SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2008 - NJ Herald

Love of sport key for Cycle Works

In its ninth year of busi­ness,
co-owner John Nicholson recently spruced up the layout of the store and splashed some bright oranges and lime greens on the walls, which has given the store more depth and appeal.

"Before it was very hallwayish," said Nicholson. "Now it's much more inviting and user-friendly; we can talk to a cus­tomer while we are fixing their bike."

Co-owner Frank Santarpia and Nicholson began as childhood friends in a Roxbury pee wee baseball league more then 30 years ago. Nicholson worked in his dad's machine shop and began making his own parts for bicycles when he was about 11 years old.
The duo went on to equip and man a technical support truck catted Broken Spoke for four years that would show up at mountain bike races as far away as West Virginia,

On one such occasion, the two worked on more, than 150 bikes and built six wheels in a 72-hour non-stop extreme repair stint during a 24-hour mountain bike race.

"Some shops can't even do that in a month," said Santarpia. "That was a long weekend. Even though it was nuts, it gave us the reassurance of knowing we could run a shop. Instead of going to find people, they now come to us."
And come they certainly have. In droves of youngsters from the professional mountain biker to the adult novice, the shop boasts a loyal following from Newburgh, N.Y., to parts of Long Island, Pennsylvania and beyond.

"They're willing to travel for the service we can provide," Nicholson said.
The shop offers 18 months of free tune-ups and adjustments on all bikes. Purchasing plans currently include 12 months with no payment and no interest on the purchase of a new bike.

Lily Cho, an employee of the shop and avid cyclist, knows the No. 1 priority is to educate everyone who walks in the door.
"We're not sales people, we're educators," Cho said. "We are not worried whether you buy from us or not. We can tell you what you need, but if we educate you, then you can decide. This is our passion, we are here to help you, that's all."
Employee Jerry Arpaio works often with children who are purchasing their first bike.

"I tell them, even those under 10, if you have any questions, you can call me, the phone number is on the bike," Arpaio said. "It doesn't matter what age."

Many neighborhood kids come in several times a day and wander around the shop. They have even been known to call from their cell phones while on their bikes when they are having a problem and say, "Hey, can you hear that noise?"
"They're curious," Santarpia said. "Most bike shop owners would not invite them into the shop. I guess they think stuff will get stolen. We let them hang out."

The shop works very closely with many of the bike rodeos (where families bring their bikes in and they are checked for safety) at local police departments in and around Sussex County. Boy Scqut troops often con­tact the shop for badge sessions. Nicholson has led several bike safety badge sessions where the boys learn riding safety, how to change a flat tire and other essentials of bicy­cling. Every May, the shop offers discounts on repairs and service for all riders involved in the Unity Tour (a fund-raiser for fallen policemen).

"We spend a lot of time with this particular group fitting them to their bike," said Arpaio. "Many of them are not avid cyclers."
Last summer when the Tour de France was in full swing, the shop received phone calls from out-of-towners asking if they could come by and watch it on the television at the shop.

"Most bars don't have cycling on TV," Santarpia said. "We had them come and watch for as long as they wanted, had dough­nuts, it was great."

Next month, the shop will expand on that idea by introducing a coffee and nutrition bar featuring nutrition-based snacks such as energy drinks, power bars, coffee and water. A large screen and bar stool seating will add to the camaraderie.
"We really want cyclists to feel comfortable gathering here after a ride," said Nicholson.

Many riders actually travel here from out of state because of the one-of-a-kind advan­tage Sussex County offers in terms of riding courses with low traffic, choices in hilly or straight terrain and breathtaking scenery.

"There is more yellow in the atmosphere here," Arpaio said. "It is just beautiful right before the sun goes down."
With Mountain Creek's Diablo Free Ride Park boasting one of the country's best extreme downhill courses, the shop has many avid mountain bikers in the area to cater to as well.

Employee Geoffrey Meade knows this audience very well. He is a BMX freestyle rider who uses what they call a "trick" bike to jump, back flip and do his stunts on skate­boarding ramps.

"With all the safety gear that's worn, injuries aren't as often as you may think," Nicholson said.
The five staff members are familiar with all types of cycling, from extreme to recreational.
The shop also touts the ability to fabricate parts to suit a rider's needs. Custom setups for suspension are a mainstay. Also, riders can have custom graphics applied to their bikes, including names, flames, or any other whim that showcases individual personality and the like.

"We try to have fun," said Nicholson. "We all get to work at our hobby. It's our Me. This is what we do. One corporate executive just said to me, 'That's cool, you get to work at your hobby,' and I said, I get to work at your hobby, too."