The Cycling Dude

75 Yr Old Gets Full Tune-up and Prepares for the Future

The following was sent to me, yesterday, by one of The Elders among America's Bike Shops:

The Gregg's Cycle building located at Ravenna Blvd. and Greenlake Way has been undergoing a major remodel and expansion that is slated for completion by mid July. Approximately 40% of the existing structure was demolished and replaced with a two-story 10,000 square foot addition.

The new facility will have 18,400 Square feet of space and will be the largest cycle store in the Northwest.

The 80 year old Gregg's building has become a familiar Greenlake landmark and one of the longest operating businesses in the Greenlake area.

Gregg's Cycle originally opened in 1932 in a small portion of the southeast corner of the building with a bicycle rental operation.

Renting a bicycle for a ride around Greenlake became a popular and inexpensive form of recreation during the lean economic times of the Great Depression. Bicycle sales and service were added in the late 1930's and soon became the dominant portion of Gregg's business.

Celebrating its 75th year of operation and now in the 4th generation of operation by the Gregg family, the store occupies the entire block.

Gregg's had leased off site space near the store since the 1970's as the business had outgrown the existing building. With the popularity of the Greenlake area for condominium projects, available nearby commercial space has all, but disappeared.

2007 has been a busy year for Gregg's with the move of their Aurora Cycle store to a new location near Alderwood Mall.

The Aurora store had operated continuously at 74^th and Aurora Avenue North since 1937.

To cap off a year of moves and construction, Gregg's Bellevue store was moved in April to a new 11,500 square foot facility that was specifically designed and built to be a bicycle shop. The new store is a three-story facility located on Bellevue Way just south of Bellevue Square. This move was also prompted by development plans for the location at Bellevue Plaza that Gregg's had occupied since 1984.

The new stores will allow for more selection and greater customer convenience and we cannot thank our customers enough for their support and patience during the construction and other disruptions. Gregg's is planning Grand Openings for both the expanded Greenlake store and new Bellevue store later this summer.

Stan Gregg

Gregg's BlogCycle has a great post with construction pictures galore to complement an earlier post, with pics, that detailed the beginnings of work. ;-D

If you like pictures related to cycling this 2 year old blog will interest you. ;-D

Guthrie Bicycle 103 Years Young

The possibly oldest Bicycle Retailer in the Western United States has closed its oldest location.

Guthrie Bicycle, of Salt Lake City, made news with this announcement:

Just when Salt Lake City wants more residents to commute by bicycle, downtown's only bike shop - and one billed as the oldest in the West - has closed.
    Guthrie Bicycle, 158 E. 200 South, shuttered at the end of January. Its Sugar House spot, 803 E. 2100 South, remains open.
    While business has been slow since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, shop owner Richard Goddard said that wasn't the reason for the closure.
    Goddard's family, which owns the building that housed the shop, was approached by a buyer. While the structure wasn't for sale at the time, the family agreed to do it.
    Because the building has been in the family since about 1931, the decision was difficult.

Read the full story, by Heather May, of the Salt Lake City Tribune, here.

There is much more to this story, not the least being that while a "Location" has been closed, the ( quite possibly? ) "Oldest Bicycle Retailer in the West" is STILL very much in business, and very proud of its illustrious history.

Built in 1890, the three-story structure is on the National Register of Historic Places and represents commercial architecture prevalent in the Utah Territory in the late 19th century, according to the register nomination form.

The history of the company, and its connection to cycling, goes back as far as 1888, and the current owner of the company is the Great-Grandson of the  man who bought the business in 1926.

I love the History Page of their website!! What makes it special, in my book, is not the written story it tells, which is short, and to the point, but the photos! ;-D

I'd love to have more to read, about their history, but that's only a minor quibble. ;-D

Gene Busbee, of Biking Bis, first brought the story to my attention with a post of his own.

