Meet the Staff
at Hilltop Bicycles NYC

Sebastian Giraldo
Store Manager

Fun Fact:  I have been riding bikes since I was 3 years old, have some broken bones but I still think that nothing gets better that being in the middle of nature riding your bike and the best feeling you could ever wish for is those 2-3 seconds of air (flying) while jumping gap or 10ft drops.

What I ride: Anything with wheels, But my favorite bike is my Specialized Enduro which I am using to race Enduro MTB races around the East part of the country. I also have a Specialized Allez Track Redhook Crit Limited that I used for racing track and fixed gear road races.

Nickname(s): Seb

Babalola Ajisafe
Cycling Specialist & Brand Ambassador

Fun Fact: Prior to cycling I was big into the NYC sport of Handball  (Wallball as it is being marketed as today) I competed at the highest level, the Open category which by comparison would Cat P/1/2 in cycling. I competed up until chronic injury plagued me for about 3 years consecutively and I was fed up with the setbacks and decided to take break and step away from the sport I loved. In order to maintain fitness I picked up cycling in 2013 after seeing a help wanted sign in a local bike shop window where I went for service at the time. I applied for the job and started working the following week, quickly after I was on a full carbon road bike by the next month and was hooked by the bug ever since.

What I ride: For racing purposes I am aboard the Tarmac SL7 Pro Etap, for training and all other longer ride purposes I am aboard the Allez Elite Frame w/Shimano 9100 mechanical group set.

Nickname(s): Bob, Blackout (from my Handball days)

Mahr Bazlee
Service Technician

Fun Fact: First time on the Crux, sent it off a cliff in Cunningham Park, definitely not for the faint of heart.

What I Ride: An Aethos weighing in right at 14lbs and a Crux with massive monster truck 650b x 50c tires. What’s not to love?

Malcolm Richards
Retail Support Specialist

Fun Fact: My first race ever was the RED HOOK CRIT in Brooklyn in 2017. Everyone thought I was crazy for doing that race as my very first race but I am a competitive person and I thought it would be badass doing so. This race got me hooked on racing and I've been doing so ever since.

What I ride: I ride an Allez track bike for velodrome/crit racing or to cruise around. My daily commuter would be the squid So-Ez Tracklocross biek and 6 others (all for other disciplines.

Daniel Kelsey
Supervisor & Fitter

Fun Fact: When it isn't impossible to find a good drum practice space in New York City, I love to play blast beats in metal bands. Also, the first road bike I ever commuted on was a 52cm frame and I'm over 6 feet tall. Now I'm a Retül fitter. Who would've thought?

What I ride: Currently, I ride an Allez Sprint Comp on the road and take my Wabi classic out to the track. Looking forward to building out a proper gravel bike for some off-road stuff too   

Taylor Anthony
Service Technician

Fun Fact: I grew up vert skateboarding because I had fallen off my bike when I was 6 years old. I didn’t start riding a bike again until 16 in high school when I found out my friends who I skated with went on a 17 mile bike ride. They showed it to me on Strava. I got a fixed gear bike that Christmas. I became a bicycle messenger a few years later. Started racing track under a local shop which turned into racing road bikes. Looking forward to racing triathlon in the future!

What I ride: My race bike is the Specialized Allez LTD; My training is done on the Specialized Roubaix Sport which I raced all last year. 

Nickname(s): Tay