SAUSALITO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Anthony "Tony" Tom, founder and owner of Sausalito's A Bicycle Odyssey, died last week. He was about 65. Tom and his store are legendary among bike lovers in Marin County and the Bay Area. Tom was known for his mechanical skills, his love for bikes new and old, and his support of the cycling community.
"He was the consummate bicycle aficionado, and had quite a following of similar like-minded people," mountain bike pioneer Joe Breeze told BRAIN on Monday. "He was the kind of guy that, anybody who stopped by the shop, no matter how into cycling they were, or if they showed up on a beat up old 3-speed, he would be happy to help in any way he possibly could," Breeze added.
Tom opened A Bicycle Odyssey in 1975 in Sausalito; it moved around town several times before landing on its current location on Bridgeway, just down the hill from the Golden Gate Bridge and across the street from Richardson Bay.
"A lifelong bicycle enthusiast, Tony owned his first bike at the age of 10 — he rode it once and then promptly proceeded to take it apart. At 16, Tony read Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life around bicycles," according to the store's About Us page.
The store, which BRAIN visited on a dealer tour in 2013, is packed with vintage bikes, equipment and memorabilia, as well as the latest high-tech products. Tom supported many events, teams and athletes in the area, including a transcontinental tandem record attempt by Breeze and Otis Guy in 1979 (photo below). Many shop employees have gone on to positions across the industry. Tom also was close friends with actor Robin Williams, a cycling aficionado himself and a frequent shop visitor.
BRAIN was unable to contact Tom's family on Monday. Breeze said he expects there to be rides and celebrations of life, but had no details. Breeze made a post about Tom's death on the Marin Museum of Bicycling Facebook page on Sunday, which has been attracting dozens of fond remembrances from friends, customers and former employees.
-
Tom (second from right) helped support a transcontinental tandem record attempt in 1979. Otis Guy and Joe Breeze were the cyclists. Photo by Wende Cragg.
