Pine Island Cycles opens at the island center
With the Stringfellow Road bike path now complete, cyclists can now ride from one end of the island to the other and an increasing number of bicycles can be seen on the path on a regular basis. Up until recently, small problems like flat tires caused many peddlers to hang up their bikes until it was possible to travel off island for even the most minor repairs. To answer this need, Pine Island Cycles recently opened shop at the island center.
According to Dave Axler, owner and head “spokes man” of the bicycle shop, after having been open just two short months, the need to expand the business has already transpired.
“With more and more people seeing the advantages of cycling on the island, our customers tell us how happy they are that we are here to take care of their bikes, and they no longer need to leave the island to get repairs done,” Axler said. “We already have had several repeat customers and new ones nearly every day. We like to encourage people to have fun riding and the side benefit, of course, is the exercise they get while enjoying themselves.”
Pine Island Cycles is equipped to do all types of repairs to any style of bicycle. In addition, the shop carries a generous line of accessories, including helmets, comfortable seats, grips, peddles, tubes, lights, computers, baskets and more.
“If you don’t see it in the shop, we will be happy to order it for you,” said Jeannette Jones, co-owner. “If a customer comes in with a special request, we can usually get it for them in less than 48 hours.”
Pine Island Cycles also carries a line of gently used bicycles and next season plans are in the works to provide rentals.
Turn over time for repairs is generally two to three days for big jobs and if ordered parts are needed, here, too, they will be delivered to the shop in 48 hours or less. Axler said that he has done everything from adjusting seats and handle bars to major overhauls during his years of experience in bike repair.
Hailing from Springfield, Mass., Axler was a leader in the BMX racing circuit and owned and operated a bike shop for many years in New England. He also has done extensive bike tours which have taken him through the Pacific northwest and through Canada.
In addition to repairs and used bike sales, Pine Island Cycles also offers the full line of Sun Bicycles. Shopping from the catalogue, customers can select from cruisers, mountain bikes, Key West styles, three wheelers, bicycles built for two and many more.
“It is our goal to provide top quality services and products for our customers here at the island center,” said Axler. “We are always happy to make recommendations to ensure that our customers are completely satisfied with whatever purchase they make.”
Pine Island Cycles is located in the Subway shopping plaza at the corner of Pine Island and Stringfellow Road. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 560-0320.