Click map for interactive map of all Austin area bike shops

We’ve also had some new additions and changes since the last update.

New Shops: AJ’s Cylcery, Bicycle Sport Shop- Parmer Lane, Bikes Online/Biocyclist (in the former location of South Side Cyclist)

Changes: Fast Folks moved to 1105 E. 6th St. next to Birds and across from Cheer Up Charlies.

I hope this helps you in your gift buying.

VO2 Triathlon & Cycle owners Gustavo and Camila Pinheiro

No question Austin is a triathlon town. Our summer racing calendar is littered with races from short Sprint distance to ironman distance with races like the Capital of Texas Triathlon pulling national talent to race in our city. Go on any road ride, and more than likely you’ll see at least a few riders riding aerobar equipped triathlon bikes. We’ve even got some resident triathlon celebs like Ironman World Championship podium finisher Desireé Ficker. Our fair winter weather and jewels for training like Barton Springs mean you can train year round and race for 9 months.

The tri oriented have also been blessed by having not one, but two triathlon specific shops. Strangely though for a city our size, these shops are located just blocks from each other just south of downtown. For the majority of our population that live north of the river, especially north of 183, your options have now improved with the opening of VO2 Triathlon & Cycles in northwest Austin at Parmer Lane and SH 45.

VO2 opened last fall under the management of the husband and wife duo of Gustavo and Camila Pinheiro. Their entry into the tri shop world was not inevitable, but they have taken their knowledge and passion for the sport to offer more options for Austin triathletes.

The Pinheiros grew up and were educated as engineers in Brazil. In 2004, they moved to Puerto Rico to work for a firm in the auto industry, and Gustavo noticed is weight ballooning up. Working out at the gym wasn’t cutting it. He needed a goal and signed up for a 10K run. He enjoyed it so much soon he was doing marathons and made the jump to triathlon eventually racing ironman distance. In November 2008, his company was considering a move to Austin, and like many transplanted Austinites, he and Camila fell in love with the city on their visits. When the company decided not to move, the Pinheiros decided to quit the engineering profession and focus on their passion. They saw that Austin was a triathlon mecca and could use another tri shop in the mix.

When opening VO2, they decided to focus solely on the triathlete and road racer. This means their shop has more variety of performance oriented products than a general bike shop, but it also means missing are more entry level products like hybrids and cruisers as well as utility oriented products like racks and fenders. Not content to be all things to all people, the Pinheiros have focused their shop on the needs of the racer.

This meant opening a shop that initially had no bikes. At launch in August, the 2009 bike model year was winding down and rather than carry last years models, Gustavo focused on getting the latest products with 2010 models. Shipments are now in with 2010 models of Blue, Kestrel and KHS.

The focus on triathletes goes beyond just products with an array of services and training organized by the shop. Training rides leave the shop on Saturdays and Tuesdays with shop runs at Brushy Creek Park on Sundays. They have partnered with juniors triathlon coach Boris Robinson of T3 Multiports, running coach Claudia Spooner of iRuniTri, and Austin Cycle Camp to provide training services for their customers. Gustavo is also Slowtwitch F.I.S.T certified to do triathlon specific bike fitting. This is extremely important in triathlon since not only do you want to be as aerodynamic as possible (drafting is banned in triathlon) but you also want to transition well to the run portion of the race after the bike. Tradition road bike positions exercise muscles that are less than ideal for this transition.

In the coming weeks, VO2 Triathlon & Cycles will be offering VO2 testing in the shop as well. They will have a technician with the equipment to test your start of season VO2. Customers can bring their bikes to put on a training and get this vital info in creating season training plans. The testing will return later in the season to allow folks to check their progress.

Gustavo and Camila Pinheiro are committed to serving the triathlon market. VO2 Triathlon & Cycles offers another great choice with equipment and services for Austin’s growing number of triathletes.

VO2 Triathlon & Cycles
9222 West Parmer Lane (northwest corner of Parmer and SH 45)
(512) 918-2300
www.VO2tc.com
Monday – Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturdays 10am to 6 pm

NOTE: VO2 Triathlon & Cycles is a site sponsor of Austin on Two Wheels.

Bike Shops in Central Austin. Click map for interactive map or directions.

Look for this logo for shops we've reviewed with a link to the review.

