Los Angeles Dealer Tour

Riders and retailers as diverse as City of Angels By Val Vanderpool LOS ANGELES — Sand, sun and surf. Beach cruis- ers, scooters and — life’s a beach in Los Angeles, right? For a tiny percentage of the county’s population of about 10 million who live near the wa- ter, it is. But the majority of Angelenos live inland in about 80 landlocked municipalities spread across some 4,000 square miles. e Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive and the Hol- lywood Hills. Red carpets, movie premieres and pa- parazzi — life in the City of Angels is all about the glitz and glamour. At least that’s what the magazines will have you believe. And while it’s true that beach life, good weather and the rich and famous are all part of the region’s rich cultural fabric, the reality is there’s much more to Los Angeles than meets the eye. From the eight beach cities including Malibu and Santa Monica, the Orange County and San Bernardino county lines to the south and east, re- spectively, the San Gabriel mountains and foothills to the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Conejo valleys to the north — all connected by massive Continues DT

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December ,  DT Los Angeles Dealer Tour

come increasingly saturated. Most recently, Giant Santa had sold since 2005. In spring 2015, Smith and Mon- Monica opened across the street. But Monsalud and salud opened a dedicated e-bike store, Bike Attack Elec- Smith welcome the competition. tric+, a few blocks from Bike Attack.  e new store is a “We cater to the bike culture, and I think we’ve got Bosch Service Center and o ers test rides and e-bike that going for us. We’re very Bohemian h e re ,” Monsalud rentals. said. “I am sure we’ve lost some sales to Giant, but it’s “We already had some of the top e-bike brands at also bringing more people to the block to shop. Bike Attack. People were coming from all over Califor- “A n d I think we can o er a di erent  avor. People nia to try them,” Smith said. “So Ericson made a call want di erent Skittles  avors or colors, and we’ve got from Interbike and, sight unseen, we took this location them,” Monsalud added, laughing. and here we are. We have enough space to showcase  e duo closed the Venice store in 2010 because more e-bikes, and we think there’s really a lot of poten- they wanted to put more focus on e-bikes, which they tial in the e-bike market h e re .”

Bike Attack Electric+ has a full array of e-bikes, including electric mountain bikes.

ricson Monsalud  rst dabbled in bike while Estationed on a U.S. Army base in Berlin, , where he ran an outdoor store for residents. In 1994, he opened Bike Attack on the base. “We became the exclusive distributor for Bontrager, , Foes and , and we were also the larg- est Cannondale dealer in . At the time, I was mostly focused on mountain bi k i n g ,” said Monsalud, a former pro downhill racer. Bike Attack’s roots are in mountain bikes, but it now Bike Attack and Bike Attack Electric+ co-owners Ericson But Monsalud would eventually tire of European caters to Santa Monica’s eclectic community. Monsalud (left) and Andrew Smith. winters and move back to the U.S. In 1999, he opened Bike Attack in his hometown of Venice, . In 2004, Monsalud took on a partner, Andrew Smith, and Bike Attack Bike Attack Electric+ opened a second 1,000-square-foot location in Santa Employees: Employees:  Monica. Sales floor space:  Sales floor space: , square feet “I was a customer and a friend, and we didn’t have Years in business:  Time in business: months any kind of partnership or agreement in place,” Smith Emphasis: Mountain, road, lifestyle Emphasis: E-bikes said. “But we went down and signed the lease on this Main brands: Felt, Norco, , Surly, Scott, Main brands: Stromer, Easy Motion, Haibike, Cannondale, Felt spot and  gured it all out l at e r.” Owner: Ericson Monsalud, Andrew Smith Owners: Ericson Monsalud,Andrew Smith Over the years, the Santa Monica market has be-

Continued from DT it’s the major east-west and north-south boulevards that On the periphery and anywhere near mountains, like create obstacles as well. the Conejo Valley or Pasadena and the foothill communi- City of Angels “ ey just can’t be used because of the volumes of ties, there are a number of -heavy shops like . So the question becomes, where do you even put the Incycle, Newbury Park Bicycle Shop and the newest addi- tra c-choked freeways — the diversity in culture, land- infrastructure and how do you connect it all to get people tion, Pedalers Fork in the wealthy community of Calabasas. scape and demographics is as vast as the L.A. basin itself. where they need to go by bike?” And considering year-round riding weather, L.A. For this reason, Los Angeles is an interesting and dis- In the past 10 years, L.A. has made strides, adding bike County retailers don’t deal with typical seasonal  uctua- jointed place. lanes and its  rst separated Green Lane on Spring Street. tions, which might also contribute to the relative stability of One Westside retailer summed it up best with this And wildly popular CicLAvia events have not only drawn many of the shops Dealer Tour L.A. visited. statement that may encapsulate the whole of Los Angeles attention to the lack of safe cycling routes but also draw In Santa Monica, a couple retailers said the city’s red County: would-be cyclists and commuters out of the woodwork — tape makes it di cult to set up shop. “You have to really, re- “ e Santa Monica demographic is so interesting,” to the tune of about 100,000 people on average — to ride ally, really want to open a store in Santa Monica,” said Alison said Andrew Smith, co-owner of Bike Attack and Bike anywhere from 6 to 8 miles of city streets closed to tra c. Letson, co-owner of Bike E ect. Attack Electric+. “It’s like a socioeconomic experiment. However, as the city of L.A. proper works to make Despite the bureaucracy, there are about 13 bike You’ve got a guy with two Ph.D.s in a $2 million condo its streets safer via a number of initiatives like “road di- shops in a 3-mile radius in Santa Monica. Most have and his neighbor door in the same building is on ets,” where a lane will be removed to make way carved out their niche and seem to be  ourishing in the Section 8 food stamps.  ey’re almost sharing dwellings.” for a bike lane and to slow tra c down, another chal- a uent community.  is dichotomy is also a factor when it comes to lenge emerges: 88 municipalities all have di erent plans As such, it wouldn’t be a Dealer Tour in L.A. without cycling in Los Angeles. Like any region with a large for implementing infrastructure and it comes down to some talk of Tinsel Town. Westside retailers in particular population spread across diverse topography and demo- who’s in charge and how they feel about cycling. In many see so many celebrities in their stores, they start to lose track. graphics, the cross section of who’s riding and why is as cases, it’s a lack of a plan that’s also holding them back. “Josh Brolin lives across the street, he’s in here all varied as the squares of a patchwork quilt. From wealthy “Most of the 88 municipalities have no idea how to im- the t i m e ,” said Ericson Monsalud, co-owner of Bike At- weekend warriors to pro racers and avid enthusiasts to plement infrastructure and they can’t even get the funding tack. “We have everyone: Tia Leone and Pamela Ander- commuters and so-called “invisible cyclists” riding out of without a plan in place, so creating more chapters to help son, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson — I even forget necessity, name a type of cyclist and L.A. County has it. them is a big goal for u s ,” said Colin Bogart, education di- their names.” But because it is perhaps one of the most -centric rector at the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition. “One time we had some super celebrity in here. I couldn’t regions in the U.S., if not the world, L.A. isn’t the  rst So leave one city and cyclists may  nd themselves believe it — the paparazzi were climbing on our roof and in city that springs to mind when talking about bike friend- high and dry on a busy street. “ ere are more than a few the window taking photos. And we were like, ‘Wait, which liness. Busy streets, hustle and bustle and the sheer ex- bike paths to nowhere,” added Riddle. “You’ ll be riding on one is it?’ ” added Monsalud. “ ere was this French family panse of L.A. County make most people reach for their a beautiful path and it will suddenly end because you’ve in the store and so we thought, ‘Is it the woman, the kid or car keys before their bike helmet. crossed into another c it y.” the guy?’ It turned out the dude had played with the Rolling “Since the 1950s, it’s become the land of the f re e w ay,” For all the infrastructure challenges facing L.A. County, Stones and we didn’t even know. We just treat them n or m a l .” said Jon Riddle, author of “Where to Bike Los Angeles” life seems to be pretty good for bike retail in La La Land. Such is life in the City of Angels. and a ride guide and volunteer for the L.A. County Bicy- With a dense population with a growing desire to escape cle Coalition. “But it’s not only the freeways that chop up the shackles of oppressive tra c, there appears to be ample Editor’s note: Our group also visited Cynergy Cycles, but the city and make building bike infrastructure di cult, opportunity for retailers of all shapes and sizes. the shop declined to be part of our print coverage. DT Los Angeles Dealer Tour

