In Memoriam
You Can't Kill A Roach - A Tribute to Ingrid Doerr
Where would any of us be without Ingrid? That is a question that rings through the history of modern mountain biking.
She was the den mother to a never ending wolfpack of young hungry riders. She provided a safe haven for so many of us. This extended far beyond her contributions within the mountain bike product scene. No matter what Ingrid had time for everyone. No one went to Vancouver without a visit to see the ROACH HQ. Well no one cool anyway.
Ingrid WAS the scene. She always had the pits, the booth, the warehouse, or even the barn. Always ready to throw down her personal cash for pizza and beer. Who could ever forget the endless supply of shitty vans filled with stinky dogs? How about the legendary Halloween parties? With Ingrid around there was always a place to meet up. A safe place to stash your bike and backpack. We were always met with a laugh and usually a push in the right direction. She was a true friend and seemed to always know what to say. She took care of so many people. Providing jobs or cash work when people were down on their luck. Her connection was not only with the bike scene, she was a part of Vancouver.
We invented things together. She made everyone's ideas into a reality. One day it would be custom gear for a SWAT team or a movie set, the next we were building a boxing ring to be assembled in the ROACH booth in Vegas. She funded video projects and helped us to live our dreams. She loved the athletes and the racing. Always ready to make us feel like rock stars.
There will be endless talk of her product contributions. How ROACH enabled the true pioneers of freeride to safely push the boundaries of riding. This was at a time when almost everything was built wrong. The bikes, the gear, the jumps, and stunts- all fucking wrong. Bikes and humans were exploding all over the world. Ingrid listened and often worked all night to create something that would work better. Try and name a well known pro from the Northwest that never owned a piece of custom gear built by Ingrid. I don’t say ROACH in many cases as people see that as a brand. It wasn’t a brand- it was a woman that after a 12 hr day would breathe in her second wind and sew 'til the wee hours and then fall asleep at her desk writing a business plan.
I don’t know if that neverending business plan ever got finished. You see Ingrid had no plan. Over the years she had more advisors, partners, employees including myself tell her how to do it all better. She would listen genuinely and try and work on that damn business plan. I think her plan was to please people. Nothing made her happier than presenting us with her latest creation and seeing us head out to ride our bikes. Plan or no plan she was always moving forward.
Ingrid had a heart the size of the moon and a set of brass balls to match. She was leader for women in business long before it was in the spotlight. Often featured in business articles and highly respected by her peers, it seemed she could tackle anything. She was understated with her opinions, but if you pushed her too far she pushed back. The amount that she accomplished was staggering. Always scheming and looking at what the next plan was going to be. I loved it. She taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to it. Even if I did not know how.
The downside to all of this is that at the end of the day there was often nothing left for Ingrid to give to herself. At times I would see her late at night exhausted and asleep at her desk. She took care of us, but we did not take enough care of her in return. I know that we have lost her much too soon. Her health let her down and she was as strong as they are made. I know she loved to ride, but as the years rolled on, she did so less and less. I don’t know of all those late nights and skipped dinners contributed to her health problems.
What I do know is that we all need to look out for ourselves. There has been a lot of talk lately about mental health and watching out for others. So yeah we could all learn a lot from Ingrid’s life. The way she cared about everyone and worked to make their lives better. We can all take a moment and learn from her once again. Take care of yourselves, ride your bikes, and don’t skip those healthy dinners. Laugh, love, live or something like that.
These days it seems I do not know much. One thing I know for certain is that without your support and friendship I would not have the life I have today.
Thanks Ingrid.
This ROACH is still here thanks to you.
Cory Leclerc.
Ingrid's Obituary
Ingrid Ursula Doerr, of Calgary and Vancouver, Canada, born on October 15, 1967, passed away at the young age of 50 on September 21, 2018 at 1:11 am in North Vancouver, B.C. Ingrid is survived by her Mom, Rosemary Musgrave & her Dad, Hans Doerr, sisters, Monika McLachlan and Karin Macoun and brother, Alexander Doerr and many other family & friends whose lives she touched. She also leaves behind her adored dogs, Axel and Molly. Ingrid was one of the top couriers in Vancouver in the 80's which led to the creation of Roach Apparel & Armour. She started a graphic design & printing business & a cantina called Five & Dime. Then her largest undertaking was creating the Shipyards Night Market for the past 8 years in North Vancouver. Ingrid loved horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing. Friends and family can join us for her celebration of life on Friday, September 28 from 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Shipyards Night Market located in the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite animal rescue in her memory.
Comments
Skooks
6 years, 3 months ago
Awesome words Cory. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ingrid, but I feel like I would have really liked her.
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yahs
6 years, 3 months ago
A super positive person. Have to say I am quite shocked that she is gone after seeing her not long ago.
Such a loss. RIP
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RyanLeech
6 years, 3 months ago
Thanks for this Cory, really beautifully expressed - so much gratitude to her and all she gave me as one of those young hungry wolves you mentioned.