As we review each shop, we’ll add this “reviewed” icon next to each shop linked to the written review. We have four published reviews but hope to add at least another four by the end of the year.

We’ve also added links on the side bar to all the shops divided by area of town and by speciality of the shop, if any. We hope this helps you get the new ride or replacement flange you need.

Nelo's Cycle Shop owner Nelo Breda

For the dedicated roadie, Nelo’s Cycle Shop is a little slice of heaven. Whether its the Italian racing frames, pro-cycling posters and banners, or the expert coaching and bike fitting advice of owner Nelo Breda, there is plenty to like if you run with thin wheels whether solo or tandem.

Pro-Racing to Pro Shop

When it comes to bike racing, Nelo Breda is no posser. Racing from an early age in his native Brazil, he raced pro starting in 1969 through most of the 1970s. South America’s road racing scene has been much stronger and deeper than the U.S., and Breda was able to parlay his Cat 1 racing success into a pro contract with the Bianchi continental team in Europe. Missing his home and needing to recover from the intense European circuit, he returned home after a few years to continue racing and eventually coach. In the early 1980′s, Breda served as the coach for the Brazil National Cycling Team and eventually went on to manage the national federation.

With things going well, Breda was invited to move to Texas to coach local pros during the 1986 Tour of Texas. At the time, he was happy where he was in Brazil, but he would be knocking on the same doors just a few years later after he married another pro cyclist. Not wanting to put his bride through the vigors of European pro racing, Breda instead suggested that she race the U.S. circuit. He was able to find work with the same riders that has previously offered him a job and would continue to coach through the 90s.

As often happens, Breda sought to take the passion for cycling and his immense knowledge and put it to use helping the general cycling population get out on the road well fitted and on great bikes. In 2000, he opened Nelo’s Pro-Cycle and settled into digs on Anderson Lane. In the last year, he and his business partner decided to part ways, and Breda moved the shop to Mesa and Steck in May 2009 under the slightly different name Nelo’s Cycle Shop.

Colnago’s, Quatro-Assi’s, and tandems abound

Though his professional background is very much rooted in the New World, Nelo Breda runs a shop with a very Old World feel. There are posters and banners from great classic races like the Giro d’Italia and Ernesto Colnago. While he does carry Cannondale, you are more likely to see smaller European brands like Colnago and Quatro-Assi as well as U.S. botique brands like Caffee and Merlin. There is nary a knobbly tire to be seen.

While the feel is Old World, Breda stocks his shop this way for a very modern reason. “Large bike companies and distributors want numbers” he explained. “They want a lot of turnover, but I only want to sell what fits and works [for the cyclist.]” This is also why he only sells medium and high level bikes. Breda wants to spend the time getting it right for his customers and the low margin, high volume model is not compatible with his way of doing business.

While his passion is road cycling, he has not limited his show room to just regular drop bars. Nelo’s has expanding its offerings to time trial/triathlon bikes as well as a whole section dedicated to tandems (including a very cool looking all carbon Caffee tandem.)

First class fit and service

Since Breda is not running on razor thin margins, he’s had the ability to cultivate more service in his shop. He is a master bike fitter from his coaching days, and he includes a 60 minute fit session with each bike purchase. “I try to do the fit first before suggesting a bike,” he says. “If a customer comes in and says he wants a specific bike, I will sell it to him, but I prefer to do the fit first then look at the bike choice.”

Fit is mighty important to Breda, and he doesn’t have to sell you a bike to get you comfortable on your ride. While he does provide fitting services for a fee, he told me a story of a customer he had who was trying to get a bike he didn’t have in stock. She called to order the bike but was upset that it was not readily available and complained about her current bike. Breda probed a bit and found out that she had just purchased a new carbon Trek Madone but could not stand to ride it. He told her to bring it in, took one look, and realized the bike had not been properly fitted to her. With a few adjustments, she was a happy camper and out riding again.

When fitting a rider, Breda looks at the three contact points the body has with the bike as a starting point. Changing the foot, seat, and hand positions allows for a compromise between comfort, power, and aerodynamics. His free fit advice: look to your saddle first. “The saddle is the most important contact point,” he told me. When in doubt, throw it out and try something new.

