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April 12, 2021
Cycling is both a practical mode of transportation and adventurous physical activity. No matter your style or riding preference, finding a reliable local bike shop that helps keep you on the trails and roads is imperative.
A solid local bike shop can be your best friend. Finding down-to-earth professional staff with the experience, care, and tools to assist any level and style of rider is like a dream come true. Confident and reliable services should elevate your cycling and help you eventually make lifelong connections with those who share the same passion for the open road. As a result, we wanted to highlight what to look for in an ideal bike shop in addition to some of our favorite local locations.
Choosing from a selection of different makes and models of bicycles always makes for a more comfortable buying process. From gravel bikes to mountain bikes to road bikes and kids bikes, finding a shop with a knowledgeable selection of each of these niches is important. A bike shop showroom can give you major insights into the specializations and knowledge of the staff. Whether you’re coming in for a repair or looking to make a new purchase, finding a shop with a broad range of products that you can see and test in person makes the world of difference.
While it’s important to have options when it comes to researching and buying a bike, an ideal shop and its staff should have specialized knowledge of the newest and the highest performing gear in different areas. With the amount of available information online, visiting a bike shop should bring a new level of understanding and valuable expertise that would difficult to find elsewhere. More than that, the staff should be friendly and focused on attending to your needs, rather than selling you on something you don't need.
Do your best to find a shop where you enjoy conversing and working with the staff. The best bike shop staff listen and do their best to respond to your needs, rather than jumping to their own conclusions or selling you on something you don't need. In most cases, judging the quality of service will be evident in the way the staff attends to and responds to your needs.
Breaking in a poorly sized bike can be agonizingly painful, even after a few short miles. Your bike must be professionally fitted and adjusted to suit you. In-shop fitting services can range from basic saddle adjustments to full-blown customizations. Depending on your bike, some minor adjustments can require switching a few things around while others require installing adjustable parts and attachments. Finding a reasonable price that works with your budget can take a little trial-and-error to find, but once you do, stick with what works!
Even the best of bikes require tuning. When the time comes, bringing your bike to a shop that confidently and safely knows what to do with it is important. Don’t skimp or settle for less when it comes to tuning and repair capabilities. The best bike shops should have an extensive range of tools and workshop capabilities. The last thing you want is someone tinkering around your pricey new MTB without the proper tools or skills. A professional workshop should have checklists, documentation, and clearly defined completion dates. Do your best to decide on a formal or standardized price beforehand.
A bike shop that understands and considers convenience means they care and do what's best for their customers. Life can be busy, so finding a bicycle shop in a convenient location with long enough hours to accommodate you is a must. In the case a repair takes more than a day or two, having a shop with rental or free loner bike capabilities can help you get back to routine asap. If you’re always on the go, convenience is crucial.
While there is undoubtedly a long list of must-haves for your favorite bike shop, hopefully, the following list comes in handy next time you’re shopping around. If you happen to live locally, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite Utah bike shops.
Go Ride - Salt Lake City & Draper, UT
Go Ride features a great selection of mountain bikes and a team of experienced staff and mechanics that really know what it's like to ride.
Hanger 15 Bicycles - Draper, Millcreek, S. Jordan, Provo, Lehi, Orem, Spanish Fork, UT
With multiple Utah-based locations, Hangar 15 has both a diverse range of bicycles and a wide selection of apparel and accessories to choose from.
Salt Cycles Bikeshop - Sandy, UT
Check out Salt Cycles Bikeshop for all of your custom build needs. Their knowledgable staff and mechanics will help get you in the saddle of your dream bike.
Red Rock Bicycle Co. - Cedar City & St. George, UT
You can't go wrong with speedy repairs, a great staff and fun selection of apparel and accessories at Red Rock Bicycle Co, with multiple locations in Southern Utah.
Poison Spider Bicycles - Moab, UT
Also conveniently located in Southern Utah, Poison Spider offers speedy repairs, a variety of affordable bike rentals, and a top-notch staff to help with any needs you may have.
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