Riding a bicycle is a simple, timeless pleasure. Choosing one that?s right for you seems to get more complicated every year.
That?s where specialty cycling shops claim an edge over big box stores. In Southwest Florida, several bicycle stores are promoting their knowledge and technology for fitting riders to the wheels of their dreams.
?Clients spend anywhere from one hour to three hours with us, getting completely dialed into their bikes,? said Peter Marsh, general manager at Naples Cyclery at the Pavilion shopping center, north Naples.
The longtime bike shop, owned by Mark Trudeau, recently debuted a spinoff business: Fit & Fuel.
Up front is the ?fuel,? a cafe serving sandwiches, salads and pastries, made on-site and often from organic ingredients. The cafe looks New England clubby, like a Cheers bar, although the house brew is Panther Coffee, roasted in Miami.
In the back is a fit studio with a modern, techie ambience. The studio uses body geometry, fitting data and video technology to match a customer to an existing bike or to custom-build one. Bike-sizing practiced there is serious, one-on-one service that will cost anywhere from $174 for the basics to $350 for a complete body-geometry-based fit. Customers who buy new bikes from Naples Cyclery are eligible for rebates on fitting fees.
Having a proper fit means you?ll boost your ride performance and comfort, and also lessen your chance of injury, Marsh said.
?Fledgling triathlete? Adam Francis, 36, used the fit studio when he bought a bicycle for his new sport. ?The fit salon is just great. They are so encouraging.?
Francis is a clinical nurse-educator, who doesn?t live very close to Fit & Fuel or the Naples Cyclery, but said that when he has been there, ?I see people having a bagel, having coffee and talking. I hate to use the Cheers analogy, but when you walk in, they make you feel at home.?
Naples Cyclery isn?t alone in combining high-tech with the softer side of friendly customer service.
?Some bike shops can be a little snooty,? said Linda Smith, who with brother Bill Wallstedt owns The Bike Route in south Fort Myers. Established by their dad in 1974, it?s the longest-running cycle shop in Lee County. The store caters its fitting service to road cyclists, who tend to be more prone to the the stresses of repetitive physical activity.
The Trek Bicycle Store at Coconut Point in Estero has six employees that are manufacturer-certified for fitting, said owners Jane and Joe Du Bois.
The industry has become more professional,? Joe Du Bois said, adding that today?s customer wants to be welcomed, but is put off the stereotypical, messy shop of the old days, ?when you?d see people eating lunch at the service counter.?
Jonathen and Lynne Sharp own own Paradise Bicycles in Fort Myers and Cape Coral. The Fort Myers store off Six Mile Cypress Parkway already has a fit studio. This year, the Sharps are investing several thousand dollars to redo a portion of the Cape Coral Store for the same purpose. ?If you bought the bike here, we do not charge for fitting,? Jonathen Sharp said.
A good fit isn?t just for serious road cyclists or triathletes, Sharp said: Recreational riders who use comfort bikes ? ?they don?t want their hands hurting or a sore butt, either.?
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