Our History

Like many great things in life, The Robert Axle Project was born from a passion for adventure and a desire for change. We seek innovative change that isn’t inspired in a laboratory or on a balance sheet, but by a wild adventure or an expedition to a far-away country.

We are tinkerers, problem solvers and big-time dreamers. Mountain bikers, trail builders, and travelers. Our story is one of those “ started in the garage” stories.

In 1999, we made the bold move to purchase BOB Trailers for a bike tour in Central America. The trailers soon became our favorite pieces of equipment for seeing the world by bike.

In 2003, we rode the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Canada to Mexico, experiencing some of the most sublime and wild scenery in the U.S. Since then, we’ve been dragging our mountain biking friends on to local tours, exploring the forested trails and roads in Oregon and beyond.

In 2013 when we upgraded our mountain bikes to fast, light, full suspension carbon steeds, we encountered a problem. We could not attach our BOB Trailers to our new bikes with modern 12mm thru axles. Thus, the Robert Axle Project was born, in beautiful Bend, Oregon. Since then, we’ve become the experts on all things thru axle.

Meet Us

Chris

Chris

CO-FOUNDER & COO

Chris always knew he’d end up making things. After fifteen years of working in the outdoor industry in sales and customer service, he is meticulously obsessive about how things could be better designed. Chris also has a deep passion for mountain biking from the days as a wee kid shredding his BMX bike through the hills behind his house.

Katy Bryce

Katy

CO-FOUNDER & CEO

Katy is the wordsmith and whip cracker. She heads up all marketing, administration, and financial oversight duties and makes the taco runs when needed. She is also as a freelance writer, specializing in the outdoors, travel and, well…bicycling. Check out her bestselling book – a guidebook for mountain biking in Bend, Oregon.

Tom

Tom

MACHINIST & AXLE MAKER

Tom is our chief machinist and maker of Bulletproof Coffee. Tom has been a forester, farmer, machinist, fiber optics maker, climber, surfer, skier and all around good guy. He recently bought a new mountain bike and has been trying to avoid trees since then. When Tom isn’t making axles, he is traveling to tropical locales looking for surf.

Fuzzy-2

FuzzyJohn

SALES DIRECTOR

Fuzzy isn’t just fuzzy. He’s fast too. He raced mountain bikes for both the Sho-Air team and Niner Bikes factory team, winning multiple national championships along the way. He most recently worked at Fatback Bikes as Brand Manager, and he’s often spotted in the Old Cascades shredding on really, really big tires.

tory black and white photo on bike

Tory

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Tory knows A LOT about bikes and handles a variety of things, from customer service to axle assembly and product development. Tory is a proud ex- framebuilder and self-proclaimed Bike Geek. When he’s not working, he’s found bike touring with his wife Katie or goofing off at the pump track.

Erik-at-Sandy-BW

Erik

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Erik spent ten years wrenching on bikes in the PNW and New York City. He grew up mountain biking then moved to NYC, racing track at the Kissena Velodrome and dodging traffic in the city. Now back on the west coast, he’s returned to riding on dirt. He now spends his time obsessing over crank and valve positions while setting up bikes to photograph.

wally the shop dog

Wally

SHOP DOG

Wally is the Robert Axle Project lazy shop dog and spends most of the day lounging in his bed. Until the UPS or FedEx truck comes – he then goes bonkers for treats. Wally loves dead fish, sticks, pine cones and swimming in the river. He doesn’t ride a bike.