December 1, 2014

What do you get when you combine a large, inviting space, a comfortable environment, a nice selection of beers and a childhood dream?  You get December 2014’s Dealer of the Month:  The Bike Commuter in Portland, Oregon.  Owners Eric Deady and his wife recently moved their shop into a beautiful new space, creating a community-oriented store that prides itself on accommodating whatever type of rider you are: commuter, family, road, long-distance, mountain. “We really believe in the idea of cycling as a transportation alternative or just for fun or just a way to get around and get out of the house with the kids or on your own,” Eric says.

But it’s the overall atmosphere that Eric wants to grow that will set The Bike Commuter apart from other bike shops.  “We do the usual bike related stuff, sales and service and rentals, used bikes, but now we’ve added a much larger service department so we can accommodate a much wider range of service.”  And keeping with the multi-use aspect of his shop, Eric wants The Bike Commuter to become a destination.  “We are right next to the Springwater Corridor Trail so we get a lot of customers that come in just looking for something to drink or a place to hang out, so now we have ten local beers on tap.  And that’s really the genesis of the store as it is now, just a way to have an environment so people are comfortable to be here instead of just looking for a bike repair or some quick thing.”

And Nutcase fits in nicely with what Eric is working hard to achieve.  “The Bike Commuter’s been a strong believer in Nutcase for a long time.  In a world where bike stuff is very homogenous and a lot of the same kinda thing, Nutcase really gives us an alternative to that in a really fun and exciting way.  Our customers come in and see a helmet in a color or a pattern that’s really fun and interesting and that’s what really sets Nutcase apart from all the rest of the helmet companies out there.  They fit well and they’re comfortable and they’re just a great addition to our store and what we believe in here.  It’s just a lot of fun.”

And that pinball machine in the bar?  “It was a childhood dream of mine to have a pinball machine and now I finally have one, although I don’t get to play it much…it’s at work.”