Breda also strives for high quality bicycle repair with quick turn arounds. You certainly don’t get the feeling you’ll get blank stares when talking about the peculararities of Campagnolo components as I’ve experienced in other shops in town. He opens early at 7:30 on weekdays so a cyclist can drop off a bike in the morning and sometimes get it back that afternoon. Breda works to keep repair turnaround to a day or two, not weeks. He’s even thought about experimenting with hiring graveyard shift mechanics to work overnight so you could drop off a bike at midnight and get it for a race the next evenings. That sure would make mechanicals on the Moonlight Ride more bearable.

Hoping for another Lance Effect

Breda’s business appears to be solid, but he did share that things have slowed with the recession. He hopes like many other LBS owners that Lance Armstrong’s return to pro-cycling with bring back interest in road cycling. Regardless of the membership of the peleton, you get the feeling that someone as hard working and dedicated to the sport as Nelo Breda will continue to help cyclists get on the road riding the right bike.

Nelo’s Cycle Shop
8108 Mesa Dr. B-105
Austin Texas 78759
Phone: (512) 338-0505
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Caffe, Cannondale, Colnago, Guru, Marin, Merlin, Quatro-Assi, Santana, Tommasini

When you step into The Peddler, you immediately feel comfortable. There’s something about their space on North Loop that just feels “homey” and inviting. They opened in 2005, and got just a little bit more space in their admittedly tight shop in the heart of the North Loop area about six months ago. The shop is pretty small inside, but not that much smaller than many Austin shops. Getting some more space would be good down the road, according to shop owner Aubrey Camp. The Peddler started with just Aubrey working by himself and in less than four years the staff  has grown to five employees.

For the last couple of years, Aubrey says, they have focused on transportation bikes, although they like them all. Among the brands The Peddler carries are Breezer, Redline, KHS, Swabo and Surly, along with a few brands of BMX bikes. Interestingly, when I asked about the Surly Big Dummy (one of the most utility-focused frames out there) XtraCycle frame, Aubrey said they had only done one buildup on that frame, but it’s a good one.

When gas hit four dollars a gallon last summer, their business was insane! Almost too much work to keep up with. So many new customers came in and a lot had absolute beater bikes that took tons of work to get running again. “We got a lot of new people on the road,” Aubrey says. Although things have slowed down from that pace, the tough economy doesn’t seem to be affecting them much. The mild winter helped so there wasn’t much of a drop off. One thing that probably helps is that The Peddler gets a good mix of sales and service – about even in each.

The Staff: Mike Dolan, Ron Belcher, Aubrey Camp, Russell Pickavance, Tom Washburn

There is no typical Peddler customer. “We have a wide mix. Everyone from college professors to professional racers to homeless people. The whole gamut of the neighborhood.” They have fixed all kinds of rolling vehicles for their customers, even jogging strollers and wheelchairs!

When I asked Aubrey how he felt about Austin’s cycling infrastructure, he had a sharp response. “Weak, weak, weak.” He said we have a good cycling town because the weather is good, not because of our infrastructure. One that that would especially help would be better legal protection for cyclists once they have been in an accident.

They like commuters at The Peddler, but weekend warriors are good too. Having fun with your bike is what’s most important.

The Peddler Bicycle Shop (map)
5015 Duval
Austin, Texas 78751
(512) 220-6766

Hours:
Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm

Look for this logo for shops we've reviewed with a link to the review.

Where can I buy a bike? What’s the closest place to pick up some tubes? Where are repair shops in my neighborhood? With three dozen bike shops in Austin, Austin On Two Wheels has but together this comprehensive list of all the bike shops in town to help you find the right shop for you.

In addition, we are continuing to review and profile shops so you can know more about what’s out there. Look for the A2W logo for shops we have done reviews of.

NOTE ABOUT SHOP LISTINGS: We only list and review shops that make cycling a major part of their business and sell quality brands. You will not see Walmart, Target, or other big box and department stores because quiet frankly they sell crappy bikes built up by people without training in the bicycle industry. If there is a shop missing that makes cycling a major part of their business and sell quality brands, let us know and we’ll add it to the list.

Bike shops are listed below in alphabetical order and are mapped out on an interactive map of Austin Bike Shops at CommunityWalk. The interactive map will allow you to jump to close-ups and get directions for each shop.

Bike Shops in Central Austin. Click map for interactive map or directions.

Bike Shops in Northwest Austin. Click map for interactive map or directions.

