Today is my last day at Timbuk2. I never thought I’d be this sad to leave a job. I had one of the most rewarding summers of my life. Interning here taught me so much about how to network, strategize and organize my ideas. At Timbuk2 I was given clear direction from the people around me, while being allowed the freedom to explore and learn on my own. I believe there are major advantages for interning with a smaller business. At Timbuk2, I was able to see how each department functions and contributes to the company as a whole.
I wasn’t your typical intern, picking up the boss’ mail and dishing out coffee. I started my summer here working with the sales team. I tracked online prices and learned about customer behavior. By the end of the summer I was making videos and drawing T-shirt designs. I will walk away from this summer with a great appreciation from my experience here and a few sweet bags!
Backroads is an awesome company that leads cycling trips for all levels around the world. We ran into them recently in Provence and got an exclusive tour of their France headquarters. They store and maintain hundreds and hundreds of bikes, helmets, trailers and incredibly useful, annotated maps. Amidst all this gear were a few Timbuk2 bags. As folks who ride bikes – and make other people ride bikes – for a living, the Backroads crew know gear really well. So we were very proud to learn that we’re on their love list. Learn more about Backroads here.
Bronwen, a Backroads trip leader, with one of her Timbuk2 bags at the Backroads office in Provence.
Backroads HQ in Provence.
The Backroads shop in Provence. Keeping bikes in working order is like breathing for Backroads.
This week I have been working on a Timbuk2 T-shirt design. This was a fun and educating task. I love using illustrator on the computer. My plan is to come out with a few designs and have everyone vote on which one they like the most. Keep an eye out for those designs coming soon.
Between the keg, yoga and all the dogs running around, Timbuk2 headquarters can be a very boring place. For the sake of entertainment, some of my co-workers here have started a prank war! Look what they did to Tim’s desk!
Hard core bike commuter by day, back-to-nature farmer by night. Our CEO Mike runs Timbuk2 during the day and Wally farms while you’re sleeping. 4 goats, 2 horses, 8 puppies, 2 plastic cows, 2 sheep, 1 bird, and 2 cats are all part of Wally farms. 38 animals in all. Makes you want to be a Wall(y)enfels right?
The 8 new puppies at Wally Farms in Novato. Mike had to feed them this morning before riding to work.
Our Bicycle Coffee friend stopped by today to hand-delivery freshly roasted beans to feed our craving. Bicycle Coffee roasts beans in San Francisco and then delivers them to offices in the Bay Area via bicycle. Makes your morning fix even better.
Bicycle Coffee founder outside the Timbuk2 office.
It’s about time the world see how a San Francisco hand-made Timbuk2 bag gets made. As the intern, I was given the privilege of creating a video on the birth of a bag. I really enjoy filming so this was yet another fun task for me. The only hard part was capturing the insanely fast moves of our sewers.
Fang recently brought a Timbuk2 backpack back to life. She de-constructed the shoulder strap, removed the escaping foam, and attached new binding to make the strap look new again. She’s our resident plastic surgeon. Why did she wear a surgical mask in this procedure? According to Fang, this repair was “very stinky.”
Have a repair on your hands? Learn if your bag is eligible for repair in our San Francisco factory. We’ll use our paddles if we have to.
Fang working miracles on a repair in our San Francisco factory.
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