People that have been around cycling in Logan for some time often comment that there has been a shop at the Joyride Bikes location forever. That's only partly correct, so I thought I'd type up some of the history of bike shops in Logan. I'm sure I'll miss some things but one thing that has been consistent is that there has always been a strong passion for cycling among the shop owners.
The location of most of the shops people are referring to is actually just a bit north of Joyride Bikes current location at what is now Mackley Designer Portraiture. The first shop I remember being there when I young was Aardvark Cycles. I remember seeing a mountain bike in there that was the typical for the time: bullhorn bars, rigid fork and thumb shifters except that it had a 26" front wheel and a 20" back wheel. We get lucky and get Janet out on rides with us sometimes.
The next shop to move into that location was Pursuit Cycles. Weston Allen was the owner and also made his own frames. They were all painted black and neon green, 80s style-which is cool again. For a small price he would strip your bike and paint it to match the team colors. I recall going in there and hanging out. Weston and Dave were about the coolest guys ever because they knew about bikes. They would give me old team tires so I could get use out of them to finish them off. Cameron worked there and now is back in Logan after being in St. George for many years. Paul Witteker worked there and now runs a CrossFit gym in Smithfield. I eventually bought my first bike from Weston, a Miyata 714, I wanted a 912 but they were sold out. A friend bought that from me and now I hear it is styling under a hipster in Sugarhouse. I also remember meeting a very tall John Hernandez on a group ride who went up the hill out of Richmond really fast and is still doing that today.
I'm pretty sure that Pursuit Cycles then became Adventure Sports. A different Dave owned that and Ron Stagg turned a wrench there for some time. Ron also spent time at Sunrise prior and later at Al's. Adventure also expanded into climbing and the location became a climbing gym for several years. Here the time line gets a little shifted as we move further north. I recall Psycle Path being around for a short period. There also used to be a shop up on 400 North that was not long lived. Further north on Main was the Bike and Lock Shop. Lots of Fuji road bikes in there. Rod managed The Sportsman for a long time. Remember when Panasonic made bicycles?
Moving back Downtown was Sunrise which has been in the same location for 35+ years. Al's used to be over on 100 West before they built their building out north.
Ed at EK Ekcessories owned the building at 565 North Main where he has come full circle from starting EK Ekcessories to buying the building back to open a factory EK store at the same location. In the mean time that location was Guido's Cycle and Sport which I managed for about a year. Marilyn, who is now at Al's, ran Guido's where Brian Jeppson was her service manager. Marilyn left Guido's for Al's and I took over as manager and Brian Jeppson moved to Cedar City where he has been doing a great job with Cedar Cycles for, what, 13+ years now?
I managed Guido's-I know weird name-people always wanted a large pepperoni special, and worked with Joel Peterson who worked with me at Sunrise Cyclery for a few years prior and with Steve Johnson. Joel later went to Al's where he finished up his time in the industry prior to opening his own small shop for a stint. Steve went on to work at Al's for a time and rejoin me when I went back to Sunrise Cyclery. While at Guido's I hired a great guy named Justin who is now the Midwest sales rep for Raleigh Bicycles. I still see other people from the Guido's crew at races. I left Guido's and shortly thereafter Adventure Sports bought out Guido's making that the second bike shop in that location.
I got my start in the industry at Sunrise Cyclery and worked there off and on for many years. I started as a mechanic and then sales, eventually managing it with my friend Jared. At Sunrise I worked with Brandon who now runs a shop in Park City. I met Josh Felt who is one of the best wrenches I've ever met. He would later go to Al's and then help me for a time after I bought Joyride Bikes. Kyle Isaacs started there as the bottom man on the pole and has since gone on to own a very successful shop, SBR Sports in Orem, UT. Many other faces came and went over the years at Sunrise. Scott went from Sunrise to Al's. Todd became an industry rep for Specialized then to Fuji Bicycles and now with a company that distributes LED lights. Paul Vaslet now writes mortgage loans here in town and has a company that makes some cool changing tents. One noteworthy co-worker was Jim Clonts. Jim was a very exacting and skilled mechanic who quickly grew his own following which would form the basis of Joyride Bikes which opened in the back of Great Harvest a long time ago.
After Guido's I was out of the industry for a time. I came back with the intention of buying Sunrise Cyclery. After that not working out I was back to finish my formal education. I sold drugs, legally for Johnson & Johnson, took 90 days to realize it wasn't for me and I planned to go back to school to get even smarter. That's when Jim and Michelle Clonts called me. After seven hard years of building Joyride Bikes into a successful business they were ready to move on and I became owner of Joyride Bikes.
It's been a fast-moving, merry-go-round. Sunrise Cyclery ended up with three employees owning bike shops throughout Utah. Several people became semi-lifers with 10+ years in shops and some working at 2-3 shops in Logan. Many other great guys and gals made their ways through college while spreading the love of two wheels.
So there is a multi-directional and convoluted wander through the history of Logan bike shops according to myself. Please feel free to comment any details the reader may remember. It's been great meeting these friends, sharing their love of life and the experience on two wheels. Sometimes we lead sometimes we follow, but it's always better to have great friends to share the journey with.
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