Bike Shops in Southwest Austin. Click map for interactive map or directions.

Bike Shop in Round Rock. Click map for interactive map or directions.

1. Austin Bikes
1213 W 5th St
Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 468-9557
Brands: Fuji, Kirklee, Moots, Orbea, Scott, Surly

2, ATX Bikes
5000 W. Slaughter Ln, Build 2, Suite 201
Austin, TX, 78749
Phone: (512) 282-0400

3. Austin Tricyclist
923 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 494-9252
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10:15 am-6 pm, Sun 12 pm – 4 pm
Brands: Argon 18, Cannondale, Cervélo, Fuji, Kestrel, Ridley

4. Biciclette Italiane
1112 North Lamar Suite B
Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 478-4567
Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 11 am-2 pm and 4 pm-7 pm
Brands: Pinarello

5. Bicycle Sport Shop- Central
517 S. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 477-3472
Hours: Mon – Fri 10 am – 7 pm, Sat 9 am – 6 pm, Sun 11 am – 5 pm
Brands: Co-Motion, Electra, Gary Fisher, Independent Fabrication, Salsa, Santa Cruz, Serotta, Specialized, Surly, Trek
Click here for the shop review

6. Bicycle Sport Shop- North
10947 Research Blvd.
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: (512) 345-7460
Hours: Mon – Fri 10 am – 7 pm, Sat 9 am – 6 pm, Sun 11 am – 5 pm
Brands: Co-Motion, Electra, Gary Fisher, Independent Fabrication, Salsa, Santa Cruz, Serotta, Specialized, Surly, Trek

7. Big Wheel Cycles
702 West 24th St
Austin, Texas 78705
Phone: (512) 472-4447
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10 am-7 pm, Fri-Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 12 pm-5 pm
Brands: Diamondback, Gary Fisher, Raleigh

8. Buck’s Bikes
12530 Research Blvd
Austin, TX 78729
Phone: (512) 250-9550
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am- 6 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Diamondback, DK, Fit, Fly, Giant, Haro, Raleigh, Redline, Trailmate

9. Clown Dog Bikes
2821 San Jacinto
Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 477-4221

10. Cycle Progression
2026 South Lamar
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 447-7764
Brands: BH, Intense, Pivot, Spot Brand, Titus, Turner, Vassago

11. Eastside Pedal Pusher
1414 East 5th St
Austin, TX 78702
Hours: Mon- Sat, 10 am- 7 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Surly, Soma, and Sun
Click here for the shop review

12. Easy Street Recumbents
5555 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite C127
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: (512) 453-0438
Hours: Wed-Sun 11 am-6 pm, Mon-Tue CLOSED
Brands: Bacchetta, Catrike, Crank Forward, Lighting, Rans Recumbents, Sun, Terra Trike

13. Empire BMX
1114 W. 5th St #A
Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 474.4BMX (4269)
Hours: M-F 11 am-7 pm, Sat 11 am-6:00 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Fit, Kink

14. Freewheeling
2401 San Gabriel
Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 473-8700
Hours: Mon-Wed, Fri 10 am-6 pm, Thurs 12 pm-8 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Electra, Gunner, Independent Fabrication, Lemond, Redline, Specialized, Surly, Trek

15. Hammerhead Bicycles
6706 Burnet Ln (one block east of Burnet Road at Justin Lane)
Austin, TX 78756
Phone: (512) 331-2002
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-6 pm, Sat-Sun CLOSED
Brands: BMC, Blue, Commençal, Chumba, Cinelli, Ellsmorth, Intense, Knolly, Titus, True Fabrication, Ventana

16. Jack & Adams
1210 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 472-5646
Hours: Mon, Wed-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 12 pm-5 pm, CLOSED TUESDAYS
Brands: Calfee, Felt, Griffen, Guru, Kestrel, KHS, Kuota, Lynskey, Quintana Roo

17. Longhorn Bikes
2308 Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78702
Phone: (512) 542-9505
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-6 pm, Sat 10 am-3 pm, Sun CLOSED

18. Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop
400 Nueces St
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 473-0222
Hours: Mon-Sat 8 am-7 pm, Sun 10 am-4 pm
Brands: Cinelli, De Rosa, Gary Fisher, Masi, Merckx, Pinarello, Seven, Swobo, Trek

