Mountain bike innovator Mark Reynolds dies at Sea Otter

The late Mark Reynolds and his wife Margo Maida. (BikeRadar)

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San Jose mountain bike racer and innovator Mark Reynolds was killed as a result of head and neck injuries sustained whilst racing in the Sea Otter Classic mountain bike festival in Monterey last Saturday, a Monterey County deputy coroner has ruled.

Reynolds, 48, crashed into a dirt embankment on a relatively flat portion of the downhill course whilst participating in the amateur category for 40- to 49-year-old men and had competed in past years. He was taken by helicopter to Natividad Medical centre in Salinas, where he died. Initial reports that Mr. Reynolds may have suffered a medical problem before he crashed on what was a relatively easy section of the course were incorrect, said the deputy coroner.

The accident happened near the finish line of the downhill course on which cyclists compete one at a time against the clock, usually taking 2.5 to 3 minutes to finish.

Mr. Reynolds, a software developer by profession, was the owner of Wicked Racin, and was probably best known in the bike world as the inventor of the Dualrailleur Guide, that attaches to the front derailleur of a mountain bike to produce smoother gear shifting under race conditions. 

His death is believed to be the first in the 18-year history of the Sea Otter Classic, which this year drew around 45,000 fans over the four days it was held this year .

"We're deeply saddened," Frank Yohannan, President of the Sea Otter Classic said. "Mark was an avid cyclist who loved the sport and who was a mentor to a lot of kids. He was a wonderful representative of the sport of cycling."

He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Margo Maida, and by a daughter, Kristin Reynolds.

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