Tim Blumenthal's memorial inspires heartfelt recollections

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Friends, family, and industry colleagues gathered for a Boulder Creek Path bike ride Saturday and a memorial at the Chautauqua Dining Hall on Sunday to celebrate the life and times of Tim Blumenthal, an icon of American cycling. The presence of joy at each gathering dominated any mourning by a large margin.

A dozen people, including Blumenthal's children and brothers, shared stories, tears, and laughter in remembrance of his varied and effective industry stints. Blumenthal was a print journalist for VeloNews in the 1980s, a television commentator covering the Olympics and the Tour de France for NBC in the 1990s, served as IMBA's first executive director in 1992, and then moved into the leadership role at PeopleForBikes (then Bikes Belong) in 2004.

Blumenthal passed March 30 at age 70 after a two-year battle with cancer. Read his full obituary here. We hope these quotes from speakers to the 100 people at the memorial might give you some insight into his unprecedented and heartfelt contributions to the bicycle advocacy movement in America.

Lise Blumenthal, Tim's wife of 46 years

"Stories were a tool for Tim, a modus operandi, as a parent, as a boss, as a writer, a reporter, and as a friend. He used stories to paint pictures of athletes, to build excitement in race coverage, to teach lessons to our children, and to employees, not by telling them how to behave or what to think, but by leaving them with a story to contemplate."

John Burke, Trek Bicycles president

"I gotta believe Tim packed at least 100 years into the 70 he was given. Tim was not a good leader; he was a great leader. He had high humility, and he had incredible will. Always the cause before himself, it was never about Tim. He always got the deal done, and after the deal was done, people on both sides still felt good about it. He brought the industry together; he brought advocacy groups together; he brought politicians together; and he moved the meter."

Jenn Dice, PeopleForBikes president and CEO

"Tim had a gift for making moments, making moments feel bigger than they were or taking small moments and making them big. A hallway conversation, a flooded bike trail, a scenic detour, a dip in any body of water, an ordinary workday where he would walk around and pass out bottles of wine. He treated all of it like it mattered. Because to him, it really did."

Connie Carpenter-Phinney and Davis Phinney, Olympic and Tour De France cyclists

"Our relationship with Tim goes way back to when he was a journalist. We rarely faced journalists with Tim's qualities. He was prepared. He was fair. He was truthful. He was kind. And Tim was, of course, also a brilliantly effortless writer. Above all else, he was genuine. What a great quality to possess."

Jim Hasenauer, IMBA co-founder and board member

"IMBA owes its life to Tim Blumenthal. When Tim started as executive director in 1992, he collected funds, he reached out to the industry and to others resources of support. He brought in staff, many of whom are here today, to accomplish this big hairy vision, as we called it. When he left, IMBA was really strong as it continues to be today."

Mary Monroe Brown, IMBA former vice president

"When someone makes it possible for others to see farther, we say we stand on the shoulders of giants. I've had the privilege of standing on Tim's shoulders, as have many of you. And so have thousands of riders and advocates who may never have known his name but experience the places, organizations, and opportunities he helped create. That is an extraordinary legacy."

Erik Esborg, PeopleForBikes former vice president of finance

"Tim's favorite phrase was, 'When people ride bikes, great things happen.' It doesn't happen organically. It doesn't happen in a vacuum. It takes tremendous leadership that galvanizes a movement. Whether it be IMBA, BikesBelong, or PeopleForBikes."