the other day I was taking a beautiful Saturday and was riding down Penn in the district when I noticed what I thought was a new bike shop called Kindred Cycles, so I stopped to check it out. Let me give you my first thoughts before we get into any details. The shop is beautiful if a little small, still it is a well thought out space and I managed to find everything you might need in a glance. I also liked that the mechanical area is right in the middle of the shop. Part of my favorite thing when I go to a bike shop is to watch and talk to the bike mechanics. (you can learn a lot that way)
You can see when I was there there were still unpacking and getting set up. The two who were there when I came in Aaron and Katharine were happy to talk to me and proud to show off the shop (Rightly so). This is a great local shop in a good location. Penn Ave through the strip district is main artery for cyclist.
So now lets get down to the nuts and bolts of the shop.
Bikes an’at
Kindred Cycles offers a varied selection of bikes:
I for one have already fallen in love with the “Fairdale Parser” in Blood Orange (of course). The selection is very good for a shop this size and I would be surprised if you couldn't find a bike that fits your needs here. They also stock a full range of accessories from Brooks Saddles to helmets, gloves, chains, tubes and just about everything you could need. From their Facebook page I see they also have DZR shoes and Ortleib Outdoor equipment. I also have no doubt that they can get you whatever you need as well. With the growth in cycling in pittsburgh I believe that a shop like kindred cycles is just what the Strip district needs.
Events
The event page on their website says simply “Just you wait... We’re gonna do lots of fun stuff. Keep Posted.” I’m very excited about this. I feel that the local bike shops should be the epicenter of group rides.
Read this as EPIC Center (but that is a thought for another day)
So I hope that Kindred Cycles organizes some great group rides. I don’t know how many rides I will be able to get to but the more rides there are in and around town the better chance I have of making it to some of them. As I have said many times before Pittsburgh has an exceptional bike community and I have no doubt that all the group rides are one of the main reasons that our bike community is as awesome as it is.
Service
What’s a bike shop with out a wall of park tools and the lingering scent of chain lube?
Sad, Very Sad.
Kindred Cycles is not a sad shop. In fact one of things I like the best about the shop is that the service area is right in the middle of the shop so you can watch the work as it is happening. From what I saw as I watched Katharine work on a bike, and what little I know of bike mechanics. It is clear to me that I was watching experience in action. I’m no schlub when it comes to fixing my bike, and I can usually manage most tasks. What I can’t do it is make it look easy.
She made it look easy.
It is about now that I would talk about Aaron and Katharine and what great people they are and how the shop has a great vibe and a friendly environment. Do I really need to do that? Its a local Bike shop, Of course Aaron and Katharine (and everybody else there) Love bicycles and love riding.
They opened a Local Bike Shop!
And as far as the great vibe and friendly environment... Its a Local Bike Shop! Maybe I have been lucky in my experiences with Local Bike Shops in and around Pittsburgh but I have yet to be at one that wasn't run by people who loved bikes and deeply believed that this world would be a better place if everyone rode a bicycle. So yes I found the people at Kindred Cycles to be friendly and I found the shop to be a welcoming place.
I’m sure you will as well. If you’re down in the strip stop by and welcome them. Tell them “Fatguy Sent you”.
