I received news that long time cycling advocate and all around bike expert Sheldon Brown passed away from a massive heart attack on the evening of February 3rd.

I did not know Sheldon personally, but I had communicated with him by e-mail a couple of times when I was building my fixed gear bike. He also helped me with adapting an older bike with an updated drivetrain.

He was eternally generous with his knowledge, which was broad and deep.

He will live on through both his own web site and the extensive web site that he maintained for Harris Cyclery, in West Newton MA.

Sheldon had been battling illness since mid 2005 and went through numerous diagnoses before finally learning that he was fighting primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Even though the illness kept him from riding bikes, he handled it with typical aplomb, and posted how, if you’re going to have a nasty, rare incurable disease, you could do much worse than MS.

He will be greatly missed.