19. Music City Cycles
6301 W. Parmer Lane Suite #504
Austin, TX 78729
Phone: (512) 336-BIKE (2453)
Hours: Tue-Sat 10 am-7 pm, Sun 12 pm-4 pm, Mon CLOSED
Brands: BMC, Dahon, Haro, Issac, Masi, Ritchey, Sun, Waterford

20. Nelo’s Pro Cycling
3010-H West Anderson
Austin Texas 78757
Phone: (512) 338-0505
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: Guru, Marin, Merlin, Quatro-Assi, Tommasini

21. Ozone Bike Department
3202-C Guadalupe
Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 302-1164
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-7 pm, Sun 12 pm-6 pm
Brands: Bianchi, DK, Fireman’s, Haro, Kona, Marin, Masi, Redline, Salsa, SE Bikes, Surly

22. Peddler Bike Shop
119 E North Loop Blvd
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: (512) 220-6766
Hours: Mon-Tue, Thu-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Wed 12 pm-6 pm, Sat 9 am-7 pm, Sun 12 pm-5 pm

23. Performance Bicycle North Austin
2900 West Anderson Lane, Suite 3
Austin, TX 78757
Phone: 512-879-9500
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-8 pm, Sun 12 pm-6 pm
Brands: Fuji, Iron Horse, GT, Mongoose, Nirve, Scattante, Schwinn

24. Performance Bicycle South
3005 S Lamar Blvd
South Austin, TX 78704
Phone: 512-879-9570
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-8 pm, Sun 12 pm-6 pm
Brands: Fuji, Iron Horse, GT, Mongoose, Nirve, Scattante

25. Pro Cycle Works
2525 S Lamar Blvd #14
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 391-0626
Hours: By Appointment
Brands: Alchemy, Crumpton, Desalvo, Moots, Soma Fabrications

26. REI Downtown
601 N. Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 482-3357
Hours: M-F 10 am – 9 pm, Sat 10 am – 8 pm, Sun 11 am – 7 pm
Brands: Cannondale, Electra, Ellsworth, GT, K2, Marin, Novara, Releigh, Scott

27. REI Northwest Austin
9901 N Capitol of Texas Hwy, Ste 200
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: (512) 343-5550
Hours: M-F 10 am – 9 pm, Sat 10 am – 8 pm, Sun 11 am – 6 pm
Brands: Cannondale, Electra, Ellsworth, GT, K2, Marin, Novara, Releigh, Scott

28. REI Round Rock
201 University Oaks Blvd, Suite 1100
Round Rock, TX 78664
Phone: (512) 255-1938
Hours: M-F 10 am – 9 pm, Sat 10 am – 8 pm, Sun 11 am – 6 pm
Brands: Cannondale, Electra, Ellsworth, GT, K2, Marin, Novara, Releigh, Scott

29. Southwest Cycle Sport- Austin
11805 Bee Cave Road
Austin, TX 78733
Phone: (512) 263-5107
Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am- 6 pm, Sun 12 pm- 4 pm, Mon CLOSED
Brands: Bianchi, Electra, Felt, Jamis, Scott

30. Southwest Cycle Sport -Cedar Park
1050 North Lakeline Blvd (Lakeline Blvd @ 1431)
Cedar Park, TX 78613
Phone: (512) 257-3002
Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am- 6 pm, Sun 12 pm- 4 pm, Mon CLOSED
Brands: Bianchi, Electra, Felt, Jamis, Scott

31. South Side Bicycle Shop
2210-M South 1st St
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 916-4422
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am to 7 pm, Sun CLOSED
Brands: KHS, Redline

32. Spin City Cycling
11416 FM 620 N., Suite K
Austin, TX 78726
Phone: (512) 257-8775
Hours: Tue-Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 1 pm-6 pm, Mon CLOSED
Brands: Fuji, Iron Horse, K2, KHS, Kona, SE Bikes

33. Sun & Ski Sport
2438 W. Anderson Ln
Austin, TX 78757
Phone: (512) 467-2782
Hours: M-F: 10 am-9 pm, Sat 10 am-9 pm, Sun 11 am-6 pm
Brands: Ellsworth, FIT-S&M, Haro, Intense, LOOK Cycles, Marin, Masi, Niner, Rocky Mountain, Scott, Titus

