Saw, funny you should bring this topic up here now. I am in the process of building a flyer and paper ad for a new bicycle shop I am starting in my town. For the last year or so, I've been doing bike work and restoration for a lot of those in town, and have restored two Specialized bikes, one a full suspension 26 inch mountain bike, the other an older 26 inch fixer rear, suspension front bike. I also have a Next Power X to restore as a full mountain bike, full suspension, very inexpensive bike.
The fixed rear bike pulls a trailer, one of those that had the canvas enclosure. The canvas was DOA, so, I built a wood box for it, and ride it all over town picking up parts and other things.
Not a lot of high tech later model bikes here as of yet, though. Mostly non-suspension and older type mountain bikes, Wal-Mart specials.
The bike shop will be called "Bicycle Project Yerington". It'll end up ikn town, regular business, with a couple of twists. I will do the mechanical work, and also have two customer stalls with bike holders. A customer that wants to work on his/her bike can come in, pay a small all day fee for chemicals, and work on their own bike there, with me overseeing/assisting their processes if they wish. I will offer used and new parts for all bikes.
I am setting up no cost evening information workshops for riders, kids and ladies, to teach them maintenance, service, repair. I am also putting together a series of rides and events that will work with the events in town and close by, for all to attend, plus a bar-be-que, and other events relating to bicycles.
One part will be a program to use parts and bikes donated to the shop, to build a series of "free" bikes for those that would not normally be able to afford a bike. Recipients of the no cost bikes will be required to spend a pre-determined amount of time volunteering, either in the shop, or, doing other volunteer work around town, like watering the plants at the fair grounds, lawns, food programs for the needy, trash pickup, helping seniors, whatever they can to help, gets them a free bike.
I just got done doing a bunch of bikes for one of my food program volunteers, we all work all of the food programs here in Yerington. She has a bike, as does her two daughters, and three grand daughters. We all rode down to town and to the main park there this July 4th, and watched the fire works program, rode home.
I hadn't remembered how much fun and enjoyment I have had over the last 40 years riding bicycles. I did ride the fixed rear bike and trailer last year, before I restored them, and it was always fun. On this July 4th, I saw a bunch of bikes all over town, and many asked me if I knew who worked on them, so, shop is in order. Our town is only 1-1/2 miles square, but it is easy and safe to ride anywhere in and around it. Plus, there arer trails and mountains all around us, we are in Mason Valley, Nevada.
I stopped by a bike shop near a lady friend's place in Carson City two weeks ago, big place. hadn't realized that bikes now have technology that includes electronic shifters and active front forks, premium rear shocks. Nice stuff.
Anyway, I have about 20 bikes lined up to work on starting in a week, so, it just might work out for the shop here.
Enjoy the ride.
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