rom humble beginnings as a small store on Wilshire FBoulevard in Santa Monica, owned by Helen and Helen’s Cycles Ted rockmorton in 1936, Helen’s Cycles has grown Employees:  at all six locations;  at Santa Monica store and evolved with each passing decade, but retained Sales floor space: , square feet; , square feet for the name of its original founder. Today, Helen’s has six entire building (Santa Monica) stores in the L.A. region. Years in business:  During the BRAIN Dealer Tour, our group visited Emphasis: full service six-store chain catering to all levels Helen’s expansive three-oor Santa Monica store on and disciplines Broadway. Most of the business’ inventory arrives at Main brands: Trek, Cannondale, Santa Cruz, , this location, which serves as a warehouse and distribu- , and Electra tion center for all the other stores, said Jay Wol, who Owner: Jay Wolff (became full owner in ‰  ) started working at Helen’s Cycles in 1987, and is now the company’s owner. Among Helen’s veteran service staff, the average Wol, who was born in Augusta, Georgia, moved tenure is ­€ years, owner Jay Wolff said. to California when he was 26 aer working at Capitol Cyclery — a combination baby, toy and bike store — in been fortunate to Lafayette, Louisiana. He knew the L.A. cycling market have the size, money was growing, and saw his opportunity to run a larger and foundation to business. achieve t h at .” When he started, Helen’s Cycles, then a Schwinn Being in the store under Karen and Duane Stier ownership, had L.A. market, Helen’s only two stores in Westwood and Santa Monica. Under Cycles does a fair Wol, the business opened stores in Manhattan Beach amount of business in 1989, Marina del Rey in 1991, and Arcadia in 1999. with local celebri- e acquisition of I. Martin in 2003 expanded ties who frequent About half of annual sales for the six-store Helen’s its footprint into Hollywood (see related story). Wol several of its stores. Cycles chain is generated at the ‚‚,€€€-square-foot also grew sales to more than $15 million annually for But it protects their Santa Monica location. the business, about half of which is generated at the privacy — you won’t Santa Monica store. Increasing his interest in within a three-mile radius. see many signed and the company with each new Wol grew his ownership stake in the company framed photos of expansion, Jay Wolff took “Competition is good, but too much competition with each expansion, until he bought it out entirely in these stars at the San- full ownership of Helen’s is challenging,” Wol said. “A lot of things we’ve done, 2010. ta Monica store. Cycles in ­€‚€. people have come in and copied.” Helen’s Cycles is known for its high-end business, Helen’s Cycles has So Wol is careful not to divulge many details about but Wol stresses that his stores cater to all types of also been a strong supporter of local teams and clubs, what makes Helen’s successful. riders, ages and budgets. “While Helen’s sells many working with about 2,000 riders in the area to provide Wol points to areas such as e-bikes that show $10,000 bikes, it also moves a ton of kids’ bikes and custom kits and discounts on products. And the stores growth potential. And, at the end of the day, he says cruisers. at range of service and product is both a donate product to local schools, charitable organiza- success comes down to his employees and the experi- challenge and a blessing,” Wol noted. tions and groups including the Boys and Girls Club and ence they provide. “We might have more high-end bikes in our [Santa the L.A. Fire Department. “We’re blessed in that our service sta, their average Monica] mezzanine than most bike stores have, but we Helen’s Cycles is perhaps the area’s highest-volume tenure is 20 years. Six guys have 25-plus years with u s ,” do have more of all types of bikes for everybody. I don’t specialty retailer (the Santa Monica store sells 200 bikes Wol said. “ ey’re consistent and have a huge follow- want to call myself a high-end store. What is great with during Helen’s annual six-hour sale each July 4). But ing. ey’re the foundation of our business.” Helen’s Cycles is its ability to oer a choice of several as Santa Monica continues to add bike infrastructure, Next year, Helen’s will celebrate its 80th year in brands. e core of our business is family and every- new stores have opened and competition has stiened, business, and Wol plans to mark the milestone in a thing else branches o from t h e re ,” Wol said. “We’ve Wol said, adding that about 13 stores do business special way.