34. Tsunami Cycles
2114 1/2 South Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 448-9725
Hours: Tue-Sat 10 am -6 pm, Sun 12 pm -5 pm, Mon CLOSED
Brands: Haro, Marin, Masi, Torelli

35. University Cyclery
2901 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 474-6696
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 12 pm-5 pm
Brands: DK, Intense BMX, Jamis, Giant, Redline, Surly, Torker, Yeti

36. Waterloo Cycles
2815 Fruth St
Austin TX 78705
Phone: (512) 47-CYCLE (472-9253)
Hours: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 10 am-6 pm, Thurs 10 am-8 pm, Sun 12 pm – 5pm
Brands: Fuji, K2, Kona, SE Bikes, Sun

Exterior image courtesy Bicycle Sport Shop

Bicycle Sport Shop is the behemoth of Austin bike shops. Whatever you want, they probably have it tucked away in a corner of their massive, warehouse-like central shop at south Lamar and Barton Springs.

Last month, I interviewed Leslie Luciano, Community Relations Manager, about the shop and got some quite interesting facts and tidbits about Bicycle Sport Shop and its history. Here’s what she had to say.

You guys have been around for a long time (over 25 years) in Austin. How has the shop evolved over the years?

Bicycle Sport Shop started out as a mountain bike specialty shop and sold only fat-tired bikes for the first 5 years in business, riding the mountain bike boom and sharing our passion for off-road cycling with as many people as we could.  Nothing against road bikes; we were just new to the scene and staying focused on the things we loved helped us get established and created a strong identity in the marketplace.  We opened our second store in North Austin in 1988 and expanded our offering to include a diverse array of bikes in that new location.  Today we cater to almost every type of cyclist—road, off-road, utilitarian, fitness, kids and we even sell several unicycles every year.

Personally, I think it’s very helpful if bicycle shops become more of a community hub for cycling, not just a shop. BSS and Mellow Johnny’s both have cafe-style spaces, both of which I think have been done very well. How did the idea for Joy Rides come about in the Lamar location? Has it been a success?

Helping foster community in Austin is a key component of our mission at BSS and having a comfortable place to hang out and socialize supports that mission.  It’s also a great way to keep our staff well-fed and highly-caffeinated and that helps us serve our customers better (hopefully not too much coffee!).  It’s not a big contributor to the bottom line but we believe it adds warmth and ambience to the store, contributing an intangible benefit that makes it worth the investment.

Joy Rides Cafe

What kind of cyclists does Bicycle Sport Shop focus on serving?

We talk about this a lot in our effort to provide the highest level of customer service and quality product because even though we stock and enormous inventory we simply can’t be all things to all people and have to focus on specific segments of the diverse cycling population in Austin.  Our core customer is 25-45 years old, 60/40 male/female and considered an “enthusiast” cyclist, which is typically defined as someone who rides more than 3 times a month, either on road, or off-road.

That said, we see the greatest opportunity for “growing the pie” of cyclists as people who would never be seen in spandex, think a 20 mile ride would probably kill them, and only want to ride bikes for fun on the weekend with their spouses and kids.  A great example of this was the Urban Farm Tour where we had hundreds of people on bikes.  I’d bet many of those bikes hadn’t been ridden in months if not years, but they were having an incredible time socializing and visiting the local farms on the route, many of them realizing that its not that hard to get around Austin on a bike.  And it’s a ton of fun to boot!  The great thing is that this is where tomorrow’s committed cyclists, whether for recreation or transportation, or both, will come from.  As many of us know, once they cycling bug has bitten there is no going back.

Since about 90% of the people who work in our stores are passionate, committed cyclists who just love bikes, we really enjoy customers who like the bling type bikes that we like but that are a small percentage of our total business. The folks buying a quality $600 commuter or mountain bike make up a bigger share of our total business, which is great because our goal is simple:  More people riding bikes more often!

I know, being a customer, that the summer of 2008 was incredibly busy for you. Have you seen an increase in customers wanting bikes for transportation, and has it continued now that gas is “cheap” again and the economy is heading downwards?

It was a great summer of cycling for the bicycle industry nationwide, and fortunately for us in Austin that hasn’t really changed.  What has changed is the mindset of many people who see the necessity of re-thinking our transportation opportunities and the need for us to diversify our means of getting around Austin.  Not to mention that most people who give it any thought realize that today’s extremely low gas prices are a temporary reprieve and that we need to be prepared for the price to pop right back up in the near future, a price that is likely to stay high and never fall to today’s levels again.  So people are taking to bikes for transportation and realizing that not only is it good for getting to and fro, but its good for the health and general well-being, and good for their wallets.  And don’t forget….It’s fun!