As I told him there is a Retailer in Ontario, CA. that has been around since 1909 ( Bumstead's Website is inactive! ), one in Long Beach, CA. ( Jones ) that has been around since 1910, and there is also 1 in Santa Barbara ( Hazards ) in business since 1914 ( See list in Sidebar. ).

In discussing the longevity issue, I loved the Genealogy-style e-mail he sent me:

Well, maybe the whole thing is a can of worms. That
Trib article mentions that the great grandfather moved
the Guthrie's shop into the building in the '30s, so
it wasn't in the same location since 1904.

In any case, let's follow the bouncing ball here, as
they used to say on the cartoons....

So as far as the history (thanks for the link, I'll
add that), Meredith Bros. started making bikes in Salt
Lake city, then they brought in Guthrie in 1904 and
that made the store Meredith and Guthrie.

Then Manwaring bought the store, kept the name Guthrie
Bicycle Co. (don't know what happened to Merediths)
and it's still in the same family.

Now the great grandpa moves the store into the
location in the 1930s. Move the clock ahead 70-some
years and that store closes.

In the meantime, Guthrie Bicycle Co. opens another
store in Sugarland, which is a neighborhood of Salt
Lake City. That store remains open.

Really, there are lots of ways to dice this up. The
downtown store that closed did have the most direct
link to the original, which started when Guthrie
became a partner in 1904. The Sugarland store is kind
of like a spinoff.

If the store were a tree (bear with me), it sprouted
in 1888 and was grafted in 1904. Then it was
transplanted in the 1930s. Sometime since then it
dropped a seed, which sprouted and survives, while the
original was buzzed sawed down.

Sooooooooooo, the bicycle company might be the oldest,
but the surviving store might not be.

Good. I think I've sufficiently muddied everything up!

LMAO! ;-D

As far as I know the next oldest Retailer in the West is the one in Ontario, but the next oldest Retailer with an active website is the one in Long Beach.

Where the oldest Shop "Location" in the West now is is a good question. ;-D

As for the rest of the Guthrie Website:

Once you get past the advertising, and Tips, found on the Home Page, there is some good stuff.

There is a nice Catalog page, with info on items they sell.

An extention of that is an Our Bikes Page that informs you about the brands of bicycles they sell, including ( I like this further connection to Cycling History! ) Raleigh, one of the oldest Bike makers in the world.

Their Links Page is a great collection of resources for Advocacy and Organizations, Bicycle Industry Suppliers, and Bicycle Touring Outfits.

Give the Guthrie Bicycle website, and its History Page, especially, a visit.

Historic Italian Bike Shop 112 years old!

Thanks to an encounter with a cyclist at the Acura Los Angeles Bike Tour, on March 4, I discovered the existence of one of the oldest Bike Shops in the world.

Detto Pietro, of Milan Italy, opened for business in 1895.

I love the description that opens the History page on their English Language website:

The national and international image of the Detto Pietro firm comes from an history which begin one hundred years old with the introduction by the establisher Detto Sante of a great innovation in the cycling world: the shoes for racing bikes.

The Detto Pietro was founded in the far 1895, as a firm of innovation in a phase of big technical and cultural changes, from the cinema of the Lumière's brothers, to the first pneumatics Michelin, to the first biennial of Venice. The shop placed in the heart of Milan showed the little shoes which in all over the world are become the standard for cycle racing.

A bike, and cycling shoe manufacturer, with a proud history.

Part of the charm of the website is the fractured use of English as seen on the "Why to Contact Detto Pietro?" page. ;-D

The use of photos on this site is well done, especially the pride of place of the one showing the original store ( ? ), and leads me to hoep that someday they can be persuaded to set up a page of photos proudly sharing the illustrious history of the company, its locations, its personel, and its products.

A section of Italian related Cycling links, geared to tourists interested in Touring Italy, or just individual cities, is something i was disappointed not to find.

But those are just very minor concerns.

