Bicycle Shops |
||||
|
Bicycle Shops > Bicycle Selection Guide • Bicycle Retail Chains |
|||
|
German engineer Baron Karl Dreiss von Sauerbronn is credited with inventing the first wooden-wheeled bicycle in 1817. His bicycle was first exhibited in Paris on April 6, 1818. While this first bicycle was steerable and looked a lot like today's modern bicycles, it was missing one important component: pedals! Powered instead by the operator's running feet, this model soon gave way to pedal-operated versions. During the 1890s, Americans embraced the newly-invented safety bicycle, whose equal-size front and rear wheels made it easier to mount than earlier high-wheel models. Local bicycle shops, like the Wright Cycle Exchange in Dayton, Ohio, sprang up all over America. Many of these shops sold and repaired bicycles, and some even manufactured their own bicycles. Over the years, the bicycle was continually improved with the addition of rubber wheels, shock absorbers and brakes as well as gear shifters and lighter weight components.
Initial setup of a bicycle depends upon the skill of the mechanic. Gears, brakes, and other moving parts must be carefully assembled and adjusted for optimal performance. There is no substitute for an experienced bicycle mechanic; proper assembly and adjustment at the point of purchase is a key benefit that sets local bicycle shops apart from online shops and department stores. A brick-and-mortar bike shop will also tend to stock cycling products that are suited to local terrain and cycling conditions. Shops located in mountainous areas are likely to stock a good selection of mountain bikes and accessories whereas shops located in the Midwestern prairie states are likely to carry more road bikes and hybrid bicycles.
BicycleShops.us is a cycling resource that features convenient access to state, regional, and local bicycle shop listings as well as online shopping for bicycle parts & accessories. Bicycle shop owners may also be interested in the National Bicycle Dealers Association, NBDA, a non-profit trade organization of bicycle retailers, with ancillary membership from bicycle product vendors and others allied to the bicycle industry. Their stated mission is to aid the growth of cycling by supporting specialty bicycle retailers through research, education, and advocacy. In this bicycle shop directory, you can find a broad selection of local bike shops in each state. Most bicycle stores offer both sales and service; stores that rent bicycles or only sell bicycles are noted as such. Be sure to call ahead before visiting these shops to check their hours of operation, and to verify their location and status. Although we try to keep these listings current, some of the bicycle shops listed herein may have relocated or even ceased operations.
Online Bicycle Shops
Bicycle Safety Resources
Local and Online Cycling Directories
Cycling Related Sites
Copyright © 2004-2011 BicycleShops.us. All rights reserved.
For your convenience, certain links will open in new windows.
Bicycle Shops - Bicycle Shop Guide |
||||