The Wrenching Life: Doug Hatfield

Those unfamiliar with Doug Hatfield need only to search the Santa Cruz Syndicate tent for an energetic man with a perpetual smile. Hatfield has been wrenching for the Syndicate team since I can remember and I have yet to catch him frowning at work. While a positive attitude is a basic survival tool for all World Cup mechanics, Hatfield’s light seems to radiate from a deeper place - as if he were born to the vocation and that wrenching is simply an extension of his life.


What's a typical race day like for you?

A race day starts early. It’s not uncommon to be up at five in the morning. We need to make sure everything is sorted before the riders warm up and get ready for practice.

On a race weekend, what task do you dread the most?

On a race weekend the tasks can be challenging, but all in good fun, because that is what we do. After the race, we have to tear down our pit and pack everything up to travel again. Tear down is probably the least fun thing.

Can you share with us a weird setup tidbit that one of your riders prefers?

Our riders constantly raise or lower the stems on their DH bikes in order to get the right feel for the type of track they ride. We make custom spacers for this.

practice was way too close to the race. One of our riders came back in the pit with a smashed drive train and two broken wheels. We got everything repaired just in time to head to the start - when we also found out he could not clip in to one of his pedals. Everything takes time, even for a simple thing. It’s about being able to find the problem ahead of time.

How fast can you build a wheel?

When the pressure is on, I can build a solid wheel in about 20 minutes.

Tell us about the highest and lowest moments you experienced as a pro wrench.

Highest moment is winning at an event - lowest moment is having somebody getting hurt.

It must be a proud moment to see one of your riders do well. Do they ever share the wealth when that happens?

Every rider I have worked with has shared the wealth when they have done well, one way or the other.

If you could press a button and have one person disappear from the face of the earth, who would he be?

The thief that stole some of our equipment. We work very hard making sure we have everything that is needed for an event. It’s another chore to make sure our stuff does not disappear.

What is the least reliable component you have to deal with in World Cup Competition?

Keeping air in the tires. Innertubes and tubeless tires can fail.


We always check the riders’ drive trains for wear. When things become sloppy, its time to change out the part. We always install a fresh chain before every race.

With riders moving from team to team on average of every three years, would you prefer to follow a particular rider as a personal mechanic, or stay with a team? What are the advantages of each scenario?

I’ve seen riders go from one team to another and bring their mechanic with them. It is great to see the bond between rider and mechanic, but I work for a great team and with my position I get to work with all our riders. We are like a family.

How does a Pro Mechanic deal with an injury?

We have to be careful first off. Injury can slow us down. Accidents can happen, so we need to be prepared. We don’t want to have an injury take us off the job.

Do you get much time to ride your own bike?

I can’t remember the last time I brought my own bike on the road. For one reason, we are so limited to what we can travel with. The riders’ bikes and equipment take up a lot of space. If there is time, I will take a rider’s training bike for a spin.

Tell us one thing most people probably don't know about you.

Hmm…I like to twist the grip on my motos back home…..

What music would we find if we looked on your iPod?

I listen to a lot of everything and I’m always searching for new music. But you can always find rock and roll on my iPod.


Which team member is toughest on components?

All our riders have their moments and can be hard on components. We are there to keep the bikes running perfectly and that keeps things interesting.

Have bikes and components become so reliable that your job is significantly easier than it was, say, five years earlier?

The level of the sport just keeps on progressing and it takes its toll on components. I don’t think the job has become easier and there is quite a bit more to the job than just working on the bikes themselves.

What path did you take to become a factory mechanic for Santa Cruz Syndicate?

I worked in a few bicycle shops along the way. It was 1991 and I was working as a full time wrench with the US National Team at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs. I worked at road, track and cyclocross events. The US training center also offered pro mountain bike training camps that I did, After four years with the Olympic training center, GT Bicycles hired me for their racing program. That began the path that led to where I am. I am proud to be working with the Santa Cruz Syndicate.