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A Shop That Services A Bicycle's Key Component: The Rider

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A Shop That Services A Bicycle’s Key Component: The Rider

By Kaaren Valenta

Since he became the new owner of the World of Bikes in February, Mike Talarico found that there is no such thing as the typical bike rider.

“I sell bikes to people of all ages,” he said. “I sell a lot to grandparents who haven’t ridden in years. People today don’t become grandparents and sit around. They are active. It’s a whole different ballgame.

“I like to sell a kid his first bike. The kid comes in with that smile. It’s great — it’s the best feeling in the world. But the other extreme, getting people back on bikes, is great too.”

Located at 371 South Main Street, World of Bikes is a well-established bike store, having been in operation since 1968. Mr Talarico bought the business from John Polvere, who owned it since 1972.

“I sell family bikes,” Mr Talarico said. “I can get high-end bikes and I can service all types, but I’m basically a family store.”

That means everything from tricycles to adult bikes, including a good selection of bikes aimed at the “tweens” — children too tall to ride little kids’ bikes and too short to ride an adult bike.

“I try to bridge that gap,” Mr Talarico said. “I have extra small bikes for the 10- to 13-year-olds. It is partly a safety issue. I also try to get the children onto a frame that will grow with them. Mass retailers tend to stock all one size, but I handle all sizes, extra small up to bikes that fit someone six-foot-five.”

The bikes generally sell in the $200 to $600 range, and are step above the quality of those in a mass retail store, he said.

“When someone comes in for a bike, I want to be sure they are comfortable on the bike,” he said. “If they aren’t comfortable, they won’t ride it. I encourage them to ride it, to try it out.”

He also personally assembles and services the bikes, and tells customers that if anything goes wrong with their bike, they should bring it back.

The World of Bikes stocks mountain bikes, comfort bikes, hybrids, and road bikes, plus jogger strollers, tricycles, and Kettler toys by such companies as Raleigh, Diamondback, Ironhorse, Fuji, and Schwinn.

“If I don’t have a particular bike, I can order it and within a week it will be here,” Mr Talarico said. “The same with parts. My brands allow me to order small quantities.”

The store stocks a full range of accessories including helmets made specifically for women and children.

“I sell so many women’s helmets, I can hardly keep them in stock,” he said.

A native of Danbury, Mr Talarico, 33, said he was always a recreational rider, although he has done a little adventure racing and a couple of triathlons over the years. He became an electrical controls engineer but after he and his wife, Christine, had two sons, Dave, 3½, and Andrew, who was born last December, he decided he’d had enough of traveling to job sites and wanted to own his own business.

“I wanted something health-related and this is a good fit, especially with my engineering background,” he said. “It’s not much different than what I did before, except there’s no electricity running!”

Mike Talarico said he has been very happy since he changed careers.

“The former owner still stops in to see how I am doing and to offer advise on fixing some of the older bikes,” he said. “Newtown is a nice town — I really like being here.”

World of Bikes is open Tuesday from 10 am to 4:30 pm; Wednesday–Friday, 10 to 5:30; Saturday, 9 to 4:30, and Sunday by appointment. Closed Mondays. For more information call 426-3335 or visit the website www.worldofbikes-ct.com.

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