Highland Park

Brandon Olson

I have been working in bike shops for 14 years. I started racing BMX bikes at age seven and switched over to cross-country mountain biking in high school. Today I’m a Category 1 racer, competing downhill at a national level on my Specialized Demo 8. I have turned my passion for cycling into a career I love. When I am not riding or getting others to ride, I enjoy downhill skiing, water-skiing, and motocross.

Sheila Wilson

I fell in love with bikes as soon as my training wheels were off — before I was six years old. I still remember my first real bicycle, a Schwinn Breeze. It was orange and so cool! I also loved riding a unicycle as a kid and still ride one to work on occasion. Now I ride a full carbon Bianchi Sempre. I not only enjoy bicycling, but also just about any outdoor activity, including hiking, swimming, climbing mountains, cross-country skiing, bird-watching, and gardening. I also love working with people and kids. My husband and I have three boys, ages 17, 20, and 22. I’ve been working at Higher Gear since March 2006.

Sebastian Hegevall-Clarke

Originally from Göteborg, Sweden, I moved to the Chicago area when I was four years old. My dad got me into bikes at an early age. I’ve been breaking and fixing them ever since. I’m a graduate of United Bicycle Institute’s Pro Mechanic Course as a Certified Bicycle Technician, a UBI/DT Swiss Certified Wheel Builder and a Speed Brazing Frame Builder. I spent some quality time being mentored by a local master frame builder. During my time with him, I built my own custom Clarke frame, currently my favorite of my four bikes and the one I ride to work. Stop by and I’ll happily show you my work.