Forget the gloom and doom plaguing many businesses this year – the bike business in Vancouver is booming.
On a recent weekday afternoon, Bad Monkey Bikes on Broadway had a line of customers eight deep at their shop devoted to old and new bikes, skateboards and related equipment, seemingly of every size, color and price range.
Catering to recreational enthusiasts, skateboarders and bike commuters, the store landed in downtown Vancouver just as the number of bicyclists was on the upswing. "The downtown area just blew up with people biking to work in Portland," said Bad Monkey Bikes co-owner Wade Leckie. "So we put ourselves right on a major bike path and we were set."
Before opening the shop with business partner Andrew Buckner in June 2008, Leckie made a living driving around a much different kind of ride – a truck carting hazardous materials around North Portland.
Today, Leckie is living the dream, helping spread the word about advantages of bike ownership that go way beyond the occasional ride through the park on a Sunday afternoon. "Due to the economy, a lot of people are discovering that you can save a lot of gas money by riding your bike to work, even if it's just once a week," Leckie said.
According to store employee Mike Lusby, much of their business comes from people looking to put their old bikes back on the road. For those looking to pick up a new bike, the selection at Bad Monkey Bikes ranges widely, from a Schwinn selling for between $300-$500 to a full-carbon frame Bianchi going for $2,500.
Either way, the shop has become a regular stop for many Vancouver bike-riders stopping by for advice, a tune-up or for new gear. And Leckie seems confident that the number of bike commuters will only grow, especially as major thoroughfares like the I-5 approach to the Interstate Bridge become even more congested with car and truck traffic.
"I race a friend regularly from Hazel Dell to Columbia Boulevard – him in his car, me on my bike," Leckie said. "I beat him 75 percent of the time."
