(Photos courtesy George Wilson)
The Mt. Hood area has been maturing as a cycling destination for years now with the establishment of the Sandy Ridge Trail System, the popularity of unpaved forest road riding, the mountain bike trail riding opportunities, and the much-improved (and bike-friendly) bus service. But one thing has been missing: a bike shop.
We’re very happy to report that that is no longer the case!
George Wilson, a former retiree who we’ve featured in the past for his bicycle advocacy in the Mt. Hood area, is opening Mt. Hood Bicycle this month in the Hoodland Shopping Center in Welches. Wilson is partnering with Kevin McCarthy on what will be a full service shop that will cater to locals and visitors alike. Both Wilson and McCarthy are certified bicycle mechanics and have decades of cycling experience between them.
We contacted Wilson via email today after reading about the shop in the Mountain Times. He said they’ll have a soft opening January 16th and are planning a grand opening in March.
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“Cycling has been a passion for over 20 years, and if I’m going to go back to work it has to be something I’m passionate about,” Wilson shared with us today. Here’s more from his email:
“We are asking for feedback from local and visiting cyclists, regarding their needs, and/or what they would like to have available while taking advantage of the many cycling opportunities available in the Mt. Hood National Forest. As a new business, there will certainly be a learning curve. However, we are dedicated to the needs of our customers, and plan to provide premium service, and fast turn-around.
Mt. Hood Bicycle will eventually offer a bike rental program, however our primary focus will be to first establish a full service retail, service/repair bicycle shop, with bike wash station for 2018. We will continue to evolve, and make necessary changes as the need dictates.”
Wilson says he’ll stock parts from Shimano and SRAM and is working to become a dealer for Fox, Trek/Bontrager, and more. Wilson hopes to eventually stock mountain bikes, fat bikes, road bikes, and electric-assist bikes. In addition to bikes, parts and service, you’ll also find Mt. Hood-inspired artwork and gifts.
Mt. Hood Bicycle is located just eight miles east of the Sandy Ridge Trailhead, just west on Highway 26 from the Lolo Pass interchange, and 18 miles from Timberline Lodge. If a proposal for an off-road cycling park on Timberline ever gets approved (it’s currently mired in legal challenges from conservation groups), it would be a big boost for this shop.
The shop’s website at MtHoodBicycle.com is still under construction, but they have an active Facebook page where you can get the latest info.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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