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Bikes for a Bargain: Owner of Revolution Cycles Tricks Out Used Bicycles to Offer at an Affordable Price.

Posted on: Friday, 19 May 2006, 15:07 CDT

By Cindy Larson, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.

May 19--Jason Roberts has melded his two passions in life -- art and bicycles -- into a new business.

The 31-year-old opened Revolution Cycles about three weeks ago at 1122 Broadway. His motto: "One pedal at a time." His product: Bikes, parts and accessories -- mostly used. He also custom-paints tricked-out rides.

Roberts calls his shop a "low-for-profit" business. He doesn't want to make money, just break even. He said his store is an alternative to shops that sell only new bikes. He's worked in those types of shops before, where often people can't afford the bikes or the replacement parts, he said. "It's just disheartening to turn away people who really need something" but can't afford it.

Most bikes at conventional bike shops sell from $400 to $10,000. At Roberts' shop on Tuesday, one new model was selling for $200 -- but most of the other used bikes were priced well below $100. For example, a turquoise Murray model -- which he jokingly priced at $312,410,385.12 -- was marked down to 45 bucks, proving Roberts not only has an easygoing attitude toward his business, but a sense of humor as well.

Roberts specializes in classic cruiser bikes -- vintage and new models. These trendy models are popular with 20- to 30-year-olds, Roberts said. They're "just fun to cruise around on." The new cruisers are throwbacks to the bikes of the '40s, '50s and '60s, characterized by wider tires, fenders, large comfy seats and coaster brakes. Roberts described them as "fun or quirky or flat out cool."

They're similar to touring or commuter bikes, which serve the same purpose as cruisers but are more utilitarian, Roberts said. A commuter bike would be like a Ford Taurus; a classic cruiser would be the equivalent to a '57 Chevy.

Roberts, who rides his bike year-round, said with the price of gas skyrocketing, more people are using bicycles for commuting. He has signed up to be a dealer for Nirve Sports Ltd., a "leading designer of collectible lifestyle cruiser and chopper bicycles, components, and accessories," according to the company's Web site, www.nirve.com [http://www.nirve.com] .

Roberts has Nirve's "Surfer Kitty" model in his store, an orange-and-blue single-speed model with a coaster brake and Hello Kitty bell. The bike also features whitewall tires with a Hello Kitty tread. Oh, and did we mention? This is no kid's bike -- it's sized for adults.

So what could be cooler than a classic cruiser bike? How about a customized classic cruiser? Roberts has a photo album full of pictures showing the custom-paint jobs he's done on bikes. Sea turtles are painted on one custom ride. Another bike features Homer Simpson. Roberts also has custom painted low-riders and chopper bikes. Even adult trikes -- at one time associated primarily with senior citizens in Florida retirement communities -- have become hip and trendy, when customized. Roberts has a photo of one he custom-painted that sported spinners on the wheels and a twisted front fork. "It's a really cool scene," he said.

Roberts' small shop fills a niche for people who like to ride but don't have thousands of dollars to spend on fancy racing or mountain bikes. He plans to focus on old-fashioned customer service.

"That's what I'm in it for -- the guys who ride."

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Copyright (c) 2006, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

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