I am very honored to include a link to Detto Pietro, as the 1st Non-American Shop in my Honor Roll of Elderstatesmen of the Bicycling Industry, as seen in my sidebar. ;-D 

Richard Francis Sr. was The Bicycle Man

Since the age of 15 this man was in love with the Bicycle, and more people than ever will truly be known were the beneficiaries of his knowledge, and skill:

For nearly 80 years, he sold, repaired and fixed up bicycles, either in his Philadelphia store or, since 1976, at his backyard bike shop in Holt.

Francis, who died Wednesday at the age of 94, truly earned the nickname "The Bicycle Man."

Francis' son, Richard Jr., said his father began repairing bikes at the age of 15 and operated a bicycle shop in Philadelphia for more than 35 years.

He and his wife came to Holt at their son's urging in 1975 after they were the victims of several break-ins and robberies.

"He bought a house, and the first thing he did was build a garage in the backyard where he could repair bikes," Richard Jr. said. "He was 63 at the time and had originally thought about renting a store and opening a business but decided to retire instead."

But he never truly retired. He acquired old bikes, fixed them up and sold them for a modest price.

"If someone couldn't afford the price, he would cut it in half," Richard Jr. said.

"Sometimes he gave them away. He was doing what he loved to do, and he made literally hundreds of friends in the area."

From a story in the Lansing State Journal of 2/17/06:

Holt man who fixed bikes helped many: Holt man who fixed bikes helped many by Hugh Leach.

Technorati Tags: Bike, Bikes, Bicycle, Bicycles

Helen of Santa Monica Spreading Cycling since 1936

Amongst the Elders in the world of Bike Shops there is at least one Beautiful Woman among all the Men.

She is Helen's Cycles ( "It's Bicycle Heaven!" ) in the city of Santa Monica, Ca.

The main store, and its companions, that have sprouted up as the business has grown over the decades, has been "Taking Good Care of People, and their Bikes, Since 1936."

Sadly, the Website only briefly touches on its long, illustrious, history, in the closing paragraph of the Company "Statement of Purpose" on its About Page.

Helen’s Cycles was created in 1936 by Helen and Ted Throckmarton. They built the Santa Monica Broadway location in mid 1960. The current owner Duane and Karen Stier purchased this location in 1975. The other Helen’s stores were purchased on the following years in an effort of being the market leader in Southern California.

That's it. Period.

Very disappointing.

The rest of the website is geared to selling products, and promoting the  5 Cycling Teams ( 4 with the Helen's name ), and 1 Club, the company supports.

I find it interesting that the webiste has a page promoting the 36 year old Westside Cycling Club called Velo Club La Grange but has no link to its Website.

That club, BTW, has a sense of its history, and has plans in the works to showcase that on its site.

In addition to a Hot Deals Dept, there are 8 other Depts. devoted to bikes, components, clothing, and accessories.

Each is full of links to pages devoted to various products.

The best thing on the site is a collection of articles under the heading of "Helpful Hints, and Great Ideas".

These provide useful advice, and tips, for choosing the right products, from Bikes to Socks.

Extremely disappointing is the complete lack of a collection of links, of any type, to any of the many resources found on the internet, and except for just mentioning, though not linking to, Velo, no mention of the Activist organizations, and many Clubs, found not only in Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County, but in its own backyard.

As the About Page says...

Helen’s Cycles is an organization that was created for the express purpose of being the market leader in Southern California....

cycling has become the fastest growing sports market in the country....

Helen’s Cycles will utilize professional marketing and management techniques as well as documented systems and modern store design and apply it to the retail bicycle business....

This philosophy is NOT very customer friendly in a very important area: The lack of useful links to help their customers find info on cycling, including places to ride, and organizations to join.

If this serious lack is made up for by displays at their stores, that's fine, and to be commended, but how about catering to folks with computers?

Visit Helen's Cycles.

Pomona Valley Cyclists Wearing Coates Since 1934

I grew up in the Pomona Valley, and the Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles all my life, and only moved away in 2003.

The bike shop of preference for me, for 20 years, was Coates Cyclery of Pomona, Ca.

