New bike shop rides into eastern Idaho - East Idaho News
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New bike shop rides into eastern Idaho

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IDAHO FALLS — If you’re in the market for a new bicycle, then Fitzgerald’s Bicycles may be a place you want to visit.

The bike shop is opening inside the old Farr’s Jewelry store at 2026 E. 17th Street this Friday, March 29.

Derrick Nobman, the owner, and his staff were busy preparing for opening day Monday afternoon. In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Nobman says they’re not just about selling bikes, but about getting involved in the community and growing cycling in the area.

“In this space that we have, we’re going to be able to do things that we’ve never done before,” Nobman says. “We have room to have a community gathering. Many of our customers are active and enthusiastic cyclists that can do presentations on biking and cycling.”

Once the business is up and running, Nobman says he wants Fitzgerald’s to be a community hub where people who are passionate about biking can come learn about biking opportunities in eastern Idaho, including where the trails are and how to participate in local rides and races.

“Culturally, (Idaho Falls) is a place where I think we can do really well with how we do our thing,” says Nobman. “We’re a community-based bike shop. We’ll be involved in a lot of community programs here. We’d like to get involved in (Idaho Falls Community Pathways) as well.”

fitzgeralds bicycles
Fitzgerald’s Bicycles opening inside the old Farr’s Jewelry store Friday, March 29 | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Nobman has been passionate about biking since he was four years old and has competed professionally on the national level. Opening a bike shop was inevitable, he says. Fitzgerald’s first opened in Jackson in 2002. A second store opened in Victor a decade later. Nobman says their employees are invested in biking 100 percent and have a wide assortment of inventory to suit any interest, whether it be mountain, pathway or E-bikes.

“There are questions we ask our customers to cater to their goals as a cyclist,” says Nobman. “You don’t see a lot of that (with other bike shops), so I think our approach is unique.”

Nobman says the bike industry has evolved over the years to include many different facets, which the industry has really capitalized on.

“Regardless of what you’re interested in doing on a bike, there’s probably a bike to accommodate that interest,” says Nobman. “Some bikes have become more versatile and some bikes are more specialized.”

One developing trend worldwide is the advent of E-bikes. It’s pretty common in Europe, Nobman says, and is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

“An E-bike can broaden the scope of where you can ride, whether it be a pathway E-bike or a mountain E-bike,” Nobman says.

Some people may feel more inclined to ride a bike if it is electronically powered, and Nobman is happy to promote interest in biking in whatever form it comes.

“I’m 46. A lot of people in my generation grew up riding bikes before screen time was a big thing,” Nobman says. “BMX was huge when I was a kid and everybody rode every day after school and you’d build trails.”

Though biking has been pretty barren at times, Nobman says it’s having a resurgence because there are so many opportunities for biking these days.

RELATED: Group working to bring bike park and new trails to eastern Idaho

Fitzgerald’s Bicycles will open Friday. Its hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday with Sunday hours to be determined. A grand opening is in the works, but a specific date has not yet been announced.

“Our goal is to become an integrated part of the community and community hub for all things biking,” says Nobman.”

bikes at fitzgeralds
Bikes on display at Fitzgerald’s Bicycles | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

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