Windsor hub of North County biking

Windsor hub of North County biking



The dry and unseasonably warm weather in March provided an early start to the bicycling season for the two-dozen or so bicycle shops in Sonoma County.ralphlaurenhoody



On a recent Saturday,fauxfurwraps Windsor Bicycle Center owner Mike Stollmeyer asked an employee to come in and help out at the busy 2,600-square-foot business on the Town Green.



The Windsor Bicycle Center started in 1999 at the Lakewood Village near the Safeway in Windsor.



“We grew out of the old center and wanted to buy this building. We’ve been here since 2009,” Stollmeyer said.



The Center has eight or nine employees during the winter months and up to 13 during the busy April-November season.



His clients come from all over Sonoma County, in Napa and as far as San Francisco, but is “saturated” along the U.foralgownS. Highway 101 corridor between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg,he says.



“Our mission is to be the best bicycle shop in the North Bay,” says Stollmeyer, a 39-year-old Canadian.



His interest in bicycles goes back to when he was 8 and riding BMX bicycles. He has been in Sonoma County since he was 17 and also is a real estate broker.

The Windsor Bicycle Center is a blend of his two main interests — business and cycling.



Windsor and the City of Sonoma have been designated a “Bicycle-Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists, and in 2011 the Windsor Bicycle Center was named by the Bicycle Retailers and Industry News one of the top 100 bicycle retailers in the country.



The store at 830 McClelland Drive is packed with merchandise. It sells high-end bicycles with Di2 push button electronic shifting starting at $3,500 to $5,000, more traditional adult bikes with cable shifting at $300 and a child’s tricycle for $120. A lot of the store’s adult bicycles sell for $400-$500, Stollmeyer said.



Accessories comprise about 40 percent of his business, Stollmeyer said. This includes everything from a SunLite 18-inch bungee strap for $5, a 24-ounce Camelbak Podium water bottle for $12 and a front basket for $15, to a Cannondale Scalpel Ultimate bicycle with 29-inch wheels for $11,000.



There is plenty of apparel, from men’s shoes between $99 to $379 and women’s shoes from $99 to $269, and jerseys in the $80-$90 price range.



Windsor Bicycle Center carries a large selection of Giant-brand bicycles and accessories, Stollmeyer said. It also sells Cannondale, Electra and Haro bikes.



A popular item is the Go Pro wearable or gear-mountable camera that records cycling and other sports activities. It costs between $200 and $400, with a Hero 3 model with WiFi selling for $300.



The business also provides repair and overhaul services ranging between $60 and $200, and bicycle rentals between $35 and $100 a day, depending on the bicycle selected, Stollmeyer said.



The Windsor Bicycle Center sponsors the Colovita NorCal racing team and has a 65-member bicycle club. Twent- to 25-mile group rides leave from the store on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.germanuniformsm. and on Friday evenings. Saturday rides at 10 a.m. are longer and last up to 3 1/2 hours.



Some members of the bicycle club race on Tuesday evenings at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The races are sponsored by CX Nation. The 0.9-mile closed loop is a fast, safe course, and riders under 18 may participate with a parent’s or guardian’s signature. Racers need a USA Cycling license or may purchase a one-day license for $10. Prizes are not awarded and racing is for bragging rights only.



But local bicyclists need look no farther than Windsor to satisfy their passion for cycling.



“Windsor has a beautiful green park, food, cafes and good riding in all directions from here,” Stollmeyer says.



“We’re promoting the fun and health and well-being of cycling. It’s great to see people involved in cycling. It makes you sleep better and have more energy.”



Windsor officials have done well getting bicycle lanes in town considering the budget constraints, but more could be done, her said.



Cycling east and west in Central Windsor under the U.S. Highway 101 overpass is tricky because the bike lane crosses over the right traffic lane in both directions.hermeshandbags

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