While I didn't know the names of the employees, and only met the owner a few times, in the course of making a purchase, I was pleased with the service they provided, and the products they sell.

In updating my links to the Elder Statesmen I learned that Coates finally has its own website, and updated the link accordingly.

It's time to check the place out.

Established in 1934, Coates Bicycles has a long history of offering great customer service and repair for any make of bicycle. With over 6000 square feet of space for bicycles and accessories, Coates is the largest independent bicycle shop in the Inland Empire. Personalized service is our specialty, whether it's a tube repair or a new bike purchase the Coates staff is here to help. Customer satisfaction is always at the top of our list, along with top quality bicycles and accessories. We cater to the recreational, sport and family rider as well as the racing enthusiast.

That's IT???

That's ALL they have to say, or show, about their glorious history in the community?

Well, no, not quite: The website DOES feature their famous Neon Sign in all its lighted glory.

I hope that someday, someone comes along and puts more into that aspect of company promotion.

Show some pride!

As for the rest of the site...

There is a lot to recommend it.

The front page highlights New in store items, and current specials, including a link to a page of printable coupons, and a weekly, Customer Appreciation Ride, of 16 -25 miles on Sunday mornings.

For customes wondering if the shop is right for them, there is a page called The Coates Cyclery Advantage that details 9 reasons to shop there, and is quite informative, and helpful.

On a page about accessories they list 47, and give a 1 sentence explanation about why you want it, and/or why you need it that is comprehensive, and to the point.

One really cool, and useful, dept. is the FREE CLASSIFIEDS section.

Here, cyclists can find, and sell, used gear in 10 categories:

Apparrel, Accessories, Bicycles, Bike Frames, BMX Gear, Child Carriers, Collectables, Components, Fitness Equipment, Other Cool Stuff.

The Links Page has a useful collection of 17 links under Advocacy, and Organizations, and a few dozen Industry Suppliers.

Overall this site is a good one, and could be a great one if they decide to display some pride in their history.

They have long time employees, they have generations of customers from the same family, they have old photos, and Ads, I'm sure, and probably other things to share, not to mention stories, so here's hoping they decide to share some of that on their site.

Free Registration is required to place Ads, and apparently either this is a new service, or no-one knows about it because there are no Ads at all.

Visit Coates Cyclery.

Gregg Family takes pride in 73 year old business

In the Seattle area of Washington is an Elder of the cycling business, tucked away in the community of Greenlake.

They are very proud to be recognized as one of the most prominent Specialty Shops in the nation, but that's not what caught my attention when I was made aware of their existence.

Gregg's Greenlake Cycle first opened it's doors in 1932 under the direction of R.V. Gregg. Today Gregg's Cycles remains under the ownership of the third generation of the Gregg family. The business has expanded from it's original location at Greenlake to now include locations in Bellevue and on Aurora Avenue North.

They have the makings of a very fine About Us page that, while bragging about the recognition the company has received, has something special that makes a look at the page well worth it.

3 glorious B/W Photos, dating to the 1930's, of the founding shop in Greenlake.

I'd love to see the family share more pictures ( how about a look at products thru the decades? Tributes to employees who worked for the company for decades? ), and even memories, related to the history of the company.

As they are proud to say: They have been active in the community for 70 years.

No doubt there have been generations of families that have shopped there.

The rest of the website has much to recommend it.

There is a page where the owners have begun honoring Employees of the Month.

Among the 30 categories of products for sale the bookworm in me is partial to the Book Section, and especially its collection of guides to riding around Washington.

Along with a e-mail newsletter the site has an Event page that tells of cycling related events in the region, and links to area Clubs.

Another plus is the Links Page.

It is divided into Categories:

Clubs, Resources, Teams, Rides, and News.

The Club section has links to the websites of 22 organizations across the state.

The Resources section includes some extremely useful websites.

The Rides section has details about 8 popular rides, and hopefully more will be forthcoming.

