Bike Shop in Downtown Dayton

[Outdoor Evangelist]

It is time for a bike shop to open in Downtown Dayton.  Gem City Records could be a great location, or maybe the old Boston's Bistro on Jefferson, right on the bike lane.  Who has some ideas!  Lets make it happen. 

[joe.mckibben]

I agree.

With all the talk of making Dayton more bike friendly, we really need to have a place in the city where you can buy a bike. And of course you can get a bike at any big box store, but you really need some place where the staff are experts and can answer any question a new person might have and really help the un-initiated.

It would also be great if this place also sold used bikes as well as brand new stuff.   

It seems a little backwards to travel to the suburbs to purchase a bike, when travel by bicycle really makes the most sense in an urban environment.

Hopefully, Jefferson won't be the only bike lane in the city.

[Bill Pote]

^ St. Clair will also get a dedicated bike lane, with 4th and 5th streets getting sharrows (shared bike lanes).  Look for these to be implemented in the spring when the two-way street conversions are also completed.

I think the old Boston's space on the ground floor of the Jefferson Place Apartment building would be a great location - adjacent to the bike lane on Jefferson and less than a block from St. Clair.  Also has a ton of space.  I know the building owner - he is trying to sell the building and I'm not sure how he'd feel about it but the biggest challenge would be coming up with the money to build out the space since it is completely gutted.

Another potential space is the bottom-floor retail space of the Cooper Lofts on St. Clair.  Not as much space as on Jefferson but over 3000 sq ft with a smaller office space in the back.  I know the owner there too, and believe it or not he is a photographer for the X-Games and travels the world.  Also very much into BMX... used to live in a Cooper Lofts condo but now lives in Columbus.  He hasn't had much luck with renting the space, with a temporary designer clothing store open there for the past few months (but now closed).  He would probably go for the idea but rent is likely his biggest concern.

Finally - the empty ground-floor retail space in the WorkflowOne building on Patterson would be great space for a bike shop or co-op.  While there is no bike lane planned for Patterson, this would still be a great location since it is less than a block away from Riverscape Phase III and the bike hub.  And this space is owned by the county and/or port authority - since it has NEVER been leased since the building was built over 7 years ago I'm guessing whoever is in charge would be open to the idea.  Down side is that like Jefferson Place it would have to be built out.

Perhaps MetroParks would be interested in sponsoring a bike co-op?

[ParkingGuy]

Bill, how big of a space is needed?

[Bill Pote]

Bill, how big of a space is needed?

I'm guessing at least 3000 sq feet, but I'm sure our Outdoor Evangelist can give a more accurate answer...

[joe.mckibben]

I don't have any experience with Co-ops but there is probably a better chance of getting one up and running more quickly than waiting for someone to start a Bike Shop.

[Hydrostick]

I'd like to see a bike co-op downtown.  Something that can help people with basic tune-ups and get the bikes out of the garages and on the street.  I think you could accomplish this in <1000 sq ft (about the same as a 4 car garage) if you limited storage capacity and focused more heavily on simple repairs & tune-ups and made good use of the vertical space.  Stock some donated parts, rim tape and tubes.  Couple work stands, a truing stand and essential tools.  Help people use bikes they already have.  Help those who don't own a bike obtain one. 

A full service retailer, with clothing for fat asses like myself, would be nice, too. 

[Bill Pote]

Hey ParkingGuy - you got some downtown space to donate to the cause?  (you know, since you already have experience with donating space )

[ParkingGuy]

Billy:  You know, I was just thinking that this would fit really nice on your first floor space...     

[Bill Pote]

@ParkingGuy - touche!