats here at Campfire, Jake has found great alignment for his many skills and interests working with us. Jake grew up in the Tucson area enjoying many of the outdoor adventuring opportunities from running to climbing. But more recently Jake has gone all in into the world of cycling and bikepacking.
We gladly yanked Jake away from REI where he had gotten himself established as a bicycle mechanic. Now he is wrenching for us and along with taking care of our event and product photography.
Another great bikepacking business skill that Jake brings to the table is bike bag sewing. If you ask really nicely, you might be able to convince Jake to make you a bag 😉
Bike stack at Juanitos – March. 13, 2026
This weekend, our friend Rippie put on a burrito ride. A good crew of us cruised trough Tucson and enjoyed some burritos at juanitos, watched the sunset on A mountain and ended the night at Rippie’s shop watching jaws. It’s the amazing community rides in town that makes Tucson so special.
A fun weekend heading to Colossal Cave. – March. 06, 2026
This weekend Molly, Josh and I led a fantastic group of people to Colossal Cave for our combined beginner/intermediate/advanced bikepacking trip. We had a few slight mishaps, lots of flat tires, and a couple wrong turns, but everyone was delightful and excited to be part of the trip. The Colossal Cave area is so beautiful. Thank you to everyone that joined!
Gunslingin’ – February. 26, 2026
When in doubt, bring the big guns out. Here’s Toby relying on his big guns to remove a stubborn freewheel. Who else loves a good cheater bar?
Toby and a giant shipment from Otso – February. 19, 2026
Otso did a photo shoot in Tucson this week of some new bikes they have coming out. Here’s the stack of them. The pallet was taller than Toby! We are excited to see what Otso has coming!
True Marmal(aid) – February. 12, 2026
This week we aided Erik (True Marmalade) in his journeys around the US. We got a new drivetrain installed, some fresh brake cables and housing and dynamo work. He’s ready to tour around for another 3 years.
The last time we saw him in the shop, Toby had freshly built his cargo bike and we sent him on his travels. He left giggling about how good his bike feels. I’m excited to see where his bike takes him.
Bike Earrings – February. 05, 2026
This week during a tinker tantrum, I was trying to come up with ways to dazzle up a bike with gems and stones for a gift. I came up with this idea of embedding turquoise into some 8mm brass hex stock and turning the threads down to a 5 x 0.8 to fit frame bolt standard.
These can fit into bottle or rack mounts to give your bike the pop that it deserves. I think these turned out pretty well after a bit of polish, just like earrings for your bike.
Toby’s puppy love – January. 29, 2026
Mia came into the shop the other day and Toby of course needed some love. He just loves some puppy love.
Toby and the never ending pile of bikes. – January. 22, 2026
This latest shipment kept the shop busy, with Toby and Elliot building each one up and getting them dialed before sending them off to their new homes. Another round of bikes boxed, shipped, and headed out to some very happy riders.
Otso season – January. 15, 2026
This year so far we’ve got a few Otso Fenrirs in the shop. It’s hard not to gawk at them when they are fully built up. The raw stainless steel and titanium looks so good paired with the wolf tooth anodized headsets and bling kits. Here we have an XL Fenrir and a XS Fenrir, showing off the big differences between the way these bikes can be built and styled.
Nate just built up the XS Fenrir and I’m impressed by the size and fitting options for some of our smaller riders that are searching for the perfect bike fit. I just built up the XL to try out as a dedicated hard tail, I’m excited to push it to the limits and see where the Fenrir takes me!
Breakfast at Campfire with Adventure Cycling – January. 8, 2026
This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting a doughnut and coffee morning for the team at the Adventure Cycling Association. It was great to connect with an organization that has been inspiring, empowering, and connecting the bicycle traveling community for over 50 years. I met many experienced bike travelers and heard some inspiring stories.
A lucky nail – January. 01, 2026
This week I replaced a tire that had been pierced by a nail on Paul’s bike. The tubeless sealant did its job and sealed up the holes for 300 miles. I’m always amazed when I see the objects that tubeless can seal.
Turquoise Topcap – December. 25, 2025
Holiday time means my home shop becomes a workshop for small brass trinkets. Last year, I made some pens and tops out of metal and wood. This year, I tried something new and laid some stones in epoxy into a topcap I cut out of brass. I learned a lot and failed quite a bit, but I think they turned out pretty good!
Tools Down, Cucumbers Out – December. 18, 2025
It can get busy in the shop—long, sometimes stressful days packed with bike builds, tunes, and tubeless setups. Between the noise, tools, and tight timelines, taking a moment to slow down really matters. Here’s Elliot’s midday reset: a little bike shop spa time to recharge before getting back at it.
Pawpaws at the shop – December. 11, 2025
The city dog treat inspector, Hank, just came by the shop to check the inventory of dog treats we have during a surprise dog treat audit. Unfortunately, after searching the shop thoroughly he caught us short on treats. He issued us a growly warning and a big boop for treat manager, Toby. I think I heard him bark some profanity under his breath on his way out. Next time we might not be so lucky.
Perfect Weather for Bugs Springs – November. 27, 2025
This last holiday weekend I rode Bug Springs with some friends visiting town. The weather was perfect, the drops were big and the fun was had. It’s hard to not have a good time on that trail, if you like it rocky.
Sweet onyx build for a midnight special. – November. 20, 2025
This week I built a wheel set for a midnight special build we are doing. Dt swiss R460 DB, gold nipples, double butted spokes and a sweet gold onyx hub. If you haven’t had the chance to feel one of these hubs in your hand, I’d highly recommend it. These hubs have a spray clutch making them completely silent and have the one of the fastest engagements of all the hubs on the market. I’ve been lucky enough to build a few of these and I am always in awe of the quality.
DIY Foot Warmers – November. 14, 2025
Bikepacking pro tip (that Big Sock doesn’t want you to know): When the temps drop in the desert, my toes get a lil cold. I forgot to bring warm socks on my last bike packing. Fear not, my big brain had a solution, my riding gloves provided enough warmth to keep my toesies warm.
Air Gonzo – November. 07, 2025
This weekend I rode with some pals on Mt Lemmon’s fantasticly chunky trails. It’s hard not to enjoy a day out on the mountain. It’s always a blast, speeding down trails, flying over rocks and drops. Here’s a photo of Gonzo catching a bit of air.
Fork Service – October. 30, 2025
This week brought in a treat — a customer rolled in with a stuck-down fork. I don’t see these too often, so I was pretty excited to crack it open and investigate the air spring.
Turns out the rider had been sending it a bit harder than their air pressure could handle. Bottomed out the fork, cracked the air-spring shaft, and boom — air leaked into the negative chamber and left the fork slammed shut.
A stuck-down fork isn’t just inconvenient — it can be dangerous. Releasing that pressure always ends with a loud bang and sometimes a flying part or two. We follow strict safety steps to keep things safe in the shop.
Tucson eat yourself! – October. 24, 2025
This last weekend we had the annual Tucson Meet Yourself festival happeningoutside the shop.This is a fun event where venders come and sell the best street food from around the world!
I got some Thai tacos on my lunch break and they were so delicious I had to go back for seconds!!
Luna Lights Up the Shop – October. 17, 2025
This week, Toby got a visit from Luna, a nine-week-old puppy who instantly brightened the shop. Named after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter, she lived up to her name—sweet, curious, and full of magic.