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Old-time bikes
Main Avenue shop offering commuter, single-speed, and vintage two-wheelers
Herald Staff Writer
Photo by JERRY McBRIDE/Herald
Jeff Wollenberg, owner of Papa Wheelie’s, stands in his newly opened bike shop at 1107 Main Avenue in Durango. The shop sells a variety of commuter bikes, including single-speed, fixed-gear, internally geared and other variations. The store also sells vintage bikes from the 1950s through the ’70s.
Click image to enlarge
Photo by JERRY McBRIDE/Herald
Swobo is the main brand that Wallenberg sells.
In a town that takes cycling seriously, a new bike shop on Main Avenue hopes to cater to a niche market – the riders who commute around Durango.
Papa Wheelie’s, which opened last month at 1077 Main Ave. where Pennington Photo used to be located, sells a variety of commuter bikes, including single-speed, fixed-gear, internally geared and other variations.
The store also sells vintage bikes – or old road bikes from the 1950s through the late 1970s. And it does repairs and tune-ups.
Other bike shops in town cater to the high-end riders who are into road biking and mountain biking. Owner Jeff Wollenberg said his store will focus on daily commuters who bike to work, school, the bars or to run errands.
“There are bike shops all over town, but none of them had the types of bikes or the atmosphere I was looking for,” he said.
Papa Wheelie’s should be a hit with a growing number of cyclists who are rebelling against elaborate bicycles with fragile moving parts in favor of simpler bikes that require less maintenance.
“I think a lot of what’s appealing is just the simplicity of the bike itself,” Wollenberg said.
Wollenberg, 23, moved to Durango last year after finishing college in Colorado Springs. He is originally from Washington state and Portland, Ore., where he said it is more common to see daily bicycle commuters.
“Here, it’s also a bike-friendly city, but it’s a lot more high-end – more people who take their cycling seriously than use it as a means of transportation,” Wollenberg said.
Wollenberg graduated with a degree in geology, but he didn’t want to work in the gas and oil industry. He is paying about $1,200 per month in rent for the store, which includes association fees.
Cliff Pinto, owner of Pedal the Peaks, said Papa Wheelie’s is doing its own thing and filling a niche market in the fixed-gear category.
“I know a lot of shops in town have been reluctant to dive into the fixed-gear scene,” Pinto said. “I think it’s kind of cool there’s someone in town willing to do that.
“Durango has plenty of bike shops. But I think it’s cool they looked at the market and realized everything else was being filled.”
Jack Llewellyn, executive director of the Durango Chamber of Commerce, said businesses of all sizes ask everyday about moving to Durango.
Biking is a popular activity in Durango, and sometimes it takes several weeks to get a tune-up, which indicates there might be room for another bike shop in the community, Llewellyn said.
“I’ve been amazed at the number of inquiries from businesses wanting to relocate in Durango,” he said. “In spite of the economy, people are continuing to relocate to Durango.”
Wollenberg has hired one full-time employee and two part-time employees.
He finds his vintage bikes online and by making trips to Denver and Albuquerque. After fixing them up, he sells them for about $90.
The shop also sells parts, apparel and accessories.
This winter, he plans to host roller racing competitions, in which cyclists balance on rollers while a computer tracks their speed.
The shop is open from
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday except Tuesday.
shane@durangoherald.com
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