West Trails Bicycles has an announcement to make. We were hoping to wait til we were ready, but it’s become clear that we may never be ready. Readiness is a luxury for those with short “To-Do” lists.
Much like parenthood, where readiness is not a factor in determining the delivery date, we have set upon a course that will thrust us into new challenges, ready or not. And just like parenthood, we may not have all the answers at the start, but by golly, deep within us we’ll find just enough answers to overcome challenges as they arise.
This may come as a complete surprise to some of you, others may say, “you know… I was wondering… but I supposed it was just weight gain… I was afraid to ask.”
We have a new little bundle of joy…
We’ve named it Trail Center.
Some of you may ask with incredulity, “Why bring another bike shop into the world in these troubled times? Isn’t one enough?”
Indeed, one is plenty… far more work than you likely imagine it to be. But much as some parents desire to have a boy AND a girl to have a complete parenting experience, we really wanted a second shop that would complete the voids left by the first.
Miamitown is a great place for a bike shop in many ways, and we could be satisfied with just raising it. After all it has, “Location. Location. Location”. But our new shop has “Location, Location, LOCATION!”
You see, there’s this thing called Shaker Trace Trail, at Miami Whitewater Forest. It’s better known as, “the bike trail.”
On the East side of Greater Cincinnati, the Little Miami Trail, or Loveland Trail as it’s often referred to, is nice because of it’s length. On our side of the world, the Miami-Whitewater bike trail is nice because, well… it’s beautiful. It’s scenic, curvaceous, the terrain is varied (some small hills), and it’s a loop rather than a pancake-flat, out-and-back course. In the very center of this wonderful loop is the quaint town of New Haven, and now in that town is our little fledgling bike shop!
Just 1/2 mile from the trail via a sleepy country road, we are preparing our new shop to service trail riders’ needs, whether it’s an unexpected repair that arises while riding the trail, a chance to shop for bicycle accessories while you’re feeling the need, or routine maintenance made more convenient because it saves you a trip. You are already in the area with your bike; just drop it off for service on your way from the park then, when you come out to get it, take it to the park and ride.
We will also be renting types of bikes that are just not available at the park.
Miamitown is not a great place to ride a bike to. New Haven, on the other hand, has bikes riding around it all day long.
Like all newborns, we will be starting out small, and though we are guaranteed to grow, exactly what we grow into remains to be seen.
Trail Center Bicycles; “WE are where YOU are when you RIDE”
