What I want is a store that will spend time with me, making sure I am fit right for a FEMALE and not just an athlete. I want selection on bikes, sizes, clothing, shoes, nutrition, etc. I want to be able to trust my bike with anyone there...no one is sketchy or gives the creepy crawlies that some men give women (ask around, it's the 6th sense, some men just give us the heebie jeebies and we know to get outta dodge). I like that our shops are friendly...they let me bring my dog in. One shop spent almost 3 hours after closing working on getting the right hydration set up for me the week before my IM b/c all you know what broke loose and we couldn't find the right seat bag. I like that they are personable. Some of our bike shops do winter indoor trainer rides as groups, Tour de France watch parties, etc, etc. I like that they give back to the community in ways other than just providing bikes and merchandise.
Guess I'm kinda spoiled. We've got 4 lbs in town, one with 4 locations, 2 with 2 locations; one with 1 location. I frequent 2 of them. My bike is a Specialized, and that comes from one store that I really like, but the rest of my "stuff" comes from the one with 4 locations.
4 location store: they all carry a bunch of women's stuff and each are more specified to somethings (one is tri and road; one is family; one more mountain bike)- they all carry all, but one carries more of one type than the other. ALSO, they have great clothing selection for women, at least, as far as I've seen, but what is nicer is that ANYTHING I want they will order, and I mean ANYTHING!
3 of the shops are "sponsors" of our local tri club and offer discounts; the 4th one may, but I don't frequent them as they are kinda out of the way for where my house is and where I train, and they are almost specifically "roadie" and some of the people who frequent there (not the employees, they are nice!) are snotty to triathletes.
For a medium sized city, we're very fortunate. They do stuff like women's rides, women's biking clinics, donating bikes to kids tri programs. We've also got a FANTASTIC local running specialty store with 3 locations. The owner of which has been a giant influence in the birth or rather rebirth of the running community here. Weekly runs on Wednesday nights from the main location that will be about 500 people in the next 2 weeks. Of course, I am biased as my hubby works part time there and all 3 owners are some of our closest friends....but it is GREAT anyway!
Names of the stores (If you're in Birmingham and need something)
Cahaba Cycles and Homewood Cycle and Fitness (4 locations) (http://www.cahabacycles.com)
Bob's Bikes (http://www.bobs-bikes.com)
Bike Link (http://www.bikelinkbham.com)
Birmingham Bicycle Company (http://www.bhambicycle.com)
The Trak Shak (http://www.trakshak.com)
Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!
Guess I'm kinda spoiled. We've got 4 lbs in town, one with 4 locations, 2 with 2 locations; one with 1 location. I frequent 2 of them. My bike is a Specialized, and that comes from one store that I really like, but the rest of my "stuff" comes from the one with 4 locations.
4 location store: they all carry a bunch of women's stuff and each are more specified to somethings (one is tri and road; one is family; one more mountain bike)- they all carry all, but one carries more of one type than the other. ALSO, they have great clothing selection for women, at least, as far as I've seen, but what is nicer is that ANYTHING I want they will order, and I mean ANYTHING!
3 of the shops are "sponsors" of our local tri club and offer discounts; the 4th one may, but I don't frequent them as they are kinda out of the way for where my house is and where I train, and they are almost specifically "roadie" and some of the people who frequent there (not the employees, they are nice!) are snotty to triathletes.
For a medium sized city, we're very fortunate. They do stuff like women's rides, women's biking clinics, donating bikes to kids tri programs. We've also got a FANTASTIC local running specialty store with 3 locations. The owner of which has been a giant influence in the birth or rather rebirth of the running community here. Weekly runs on Wednesday nights from the main location that will be about 500 people in the next 2 weeks. Of course, I am biased as my hubby works part time there and all 3 owners are some of our closest friends....but it is GREAT anyway!
Names of the stores (If you're in Birmingham and need something)
Cahaba Cycles and Homewood Cycle and Fitness (4 locations) (http://www.cahabacycles.com)
Bob's Bikes (http://www.bobs-bikes.com)
Bike Link (http://www.bikelinkbham.com)
Birmingham Bicycle Company (http://www.bhambicycle.com)
The Trak Shak (http://www.trakshak.com)
Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!