A bike shop that serves up beer, wine, coffee, and some food options?
Lodi Cyclery near the heart of the downtown area at 9 North School St. has that and more.
It’s there as a bicycle supplier that the shop offers up repairs, tune-ups, and rentals for those riding on two wheels – both pedal and electric ones.
It’s also there where folks can gather and enjoy a cold one – local craft beer or glass of white wine – while escaping the heat of the valley, especially during the summer months of the Thursday night Lodi Farmers Market.
During these fall and winter months, Lodi Cyclery offers up a hot tea (London Fog, matcha, chai) of cup of joe from nearby Trails Coffee Roasters – they use fair-trade coffee beans from the family farm, Cerro de Jesus, in the mountain region of Northern Nicaragua.
The food menu includes avocado (Pico de Gallo and cotija), savory (salami, prosciutto, and mortadella), sweet (peanut butter or Nutella) and Spring seasonal (arugula, strawberry, and feta cheese) toasts, along with granola and cheese selections.
Open since January 2021, the bike shop was originally located in a strip mall on Ham Lane near Lockeford Street.
Back then, the owners, Brian Shirk – he’s an active member of the local cycling community and former triathlete – and his wife Karin, shared the place with resident shop dog, Ellie.
Their shop featured brands such as Giant, Cervelo, Bianchi, and Yuba cargo bikes, to name a few.
In spring 2023, Lodi Cyclery moved to its current downtown location. The move was later followed by the Shirks’ dream of featuring some of the local wineries and breweries.
Paul Yasaitis was a regular customer of the bike store at its first location.
He’s been his riding his road bike for over 15 years, doing the annual Iowa RAGRAI – a seven-day bicycle ride across the Midwest state – twice, and recently completing a ride from Paris to Amsterdam.
His Giant bike was damage in parking lot mishap in recent years. Lodi Cyclery and Brian Shirk cane to his rescue, replacing his old aluminum fame with one made of carbon fiber. Yasaitis, who is a retired ag salesman, has put in thousands of miles on his “new” bike since then.
His word of mouth also introduced many of us to the cozy sit-down amenities at the bike store.
Included is live music featured on certain evenings including the Thursday night Lodi Farmers Market scene.
Ro Tabora happened along Lodi Cyclery this past summer for the first time. The Lathrop resident was wowed not just with the bikes – he, too, is bicycle enthusiast – but also hanging out in a relaxed atmosphere with a nice IPA brew in hand.
Lodi Cyclery Information
209 36-7433
Hours
Tuesdays - Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