I. Martin Bicycles erving West Hol- Slywood, Beverly Employees: Š Hills and surround- Sales floor space: , square feet ing communities, I. Emphasis: Full-service shop (part of the Helen’s Cycles chain) Martin Bicycles has Years in business: ŠŠ (‰ under current ownership) operated on busy Main brands: Trek, Cannondale, Linus, Pinarello, Colnago, Beverly Boulevard Santa Cruz since 1971. Owner: Jay Wolff Founder Marty Feldberg started the shop as I. Martin Imports, bringing in Store manager Jaime DeLaCruz has been with Helen’s European bikes and Founded in ‚„ ‚, I. Martin Cycles since ‚„„„. components — most- was acquired by Helen’s ly Italian wares from Cycles in ­€€‡. “We denitely added more commuter, more city to the likes of Campag- the mix, as well as road bikes. We also beefed up apparel nolo, Masi and Fuso — on biannual trips overseas, then and shoes. For parts and accessories, we stayed pretty distributing them in the U.S. much the same. ey were doing a fair amount of road Multi-store L.A. retailer Helen’s Cycles acquired the business at that time as far as repairs. I just think the shop in 2003, but retained the I. Martin name to pre- manager before us was really xated on mountain bik- serve its heritage, store manager Jaime DeLaCruz said. ing too much and didn’t see the big picture,” said DeLa- Since the change in ownership, Helen’s has brought Cruz, who joined Helen’s agship location in Santa primary brand Trek into the location, given the store Monica in 1999. two extensive interior remodels to open up the space About three years ago, I. Martin increased its focus and streamline merchandising, and changed the o- on the women’s market, adding a greater selection of road-heavy mix of bike on the sales oor. Without large apparel and women’s-specic bikes. “We’ve got dedi- The shop has about ­ ‹ bikes on its ‹,€€€-square-foot trail networks nearby, mountain bikes can be a tough cated women’s bikes from $699 to $6,000,” DeLaCruz sales floor. sell at the location, DeLaCruz noted. said. December ,  DT Los Angeles Dealer Tour

few months a er completing a yearlong oor- me ride it. He pulled it out enthusiastically and let me A to-ceiling remodel at your shop, do you just sit try it ,” he recalled. Wheel World tight and reap the rewards of your labors? Not if you’re “I think the mid-drive motor solidied that the Employees:  at Woodland Hills location;  overall Wheel World co-owner Kyle Paulson. technology is now legitimate, and the way the electric Sales floor space: , square feet in Woodland Hills, “We’re about to remodel our remodel,” he said at assist is integrated into the whole bicycle package is plus ,-square-foot showroom in Culver City Wheel World’s Woodland Hills location. nally right,” Paulson added. Emphasis: Full-service road, mountain and family shop And it’s no mere cosmetic touch-up he’s talking In addition to remodeling sections of its brick- Years in business:  in Culver City ( under current about. Rather, Paulson is making way for an entirely and-mortar stores, Wheel World is also revamp- ownership);  at Woodland Hills location new category at his two locations, which also include ing its website to include a separate site for its new Main brands: Specialized, Giant, Felt, Electra, Haibike, iZip a store in Culver City: pavement and o-road e-bikes. e-bike business. Paulson hopes to have all the work Owners: Robert and Kyle Paulson “I feel like e-bikes are the future of our i n du s t r y,” completed by Dec. 11. He plans to carry electrics from he said. longtime supplier Specialized as well as Felt, Haibike Seeing the and iZip. Bosch mid- Paulson and his sta have been getting up to speed drive mo- on e-bike technology through training with Bosch, tor rsthand and he plans to do the same with Yamaha for the this summer Haibike models sporting the Japanese manufacturer’s was the light- motors. bulb moment “I think that our Culver City store is positioned to for Paulson, be strong in the commuter segment, and I think that whose fam- our Woodland Hills location will be strong in the o- ily has owned 70-year-old Wheel World since 1975. “It was in our parking Co-owner Kyle Paulson — who operates Wheel World lot, and the with his father, Robert — is betting big on pavement and off-road e-bikes heading into ­€‚ƒ. “When that segment bike was in finally takes off, I want to be fully immersed,” he said. the back of a guy’s truck. I noticed that road segment,” Paulson predicted. at mirrors the As part of its remodel completed in the motor and two stores’ current strengths in traditional bikes. June, Wheel World Woodland Hills the battery in- “We’re going to have a big push on the off-road tore out the drop ceiling in its main tegrated into The Woodland Hills remodel also included creation of stuff, and I think it’s going to get a lot of attention showroom to create space for ‹‹ the frame, and a new apparel department as well as a checkout sta- if we can get some people out there on the bikes. I percent more bikes. The shop now I asked the tion for test rides and a separate check-in station for think over time it’s going be pretty significant,” Paul- floors more than ‹€€ bikes. service. guy if h e’d let son added.

ituated in Old Town Calabasas, brings in high-end steel frames from Pedalers Fork Sdestination restaurant, bar, café Chris King’s Cielo label, custom car- Employees:  (bike shop only); about  for restaurant, and bike shop Pedalers Fork is all bon road frames from Argonaut, and bar, café and coffee roaster about sharing the cycling culture — Cannondale’s Black Inc. line of top- Shop space: -square-foot open-front shop facing onto not just among fellow cyclists, but with end road and mountain bikes. restaurant patio with bike display the non-pedaling public as well. “e shop oers more niches Years in business: ½ “We are in the heart of the riding. n ow,” Kleinman said. “Cannondale Emphasis: Boutique road and mountain shop; part of We decided to open out here because has beautifully completed our oer- cycling-themed concept that includes a restaurant, bar, café the area needed great food but it also ing, especially with full-suspension and coffee roaster has amazing riding,” owner and avid mountain bikes.” Main brands: Moots, Cannondale, Cielo, Argonaut cyclist Robbie Schaeer said of his Kleinman is quick to point out Owner: Robbie Schaeffer cycling-themed “lifestyle concept” that with Cannondale, Pedalers Fork nestled against the Santa Monica An avid cyclist, owner Rob- is selling only the premium Black Inc. Mountains, home to miles upon miles bie Schaeffer left his career line, and is not interested in compet- of prime road and . in the cosmetics industry to ing with the brand’s full-line dealers. Events are a big part of the vibe at launch Pedalers Fork in ­€‚‹. “We’ve always considered ourselves Pedalers Fork. In addition to weekly a boutique, and I think that’s why other road and mountain bike rides, Pedalers Fork has host- shops get along so well with us — because we aren’t go- ed bicycle swap meets, pro team launches, route an- ing a er their bread and butt e r,” he said. nouncements for the Amgen Tour of California, and numerous other events. e bike retail element of Pedalers Fork, which generates about 15 to 20 percent of overall revenue, consists of a 500-square-foot service shop and high- end boutique that faces onto a creekside dining pa- tio. Service customers and diners can sit at bar stools at the low shop counter and watch master mechanic Mike Kalenda, the shop’s sole employee, turn wrench- es on their bikes or build high-end custom wheels. e shop launched exclusively as a Moots boutique, reecting Schaeer’s desire to highlight locally sourced products like his farm-to-table restaurant does. But the The cycling-themed “lifestyle concept” in Old Town mono-brand approach wasn’t what customers wanted, The ‘€€-square-foot shop at Pedalers Fork opens onto Calabasas features — in addition to bike retail and a patio and features a low counter and barstools for service — a restaurant, bar, café and coffee roaster. said Pedalers Fork co-creator Gideon Kleinman. So to diners and bike customers. complement Moots titanium oerings, the shop now DT Los Angeles Dealer Tour

