CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Fixing a bike at Oro Valley Bicycle, 4749 E. Sunrise Dr., in the Foothills, store manager Cory Foster has been hearing the door bell ring more often, meaning more customers are coming in.
He said for the past two months since the weather has cooled down, and definitely since the second week of October, more people have been needing to get upgrades and tune ups.
“Like twice as busy as it was two months ago, so easily double,” Foster said.
With El Tour de Tucson this Saturday, he’s been especially seeing more customers needing their services.
“Kind of go through the whole bike, make sure the wheels are straight, it’s shifting right, stopping right. All that good stuff,” he said.
Foster is also noticing more shipments coming in with bikes and he’s having to assemble more.
“A lot of new bike sales. A lot of people motivated to do well in the event this year,” Foster said.
However, Oro Valley Bicycle isn’t the only shop in the Foothills that is seeing more people coming in.
Cyclefit Solutions on Sunrise and Kolb is also seeing more people. Their owner Tim Carolan isn’t just going to be riding in the race; he’s also fixing the bikes of people participating in it.
“There’s something about being out with 7 thousand other riders and taking on what Tucson has to offer,” he said about the race.
He’s also seeing more riders coming into his shop and said each day he gets busier with people needing last minute adjustments and supplies.
However, starting tomorrow he said he’ll start to see people from out of town coming into his shop and some last minute people.
“If people are doing it last minute, they find that their tires are flat, maybe their bike isn’t shifting,” Carolan said.
Tomorrow he’s having an event at his shop with a former professional bicyclist, which he said brings in more people to his shop and already had an event yesterday.
He said when everyone is riding in the race , it brings together the biking community.
“It is a major part of the Tucson lifestyle or business. I think we’re very fortunate to have it,” he said.
RELATED:
- 40th El Tour brings Tucsonans together
- Road closures Saturday, Nov. 18 for the 40th El Tour de Tucson
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
