"Speak softly and carry a big stick: you will go far". An African proverb popularized in the West by Teddy Roosevelt in the early part of the 20th century. The basic idea is that you should generally be a chill person (city, nation, wheel manufacturing entity–whatever), but be ready to pack a hell of a punch when conditions call for a punch to be packed. One gets the sense that Reserve Wheelbuilder Joe Sherman has imbibed this notion and employs it at some fundamental level in his professional life. Joe's a lowkey force on the factory floor who keeps the mood light with a quip and a smile in calm conditions, but when deadlines get tight, where action is needed, Joe isn't at all shy about dispensing it. Joe's easy demeanor and quiet competence are a testament to the wisdom of the ages old adage: sometimes, the most effective force is the one you least expect. We spent some time with Joe to find out more about his thoughts on wheel building and what he gets up to on the weekends; whether or not his chill comportment hides a surprising passion. Spoiler–not really no... if anything Joe's even more mellow on the weekends. Enjoy.
Q: What’s your hometown?
A: Aptos, California. Down in the flats.
Do you have a nickname? If yes, how’d you get it? If not, make one up that suits your character.
I got a few, but a fun one from when I played football was Shermanator.
How long have you been at Reserve?
Three years coming into four this August.
How long have you been riding?
Grew up riding bikes. My dad used to be a bike mechanic.
How long have you been building wheels?
I built a few in High School, but I honestly had no idea what I was doing back then. So I would just say like three years realistically.
How many wheels do you estimate you’ve built since you’ve been at Reserve?
Roughly around 55,000 in total...give or take a thousand.
What brought you to wheel building?
Pure luck to be honest, I was in need of a job after losing my position in the food industry thanks to a certain global pandemic.
Would you rather build a wheel by machine or by hand?
I like using the machines to lace 'em. There is something satisfying about being able to get the whole thing done in barely over a minute.
Tell us something about wheel building that most people wouldn’t know.
Spoke lengths vary a lot between different hubs and if you start with the wrong spoke lengths the whole wheel is at least 4 times as hard to build.
What kind of riding do you typically do? Mountain, Gravel or Road?
Mountain biking is what I enjoy the most. Especially trails with clean lines that you can just blaze through.
What is your favorite trail or favorite place to ride?
Nisene Marks is a personal favorite of mine. I grew up riding there and there is a wide variety of trails to ride.
Garage-check, what are you currently riding? Which wheels? Who built them?
Currently I have a Frankenstein kinda bike. It was originally a 29er but got turned into a mullet and got some cheap WTB rims on it. The whole thing was put together by a friend and is covered in more stickers than not.
What do you do when you are not building wheels?
I play quite a bit of video games in my free time. Mostly FPS games like Overwatch or Borderlands. Outside of that I enjoy going on walks along the coast and watching the waves.
Rapid Fire
Beer, wine, cocktail or seltzer?
Beer, preferably a juicy or hazy IPA or a stout.
SRAM or Shimano?
Shimano, I just like the name more. No real strong preference.
Coffee, Tea or Red Bull?
I do not have an addiction to coffee, but I do however have a dependence on it.
Thick or thin grips?
No preference. Got big ol hands so they both feel fine.
Burrito, hamburger or pizza?
All three, one after the other. I have a big appetite.
RockShox or Fox?
RockShox probably.
Seinfeld, Friends or Rick & Morty?
Futurama. Grew up watching it and can still have a good time watching it now.
I9 or DT Swiss?
I9, the sound the engagement makes on the Hydra is sick.
Puppies or kittens?
Kittens.
Describe your perfect day.
Wake up, lay in bed, order food delivered so I can be in bed longer, play some games, get some fresh air after I’ve woken up a bit. Then see what people are up to. I enjoy when there is no real plan for the day and just seeing how things turn out.
What is your special power?
I know a lot of random things about a lot of subjects. Most of it isn’t useful, but sometimes it is.