Stacy Sebeczek loves costumes. She also loves bikes.
And she really loves biking in costumes.
Stacy is one of those people who makes you want to bike. Her energy is contagious, her ideas inspiring and her passion for this community of Fort Collins infectious.
While her road to Local Market Manager at Zagster was a ride she didn’t intentionally mean to start, once she set the pedals in motion, she knew she would never stop.
“Once I married my passion of bikes with my professional work life, something shifted in me,” Stacy said.
And, accurately enough, the shifting occured while working at a brewery that was founded on two-wheels: New Belgium Brewing.
After being tasked with the promotion of a scavenger hunt on bikes, Stacy fell into the bike community, and with it crashed into the next opportunity that set her path of working with bikes in real motion.
In 2012 the Bike Library, which started in 2008 thanks to collaboration from Bike Fort Collins, City of Fort Collins, Downtown Fort Collins Business Association, Colorado State University, Fort Collins Bike Co-op and New Belgium Brewing, found itself needing new leadership. It was a no brainer to offer that torch to Stacy.
“My purpose was, and is, to get people riding bikes,” she said. “It’s hard to say no to that job.”
Especially when you love what you are doing. Since the beginning of her career, and now with her role with Zagster, Stacy works with community members to get people on bikes.
“Everyday my work is compelling because of the great people I get to talk to who are excited about bikes,” Stacy said.
Even though her days revolve around bikes, she does get the occasional flat tire, both literally and figuratively.
“Some days test you mentally and physically,” she said. “But even then, you make it across the finish line and you find yourself becoming super stoked and proud.”
Super proud, like the time she was racing the Downieville Classic and suffered a mild concussion with 17 miles left in the race. The concussion, mixed with excruciating heat and an empty water bottle created a huge recipe for disaster.
“I just kept thinking: I’m never going to make it out of this,” she said.
Yet she did, the recipe of disaster baking into a complete success.
Luckily, not all rides have finished with that level of uncertainty. Like the time she did a 90 mile loop of Pennock Pass for her bachelorette party.
In costume, of course.
“It was just a bunch of ladies pedaling in costume,” she said. “We partied hard and then cruised down after sleeping at the top of the pass. We made those 90 miles feel like 20.”
Making 90 miles, or tasks, feel like 20 is a regular occurrence for Stacy.
The first day I met her, she had cruised all over town, checking out the Pace bikes, and yet she sat down with me for hours, talking about bikes, learning about me and being completely focused on the task at hand… even if there were a million other things she needed to tune-up.
In her new role at Zagster, she’ll have lots of wheels to spin and gears to shift. But, just like everything else she’s faced when she jumped on this bike of her career, she’s ready for the task.
“I’m so excited to work with local partners who are proud of the cycling culture here in Fort Collins,” she said. “They are supportive of the bike culture and that helps make my job so enjoyable. This new program (Pace) has a lot of potential for the community; it’s not just a novelty but a true transportation solution. And I can’t wait to show people that.”
Can’t wait being a 100 percent true statement.
“The biggest challenge for me is patience,” Stacy said. “There is only one of me and so many people I want to connect with. I want to do it all right now, but I need to be mindful and realize I can’t do everything today. “
A slow climb, with extraordinary views at the top.
“Fort Collins is such a diverse community, with so many great organizations,” she said. “I just want every organization talking to each other in order to create impactful collaboration with reduced duplication.”
If anyone can complete that task, it’s Stacy.
“During my time working with bikes, I’ve got to meet so many people (from such organizations like Bike Fort Collins, FC Bikes, CSU and New Belgium) who are so committed to making the Bike Share work, and that makes things easy for me to love what I do,” she said.
Interested in partnering with the Pace Bike Share? Contact Stacy at ssebeczek@zagster.com.
And don’t forget to ride up with a bottle of Juicy Haze from New Belgium with you, it’s her favorite.