October 01, 2013 (Guelph, ON) – Jason “Jay” Alexander Filer, a co-founder and the lead instructor of the Winterborne Bicycle Institute, passed away last month on Sept. 3 at age 43. Although he had been battling cancer of the esophagus for two years, his death came somewhat unexpectedly and the funeral was held on September 8.

Filer began using his skills repairing bikes as a back-up while pursuing an education in anthropology. He eventually went to the United Bicycle Institute in Portland, OR, and became certified as a bicycle mechanic and frame builder. He opened his own frame building shop in Guelph in 2005 and soon after began talks with Conestoga College to develop a certification program for bike mechanics in Canada. Winterborne Bicycle Institute (WBI) was established that year, and is Canada’s only college-affiliated trade school for bicycle mechanics.

Conestoga College is Ontario’s most successful community college, and as an off-campus training partner, WBI benefits from the college’s notoriety. Shimano partnered with WBI to offer accreditation, assuring students of the most current information and techniques for Shimano components and technology. Park Tools has also worked with WBI to design courses and offering its “Big Blue Book of Bicycle Mechanics,” and a Park Tools “Certificate of Completion” to graduates.

“We do one thing here. We teach. We are the only full-time bike mechanic’s school in Canada. We love what we do here. It is very fulfilling,” said Filer in an interview with Bike Trade Canada in fall 2011.

WBI co-founder, Alan Medcalf, commented on FB writing, “Lamenting the passing of my friend and colleague Jason Filer. We were partners in conceiving and launching WBI. We shared some crazy years – lots of fun and hard work with a few scary/intense times mixed in too. A big guy with a big heart – I’ll miss you, Jay.”

According to WBI’s Facebook page… “We are proud to be Canada’s leading full-time accredited bicycle mechanic training facility. Founded in 2005, Winterborne began as a custom frame building facility and has since evolved into a Canadian training centre offering a unique educational experience to cyclists of all levels.” For further information visit WBI’s website here.

Filer is survived by his wife, Timea, and three children, Brock 11, Emily 10 and Cadence 8.

Read more in the Guelph Mecury store here.

Pedal joins the cycling community in sending condolences to Filer’s family and friends.