Business Spotlight
THE BIKE SHOP
New Location, Same Old-Fashioned Service
BY MICHELLE LASSLE | PHOTOS BY RON ESSEX PHOTOGRAPHY
In 2007 Ron and his wife Kelly found out that the shop owner hadn’t announced it, but he was planning on selling the store after owning it for more than 30 years. “We heard from a mutual friend that nobody was stepping up to buy the shop,” said Kelly. “In about five days we had to decide if we wanted to buy a bike shop and where we would get the necessary money. Within a weekend we were able to get the money, and on Ron’s birthday we officially took over.” Kelly still had a full-time job in San Francisco at the time, so it was hectic with Ron running things pretty much on his own. Kelly eventually switched to part time and then further down the road she joined her husband completely. “Ten years went by very fast,” said Kelly. “That was a busy shop, but there was a big chunk of the new population in the area who didn’t know we existed in Antioch.”
Ron and Kelly knew they wanted to move the shop to a new location, but it took them several years of searching before finding the ideal spot. The Bike Shop opened at 1185 Second Street, Suite F in September of 2018. “We were working and selling things out of boxes as we went. It took some time to get things completely set up since it was a new store layout. Those first few months were a whirlwind, but people were excited that we were here.” The Bike Shop’s previous storefront was in a part of Antioch that didn’t have any other shopping close by, so they were missing out on business from passersby who perhaps were simply window shopping and stumbled into their store. Their business was primarily from patrons who traveled to see them specifically. “We wanted more visibility,” said Kelly. “We also wanted to be closer to a bike trail. Out here there are a lot of people that cycle and a variety of places to ride. Being close to that was important to us.” It’s also helpful to be in a town that serves as the main hub for multiple bike clubs.
The Bike Shop is a full sale and full-service shop. They offer bikes ranging from children’s bicycles to $10,000 cycling bikes, all of which come with lifetime maintenance for free. “Anything that can be adjusted is done so for free as long as you don’t break it or wear it out. General things like shifting, breaks, and wheels need to be buttoned up maybe a couple times a year, and if we maintain it for you, your bike will last longer,” said Kelly. They also provide repair services on any bike dating back to the 40s all the way up until now. “Ron has a vast knowledge of the industry in general and has been working on bikes for decades.” The other service that Ron and Kelly offer that many people may not know is repairs on walkers and wheelchairs. “They have a lot of the same things that bikes do like brakes, tires, and tubes. The medical industry is very expensive, and they won’t fix the item for you, just sell you the part. We have access to the same things they do.”
In an era where a lot of shopping has shifted to online, The Bike Shop holds tight to the idea of seeing, touching, and testing out a set of wheels before making the investment. “We try to make sure that we stay stocked on everything as much as we can. We really hope to continue to provide the personal service that we do, continue to support the community, and promote cycling as a family fun activity as well as a healthy lifestyle. Who knows, maybe we’ll eventually expand.”
1185 2nd Street, Suite F,
Brentwood, CA 94513
(925) 666-8444
www.ronzbikeshop.com
DELTA VALLEY VELO
Bringing Cyclists Together
Delta Valley Velo came to fruition in 2013 when avid cyclists Harry Levine and Dave Lamont joined forces to bring together enthusiastic riders with similar skills and goals. “I really believe that everybody needs to be active, but the most difficult thing can be finding what’s going to work for you,” said Harry. “Some people go to the gym, some people run, some people do triathlons. I found cycling.” Delta Valley Velo is for road bike enthusiasts, both men and women alike. There is no membership fee required, and all are welcome. Rides vary from 20 to 100 miles throughout Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Byron, Knightsen, Antioch, Pittsburg, Livermore, and beyond. Tuesdays and Thursdays are shorter rides in Brentwood, Saturday rides are longer and can be either local or out of the area, and Sunday rides are shorter distances for recovery. “An average ride typically has between 12 and 30 riders,” said Harry. “However, we now have over 140 individuals in our club, which is pretty impressive for a cycling club.” Their largest turnout was 50 riders at one time.
Delta Valley Velo riders aren’t only from the immediate Brentwood area; they come from all over including Walnut Creek, Stockton, and Tracy. “I would probably go as far as to say that we are the number one growing club in all of California.” In addition to local routes, the group also frequents trips to and up Mount Diablo, around San Francisco, and through Monterey. They also do charity rides like fundraises for cancer and diabetes. Delta Valley Velo does have a long list of sponsors, including Thorpe Design Inc., Co. Co. County Wine Company, ACE Hardware, The Bike Shop, Eyecare Galleria, and more, which helps pay for club events and fundraisers. “I’m so pleased with the way things are working out as far as ridership goes and getting to do the kind of events that we do,” said Harry. “We started with only a half dozen of us, and now to have riders come out that I don’t even know is pretty wild.”
To keep such a large group organized, it takes a handful of individuals. “I do have six other guys that work with me to keep this thing going and to help with scheduling, having ride leaders, planning out of town events, managing our website and Facebook page. It’s a lot of work.” The others responsible for running the club along with Harry are Phill Hight, Michael Bowen, Jon Longden, Bruce Young, Brien Devine, and Kent Lagendorff.
Delta Valley Velo meets at The Bike Shop, 1185 Second Street, Suite F, on Saturdays and Sundays at 7:45 a.m. with a roll time of 8:00 a.m. As the weather warms up the meeting time will change to 7:15 a.m. with a 7:30 takeoff. There are also early evening rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays for those that want to meet up after work. One of Harry’s hopes for the future of the club is to bring more publicity to the fact that there are so many riders in the area so that drivers know that cyclists are out on the roads. “We need more awareness for safety,” said Harry. “There have been a lot of accidents unfortunately, so my goal is for safer roads for us.”
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