Most utilities — from lighting to temperature to mu- Newbury Park Bicycle Shop sic — are controlled by the computerized Savant system, Employees:  which Cox and Cicchi spent about $250,000 to install. Sales floor space: , “When we add other stores, everything can be con- Time in business:  years trolled remotely from one system — that’s why we did Emphasis: Road, mountain, family it. I can shut everything o with my phone,” said Cox, Main brands: Giant, Cannondale, Liv, Felt as he powered down all the lights in the store. “A n d the Owner: Ben Cox and Mike Cicchi computers regulate light levels that change throughout the day and control the lights automatically.” Even though the store’s square footage has been doubled, utility costs are lower. Sections of block wall were also cut out to add more windows, and a shipping and receiving area was built at the back of the store. An employee eating area outside also doubles as space for clinics and other events. An upper level features a meeting room, show- ers, storage and o ces, and downstairs, a water bot- Newbury Park Bicycle Shop recently moved into its new tle rell station is plumbed into the wall next to the building a stone’s throw from its previous location. shop’s training room, which will be powered by the shop’s data room. Once complete, it will have computrainers and a Hypoxico system, al- Co-owner Ben Cox became a partner in Newbury Park lowing riders to simu- Bicycle Shop in ŒŽŽ‘. late training at altitude. In its former space two doors down, cus- ow in its fourth location in the same shopping tomers could choose Ncenter since it opened in 1966, Newbury Park Bi- from about 500 bikes cycle Shop may have found its forever home. Following on the retail sales oor an extensive renovation of a former Post O ce, owners at any given time. Ben Cox and Mike Cicchi moved the store into its new In the new building, digs in April. NPBS stocks the same e design and build-out took about 14 months, number, but with more but the wait was worth it. e new store — nearly twice room to breathe. as big as the previous space at 9,300 square feet — is “In our old store, we open, airy and armed with state-of-the-art, energy- had to go up with the e cient technology. bikes,” Cox said. “Now Several solar tubes drop down from the store’s ceil- we have nice lines of ing, reecting the sun’s rays captured in domed lenses sight and it’s open, but on the roof and piping in natural light. Long overhead we didn’t have to re- lights like uorescents at rst glance, but they’re duce the number of Renovation of the space included adding energy efficient solar tubes to pipe in natural all LEDs. bikes.” light and LEDs, all controlled by a smartphone. Mavic’s La Maison Jaune reconnects brand with US racing

t’s not actually located in a yellow house, but the interior Iof Mavic’s La Maison Jaune (Yellow House) in New- bury Park, California, is bathed in the iconic company color. Everything is yellow, down to the custom Italian espresso machine. A garage bay in the back houses trail- ers, workstations, the yellow support car and motos, and everything else necessary to provide neutral support for local races and events. “Mavic invented the idea of neutral support in 1973,” said brand manager Mike Wilson, who started at the com- pany six months ago. “We may be 126 years old, but we have a new attitude. We want to put yellow vehicles out there to be able to support riders in all kinds of events.” Mavic recently supported the Mike Nosco memorial ride in Newbury Park and Bicycle Retailer’s L.A. Dealer Mavic’s Yellow House in Newbury Park bleeds le sang Tour. Riders and guides agreed that crossing Los Angeles jaune (yellow blood). It serves as headquarters for the with an impossible-to-miss canary yellow car loaded with historically French brand’s West Coast neutral race sup- All manner of Mavic product is on display at La Maison bikes and wheels tailing the group made the trip feel safer. operations. Jaune. Wilson also said that Mavic will soon announce a new partnership with USA Cycling and its sponsorship of the gram for retailers. It will select 12 to 15 rides with at least also working on unifying its branding, starting with a new Tour of Utah. 40 participants across the country that start and nish at a logo that all products will share. “We will provide o cial neutral support,” he said. “We dealer. e yellow motos and car will make a surprise ap- “Our products are evolving rapidly. ree new full- are excited to be going back to racing, back to our roots. pearance to provide support. carbon wheels will land in the next nine months, things It’s important to u s .” La Maison Jaune also includes a bright showroom we’ve never done b e fore ,” Wilson said. “We’ve been doing Mavic will also launch the Mavic Surprise Ride pro- where all manner of Mavic product is on display. Mavic is our homework and are putting it all together.” MORNING ROUTINE

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c_15_EU_Habit_Ad_BRAIN.indd 1 11/17/15 3:20 PM DT Los Angeles Dealer Tour

teven Carre compares his role as a bike tter to that ting services and custom bikes. e 2,000-square-foot Sof a top chef at a gourmet restaurant. “We strive to store, which recently celebrated its h year in busi- Bike Effect be the Michelin three-star equivalent in tt i n g ,” Carre ness, has expanded beyond its “ t studio” origins. Now Employees: said. the store has an expanded service area and stocks some Sales floor space: , square feet A former Cynergy Cycles employee and a renowned Parlee, Moots and BMC bikes — its “anchor” brands — Emphasis: Boutique specializing in bike fitting t guru in the L.A. region, Carre opened one of Santa and a sliver of others like Guru that oer customizable Years in business: Monica’s newest shops — Bike Eect — to oer bike t- geometry. Main brands: Moots, BMC, Cervélo, Guru, Parlee Like the bikes it custom builds and ts to clients, Owners: Alison Letson, Steven Carre Bike Eect stands out for its sleek merchandising and xtures. From bamboo oors to its espresso bar, pow- ered Park Tool repair stands to a custom water fountain for riders who drop in to re ll bottles, the store exudes a luxurious shopping experience and aesthetic. “We both like clean, modern design — this was a t studio,” said Alison Letson, co-owner. “We never wanted to have a bike shop. is is a boutique and we build relationships.” Carre uses an array of tting tools but said ultimate- ly the process relies on the knowledge of the person do- ing the t. “e term bike t is used incredibly loosely these days,” Carre said. “ere’s no magic system. It always comes down to person doing it. I have an un- derstanding of human anatomy and dynamics. ese tools make my job easier and more fun and allow me to communicate to the client what I’m doing.” Owners Alison Letson and Steven Carre — the latter a Fits range from $250 to $400 — a four-hour process noted L.A.-area fit expert — recently celebrated their that includes an extensive cleat and shoe t. fifth year in business at Bike Effect. Carre served as a tank manager in the Marines in Operation Desert Storm. When he returned, he trained as an EMT but at the time there were no openings in proach to tting. Southern California. He worked as a rock-climbing “Whatever he does, he does it the best he possibly can and he will take you there as w e l l ,” said Letson. Originally founded as a dedicated fit studio, Bike Effect guide until he took up cycling. While working for Su- has expanded into service and retail. pergo in Santa Monica he trained on the bike tting. “People come here to see Steven because of what he com system, which was the start of his disciplined ap- knows and does.”

