The new Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association is moving forward with its first board of directors, a website and an official logo.

The nine board members were elected during a conference call April 19. The group's mailing address is in Austin.

A major goal of the association is to clarify what certification means in the profession and eventually to issue professional certification levels as a member benefit. In a blog post on ProBMA.org, new board President James Stanfill wrote that the U.S. cycling industry has no formal certification process for mechanics, although there are some training programs that issue certificates and diplomas.

"The support from the cycling industry to this date has been incredible," wrote Stanfill in another post. "We can't do this alone as mechanics. We need to involve every facet of industry including the consumer."

Stanfill, of Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin, got the initiative started by creating a group on Facebook. The closed group now lists 4,502 members.

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