How do you feel about the bicycle infrastructure here in Austin? What would you like to see happen in the future?

The bicycle infrastructure in Austin is good and getting better and will get a lot better when the new Austin Bike Plan is unveiled sometime next year.  Annick Beaudet, the City of Austin’s bicycle Coordinator, is doing incredible work on behalf of the cycling community and making significant progress towards institutionalizing cycling within every city department that has an impact on using a bike in Austin.  The Street Smarts Task Force recommendations will have a long-term positive effect on how Austin’s city managers support cycling.

But now is not the time for us to let up and it will be critical that the citizens of Austin who see the potential for cycling to improve our quality of life, and that’s everyone’s quality of life, not just those riding bikes, speak to our elected officials about how important cycling is to the fabric of our city.  We have a mayoral and city council race coming up in May of 2009 and that is a great time for us to speak out in an informed, coordinated effort about the importance of improving our cycling opportunities in Austin.  There is absolutely no reason Austin can’t be one of the very finest cycling cities in the world and its up to us to make it so.

Anything else you would like to tell our readers about?

We are a sponsor for many cycling events benefiting various non-profits throughout the Austin area.  One big event we produce every year, of course, is the Real Ale Ride held in March.

We are also going to be selling Texas Bicycle Coalition memberships in house in mid-January of 2009.  As you know, the Texas Legislature will be in session January 2nd, and there are several bills that will be filed that will benefit cycling.  We will designate certain days from February thru August that we will donate 20% of sales to the TBC, to help expand their war-chest, and move those bills through passage.

As Hill Abell always says, “IT’S TIME TO RIDE”!

Bicycle Sport Shop

Brands carried: Trek,Specialized,Electra,Independent Fabrication,Surly, others

Locations:
Central: 517 S. Lamar, Austin, TX 78704 (map)
North: 10947 Research, Austin, TX 78759 (map)

Hours:
Monday – Friday 10am-7pm
Saturday 9am-6pm
Sunday 11am-5pm

Old school. That is the approach Eastside Pedal Pushers owner Lee Gresham has taken in the way he has established his shop. There is no sprawling shop room floor or plasma TVs on the wall, no well dressed mannequins or latte shop. There is just a large open room with an assortment of new and used bicycles and a byzantine collection of bicycle parts and accessories around the wall and ceiling.

Lee Gresham has seen a lot in his 5 1/2 years as a shop owner, a journey that began with a cross country solo bike tour in the 90s. During his ride from Austin to Boston via Chicago and Toronto, he spent time working as a wrench at a friend’s bike shop on Lake Ontario discovering his passion for bikes. Upon returning to Austin, Gresham volunteered at the Yellow Bike Project to hone his mechanic skills. Out of this experience was born the Eastside Pedal Pushers.

The shop itself is simple: a large room with a counter and a cacophony of bike stuff. In addition to a nice variety of re-built used bikes, you can also find a selection of new bikes from Surly, Soma, and Sun. Monday through Saturday, you’ll find Lee or one of his two part time staff ready with friendly help.

Eastside Pedal Pushers is a throw back to the bicycle shops of old with their general service anything approach. While this approach is a welcome change of pace in the modern bicycle marketplace, it has also created challenges for Lee in his business. The Eastside Pedal Pusher is now in its second location and getting ready to move to a new spot on 5th & Onion along the soon to be completed Lance Armstrong Bikeway. His move comes after a dramatic attempt to kick him out of his current space by some folks wanting to remodel the place as a coffee shop (full story at ATXBS.) Finding space that works for the shop and is economical is a constant challenge.

Eastside Peddle Pushers owner Lee Gresham

Adding to these difficultlies is the roadblocks to carrying more brands put in place by the corporate bicycle industry. Because his shop is within the sales radius of other established shops who already carry all the major brands, Lee is excluded from being their reseller. (Surly is the house brand of bicycle distributor QBP and Sun and Soma sells directly to retailers.) Despite all the troubles, Lee seems pretty relaxed and philosophical about it all.