espite the store name, which speaks to committed tives in their store to make it easier Driders, Serious Cycling owners Scott and Jennifer for people to get started on the bike. Johnson are passionate about welcoming newcomers to Its Smart Start Cycling program in- the sport and growing cycling in the Conejo Valley. cludes everything riders need to roll, e Johnsons have implemented various initia- including riding safety lessons. “ere aren’t really any big chal- Serious Cycling lenges or barriers speci c to this Employees:  area, not that are dierent from what the industry faces in general. In fact, Sales floor space: ,  square feet in Agoura, , we’ve got a community rich in cy- square feet in Northridge cling and more people are discover- Emphasis: Premier lifestyle, high-end road and mountain ing it all the time, in part because of shop our dedication to growing the love of Years in business: ƒ cycling,” Scott said. Main brands: BMC, Scott, Pinarello, Cervélo, Cipollini, Sarto, A former executive in the video Pure Fix, Electra game industry, Scott was a junior cy- Owners: Scott and Jennifer Johnson clist who grew up racing and train- ing. He quit cycling in college but returned to the sport in his late 30s. He and his wife, Jennifer, opened The mandate is simple at Serious Cycling, which, in contrast with the Serious Cycling seven years ago in a shop’s name, is committed to bringing newcomers into cycling while also location that had previously been a serving hard-core riders. bike shop, Agoura Cycling. Jennifer, who rode a tandem with Scott for two years before getting her own bike, now is splits into three groups, and sponsors an active club one of four sta members with a USA Cycling coach- whose members sign a credo pledging they will ride ing license. She leads beginner rides and helps teach responsibly. etiquette, road skills and safety clinics with their As a newcomer to retail, Scott said data manage- coach, Kathy McCormick. ment of more than 15,000 SKUs has been a challenge. When their three daughters got into riding as well, “I’ve always worked a lot. But I’m surprised by how Scott realized the store needed to also cater to women. much work retail i s ,” he said. “I’m surrounded by women in my life, so including But he’s not scared o. A year ago, the Johnsons their perspective in what we do is natural, e a s y,” he said. opened a second location in Northridge in a mixed- Serious hosts rides for all levels including a “Birds use building. e new store has a swanky modern de- Husband and wife Scott and Jennifer Johnson opened of a Feather” women’s group ride Tuesday mornings sign and — like the Agoura Hills location — has its their Agoura Hills store in ††‡, and last year ex- right aer school drop-o. “A lot of us moms can’t ride service area in the middle of the retail oor. “at’s panded to a second location about † miles away in on weekends,” Jennifer said. In addition, Serious hosts the heart of everything,” said Scott, comparing it to a Northridge. weekly beginner no-drop rides and a Saturday ride that sushi bar. DON’T JUST BE SEEN, BE NOTICED. On dark roads filled with distracted drivers, visibility is how you stay alive. SUGOi’s award-winning DAY NIGHT Zap Collection provides explosive full garment illumination, visible from every angle. Combined with 100% waterproof protection and thermal warmth, it’s the ultimate survival kit. Zap Bike Jacket: MSRP $150.00 For details, contact Cycling Sports Group: 1.800.726.BIKE (2453) | [email protected] | www.cyclingsportsgroup.com | New Dealer inquiries welcome

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hile working at Trader Joe’s together in the early store, located in an old W1990s, Mark Smits and Dominic Galenti started , is Incycle’s Incycle Bicycles mountain biking in their free time. Not only did the largest at 12,000 square Employees:  (across four stores) sport lead to a lifelong love for cycling, it morphed into feet, and it stocks about Sales floor space: , square feet (Pasadena); , a new career. 400 bikes on the oor. square feet (San Dimas); , square feet (Rancho “We started looking around at local stores and A team of 30 keeps the Cucamonga); , square feet (Chino Hills) thought we could do it a little better. I was young and store running, from Years in business:  dumb and thought, ‘Why not?’ ” said Smits, who was merchandising to ser- Emphasis: Mountain, road, lifestyle, family 19 at the time. vice, which comprises Main brands: Specialized, Cannondale, Pivot, Intense, ey opened Incycle Bicycles in San Dimas, Cali- about 14 percent of its Colnago fornia, in 1991. Since then, they’ve expanded to four business. Owners: Mark Smits, Dominic Galenti stores in L.A. and Riverside counties, most recently in Bike building Chino Hills in 2010. for all four stores Incycle Bicycles co-owner “It’s been a fun ride. We had no idea what we were is done o-site at a Mark Smits opened the doing, but we took care of every customer and we kept 12,000-square-foot store in ‡ˆˆ‡ at age ‡ˆ. them h appy,” Smits said. “A n d we kept riding.” warehouse in San Di- Smits and Galenti dub the store as “rider owned and mas. And while Smits admits that having a warehouse operated,” and the name Incycle is a play on being “into cycling.” Smits said they also strive to stay in touch with trends as they evolve. ough it started as a moun- tain bike store, Incycle is now a family store “that’s not afraid of the high e n d .” “It’s an exciting time in the i n du s t r y,” Smits said. “Lots of one-o designers are coming in and you see some small guys Located in a former train depot, Incycle’s Pasadena getting a shot at it, garage companies store is its largest. It moved into its current space five getting a shot at it because some of the years ago. bigger players took their eye o that ball, whether it be an MTB platform or what- ever. And a lot of consumers are looking to feed all four stores isn’t a perfect system, it works. for that, wanting something unique.” “We do a lot of transfers, but I think we can keep Incycle’s brand mix has shied over the customers h appy,” he said. “If a customer is spending a years, but it has been a longtime Special- Incycle is a family bike shop, but it also caters to the high end, stocking lot of money on a bike, I don’t want them to have to wait ized and Cannondale dealer. e Pasadena an array of road and triathlon bikes and gear. a week to get it .”

