velohana: local heart, global reach.

Velohana was founded by Coach Will Mather who is originally from Honolulu.

In a rather unusual path to athletics, Coach Will and his wife Rachal are Christian missionaries and were serving in an orphanage in Bangladesh when the most unlikely of callings surfaced in this far corner of the world. He would be named as National Head Coach of Bangladesh in 2009.

The tiny nation seeded last would take bronze under Coach Will’s leadership. Then it only got wilder…

He and Rachal would serve in Bangladesh until 2013 after the birth of their first baby, their daughter Kaimi. He eventually competed and served in both cycling & squash in various roles globally including: National Head Coach (Bangladesh); International Olympic Committee Consulting Coach; Commonwealth Games; South Asian Games; England Institute of Sport; England Squash; Australian Sports Commission and ore. A two sport competitor, Coach Will soon turned to coaching exclusively in a more traditional sense.

Riding and competing on four continents with nearly half a million lifetime miles from all over the world, he returned home to his favorite roads whilst offering everything from local support for non profit events to product design and feedback on bits you love in cycling (Vision Wheels, Shimano Di2, Specialized Venge ViAS, Argon 18 TT to name a few).

Never winning anything but also never waiting on others, his initiative and faithfulness was always met with - even surrounded by - some of the brightest minds and biggest hearts. He will readily tell you he learned from so many in the field.

Velohana is a local bike shop with a local heart… and a global reach. With an aim to serve you with expertise and joy, we hope you’ll consider Velohana your new source for all bits cycling. You just never know who you might run into at the shop…

Coach Will’s professional palmares at a glance:

  • Founded Kalihi Valley Instructional Bicycle Exchange (KVIBE) w/ Honolulu City Councilman Gary Gill

  • Former National Head Coach, Bangladesh (Bronze Medal, South Asian Games)

  • Former USA #3, PSA World Tour Ranking of #310

  • International Olympic Committee Consulting Coach

  • Former Head Coach, University of Warwick (BUCS Div 2 Champions)

  • British Cycling Coach

  • USA Cycling Coach

  • Australian Sports Commission Coach

  • England Institute of Sport Elite Level 3 Performance Coach

  • NASM Certified Personal Trainer

  • NASM Sport Performance Specialist

  • Specialized Body Geometry Trained Bike Fitter

  • Retul Trained Bike Fitter

  • Guru Trained Bike Fitter

  • Slowtwitch Trained Bike Fitter

  • Pro & Amateur Team Affiliations:

    • Tradewinds Cycling

    • Lichfield CCC

    • Leicester Forest CC

    • NFTO Pro Cycling

    • Madison Genesis Pro Cycling

national head coach

from orphanage to winning a medal to a guinness world record…

In 2008, Will and his wife, Rachal, felt called to Bangladesh where they previously had visited during a mission trip with their local church, First Presbyterian at Koolau, in Honolulu.

In 2009, through a series of bewildering and Christ centered dreams and decisions, Coach Will - then known as Chaka (meaning Wheel) - was named the National Head Coach of Bangladesh, charged with preparing the national team for the South Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. They would go on to medal at the South Asian Games and that is when the mission began to expand..

Fortunate to be surrounded by consummate professionals, Coach Will was invited to other countries to offer clinics. He began to be featured as a guest columnist and commentator while also competing on the World Tour. He covered events throughout Asia and began working with the International Olympic Committee. He would be a guest coach to former British Open Winner and all time great, Qamar Zaman of Pakistan. He would go to Malaysia as a guest to World Champion and World #1 Nicol David and more. Coordinating with the IOC, he would be part of the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Championships and more.

All while serving in Bangladesh, where he would eventually ride over 20,000 miles and be part of starting various cycling communities.

This led to a meteoric rise in passionate, new cyclists and eventually a Guinness World Record for the longest cycling paceline! If you’ve been on Dhaka roads, then you know this is the most unlikely of places to set such a record.

england. 

national champion at kenilworth. national champions at university of warwick. team gb and glasgow commonwealth games. Time trial series and a famous loss.

There are so many people that deserve recognition for the opportunities afforded to Coach Will.

None more than Steve Townsend who really made things work despite a difficult season in life.

Learning from Townsend, Coach Will would be appointed as University of Warwick women’s head coach, and even win the BUCS championship the two years he led the program.

Coach Will became part of the national sports body, England Institute of Sport, with Townsend placing him as Head Coach at Knowle and assisting at Kenilworth. It was during this time that, whether at Lilleshall or Loughborough University that Coach Will was in a performance lab working as a Coach and Trainer as he earned his credentials in this system as part of EIS. This included British Cycling, Team GB and many more. Even working with prison guards was part of the program.

From there, Coach Will would be taken in by legendary coach Paul Carter.

It was during this time that Townsend’s pupil, Sarah Jane Perry, would rise to national and global prominence, winning the British National Championships from Laura Massaro and begin her assault on the world’s best. As teammates, she and Coach Will were part of the Kenilworth First Team that eventually would win winter leagues with players such as Joel Makin, Chris Fuller, George Parker and more!

And a special congrats to SJ who just retired in the summer of 2025 after a lengthy career that saw her reach World #5!

During this time he met National Champion Matt Clinton while our riding in the Midlands. Matt has been a feature of UK Cycling and Coach Will found himself immersed in the cycling scene, riding the beautiful, twisty roads through villages like Meriden and Knowle up through Nuneaton and into Leicester. Clinton would go on to start his own coaching venture as well, and Coach Will regularly visited Mike Vaughans shop in Kenilworth.

After such success was had, Coach Will was offered the opportunity to lead Wolverhampton. It was during this time that BREXIT came to be and unfortunately, family visas were rescinded with immediate effect, with many required to leave the country within 7 days.

2016: velohana

coaching, bike design & building his own shop

Post BREXIT blues meant Coach Will and his family, then with his two baby girls, were to start over. After two Coaching job offers at George Washington University and University of Chicago, Coach Will instead chose to settle back in Honolulu. Their small Hawaiian family was to begin experiencing loss and it was at this time Velohana came to being.

Initially just a coaching entity, Coach Will worked with many athletes and also began providing feedback on the new Specialized Venge ViAS. He also would begin working with FSA / Vision and Argon 18 (E118 N.Ext and 118 Tri Disc). He continues to work with professional athletes who seek to make every gain in their position.

An unquenchable thirst for a performance bike shop that would support its community with an unprecedented level of professionalism and commitment, Coach Will began Velohana as a brick and mortar, independent shop.

With several new athletes from cycling and triathlon enjoying the benefits of sound training principles and expert support, Velohana saw numerous riders go on to make unprecedented gains under his guidance. State champion road race, time trial and several Kona Ironman qualifiers, including a community best 9:42 age group performance at Ironman California cemented his role as a Coach that can truly bring your best.

Since then, Coach Will has enjoyed building bikes for many - some featured on major channels like Global Triathlon Network and many other outlets - based entirely an their bike fitting experience at Velohana. Coach Will features bikes by Chapter 2, Pinarello, Argon 18 and Look. Classic, globally recognized brands steeped in cycling lore like Look and Pinarello serve as pillar brands complemented by the saavy and beauty of Chapter 2 and Argon 18.