Cookeville TN Bicycle Specialist

Thad Hoffman

What Thad Does: Thad’s love of riding his bike in the woods and on all manner of country roads began at age 3 thanks to his father and rural Illinois upbringing. Decades later he still rides his bike on all manner of roads and trails. Preferably all types on each ride.  An avid racer and rider, from early 2000’s unsupported gravel races all on singlespeeds (Trans Iowa, DK, Gravel Grovel, Southern Cross), to endurance mtb (DSG, 12 hours of Tsali, Snake Creek Gap, and more), cyclocross, road, Xterra Triathlons, and even a podium at Race Across the West, his knowledge and experience runs deep, but his thirst for fun and adventure trump all. From bikepacking trips in foreign lands to charting uncharted adventure rides across the US, plotting packrafting treks, to riding with his dogs and ice cream stops (thanks dad) it is all part of the his natural cycling DNA.

 JD and River

What JD and River Do: JD has been Thad’s loyal adventure buddy for 11.5 years now. From Tennessee hills and hollers to the high mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and Canada, to the plains of Kansas and Nebraska – JD has done it all. Trails, water, snow, doesn’t matter as long as it leads to adventure (or food, preferably food). 

River is a new member to the tribe. Discovered discarded, starving, and dying of Parvo in the woods, she has overcome great odds and is learning the rewards of being an adventure dog and slowly being shown the ropes to good shop dog behavior by JD. According to him, she still has a long way to go. 

Kurt Phifer

What Kurt Does: Kurt found cycling at age 38, while he was busy growing a business and raising a family, and wasn’t happy with his lack of fitness. He was trying to stay motivated to do the typical excercising within 4 walls but needed to “get outside” while fuel a desire for competition. While not yet riding, he stumbled onto the 2004 Tour de France and was hooked. He graduated from Tennessee Tech University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology,  which became a  great stepping stone to cycling and working in the cycling industry.

After many years owning and operating  a marine engine remanufacturing and parts distribution business, he was needing a change. Kurt had a strong desire to move from wholesale to where he could relate and help people more. He decided to go to work in a field he honestly loved, and started at Caney Fork Cycles in early 2013. Kurt truly enjoys helping and watching a bicycle change people’s lives like it did his.