rach Gevrikyan started racing road bikes in his Velo Pasadena with his wife, Nevrick. Hnative Armenia when he was 12 years old. His From day one, it has been a family af- success would bring him to the U.S. in 1980, where he fair. Matt handles all the buying and raced alongside Greg LeMond in the 1981 pro Coors daily shop operation, while Hrach does Classic. the books and tends to customers or “He nished 15th in that race, a few spots ahead wrenches as needed. Mother Nevrick, of Andy Hampsten,” said Matt Gevrikyan, Hrach’s son who also grew up in Armenia, bounces who runs the day-to-day at Velo Pasadena. “He might between Velo Studio, which opened in brag about that a little.” 2010 near Los Angeles’ Grith Park, and But injury sidelined Hrach, and in 1988, he opened Velo Pasadena to take care of scheduling and anything else that’s needed. “I was pretty much born in the shop. Velo Pasadena I’ve spent my whole life h e re ,” said Matt, Employees:  now 24. “I appreciate it more now that Sales floor space: „, square feet including basement and I’ve started riding more seriously. And storage (Pasadena); , square feet, Velo Studio it’s cool because I get to spend more time (Los Angeles) with my d a d .” Hrach’s interest in racing was rekin- Part museum, part bike shop: A fraction of Velo Pasadena owner Hrach Years in business: „ Gevrikyan’s collection of vintage bikes is on display. Emphasis: High-end road dled in earnest when Matt began racing Main brands: Felt, Specialized, Colnago, Time, Pinarello, De Rosa three years ago. Now 56, Hrach helped Owner: Hrach and Nevrick Gevrikyan Matt win his class at the Manhattan Beach Classic in a vast collection of frames and components, many of 2014. “It was the best which are still in their original packaging. race of my life, lead- “A few years ago, Mr. Colnago walked into the store ing him out and help- and just kept saying ‘museum, museum’ over and over. ing him win,” said He couldn’t believe it ,” Hrach said. “He wanted to sign Hrach. all the restored Colnagos I h av e .” But Hrach’s pas- And Hrach said it’s this very commitment to the sion for the sport road market — even during cyclical downturns — that is perhaps best ex- sets Velo Pasadena apart. pressed by his love “We’ve never forgotten it. Triathlon came on strong for collecting vintage in the 1980s, mountain biking was big in the early bikes. A handful of 1990s, and everyone forgot the ro a d ,” he said. “But we Hrach’s complete never forgot the road market. It’s what we like to do and bikes — about 110 Matt Gevrikyan, owner what we love. strong and growing Hrach Gevrikyan’s son, “It’s in our hearts and souls, working in our com- Velo Pasadena caters to road cyclists, offering high-end munity,” Hrach added. “It’s not just about being a bike service, Retül bike fitting and stocking a full array of — are on display in handles the purchasing and apparel and accessories. the store. He also has manages daily operations. shop. It’s about being there for everybody.” CANNONDALE’S PEAK PROTECTION IN ACTION

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By Toby Hill disc brake model — for every other bike moved out of the shop’s front door. er El Maestro Bicycle Shop’s build- Masjedi estimates that about 80 Aing in the Pico-Union district of Los percent of his customers are regular Angeles got taken over to create new bike commuters, riding singlespeeds, parking around the Staples Center , 7-speeds, folding bikes and e-bikes. But the retailer moved all of its business to its he’s also seen his road sales come on second location on Main Street in central strong in recent years, as that core base downtown in 2003. For several years, the of transportation riders expands into rec- shop specializing in service, commuter reational riding on the weekend — much bikes and custom builds had no competi- like Masjedi himself. tion nearby. At El Maestro, the average bike sale But before the “aughts” wound down, comes in at $280 to $300, Sosa said. Top new bike retailers had started moving brands include KHS, Redline, Leader and into the downtown core, and the area is local Southern California labels Aventon now home to a handful of shops coexist- and Pure Fix. e shop also orders in ing in their own unique niches. Bianchi frames for higher-end custom “Here’s where we discovered and builds topping out around $1,000. And a Opened in , Just Ride LA specializes in road bikes under , and hybrids. jumped on the whole xie scene, around commuter-heavy clientele keeps the reg- late 2005. Fixies caught everyone’s atten- ister ringing with sales for pumps, lights, was this October. Even shops outside of in both yoga and the martial arts to in- tion with the way the bike looked — so locks and tools. downtown benet from the ve-year-old crease customers’ exibility and improve simple,” said Manny Sosa, El Maestro’s At commuter and road enthusiast event. comfort on the bike. manager. shop Just Ride LA, which opened in 2010 “It’s been really good for me every “A lot of runners come into cycling Rodney Masje- on Hill Street next time they do the downtown on e ,” said and they’re tight. In cycling you don’t have di, owner of DTLA to the Santa Mon- Josef Bray-Ali, owner of Flying Pigeon to be super loose, but it can help,” he said. Bikes, also saw the ica (10) Freeway, LA in the Cypress Park neighborhood Farahirad also recently expanded his rise of xies and the sweet spot is northeast of downtown. “e pressure rental eet, adding Giant’s Momentum singlespeeds as a road bikes under the neighbors feel like, ‘Oh, I’ve gotta go city bikes to his lineup of road bikes, tan- catalyzing moment $2,000, plus hy- to CicLAvia,’ really does boost my busi- dems and singlespeeds. for cycling in Los brids, owner Dan- ness. It’s substantial for me. Not only do To augment its service business, El Angeles. “I fell in ny Farahirad said. I go to the event all the time, I feel it im- Maestro launched a mobile repair van a love with bikes go- Customers won’t mediately at the shop.” year ago. In addition to calling on indi- ing to school in nd any road At DTLA Bikes, Masjedi does a tidy vidual customers at their homes, the van the Netherlands bikes over $3,000 business renting out bikes for CicLA- provides on-site service for corporate cli- and seeing how the on the sales oor. via. He recently imported a container of ents including Hollywood production stu- Dutch used them “e work- Chinese city bikes to add to his eet, and dios and the Los Angeles Department of in their daily lives. ing class is really estimates he sent out 300 rentals for the Water and Power. It also oers pick-up and People didn’t ride in our clientele,” said CicLAvia in October. return of bikes for more complex jobs. L.A. back then, but Farahirad, who A er opening in his massive base- then singlespeeds carries brands ment space in 2008, Masjedi expanded DTLA Bikes two years later to the ground really brought rid- Father and son Jorge and Manny Sosa including Giant, ing onto the scene,” of El Maestro Bicycle Shop on Main Felt, Specialized, oor of the building, which now houses he said. Street Jamis, , his main showroom. Several hundred Working in State Bicycle Co. bikes are stored in the basement, cur- commercial real estate at the time, Masje- and SE Racing. rently undergoing renovation. di was trying to lease out a 10,000-square- He has also dabbled in e-bikes for the He’s also in the midst of expanding foot basement on Broadway downtown past year. “I haven’t sold a lot, but it’s some- into the building’s mezzanine, upping his when, in 2008, he decided to take the thing I’ve got to h av e ,” Farahirad said. total space to 19,000 square feet. When space for himself and open DTLA Bikes the expansion is completed, Masjedi will — complete with an indoor test track. WRENCHES AT THE READY have a 4,000-square-foot high-end road “e track was perfect for rst-time e downtown shops rely on service and mountain bike showroom in the riders. One customer brought her hus- as a major revenue center. mezzanine, a 5,000-square-foot ground band in twice a week to learn to ride be- Half of El Maestro’s sales are derived oor stocked with commuter bikes and cause she was already a cyclist,” he said. from repairs and service, said manager accessories, and the 10,000-square-foot Masjedi built his business around Sosa, son of “El Maestro” himself. at’s basement dedicated to track bikes and the sourcing his own Chinese-made xies shop owner Jorge Sosa, a Salvadoran im- shop’s test track. and singlespeeds under the DTLA Bikes migrant who earned the nickname from He’s also looking to expand DTLA brand. He lined up his rst supplier af- DTLA Bikes owner Rodney Masjedi to a second store, but hasn’t settled on a his mastery repairing bikes before he shows off one of his shop-brand sin- ter attending the Cycle show in even opened his rst shop. glespeeds in his ,-square-foot location. Shanghai. Today, Masjedi sources alumi- Service also accounts for half of sales basement space, which also houses a In the meantime, Masjedi’s Broadway num and steel bikes from three dierent at DTLA Bikes, where owner Masjedi has test track. location is in the heart of a neighborhood factories overseas. He attends the Shang- two or three mechanics working full time transformation fueled by L.A. Councilman hai show every year to keep up on trends. every day. Half of his mechanics are Shi- Jose Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway ini- “I’m naturally an importer. I like mano certied, and all have many years EXPANDING SPACE, SERVICES tiative. Launched in 2008, the 10-year plan choosing all the parts and looking a er of experience, he said. To retain them, he In only ve years, Just Ride LA has aims to revitalize the Broadway corridor by the quality,” Masjedi said. pays above market rate, Masjedi added. expanded twice to fan out over a total reactivating historic theaters and movie pal- He also carries Cannondale, Bianchi, Los Angeles’ thrice-a-year CicLAvia of 4,000 square feet. About ve months aces and boosting business occupancy and Pure Fix, Raleigh and recent addition Or- open-street events bring a rush of busi- ago, owner Farahirad built out a new t commerce in more than 1 million square bea, but still sells 10 DTLA-branded bikes ness to the downtown shops’ service de- studio, where he employs Specialized’s feet of vacant commercial space. — priced from $299 for his agship steel partments — especially for the “Heart of BG Fit method and also incorporates his “Broadway is going to be the retail cen- xie up to $650 for an alloy hydraulic L A” version held in the city center, as it knowledge from working as an instructor ter of downtown,” Masjedi said. December ,  DT  Los Angeles Dealer Tour

