jpescatore

Over the years I've found "go to" bike shops that were reliable and knowledgeable and stuck with them for years. Invariably the owners retire and usually the bike shop just shuts down.

For the past 5 years or so Race Pace (several locations in Baltimore/Columbia MD) has been my go to shop. The owner Alex was hands on, did a lot of biking and valued customer service over milking out the last few pennies on everything. Prices weren't cheap, but quality and service was always high.

Alex is retiring and Trek is buying the Race Pace chain. Not necessarily a bad thing - Trek bought one I used occasionally in Northern VA and no degradation in service - and turns out Trek owns something like 1700 independently run bike shops in North America. I guess some financial backing is really a plus in pandemic times.

Over the pandemic, two new bike shops opened even closer to me than Race Pace is - I guess the flip side of the supply chain problems for bikes and bike parts is the vastly increased demand for bikes and services!

Trakhak

Alex is a great guy and was always a pleasure to talk to. I was already working in a bike shop in Baltimore when Alex started his bike business in a little hole-in-the-wall shop in Woodlawn. He once mentioned to me that before he rented that first building, he had come close to starting a business painting lines in parking lots instead. Knowing what I do about how hard it is to make a living in the bike business, I have no doubt that he occasionally regretted that decision.

Phatman

Wow! I used to work at the Columbia store back in 2005, Alex was a hardass as a boss (gotta make sure the gloves are arranged correctly!) but a great guy. I don't live in the area anymore but my parents still do, I should stop by next time. So are all of the locations going to be Trek Stores?

jpescatore

The email didn't mention closing any stores, or any stores not being owned by Trek, so I assume the answer is all will be owned by Trek.

I once had two two touring cyclists stay with me a few nights and their bikes needed some work. The Laytonsville shop near me said too busy, Alex said "Sure, we always put touring cyclists coming through at the top of the line - that is an old bike shop tradition. Bring 'em in." Did so and he chatted them up about touring adventures and got a service tech on their bikes right away.

DocJames

They're 100% CORPORATE stores. Diametrically opposite "independently run." There's a reason they only stock Trek/Bontrager bikes and accessories. Sure like anything else, they each have their own GM, but believe me, they have strict marching orders from corporate on how things are to be done, right down to the physical display layout.

StarBiker

Eh. They are like most Bike Shops to me. I guess they are OK. I still prefer REI. No wonder a lot of REI's inventory has dwindled while bike shops still have plenty. (Yes, I know many bikes are not available)

Alibec

rei are much better, at least they don't have the "corporate mentality"

StarBiker

I wonder if there are any sales on non Trek Bikes? I should check.

StarBiker

Sales, but nothing that good. Nothing I wanted.
They will shut down from March 1st - 3rd for the transition.

Eric F 

In my area, there is an LBS that has been a Trek dealer for as long as I can remember (I started riding seriously in the early-'90s). Good place, run by good people. Last year, Trek opened a corporate shop in the same city, less than 3 miles away, in the location of a failed Performance Bike shop. It's a kick in the teeth to the independent LBS.

DocJames

Yeah that's cold blooded!

jpescatore

Trek said they were ending the Race Pace Dollars reward program. I had $25 in credit, so went over to the Columbia shop. All Continental tires were 20% off and they had the 32mm GP5000s I've been having trouble finding. So, between the discount and the 20%, got one for what the online sale prices used to be before the pandemic slammed into the supply chain.

I imagine they will be increasing Bontrager tire shelf space, reducing other vendors. Pretty good assortment of new bikes for sale in the shop.

scottfsmith

I think Trek has glommed on to how much profit they make on all the accessories and by buying the stores they can squeeze out all the brands not theirs. I know that Joe's (couple bike shops in Baltimore) stopped dealing Treks due to their ever-increasing requirements on shelf space for their shoes gloves wheels tires etc.

I would not be too surprised if Conti tires got squeezed out of the Race Pace lineup, get 'em while you can!

VeryGoodDog

i miss race pace so much, the new trek stores are nice n all, but they have a smaller, less expansive inventory which is disappointing. theres a local bike shop call pedal fun thats independent, but theyre pretty small. its on york a few miles north of the county line right in the middle of the neighborhood so its pretty convenient.

StarBiker

^
Near the old Caldor across from what was the Golden Arm, and movie theater? Is it called "Near The Hood For Everybody Bikes? If not sounds like a good name.

Stoneleigh.

What happened to the good ole' days when bike shops were in old Log Cabins, and just a pedal ride away for a 10 year old kid.........