about Tribe

A Venezuelan native, Andres moved to the valley seven years ago and created a successful career in television and radio before making the switch to Tribe. Andres is our operations manager and his goal is to make Tribe synonymous with the word triathlon.

He is an ASU grad and a member of the ASU Cycling & Triathlon Club. Andres is an Ironman triathlete and has plans to compete in Coeur d’Alene Ironman next June. His specialty is the bike and he enjoys road racing.

Favorite Bike: Cervelo Soloist Carbon

Originally from Aurora, Colorado Diana has been with Tribe for two years. She is the soft goods buyer for Tribe as well as the resident expert on wetsuit fitting. In addition to her buying, billing, and selling duties, Diana makes time for her top two priorities: keeping Kevin in line; and keeping women's bathroom clean - and the boys out of it!

Diana is an active triathlete and recently participated in the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa. As a strong swimmer, Diana prefers Sprint and Olympic distance events. Diana is also a regular on the Tribe rides, so if you don't see her in the store you can find her outside training!

Favorite training gear: Zoot Ultra sports bra and 2XU tri shorts

Eric has been with Tribe since the beginning. After four years as a Tribe mechanic, Eric still enjoys working with bikes all day - every day! Eric builds bikes and helps Tribe customers with bike maintenance issues.

Eric got his start biking at age 2 when his Dad bought him his first bike. At age 10 he got his first flat and when Dad told him to fix it himself, Eric's obsession with being a wrench was born!

Prior to Tribe, Eric was a bike mechanic in New Hampshire, giving him 10+ years of experience. When he isn't fixing your bike, Eric loves to be outside cycling, swimming and hiking.

Favorite Ride: Salsa Moto Rapido

A Phoenix native, Nick has been at Tribe for three years. He has eight years experience as a bike mechanic and specializes in building wheels. Nick’s interest in bike repair started at a young age when he took his own training wheels off his bike at the tender age of four. Ten years later he started working at bike shops for the first time, sweeping floors in exchange for bike parts.

When Nick is at Tribe he enjoys making Kevin look good and working on his unicycle skills. When he isn’t at work he enjoys making and recording music.

Favorite Bike: Cervelo R3SL

Alan, an avid triathlete, is a customer service specialist at Tribe. He is currently a senior engineering student at ASU and Triathlon Captain of the ASU Cycling & Triathlon Club. Alan recently competed at the 2008 Collegiate National for the ASU club team.

Alan is Tribe's group run leader. Come learn from an expert on a Tuesday evening!

Favorite Road Bike: Argon 18 E-112

You've heard it described that Tribe is more than a store for triathletes, but to understand Tribe is to meet 'The Chief" Kevin Weitzel.

Kevin is the proverbial glue of Tribe - or maybe its cheese on the pizza. Either way, Kevin is behind the scenes of the growing tri community in AZ.

To know Kevin is to love him...for his famed 'ridiculous sexiness' and passion for the sport.

Read on to hear Kevin's story of Tribe...

Chat with the Chief

I am very proud of this store. It is a mixture of tons of hours, hard work, pure dumb luck, and an unrelenting belief in treating customers like tribal members instead of just a wallet. Being a component of your success means so much to me... it really does. There are days that you just wonder, why so much work for so little, then you hear a story of how Tribe has touched a life ~ for the better ~ and it is all worth it!

My ridiculous sexiness... well, I must admit that it is truly self proclamation. Not only was I born super sexy, but I have built on the sexiness to a ridiculous state that ladies bare witness to to this very day. It is both a curse and a blessing.

Seriously, here's my scoop:

I am a product of an almost welfare single mom... the son of a holocaust survivor. I remember enduring times where we had to sleep in sleeping bags because my Mom couldn't afford to pay the electricity in our trailer in lieu of making sure that we kids would have something to eat... usually Mac-n-Cheese.

We left Michigan when I was 10 and moved to Arizona with a brief couple of years in Kansas. My mother wanted to move back to Kansas which I hated during my Freshman year in high school... I was already working to help pay bills and when my Mom left, I stayed in AZ. I have been on my own since then.

I was given a bicycle and went to a race and won. From that point on, I started racing bikes for the KHS /Puma development squad. I turned pro at the end of my Sophomore year and raced for various teams specializing in track and criteriums.

I was Kenny Carpenter's alternate in the 1988 Olympics. Once I graduated from High School, I really hadn't made any plans, so I joined the Marine Corps.

Four years later, I came back to the world of cycling and managed the shop that helped me get my start. I then went to work in the corporate world and two years later started losing my balance for no friggin' reason. I was diagnosed with brain cancer.

This was a serious reality check... I made a will, kissed my kids, and had a very successful surgery. A couple of follow up surgeries and I am back to living. It was at this stage that I decided to return to the cycling industry.

Life was just too short to work a job that I absolutely hated.

Three years later, I opened Tribe! Four years later, I'm still here.

Tribe is a culmination of several facets in my life:

I learned to do without when necessary from a poor and proud mother.
I learned what sacrifice is again from my mother... she gave up so much to make sure that her kids experienced life.
I learned not to treat people as lesser folks than those with money as I have seen people treated wrongly due to their lack of wealth or background.
I learned the value of a dollar while living on my own at the age of 14 and on.
I learned how to be a team player racing as a pro. I learned how to really work hard selflessly in my United States Marine Corps.
I learned from the mistakes and triumphs of the stores that I have been part of.
I learned the value of life when I thought mine would be no longer.
I learned how to achieve that warm feeling in my heart when you treat your fellow man with respect and help them achieve their goals.
I have learned that we need to always be learning.

This is why Tribe is Tribe... customers are not my customers, they are part of my Tribe; our Tribe.

This was a little long winded, but I just want you to know what Tribe is about and thank you for being part of my life. I think I need to give my Mom a hug.

Be happy and healthy!

~Kevin

"The hardness of the butter is directly proportionate to the softness of the bread."

"Why do so many people stop looking for work

once they find a job?"

"Life is always good...smelling the petals instead

of the roots is a daily joy."

"Live for today, but plan for tomorrow...

get a bike today so that you ride tomorrow."

"My tummy isn't fat, its just overdeveloped."

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