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Show - I ! Sun Advocate Price, Utah Thursday May 30, 2002 IB I ISISB93Kin SaSagSSi''l'm i "f ' ' vfe: r.-- .-l ? . 1 0 v ' : : ''V. " . 4Mn By RICHARD SHAW Focus page Editor The old saying goes An apple a day keeps dictator away "But does a bike ride a day do the same? ;.; :; Danny Decker probably thinks so and would alk) tell you so. Being the only special purveyor of those two wheeled vehicles we all owned as kids, he sees bikes as a way of life. .. These machines he sells just arent for kids anymore. . With some bicycles prices ranging into the $1500 range, good, well built and long lasting bikes are not a casual purchase for most people. And nor should it be. . The truth is if kids had their way, nine out of 10af them would buy their bikes from me, says Decker. They know what they L wv-S"v.'- k'ii, '., ; ' discount stores. In actuality, good quality and seemingly pricey bikes have always been around. But people lode at some of the better machines today and see the same price they paid for their first car and balk at buying their kids that kind of bike. Ive worked on some pretty old bikes people have picked up, but they are almost always the .' . .',- - v ,,V.y..vv,?v. roar. Decker began in the bicycle business over 30 years ago when his unde began importing inner tubes. Then he moved into retail and whole sale. He became involved in that business and soon he was working in his brother-in-lashop in the Cottonwood area in Salt Lake County. But there came a time when he decided he wanted to do something else and he moved to Emery County and went to work for a large employer there. However, within a couple of years of moving there, friends and neighbors came to know that he could fix theirs and their kids bicycles. Soon he had a small business repairing bikes out of his garage. I wanted to get out, but just couldnt, he says of that time. poses for different people. Some - v iJ-- .'Aw. I.'-- i ' -- - JMis biii wildfire. And it continues to best brands, like a Diamond Bade, states Decker. The oldest Huffy I have ever done any work on is four years. That's because they wear out and at that point is more money to fix them than it is to just throw them away and buy another one." Bicycles serve different pur- j i- dramatic change in recent years, yet many of the age old formulas for success are still there. In terms of sales 60 percent of the business goes to department and discount stores, while 40 percent goes to small shops like Deckers. There are about 4700 small ; ''k- ? '', V. use them for fun, others for transportation, and some for serious fun. With the breakout of the mountain bike craze a number of years ago, biking took off like want and what works. Parents come in a look at my prices and go down the street to one of the V ' V' ";' ' - i 1 . s.; - ";?' . - i.T it rea - -.: ' shops in the country (according to the Independent Bike Dealers Association), and that number remains pretty stable from year to year with some new mes opening while others are dosing. Nationally they figure it takes a population base of about 50,000 people to operate a bike shop successfully, says Decker. I figure we have a base of about 28,000. That means if another, shop opened in the area both of us would starve instead of just one of us. (Continued on page 3B) That first year I made only . $3000 fixing bikes. The business has increased a great deal since then. He moved to Price when he bought an existing bicycle business about six years ago on the comer of First North and Third East It was a good location visibility wise, but the parking was impossible. A person could get run over getting to my store, he says. . A couple of months ago the shop moved to First East across from the CEU Prehistoric Museum. The new store is bigger, but doesnt quite have the visibility the old one did. So far the move has not affected the business, says Decker. Our customers know where we are. And they are a discerning bunch. Many are young, and many know what they want when they walk in. They want the bikes tafcws Bike Shop sdls more than just tricycles. They ie offer skats brMhts o various kinds and snow boards as wefl. Accessories and parts are available for a wide range of bikes and boards as well. i that Lance Armstong won on (Ibek) or the BMX bikes that Dave Mirra tools along on (Haro). Owning a great bicycle is much like owning a fine automobile. There is a big difference between a Corvette and a Hyundai, not only in cost, but in performance, style and features. The bike industry has been in i lannv Decker, who human wimhvi his bike shoo in his eaten in Emery County a few years ago, stands proudly into new shop located on First East between Main and First North with bicycle built for two he has on display. a |