lying Pigeon LA has undergone several transfor- He also o ers cargo bikes, but not to the extent Fmations since starting out in 2008 as a modest he once did. A single Babboe front-loader takes up a Flying Pigeon LA shop o ering the Chinese transportation bikes from signi cant portion of his small sales  oor. Employees:  which it takes its name. Almost all those initial Flying “People come in and try it out. Based o that one Sales floor space:  square feet Pigeons — two shipping containers’ worth — are gone cargo trike I’ve sold three or four others.  at’s the Years in business: now, though owner Josef Bray-Ali will still occasionally model I’ve been working with. Same with Yuba: I’ve Emphasis: Commuter/transportation, cargo unbox and build one on request. got one Boda Boda and one Mundo here, and people Main brands: XDS, Brompton, Yuba, Babboe For a time, Bray-Ali also did a brisk business sell- come and take them for test rides and I order based on Owner: Josef Bray-Ali ing high-end Dutch city bikes from such brands as Pa- that, because I can’t a ord to have  ve of them here, shley, Bobbin and Gazelle, but saw that business dry unfortunately,” Bray-Ali said. up. Flying Pigeon became famous for its dim sum “ ere was a market for a premium Dutch bike for rides and art gallery bike tours, but Bray-Ali recently maybe two or three years.  en all the copycat bikes discontinued the former and handed o the latter to came on the scene and everything changed.  at was a friend when the rides stopped attracting new cus- 2012, and the Dutch thing was very much ov e r,” he tomers. Now he’s considering relaunching foodie, ar- said. chitectural and historical tours, but working on the  at same year, Flying Pigeon relocated to its cur- back end of the operation rather than guiding them rent space in a working-class neighborhood on the himself. Eastern edge of Los Angeles next to a café that serves as the shop’s de facto waiting room for service. A one- man operation, Bray-Ali gives priority to his strong customer base of daily commuters, who o en need repairs right away to get to work. “ ose customers pay my bills in a lot of ways,” he said. “A big part of this shop is being able to quickly assess and repair bikes.” Stocking the right bikes has been a long learning process, Bray-Ali admits; if he brings in the stu that’s Flying Pigeon LA owner Josef Bray-Ali with daughter cool to him but it doesn’t sell, what’s the point? Valentina and pooch Rosie in the family cargo bike “ e high end, I just have no interest in anymore. I’m more interested in serving the community I’m in rather than the community I might wish I were in,” “I’d have people who are the art-house or cool kids he said. doing the tours that they’re experts in. And I would So now Bray-Ali’s main line is brand XDS, provide the bikes, do the logistics support, the online which he likes for its strong margins and broad se- After shifting away from premium Dutch city bikes, booking system, the money collection, paying out the Bray-Ali now stocks affordable hybrids and city models lection of city bikes and hybrids at a ordable price from Taiwan brand XDS. money. I have a lot of friends who could do an excel- points. lent tour on a monthly basis,” he said.

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Hutchinson’s Roy Hough (lower left) and PeopleForBikes’ Mitch Marrison turn up the sexy for Dealer Tour L.A. in front The view from inside the Mavic neutral support car as of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. the Dealer Tour crossed L.A.

Rims, spokes and bike chains make for eye-catching chandeliers at I. Martin Bicycles. Photos by Gary Newkirk by Photos L.A. love proudly on display at Bike Attack in Santa Monica Shop dog Toast takes a break the torrid pace of retail at Bike Effect in Santa Monica. December ,  DT  Los Angeles Dealer Tour

Just another dreary day on Los Angeles’ Westside. How do Angelenos ride in this weather?!

Warming up the cup is key when Bike Effect co-owner Steven Carre when he prepares espresso for guests.

Velo Pasadena owner Hrach Gevrykian, an Armenian national road , is immortalized on T-shirts at the shop.

