Dr Cutler West

Two of my all time favorite customers in the 70's were Sheldon Brown and Dr cutler West. Everyone reading this, I think has heard about Sheldon Brown. Cutler, Im not so sure. They're both in the photo below. Sheldon to the right, Cutler to the left.

Sheldon and Cutler West

Cutler was always a pleasure. Very kind and very quiet. He was said to have more money than,, Rockefeller, but rode a women's 3 speed bike. He was a genius and Dr Edward Lands right hand man.

I was living in Cambridge and working at the number one shop on the East Coast. (Ben Olken's Bicycle Exchange) I met some of the most interesting people. I once helped Carolyn Kennedy put a Allen Rack on the back of her Volkswagen Bug to bring her Women s Raleigh Sports back to Hyannis.

Cutler was special. You can see in the photo to the right with Sheldon. Eisenhower jacket. huge beard. No ego. A joy, every time he came in.

They said when he died, they went into his Cambridge home and found Polaroid pay checks used as book marks. Never cashed, Never needed. He road a Raleigh 3 Speed and did quite well.

I was told he picked up the tab at the Bicycle Exchange for the repairs and bicycles for the Cambridge Visiting Nurses. They used Womens Raleighs to get around.

Check this out:

http://books.google.com/books?id=6TTbCT64seEC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=dr+cutler+west+polaroid&source=bl&ots=0P_3dZqpa3&sig=c9Z0lxV8VbWeElKj5bVUJdXO5v0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pOIzUeS_EIrK0AGsk4GwDw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=dr%20cutler%20west%20polaroid&f=false

I will always Remember Cutler. People like him make staying in Bicycles Sales worth more than money. Employees at the Bi-Ex would walk away from people like him. The attract for me was overwhelming and worth every second.