Niwot Wheel Works to celebrate grand opening

What’s keeping you from riding your bike this summer? Flat tire? Bent derailleur? Busted chain?

Niwot’s newest bike shop, Niwot Wheel Works, is open ready to help.

This service-focused shop, located in the former Rockin’ Robin’s building, opened its doors on Aug. 2, and will host its grand opening during the First Friday Art Walk on Sept. 1.

When asked to describe the vision for his new business, shop owner Eric Bergeson was quick to reply. “First of all, we are a bike shop for everybody in Niwot. We want to be very accessible. We want to be known as experts in bicycle service.”

Bergeson, who retired from Amgen several years ago, decided to open his own business last year after his youngest child graduated high school. A bike enthusiast since he was a teen, he saw the need for bike service and repair in Niwot and Niwot Wheel Works was born.

To provide locals with the best bike service, Bergeson hired fellow Niwot resident Fernando Tapia as his chief mechanic. “I’ve been involved in bicycles and cycling for most of my adult life,” said Tapia, who has worked in the industry for 30 years, wrenching for teams like Subaru, Saturn and Schwin in the 1990s, and most recently at Republic Cycles in South Boulder.

“He kind of fell in my lap through the Niwot network,” Bergeson said of Tapia. “He’s exactly what I was looking for - all his experience and abilities.”

Besides bike repair, the shop will carry parts and clothing, representing several bicycle lines curated for local interests. “I think the community around here is primarily road bikes for adults at least,” Bergeson said. “Commuter bikes are needed, kids bikes are needed, so we’ll carry things like that as well.”

He also hopes his shop becomes a gathering spot for local cyclists. “Eventually we want to get a food and beverage license and a beer and wine license. It’s a kind of trend in bike shops everywhere. The vision is to create traffic, to create a hub for cycling, that meets a need for people in the area.”

Bergeson invites the community to check out his shop on Sept. 1 during the First Friday Art Walk and come back over the weekend for some deep discounts on summer merchandise. “We want to move the inventory since it’s the end of the season so they’ll be some good deals,” Bergeson said.

“There’s so much cycling in Niwot, and I want to be part of the business community here downtown and help to coalesce the energy around cycling around here,” Bergeson said. “We want to get people on bikes. If we can get people on bikes we’re going to be happy.”

Niwot Wheel Works is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p. m.Tuesday through Sunday. Customers can visit the shop at 124 2nd Avenue, or call 720-340-2979.