Sunset cruisin’ on the bike path in Santa Monica Day  of Dealer Tour L.A. paused on Hollywood Boulevard to let a Veterans Day protest march pass by. DT  Los Angeles Dealer Tour Savvy retailers flip the script Tour was an eye opener in throughout the City of Angels sponsor’s own back yard ometimes in the industry, we spend so all categories the recurring theme of “we’ve os Angeles was my rst in witnessing a Veterans Day pro- Smuch time studying speci c products, in- learned who our current and potential cus- LBicycle Retailer Dealer Tour. I’d test march, pedaling across the tense competitors, emerging trends and how tomers are in our community and we’re tar- like to think of myself as a veteran Shakespeare Bridge near Franklin to respond/lead, we nd ourselves less con- geting them from every reasonable angle.” of riding bikes in the L.A. area; I Hills, and taking in a lap around nected to the real point of contact: “where the I heard several retailers discussing their ef- grew up racing BMX in local parks the famous Rose Bowl — only in rubber meets the road,” aka our partner deal- forts to lower the barrier of entry to various and commuting to school, and L.A.! ers. bicycle categories — and not just price-wise, have participated in several gran All the great riding aside, vis- is was my rst BRAIN Dealer Tour and but also playing down the “chichi” nature of fondos. However, this Dealer Tour iting the dierent dealers along I was thrilled with the opportunity to be pres- being a road or mountain biker. ey want to opened my eyes to the amazing the way was the most memorable. ent in my new role as brand manager of Mavic make it easier for customers to make correct roads this city has to oer. It was refreshing to see their posi- in the Americas. e idea of riding along with buying/brand decisions while not necessarily e cycling culture in L.A. is tive outlook on the industry and the editors and industry colleagues and mix- having any previous experience. unique in that it has something their enthusiasm for it. e L.A. ing it up with retailers in their home environ- We saw retailers specializing in helping for all riders whether it is rid- area is rich with dealers who ca- ment was pretty exciting. customers make easier decisions — some- ing the bike path along Venice ter to every niche and need of Cutting to the takeaways, we know retail thing the Internet seems to be complicating Beach, rolling down Hollywood cycling. Most impressive is how is evolving. A constant topic of the week was more and more with dozens, if not hundreds, Boulevard or climbing canyon many dealers understand where the Trek decision to begin direct online sales of product reviews, etc. roads through the Santa Monica they t into their marketplace as to consumers. While the retailers’ reactions I think there are more than a few people Mountains. e culture is also ex- well as the many ways they sup- and comments were as diverse as the shops we in the industry who are quick to point to the panding, and I noticed how most port the cycling community from visited, the common threads were the most demise of local retail — or to point to retailers’ people were in support of sharing hosting charity rides and gran thought-provoking: retail experience and con- future pro tability being built on service and the road with our group and other fondos to sponsoring race teams sumer speci city. emerging segments like e-bikes. cyclists. and triathlons and supporting What I saw was retailers changing the con- While there’s certainly some necessity Santa Monica is leading the NICA. versation. No matter whether we were in Bev- for this, I believe there’s also opportunity for way when it comes to that expan- I’ve been a part of Cannon- erly Hills, Pasadena or Newbury Park, it was smart, focused retailing around ongoing, local sion. e city recently launched dale and the cycling industry for clear to see retailers who are becoming true, experience-based purchases ( rst bikes, learn- a new bike share program, and it more than 18 years. I’ve had the professional marketers. We’re talking about ing to group ride, indoor training sessions, has also done a great job of devel- good fortune of riding in some sharply merchandised selling oors portray- bike tuning 101, etc.). At least that was the les- oping green lanes to promote safe of the most amazing places in the ing experiential stories for their consumers. son I learned from the far-ranging retailers in cycling. world, and L.A.’s cycling commu- Example: Most retailers have clearly the City of Angels. Riding the city streets through nity is at the top of my list. moved away from having a “women’s area of Venice, Beverly Hills, Highland the store,” but rather mixing women’s-speci c Park, Eagle Rock and Pasadena products throughout all aspects of the oor — was an unforgettable experience. so that no matter where you might look (as a I’ve driven the famous Holly- consumer), you’ll see a compelling brand or Mike Wilson wood Boulevard countless times, Bill Rudell value product proposition. Regional marketing but it isn’t the same as it is on two Public relations So little of what I discerned on the retail manager, Americas wheels. Taking in all of the land- manager oor was value-related. Rather, we saw across Mavic marks by bike was amazing. Add Cannondale LA is well on its way to Shops see new opportunities being a great bicycle city in challenges facing industry os Angeles may be known inter- working in conjunction with local of- he Los Angeles edition of the BRAIN keeps them coming back — from custom Lnationally as the entertainment cials to make sure that Los Angeles TDealer Tour was certainly one that ts to weekly store rides and community capital of the world, but aer this edi- will become a truly great city for every will be remembered. Aer over 10 shop involvement. And, as simple as it may be, tion of the BRAIN Dealer Tour, it’s bike rider. visits in three unique parts of Los Angeles these retailers have each created a culture safe to say that bicycling can give it a Over the course of the week, we (we learned that more 80 cities make up that was inviting to those who walked in run for its money. e city’s vibrant were treated to a wide variety of retail- L.A. County), we at Hutchinson le with — enthusiasts and beginner cyclists alike. culture and rich history served as a ers ranging from high-end bike tters such a positive perspective of the retail ey put forward a friendly face, a hello stellar backdrop for all the retailers to road-speci c stores and e-bike re- environment and what’s ahead for the in- and the simple question, “Do you need any that we visited during our tour around tailers. rough all of that, one simple dustry. help?” the city. To put it simply, these retail- point rang out during this tour: Bi- From our rst stop at Helen’s Cycles ey say it’s the little things that make ers understand just how important of cycle retailers in Southern California to our last stop at Pedalers Fork, each re- all the dierence, and it’s de nitely true a role this city plays in growing their are stronger than ever. By continuing tailer we met with shared a fresh perspec- among these L.A. retailers. A big thanks to businesses. to serve their customers at the highest tive on how they are tackling the current all of the retailers we visited on our trip, to Despite bicycling infrastructure level, only the sky is the limit for bicy- state of retail. Even when faced with an Bicycle Retailer, and to the other sponsors still being built on the many miles of cling in Los Angeles. ever-changing environment that is creat- for making this journey a memorable one. roadway throughout the city, many re- ing new challenges for the industry — tailers in L.A. are seeing an increase in Internet sales, window-shopping, price bike rides taken. With Santa Monica comparisons, etc. — these retailers were and Venice already having many miles quick to focus on the opportunities these of bicycling infrastructure, the rest of Mitch Marrison changes create. Kaitlyn Phillips the Los Angeles County is quickly fol- Retail program e retailers have used these chal- Marketing and communi- lowing suit. Groups like the Los Ange- coordinator lenges to get better at what they do. ey cations consultant les County Bicycle Coalition are also PeopleForBikes each oer something to customers that Hutchinson Tire N.A. INTRODUCING

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bicycleretailer_fusion5.indd 1 11/20/15 8:22 AM