We also talked about trends in Austin bike culture and cycling in general. Lee has seen a marked increase in transportation cycling in the last few years as well as an explosion in single gear and fixed gear riding. He has also seen positive improvements in Austin’s bicycle infrastructure but would like to see more. He thinks we should have higher gas prices to discourage car use in favor of cycling and traffic laws that favor cyclist who are hit by cars. (Amen, brother.)

So Eastside Pedal Pushers isn’t the flashiest shop around, but Lee Gresham and his staff are friendly, knowledge, and an important part of Austin bike culture. Next time you’re east of downtown, stop by and check them out.

Contact Info:

Eastside Pedal Pushers
1414 East 5th Street
Austin, TX 78702
Phone: (512 ) 826-3414
Hours: Monday- Saturday, 10 AM- 7 PM
Bus Routes nearby: 4, 100, 320 (plan your trip by bus)

While staying in Portland, I decided I needed to make a pilgrimage to Clever Cycles, one of the bike stores leading the move toward providing real transportation bikes for the general public. It makes me quite happy to see such a shop appearing to succeed and thrive in the American market.

With a bike focused town like Portland, it only makes sense that there would a be niche for Dutch and other transportation focused bikes. However, my conversation with Todd, one of the co-owners of Clever Cycles, leads me to believe there is more to this market than Dutch bike enthusiasts and velo couturers. He mentioned the business had taken off beyond their expectations with proof coming this summer when the shop temporarily closed for several weeks due to lack of available inventory. Clever Cycles appears to be moving these “too heavy for the American market” bikes out the door as soon as they come in.

A large section of Azor, Retrovelo, and Pashley bikes

Clever Cycles is located east of downtown Portland across the river on the western edge of the Hawthorne neighborhood and is easily accessible by bus, bike, or a short walk across the Hawthorne bridge. The shop itself is modern and airy in feel, split between a front clothing and accessory room and a rear bicycle show room.

The show room is a nice departure from the standard bike shop floor of carbon fiber lightweights and aggressive mountain bikes where transportation bikes are put in a back corner. Clever Cycles carries the Azor, Pashley, and Retrovelo brands as well as folding bikes from Birdy and Brompton and various Xtracycle incarnations. They also have an impressive shrine-like wall of every Brooks model saddle and carry the Basil brand of bike bags as well as their own Cleverchimp house brand. In addition, there are also several stylish brands of locally designed clothing.

A shrine to the Brooks Saddle

The people at Clever Cycles are passionate and knowledgeable about their bikes. Todd owns or has ridden every bike type he carries and speaks with great authority about the positive and negative aspects of each bike. For example, he mentioned that they no longer build up the larger wheeled 700c Xtracycles. He’s found their handling unsatisfactory compared to 26″ wheels or even his preferred 24″ wheel setup.

A child friendly bike store

Todd is also a parent who cycles with his child as do the other owners. This means they understand the challenges of biking with kids and have lots of good options for parents. My wife and I actually met one of these happy customers with her kid in a Bakfiet outside the store. She spoke highly of the product and the store. This kind of hands on knowledge is comforting especially considering the financial commitment for these high quality bikes.

The most fun I had was test riding a Bakfiets, the Dutch cargo bike. I had been intrigued by these bikes ever since I read about some local Austin condo developers using them as props for their sales offices. This misuse of these well designed bikes is enough to make you cry, but I digress. Todd set me up with a nice green one, and I was off to the races. The steering takes a little getting used to but after a quick spin around the block, I figured it out. I was confident enough of my bike handling skills that I then took my wife for spin, one of the highlights of our trip. I will say I think I’d still want another non-cargo bike to ride if I had a Bakfiet (not necessarily true with the Xtracycle which can be a respectable stand-alone bike.) So while I’m not ready to trade in my Xtracycle any time soon, the Bakfiet is a lot of fun and very practical.

Taking my wife, Amy, for a spin

All in all, I was very impressed with Clever Cycles and am glad such a place exists and is doing well. If you live in Portland or are looking at acquiring a good transportation bike online, Clever Cycles should be on your short list of bike shops to frequent.

Contact Info:

Clever Cycles
908 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, OR 97214
Phone: 503-334-1560
Website: http://clevercycles.com/
Hours: Mon-Fri: 11-6; Sat-Sun: 11-5