Joining Fresno's several other fine bicycle shops will be Rich Holdsworth, now opening Rubbersoulbicycles. A personable, compassionate and competitive merchant, Rich has a long history locally in the cycling business, most recently through about five years ago, when he sold Cyclopath to corporate cephalopod Performance. He then submerged for the duration of his non-compete clause with that North Carolina based mass marketer, still open in Rich's old shop at Blackstone and Sierra.
I ran into Rich while fetching some sandwiches for lunch today, down the strip mall on the northwest corner of Blackstone and Nees, whose corner and anchor store for so many years was Tri-Sport, founded by Ben Medrano, and most recently run by our good friend and Team member Kevin Slater, now operating for over a year in his River View center store located a barber shop and Mexican restaurant away from 2007 Central Valley Classic primary sponsor Bentley's Fresh Market and Bistro. Rich has leased and remodeled the old Tri-Sport space. Alas, I did not see that the decor includes a parrot.(What DID happen to Zooie?)
We're a fortunate town of our size to have beyond these shops the recently-expanded Herb Bauer's Cycling, at Blackstone and Escalon, not to mention the two locations for Stevens Cyclery, their original crammed shop at Palm and Shields, plus their brand new and more spacious location at Willow and Nees right in front of the bike trail. Cycle Path also continues a smaller operation at Cedar and Herndon.
Rubbersoulbicycles hasn't even formally opened. There is much merchandise and stocking to go. Rich advises he'll have a "soft opening" next week, a grand opening sometime following, and most likely also a special by invitation holiday event in December. He has given some barber a bit of business, as his ponytail has vanished, such that I didn't quite recognize him at first, though he surely knew me. During 2001 I bought my original Cannondale 600 road bike at the old Cyclo Path, and that's where we purchased Kathy's original Bianchi Giro. Of course, the years pass, aluminum gets replaced by carbon fiber, 9-speed rear derailleurs by 10-speed, and other refinements.
Rich already has a stock of KHS, a good Taiwanese import bike, ridden by many of you past and present as a loaner bike. I also saw a few Kestrel, the carbon fiber roadbike, not the nifty weather meter I recently got as a gift. (See: http://www.kestrelmeters.com/; REI also carries a model or two of these gadgets, along with all their mountaineering, hiking, camping and even, cycling gear.) Beyond that, Rich is not quite sure which lines of roadbikes he will carry, but he mentioned Lemond, Seven, Calfee, etc.
Anyway, Rich's new shop should be a great resource, expanding our local options. Welcome back Rich!