Local bike shop wants to get you on the trails this summer
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IDAHO FALLS – As the weather warms up and east Idaho gears up for summer, many are looking for ways to have fun in the outdoors.
And if biking is your thing, and you’re in the market for a new one, then The Bike Shop at 910 East Lincoln Road in Idaho Falls may be a place you want to visit.
With more than 200 bikes in stock, Brent Page, the store manager, tells EastIdahoNews.com they have something for everyone, including popular brands like Norco, Santa Cruz, and Mondraker.
“Our specialty is full-suspension mountain bikes,” Page says. “I like to keep track of what professional riders are currently riding and wearing and keep it on track with that trend. (We also try to) keep it different from what all the other shops are carrying.”
Biking accessories like helmets, shoes, gloves, EVOC backpacks, pump kits, wheel kits, and other gear is available in-store as well, along with bike maintenance services, skis and snowboards.
Page grew up in California and was heavily involved in the BMX and mountain biking scene. He’s been passionate about biking since he was eight years old and has worked in bike shops all over eastern Idaho for the last 10 years.
“The local bike shop I always used to go to back home in California had this big window where you could watch the service guys work on bikes. I was the annoying kid who would always hang out at the shop and watch what they were doing. That inspired me to put my service bench in the middle of the sales floor,” Page says. “It creates interest in what I’m doing and sparks conversation with customers.”
Though Page feels interest in biking has increased over the years, he says some customers do not know where to go for a bike ride. Not knowing where the trails are can discourage further interest, he says. The Snake River Mountain Bike Club is an organization that Page joined when he first moved here to get to know other cyclists and learn where the trails are located.
“It’s a great group of people. That’s how I learned the trails in the area when I first moved here from California,” Page says. “It’s a good way to put the new bike to use that you just bought.”
The group meets every Thursday night and is open to anyone. You can follow the group on Facebook to know where they’re riding each week.
Junior high and high school level racing leagues for biking have also helped increase interest in biking throughout eastern Idaho, Page says, along with the addition of more trails.
One of those trails is the Ryder Park Bike Trail, which Page is involved in building south of the Sunnyside Bridge. Another bike trail is in the works on Panorama Hill off Iona Road.
RELATED: Group working to bring bike park and new trails to Idaho Falls
“We’re constantly going to the trails after we close up. It’s good to buy bikes from people who ride bikes,” Page says. “I want to bring back the fun that a bike shop offers. I don’t want our shop to be stressful to come in and I don’t want people to feel uncomfortable. Buying a bike should be fun.”
The Bike Shop opened in December inside the old Consignment Shop building. It’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To learn more, give them a call at (208) 881-9816. You can also visit their website.