The News section has links to 5 excellent sites.

Here's to another 73 years for Gregg's Greenlake Cycles!

The oldest Bike Shop in Los Angeles, hands down

In West Los Angeles can be found a bike shop that proudly claims the following:

SERVING THE CYCLING COMMUNITY SINCE 1930 PALMS CYCLE IS LOS ANGELES, OLDEST REPAIR SHOP.

I was very disappointed in this site.

Where's the pride in the Shop history?

What IS the history? Is it still in the hands of the original founding family? Is it in the same location still?

Aside from many pages of details about what the shop sells the only 2 links worth checking out are the Classic Bikes section, with its pics of old bikes for sale, and the Helmet section with its link to Helmet law.

Oh, and they rent bikes for movie, and photo, shoots.

Nothing here about area activism, bicycling clubs, and rides, or any other useful information.

Harley's, a Kansas institution since 1922

The 2nd shop to be added to the Elder Statesmen Honor Roll, today, is Harley's Bicycles in Hutchinson, Kansas ( Great picture of the shop on the About Page! ).

As the About page proudly states:

Hutchinson, Kansas is the home of one of the oldest and most well-known bicycle stores in the state.  Harley's Bicycles at 629 North Main Street was established in 1922 and has been serving the bicycle community of Hutchinson and surrounding areas ever since.

Harley's has been recognized as one of the top 100 bicycle dealers in the United States by Bicycle Dealer Showcase magazine for 9 years.  We are also currently on the board of the National Bicycle Dealers Association.  Harley's is always active in local cycling activities sponsoring and participating in many events through out the year.

There's a reason for this honor, and a look at the website brings enlightenment.

Among the useful sections of this site:

1. A Local Events page.

2. A Cycling Tips page that covers Equipment Know-how, Health and Fitness, Maintenence and Repair, Riding Technique, Fit and Comfort, Safe Biking, Sharing the Road, and traveling with Bikes.

A. A Special mention goes to the section on Family Cycling, and its infor for parents with kids.

3. A Cycling Links page with info related to Kansas cycling news and Info, Advocacy and organizations, Bicycle Industry Suppliers, and Bicycle Touring Outfits.

Visit Harley's Bicycles.

Keeping the Goodale Tradition alive in Nashua, New Hampshire

For those that think that California, and the Western US have a monopoly on bicycling's senior citizens, I present the 1st of 2 new additions to the Elder Statesmen Honor Roll:

Goodale's Bike Shop, of Nashua, New Hampshire began as a family operation and, in a way it still is since it was eventually taken over by an employee who has run it ever since, and eventually expanded the business to another city.

As the About Page says:

First established in 1919 by Walt Goodale and run in later years by his son, Rosco, the shop has been located in and around Railroad Square in Nashua, New Hampshire.

In 1966 a young Brad Hill went to work for Roscoe Goodale. Five years later, Mr. Goodale was ready to retire and Brad convinced his parents that the shop would be a good investment.
In June of 1971 Brad Hill became the owner of Goodale's Bicycle Shop.

This is a very nice site with plenty of pictures, and lots of useful information.

There's a reason why "Goodale’s Bike Shop has been recognized at being one of the Top 100 Best Bicycle Retailers in the country by a panel of leading bicycle manufacturers."

Out 5200 such retailers that's not bad. :-D

In addition to links to info about their Service policies, various bike brands, cycling accesories, service recalls, and nutrition, and training there is plenty to recommend this site to bicyclists every where.

1. A link to an active BikeSpeak Forum Community.

We're proud to provide this online cycling community, giving you the opportunity to find information, share ideas, and make new friends. The BikeSpeak Forum is presented in cooperation with leading bicycle stores across the United States. You can connect with cyclists in our area as well as from many other places. We hope you find BikeSpeak useful (and fun!). 

2. A Cycling Links page with an extensive colleection of links to Advocacy Groups, and Organizations, Bicycle Industry Supliers, and Bicycle Touring Outfits.

