Welcome to the latest installment in our series featuring retail shops that carry Enduro Bites. Bike Effect, located in Santa Monica, California, has been stocking Enduro Bites since 2013. Started in a garage in 2009, Bike Effect is now gorgeous, detail-oriented, high-end fit studio and road cycling pro shop + service center. Without further ado, meet Alison and Steven.
Who are the store’s owners?
Alison Letson and Steven Carre started Bike Effect in 2009. They grew the business from Alison's garage to Bike Effect's current Santa Monica location. We have friends and clients who can say the bike fit that changed their cycling life happened "in the garage!" Longtime friends and clients are the very best support.
Steven Carre, a Marine and former mountain climbing guide, is a master fitter whose curiosity for fitting was ignited more than 15 years ago. He has been certified by Specialized BG Fit and SICI, and he occasionally teaches fit curriculum at Cyclologic. Steven has been tapped by Lake Cycling for design and fit insight on a number of their shoes and regularly presents at the annual Medicine of Cycling Conference.
How do customers describe the store?
These are the words we hear most often to describe Bike Effect: beautiful shop, well-presented, gorgeous, homey, friendly, unique selection, high-end, well put together, detail oriented, tech-based fit studio, best (and cleanest) bathroom in any bike shop I've ever been in :) Those are always nice things to hear!
What’s the best part of running a shop?
Bike Effect is a cycling community hub in Santa Monica and is such a great place to meet really interesting, funny, wonderful friends who cycle. Cycling attracts people from all walks of life and the people who walk through our doors continue to inspire us. Talk about awesome stories! Many of our friends will pull up a chair in the service department, grab a beer and hang with us for a mid-ride break or a post-ride chill out.
What is the most challenging aspect of running a bike shop?
Trying to figure out months in advance what will inspire your customers and create that experience.
How do you get involved with your community?
Rides! And our community comes to us for some of the very best service you'll find!
What's the most interesting /surprising trend going on in the bike industry right now?
Ooof. That's tough. That could be answered in a couple of different ways.
1) The cycling industry is going through a bit of an identity crisis right now and it is important for clients, friends, and customers to realize that your Local Bike Shop Cycling Service Center relies on your business to keep those doors open to serve you. Shop local!
2) Road disc brakes are here and we've been on board for the past couple of years. Our custom fit studio allows us access to bleeding edge tech preferences and client tastes. We were able to see the meaningful move toward road disc in 2014 and 2015 when our custom orders started trending that direction. With solid thru-axle technology in place and new adventure geometries and designs coming out, we are happy to see our clients knocking down the conventional (mental) barriers to explore of all kinds on bikes!
Leave a comment