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Sunrise Cyclery aims to get Logan
biking for health, environment
By Blaine Adams
May 11, 2009 | With gas prices continually rising,
biking seems like a wise alternative to driving, especially
given the recent trends toward a greener lifestyle.
Erik Bachmann, an employee at Sunrise Cyclery, an
independent bike shop in Logan, believes the trends
in the future will be more focused on a commuter biking
lifestyle.
"Especially now, [and] last summer, there was
a huge push for commuter bikes. Even people who've never
rode before are now saying, 'I need a bike,'" he
said.
The store is bright and has a workshop feel to it.
Bachmann said the high quality of repairs is one of
the things for which the store is well-known and appreciated.
Along with donating to local charities, the employees,
he said, are lifers, or bikers for life. They clear
trails, plan races, and help to introduce new-comers
to the sport and world of bike riding. But the local
focus, he said, is what sets them apart.
"A lot of people in the community have recognized
us," he said. "It's a healthy lifestyle [to be a biker].
We want everybody on a bike."
Bachmann explained the store is focused on helping
the citizens of Logan to become healthier and impact
the environment less through riding their bikes to work
and around town. But he believes the store offers something
different and unique to Logan.
"Brand-wise, [shopping somewhere else] would be like
getting a video game with only three levels working.
We hand-pick our bikes, they have lifetime warranties,
and we ride the bikes we sell," he said.
The store, located in downtown Logan in the Federal
Avenue area, does carry that relaxed local business
vibe. The employees are eager to help, and the entire
shop feels stripped down and professional, with high-quality
products lining the shelves and tools a foot away.
Bachmann explained he understands the importance businesses
like his play in Logan's environment.
"I've been buying local for a long time. I try not
to internet order anything. [I go to] farmer's markets.
I believe in supporting your neighbor, not an executive
somewhere," he said. "I help do [in donations] a lot
of the cycling events," he said. He mentioned he and
the store were part of the International Mountain Bicycling
Association.
Bachmann, however, acknowledges that Logan, although
it does have a large biking population, still has a
ways to go.
"Logan's got a high concentration of people who drive
big trucks and lift them for no reason. We're not judgmental
about it, but we would like to see this practice change,"
he said.
Bachmann explained the store is proactive in helping
those who choose to bike to work and around. For either
days or miles ridden to work, the store will provide
a discount.
"We have a Sunrise Frequent Rider Program where you
get rewarded for commuting up to a 15 percent discount,"
he said.
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