Any funky little shop that fills a building once occupied by a dinky 2-bay service station gets my seal of approval. But what's more, is that this place actually has substance to go along with the style. (The business card is even an Ace of Spades!)
I poked my head in, and the place is pretty stuffed to the gills. There's not a lot of room in an old two bay gas station, but the guys at Mr Goodbike have made hay. Parking is around back, under a big oak tree surrounded by cars with bikes racks, and a single speed mountain bike on every one. Kona banners are everywhere...usually a good sign of an independent minded joint. Inside, the independence carries on. Kona mountain bikes racked two deep in what was once the service station office, bay one serves as a showroom of sorts, while bay two is the register and work space for the wrenches. Every nook and cranny is packed with stuff, and the place is a little claustrophobic, but the overall feel is good.
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On the far wall up high, three steel frames hang covered in dust, an old Kona Lava Dome, and a Breezer, the third slips my mind (age, you know). Nice Decor.
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The staff were talking to a customer when I was there, chatting it up about the 12 Hours of Santos endurance race which had just taken place earlier in the month. Apparently, the Goodbike folks did it on single speeds (hence the SSers on racks out back, I guess). The shop has a very single speed culture to it, not in that they push SS, but just that SS folks in general are a certain breed, and this place seems to appeal to that. Conversation also centered around their observations regarding cool bikes they saw at the event. One guy commented seeing a Vicious Cycles bike there, and remarked that it was a Carl 'Snarl' Schlemowitz special. Anyone who, off the cuff, knows by name who builds frames under the banner of Vicious Cycles, especially in Florida, is OK by me...
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Out front, a few Redline Monocogs and an assortment of solid used bikes. All very straight-up and fair minded. Good stuff!
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On to the ratings...walk it on out with me, folks...
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Stuff!
- Not much to fondle, as space is a premium. If this were the only shop in town, you'd make out OK without putting a shotgun in your mouth.
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Persons of Employ!
- "Snarl" knowledge = 5 Fully-involved Fledgelings
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Merchandising!
- Hang it where you can, baby! Still the place was pleasant and fun. What more can you ask for!
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Bikes!
-Kona is still, in my book, and in these dark days of the bike industry, a great standard for how not to follow the crowd in the bike biz. I don't follow the brand to the ends of the earth, but they deserve some credit for holding their own path. Ditto Redline. A shop that stocks more than one Monocog is all good in my book.
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Fluff!
- I liked that place. Were it not the the deep conversation going on regarding the 12 Hours, and my next destination beckoning, I'd have pulled up a chair and spent the afternoon.
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Tally it up! 4.4 Flamers. I'm faced with a conundrum here though...rounded down, that's an identical score as Spin - 4. I'd rate them higher than Spin, but rules are rules. No Chopping Babies in half here on Utahdog!
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- Overall for Mr Goodbike...5 Fully-Involved Fledgelings! Regarding my rules...I lied.
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Mr Goodbike
425 NW 13th St
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Next stop!... Chain Reaction!
2 comments:
Maybe you can give them four "heavy" babies, as opposed to four "light" babies for Spin? Can we weigh the babies, here?
Nope...like a good BBQ, all baby flesh melts off the bone during the grilling.
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