3. The Want to Learn More section has many sub-topics including:

A. A Bike Pictionary.

B. Info on eyewear, lights, car racks, clipless pedals, and hydration.

C. An extensive Bicycle Fit Section.

D. A Road Riding Tips section that I highly recommend, especially for parents.

E. The Signature Section has great pages on bike tools, chain replacement, and repair, saddles, and fitness.

F. Also in the great Signature Section you can learn how to deal with bad dogs, climb, ride in groups, survive road hazards, and find time to ride.

4. There is also an Area Events page.

Pay the Goodale's site a visit.

Eugene Cycle Shack in Business since 1927

The Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines a HUTCH this way:

1. A Compartment for storage.

2. A pen or coop for an animal.

3. Shack. Shanty.

My call for readers to let me know of Elder Statesmen among bicycle shops with an internet presense has paid its 1st dividend!

Thanks goes to Gene, of the Blog Bikin Bis', for the heads up from his bunker in the great Northwest!

Since 1927, when Earl "Hutch" Hutchinson opened his bicycle/lawnmower/keymaking store, in Eugene, Oregon, then his son took over and renamed the shop in the 60's, Hutch's Bicycles has stored the needs of lovers of our favorite 2-wheeled steed in not just the original "shack", but several other well-stocked, and popular, locations in surrounding cities.

This site also has a history page that pays tribute to its past.

The Masterlinks page highlights the bike the chain sells.

There is a page for various Hutch's gear.

There is a picture of 2 of their very best customers that must be seen to be believed, and is a hoot! ;-)

There is a links page to various comapanies whose products the chain sells.

Don't own a bike? Don't want to cart yours with you on vacation? You can check out how to rent one from Hutch's!

However the best thing about the site is the essential resource that is the Saddle Up! page.

It includes 2005 info not only about local free rides, but rides that cost a small to moderate fee, and require downloadable registration forms.

Thank's, Hutch's, for being there!

Weir Oregonians have bought bikes since 1925

Weir's Cyclery is Portland Oregon's oldest Bike Shop.

It has been around since 1925 and its original location is still in use! ( Love that picture! )

For over 75 years Weir's Cyclery has provided what their community has wanted in family bicycling. Started in 1925 byGordon Weir as Weir's Fix-it Shop,Gordon repaired appliances, lawnmowers, plumbing and, always, bicycles. As bicycles continued to grow in popularity, other repairs were eliminated to concentrae on bicycle sales and service.

The 3rd generation of the family now runs the business, and has opened other shops as well.

Being a history buff one of the things that I have treasured as I have discovered the Elders of the cycling business has been finding how some shops have paid tribute to their history on their websites.

Weir's has a wonderful tribute page that tells the tale.

I think its cool that the 2nd shop, in St. Johns, was opened in  the former home of a hardware store that had opened in 1908.

The site has links to info on the bikes, and accessories, it sells and to a page about its Service Dept.

Pictures play a big part here, too.

Aside from the history page the highlight is the page about Bicycling in Portland.

Portland, Oregon was rated the best city for bicycling by Bicycling magazine again in 2001 after having the designation for two years in a row: 1997 and 1998. One reason: Portland has more than 140 miles of designated bike lanes and miles of forest, lake and river trails. Conveniently located on the peninsula at the Gateway to Nature, Weir's Cyclery is between both the Columbia and Willamette rivers, not far from the beautiful, historic St. Johns Bridge and Forest Park where there's great mountain biking! 

This page is >an indispensible resource for locals, and vacationers, alike, with links aplenty.

Lastly, the Interesting People We Know page is fun, and informative.

Thanks for being there, Weir Cyclery!

Kopp's Selling Bikes since 1891

The oldest Bike Shop in the United States has no internet presence.

Until that happens a newspaper story is the only way to learn of its remarkable history.

