Day Five: took a picturesque drive from Boulder to Arvada. If you haven’t had a chance to see Colorado, the towns in the front range are magically gorgeous. There I met two of the owners of The Bicycle Shack. www.thebicycleshackllc.com Paul and Brian were all smiles when I told them I was in the first week of my 6,200 mile trek to visit Bike Stores and Rural King. As I entered their store I saw a sign on the door that informed their customers that they would be closed from the 8th for a week so they can catch up on service. This shot here is of the bikes they have in their store to help get their customers back on the road. Talk about a commitment to service! These guys are a great example of why bike stores are “essential”. I did drop off our R.I.D.E.S program, and briefly discussed it, but obviously they are in no position to launch a new sales initiative at this point. I sure hope we get to do business in the future. I am glad I got to meet them.

I then drove over to Golden. A really cool downtown with a high mountain miners vibe. They were a bit more locked down. Maybe because of the average age. I think it’s wise to protect that population. Downieville in the Sierra cancelled the Downieville Classic this year because of the average age in that area and the lack of nearby ample and qualified medical services.

Peak Bikes is known for their master fitter and a great selection and service. https://www.bikeparts.com/peak-cycles-bike-shop When I visited I noticed the people out front waiting to enter seemingly for service. I scoped out the rear entrance and was greeted by a woman who graciously cracked open the door and accepted our R.I.D.E.S materials. We spoke briefly about the tour and that I wanted to introduce myself and ask her about business. She recommended a ride or a hike at Table Mountain. I got in a great hike up to Lychen peak which this shot is from.

Day 6: Late start on the road. Did get into Voltaire in Highlands Ranch about 30 miles away. https://www.voltairecyclesco.com/ They are totally focused on electric bikes. They were busy. All three techs were wrenching and the sales guy was closing a couple with two units. I was finally able to speak to a young man and ask that he drop the R.I.D.E.S info off to the “boss”. He seemed genuinely amazed that we cover e-bikes. I think we have a huge advantage there.

Then got over to see Bike Source in Highlands Ranch. https://www.bikesourceonline.com/about/bikesource-highlands-ranch-co-pg499.htm The first thing I noticed when I drove up was the activity. People spaced outside and escorted into the beautiful store. Bob let me in and introduced me to Doug. Though they have an ample supply of Specialized and other ebikes on the floor, there was just a smattering of what they usually have. Doug gave me about 10 minutes. We spoke about supply, the R.I.D.E.S program and how they are handling Covid. It seems that supply is starting to dwindle. We’ll see how long it will take for the supply chain to catch up and how the OEM’s will handle that.

Day 7: Day off here in Parker, Colorado. My friend and longtime business associate Scott Blanc picked me up this morning at 7 and we drove south just before Castle Rock to the Cottonwood area. We entered the park at Indian Creek Trailhead. Scott rides a BMC Electric bike. He really scoots uphill while I pushed my Santa Cruz up with all leg power. He may have beat me up, but I flew down the flowy trails. If it hadn’t started raining and blowing I would have taken some shots from the rim, but we had to high tail it out of there.

It is obvious to me that through my first week that the IBD’s have positioned themselves perfectly. To focus on services, fitting, accessories, maintenance and overall attention to their customers, that they will continue to thrive. Our R.I.D.E.S. program is positioned correctly to help them succeed. Being associated with the NBDA https://www.nbda.com/ and all they are doing with their membership to help them navigate the roadway and trails ahead of them is an honor. We will do our best to live up to the endorsement. I highly recommend you have a look and join them if you haven’t yet.

You can reach me to discuss R.I.D.E.S. (Ride it Daily Extended Service) at frank@ensureprotect.com or call us at 866 4 RIIDES. 866 474-4337.