Related article: Spring Cycling with Clever Cycles and Veloce Bicycles
The City of Portland Office of Transportation lists over 40 bicycle shops in the city limits of Portland, almost half of them in the Southeast. All together, there are over 90 shops in the greater Portland Metro area . . . a fact we can be proud of as a greener than most city, but a daunting list when you are wondering where to turn for the next phase in your relationship with pedal power.
So in the spirit of “knowing your neighborhood businesses” I was grateful for the approach Demetri, owner of Veloce Bicycles, took to his Roost business sponsor interview this week. He didn’t want me to just tell you what’s great about his shop. He was quite intent on sharing about all the bike shops in SE Portland and how we can make the most of each of them.
I really believe him when he says you can stop into his shop or call any time and he’ll let you know which bike and which bike shop might be best for members of your family . . . even if it’s not him you end up doing business with or his inventory that you end up buying . . . even after an extensive afternoon of test rides.
You could call it altruism or just good business. Veloce at 3202 SE Hawthorne (right across the street from my new favorite Mexican food cart) sells high end road bikes for adults only (no kids bikes or kid carrying bikes) so you can think of his shop at the place you ultimately end up in when you get really serious about a great commuter or work out ride.
As an independent business owner who has a thriving high end bike shop in the midst of an economic downturn, he must be doing something (or a whole lot of somethings) right. With over 20 years in the bike business and a cheerful attitude about life, Demetri “toured” me through the local bike shop scene with clarity and ease over a plate of fish tacos (remember the great food cart) and here’s what I learned:
Of course he’d rather you get into the highest end bike you can afford sooner rather than later. Good for him but also good for you since he knows you’ll ride more and make more use of the bike you have if it really, really fits you right. But, he also understands that his bikes, all over $500 and mostly in the $1000 – $2,500 range are not a realistic purchase for everybody.
He sends a lot of people over to Corey at Seven Corners Cycles on 21st Ave near Powell because they have commuter road bikes at a lower price point than Veloce and also hybrids (think mountain bike light).
Coventry Cycle Works, a bit down the road from Veloce at 2025 SE Hawthorne, has its own unique niche. They are the recumbent headquarters for the Pacific Northwest. I wouldn’t have a clue what that means if my friend hadn’t just bought a recumbent trike to help her work out safely – think riding while relaxing, sitting against a seat back with your legs stretched out in front of you.
For cruisers, kids’ bikes and bikes great for carrying kids, us SE Portlanders have lots of choices. Our own Swap Shop members, Rachel and Dean Mullin ownClever Cycles at 9th and Hawthorne. With a very wide selection and broad customer base they make an ideal first stop on your tour of what’s available for family riding. When Rachel isn’t leading our Friday night hoop jams, she’s blogging on their web site: www.clevercycles.com about the total coolness of, among other things, folding bikes . . . think a bike you can get on and off the bus and max with or, even better, a bike your kid never outgrows – how much would we all pay for that?!
Joe Bike at 3953 Hawthorne is new on the scene and carries family and utility oriented bikes out of China for a cost savings over the more established European models.
The Bike Gallery on 42nd and Woodstock rounds out your options for new bikes.
A Better Cycle at 23rd and Division and CityBikes on Ankeny sell nothing but used bikes.
Have a random part you are hoping to replace, chances are the Recyclery in Ladd’s edition has it.
The bottom line is that you and I have only so much time in the day to figure out what’s going on the table for the next meal, where the kids need to be and how that career and personal growth process is coming along so the chances of any of us learning enough about bicycles in our spare time to be a super competent consumer is doubtful at best.
So I say, take Demetri up on his offer. Stop by his store next time you are on Hawthorne in the 30′s. Tell him you read about him in the Swap Shop blog and throw a few questions at him about this or that. He’ll have a few more questions and then some great answers. I have the feeling all our local bike shops will be better for the time spent.
Thanks Demetri for being a Roost business sponsor and for doing your part to support all our local bike shops.