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Pete Roggeman
6 years, 3 months ago
Very well done, Cory. It's important to remember Ingrid's impact on those around her, and even those who didn't know her. And it's nice to read about how much she did for you and others. She leaves a strong legacy behind; the Shipyards Night Market is a unifying community event every Friday night in North Vancouver. The only reason we don't go every Friday is because it's so popular that it can be hard to get to your favourite food truck before they run out of food.
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Jitensha Kun
6 years, 3 months ago
When I used to order Roach for the shop it was often Ingrid that'd answer the call and take the order. She was really nice and made a few custom pieces for me. I wore every one of them into rags.
Every interaction with her was great and I'm genuinely sorry to hear she has passed.
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mike
6 years, 3 months ago
Well said Cory , RIP Ingrid , it was a pleasure knowing you. Ride on forever!!!
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OneShavedLeg
6 years, 3 months ago
Cory your words capture Ingrid’s essence and legacy. So hard to not write a novel on what Ingrid did with her time here and what she did for so many people. Our sport and community would have been a much poorer place without her.
She will be missed
-Ray L
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taprider
6 years, 3 months ago
Thanks for the words Cory
Ingrid was so cool
She sold me on some leg armour back in the 90s by kicking me in the shins
This summer I was hoping to run into Ingrid down by the Quay while wearing my revived old Roach courier bag.
Dam! it's too late now :-(
^ hope you guys can make it to the Shipyard Friday
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markisfat
6 years, 3 months ago
Unlike some of the hungry young wolves who have lent their kind words to this obituary, I was one degree farther away from Ingrid, never having met her, but new many of those who she supported so generously. Our North Shore riding community is a small one, after all, and though I didn't know Ingrid personally, I remember speaking of her like I did. "Oh, I got a great new set of pads from Ingrid yesterday!" Her gear was unique, and reflected the outward expression of a young community finding its voice. Considering my first ride on Cypress was 30 years ago, I'm an old man now, long since distanced on the trails by multiple generations of riders, but my stoke is as true as the spirit the grommets have out there today. In my closet, hangs a Roach jacket... you know, the one where the sleeves zip off to reveal a vest. So, so cool. It's stained, ragged, and I rarely wear it, but I can't let it go. It's a vestige of a time passed that I cherish deeply. Thank you Ingrid for helping shape the original identity of North Shore riding that we all love and participate in today.
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yish...
6 years, 3 months ago
The Roach Indy Jacket! I saved up months to get one (was still in school back then) and wore it as an outer shell to classes during the cold Edmonton winters. I also got those indy shorts for summer, although I've gotten too fat for them now - love the velcro V-fly.
Likewise, I've never met Ingrid personally but only heard of her name. Loved her products. After reading this article, only now I know her personality and life she lived far surpassed the level of awesomeness of her products. RIP Ingrid.
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Peter Leeds
6 years, 3 months ago
Amen.
I totally concur that the part about taking the time to take care of ones self is all to true. You cannot take care of anyone else if you cannot take care of yourself. I also am a hardened convert to the moto of "Carp Diem"; in that in the end we all don't know when we are going to be called, so you are best to make every day count. I recently lost a friend whom at 63 worked all his life to never see one day of retirement. He did, however, make each day count, and like Ingrid, this is something we can all carry forward with. Ride more, have more fun, make the effort to do what you want to do. I wish I could go on Friday, but I am sure like many I will be there in spirit.
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mudrunner
6 years, 3 months ago
Well said, Cory.
I'll always remember her as one of the couriers during the "golden age"....when many of us would ride around on pre-suspension rigs (often the same bikes we would race on), without helmets, without licenses, riding on the sidewalks giving business people a scare, or riding through intersections giving bus drivers reason to honk, and jumping into crowded elevators dripping in sweat or rain water, and having a few chill moments between "Rush" deliveries on the lawn in front of the Bentall towers. Ingrid always seemed to be smiling or laughing.
Carpe Diem.
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AlanB
6 years, 3 months ago
That I only met Ingrid once speaks to how bombproof her products were. In decades of riding only once did some leg armour need restitching. Amazing customer service. She was awesome!
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Dana Bourgeois
6 years, 3 months ago
Thanks Cory. It's funny. I don't like to keep things due to a fear of being a pack rat, but there are some things I like to keep for sentimental reasons. Two things are my custom made Roach Jacket and the 97' stem pad from random fabric rolls in her Balmoral Hotel Warehouse with the lovely back entrance..My first intro to Ingrid was back in 97' for a brief chat at Java cycle where her and Big Red where checking out the red and orange set of jackets she was pitching. I bought the red...It was then stolen and lost to the world. There are a small few who i remember from my first few years of being in BC and bringing back Roach to Winnipeg and back again for some reason meant something enough that i still held on to those first few items, and thankfully bumped into Ingrid again throughout the years since. .Tacos and Markets, Waldorfs and patios, I will miss the random times.
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Jim Donaldson
6 years, 3 months ago
I worked with Ingrid in '86 at the Unicorn during Expo. She was, as many have mentioned, kind, positive and almost always smiling. She was also a great skier. I have a pair of shorts from '97 that still fit and another pair from about 2000. I'm sad to hear of her passing, and it is a reminder to not take life for granted. She will be missed.
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