Getting to Know the Pacos Crew
Meet Tad Kirshner
The bike and ski industry generally use the same tools. Bicycle mechanics use Allen keys, wrenches, cables, tubes and hundreds of other obscure tools. Ski tuning technicians use irons, wax, brushes and scrapers. So what’s the difference? You could say experience, sure, but we think it’s also about drive and desire.
What's behind the drive and desire? Passion. Tad Kirschner truly enjoys being a core member of the Pacos team with deep roots as a master mechanic and professional ski tuner.
It was 1988 in Lafayette, CA when Tad was spending all of his free time at a custom mountain bike shop called Lafayette Cycle Works. One day, passionately wanting to be part of the crew and in the daily shop environment, he made a deal with the owner. If he went to the United Bicycle Institute up in Ashland, Oregon, he could come back to a job at the shop. This was the start of his career which led him to Pacos ten years ago.
The mechanical side of his heart, head, and hands kept progressing and then Tad's interest in winter grew. Living in Colorado and Tahoe, he started to use the meticulous attention to detail and technical skills he had learned as a mechanic and applied it to the world of ski tuning. Engulfed in the art and culture of all, over the last 20 years he has been perfecting his tuning skills and soaking up every bit of knowledge along the way. Tad gets excited about wax. Yes, wax in all forms. From a quick hot wax to the precision of race wax. It can make or break your day out on the snow, so be sure to check in with Tad before you head out or if you have a big race coming up and you're looking for the perfect glide for current conditions.
Those who come in and work with Tad leave with a smile on their face and a dialed-in bike or perfectly tuned skis in their hands. Tad has been a core part of the Pacos crew through many locations and transitions. Looking back, he has many great memories. One was being part of the Pacos race support at Tahoe's Most Beautiful Ride because he could fix bikes fast and get riders back on course and having fun. Another lasting impression is his help after hours building out their current space and adding his own flair and ideas where he could. Most importantly, the Pacos crew is a close-knit circle of friends. Typically birthday bike rides are a shop hit and Tad's birthday ride is not to be missed.
Tad also adds value to the team behind the draught beer taps. It's up to Tad and crew member Dave, to make the four draft beer selections found at the mechanics window. “It’s another passion of mine,” says Tad as he reminisces about his time spent serving beer to the judges at the World Beer Fest in Nashville and the Great American Beer Fest in Colorado. His favorite beer flowing at the shop right now is the Tango from The Brewing Lair.
Stop in, grab a beer, and say hello to Tad.