More than 12,000 repaired flat tires later, Charles Kuhn is pleasantly surprised and even prouder of the shop and business in which he grew up and now owns.
   Mr. Kuhn is the owner of Kopp's Cycle on Spring Street, which was recently named the oldest bike shop in the country, at 109 years old.
   "It really kind of blew me away," he said. "Some guy out West, a bike retailer in Idaho, I think, was doing the research. Then, about three weeks ago, Bicycle Retailer magazine asked me some questions about the shop and they said we were the oldest in the U.S."
   Mr. Kuhn said he always just assumed there were older bike shops, mentioning Pop Kugler's in Somerville and Quigley's in Manville, though both of those shops have gone out of business.
   "It's cool, I'm so used to being in an old shop," Mr. Kuhn continued. "I open up a drawer and there may be a part in there that's 100 years old. I've been around here my whole life."
   Mr. Kuhn's father bought the store in 1948 from the Kopp family, which founded the store in 1891.
   "It's fun coming into work on most days; it's always different," he said.

Full story:

PRINCETON PACKET- 11/28/2000: Princeton bike shop is nation's oldest by George Frey

Bummed no more about dead Bumstead's Link

Readers may have noticed the dead link to Elder Statesman BUMSTEAD'S Bike Shop, in Ontario, Ca.

Those concerned that, at the ripe old age of 95, this fine establishment ( I should know: I shopped there on occasion from the 70's to the late 90's. It is 1 of my 3 favorite shops in the Inland Empire region ), might have finally, irrevocably, blew a tire, need fear no more.

It's ALIVE!

I've just got off the phone with Loyd, the owner, and the good news is that the website will soon be up and running again.

As soon as it is, rest assurred, I will update my link, visit the site, and file a report.

( Which reminds me: I need to finally finish visiting the rest of the Elders for an initial report soon. )

A Yesteryear of Bicycles

Now THIS is how to share one's pride in the Family business!

Or, at least, one very good way to do so. :-)

YESTER'YEAR CYCLERY, Inc., of New Bedford, Massachusetts, has been a fixture in New England for 84 years, and is proud to share the amusing story of its founding with visitors to its website.

The company takes pride in saying it's "the oldest continuously operating full service bicycle shop in New England".

Its ABOUT US page tells of its founding and how the Grandson of the founder now runs the place.

In addition to a directions page, and pages about products and services offered there is another useful page.

The LINKS page has links to 8 useful bicycling related websites, some local, some national.

Now if only someone could convince them to add a page, or several pages, devoted to the history of the store, and the merchandise it has sold in its long, illustrious life. Pictures, Pictures, pictures. And stories, especially about famous customers through out the last 90 years.

Even tributes to long time employees.

If they die at their post, after 40 years of loyal service, they deserve to be honored, I say! :-)

A very nice site.

Yester' Year

Bike Shop a Hazard in Santa Barbara

Yes, you read right, for 90 years a Bike Shop in Santa Barbara, California, has been a Hazard.

It is currently known to the community as HAZARD'S CYCLESPORT.

And this is a look at their website. :-)

It bills itself as Santa Barbara's most experienced, and largest store, and its services, and accesories pages are informative on all of this, but its the other pages that I want to bring your attention to.

After the LOCATION PAGE there are only 2 other useful pages here:

The COMMUNITY page is a useful list of links in 4 categories.

Sponsored Clubs and Teams.

Sponsored Events.

Foundations and Organizations.

Other Friends.

The LOCAL RIDES page had 5 Road, and 5 Mtn. Bike Rides, but only 1 is linked, and therefore described. For more info on the other 9 you need to go to the shop.

I am disappointed that there is nothing here about the Shop History.

As a history buff I would have liked to see a page, or several pages, devoted to the history of the store, and the merchandise it has sold in its long, illustrious life. Pictures, Pictures, pictures. And stories, especially about famous customers through out the last 90 years.

Even tributes to long time employees.

You know the type: So and so worked here so long that he had to be carried out on a stretcher on the day he died. :-)

This is a useful site that has the potential to offer more to its community.

Hazard's Cyclesport

Keeping Up With the Jones

I have a select few Bicycle shops listed in my links, and those are there for a reason.

Longevity.

These shops have benn in business since before 1941, and deserve special recognition for this as well as for the places they have made for themselves in their communities in various ways.

The closest such shop to where I now live is JONES BICYCLES, established in Long Beach, Ca. in 1910.

The website has links related to these categories:

About Us
Where To Park Near Our Store
Bicycles
Community Involvement
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About...
Links
Site Map
Skateboards
Where To Ride Your Bike
Your Privacy
2004 California Cycling Events

The OUR STORE link is pretty cool.

The page begins with a brief history of the store, and then proceeds to a group of photos that, when clicked on give you a virtual tour of the store, which is huge.

I like that they have a link explaining where to find convenient parking near their store.

Another thing to like is their community involvement as they support local schools and the Books 4 Bikes Reading Program.

The FAQ'S page is a treasure trove of useful information on accesories, Bikes, bike fitting, components, injury prevention, maintenance, riding skills, safety tips, training and fitness, and Trail issues.

The LEARN MORE ABOUT section is a whole lot more info on some of the same things as the FAQ'S and a few other things as well.

In other words, just because you don't live in California there is no reason to not visit this site for information you can use.

The LINKS section has plenty of useful website links.

The WHERE TO RIDE section is of use to Southern Californians in a number of ways:

It talks about Cycling in Long Beach: Bike paths, and the San Gabriel River , and Shoreline Trails, but for some reason doesn't mention the Los Angeles River Trail.

There is a page on Mountain Bike rides, and one for Road Rides to 2 destinations with the shop being the starting point for each.

A really cool idea is the page where you can tell them about your favorite ride. It is a detailed way to explain about your ride, and submit it to them so they can spread the word.

There is also a page listing 2004 Cycling events in California.

As a history buff I would have liked to see a page, or several pages, devoted to the history of the store, and the merchandise it has sold in its long, illustrious life. Pictures, Pictures, pictures. And stories, especially about famous customers through out the last 90 years.

Even tributes to long time employees.

You know the type: So and so worked here so long that he had to be carried out on a stretcher on the day he died. :-)

All in all a very cool website that provides much more than the usual sales pitches.

Jones Bicycles

Friendly Neighborhood Bike Shop

Before the Bicycle Chain ( pun definitely intended! ) Conglomerates There Were the Family Shops of an Independant Nature.

Do you remember your 1st visit to a bicycle shop?

Did your family buy their bikes and get them repaired at the same shop, generation after generation?

Do you take YOUR kids to the same shop for their cycling needs?

Do you consider the owners, and employees to be friends?

ARE they family?

Bicycling is 186 years old.

America was changed forever by WW2.

So I figured why not make a fuss over those Bicycle Shops that have been around since Hector's GRANDFATHER, or even GREAT-GRANDFATHER, was a Pup.

or, possibly, even earlier.... :-)

That is the reason for the links I've added today. To honor those shops and their off-shoots, if any, that have been around since BEFORE 1941.

I have been a steady customer of Coates for 20 years, and while I don't know the names of the employees, and have only met the owner a few times, in the course of making a purchase, I continue to be pleased with the service they provide, and the products they sell.

The Bike Shop peddles the merchandise to us, and we pedal it away.

The next time you visit your favorite shop, say thank you for the many years of service. It will be appreciated.

Trust me....

And while you are at it, let me make a request...

The Elder Statesmen, and Women ( such as Helen's in Santa Monica, Ca. ), of the world's bike shops are a heritage, and a resource, to be honored, and cherished:

If anyone, reading this, knows of any shops, with an active web presence, or that has a linkable news story about their history, instead, online, in the US, or Internatioanlly, that have been around before the world changing events of WW 2 (  1939 for Europe, and 1941 for America, and the rest of the world ), please send me an e-mail so I can consider adding them to the Honor Roll.