DRAPER, Utah (BRAIN) — The valley south of Salt Lake City is simultaneously one of the fastest changing regions of Utah and one where the old ways stubbornly persist.
The BRAIN Dealer Tour of Salt Lake City saw some of each reality on Tuesday as we rode with the snow-capped Wasatch Range as a constant backdrop. We jumped on the region's TRAX light rail system — a byproduct of the city's 2002 Winter Olympic buildout — to start our ride in Riverton, about 20 miles south of the capital. After visiting stores in the affluent, fast-growing neighborhoods of Riverton and Draper, we meandered back toward the city and visited a pair of shops on the south end of town.
Some of the shops we visited have enjoyed decades of deep support from their community and families, while newer stores serve niches like the booming downhill market and a surprisingly large online market for Cannondale replacement parts. Our final stop, Contender Bicycles, is in an upscale neighborhood south of downtown and was one of the most impressive high-end road shops we've seen on a Dealer Tour.
Much of the day we cruised on wide shoulders on busy roads, with guidance from Philip Sarnoff, the executive director of Bike Utah. As we re-entered the city, we enjoyed riding on some newer bikes lanes, separated from traffic and parked cars by a painted buffer zone.
In the last three years, Utah made one of the most dramatic improvements in the nation in the League of American Wheelman's Bicycle Friendly States rankings, leaping from 31st in 2011 to 14th last year and up to fourth place in this year's rankings. Just a step off the podium.
The improvement came thanks to increased infrastructure funding and new bike friendly laws — including a three-foot pass law and one that allows motorists to cross the centerline to pass bikes — along with campaigns such as the state's Road Respect Tour, an industry- and state Department of Transportation-supported program that visits communities to teach motorists and bicyclists the laws and etiquette.
The Salt Lake City Dealer Tour is sponsored by Advanced Sports International, Finish Line/ White Lightning, Bell Helmets, Lizard Skins, Interbike, and PeopleForBikes. The tour continues Wednesday in the Ogden area where we will be joined by Mayor Mike Caldwell. On Thursday we will visit shops in Salt Lake City and will be joined by Mayor Ralph Becker for part of the ride.
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We took the TRAX out of the city to start our ride in Riverton. -
Taylor's store is big — about 9,000 square feet, plus a 3,000 foot basement. -
Taylor's welcomed us for our first stop. -
Three generations of the Taylor family, with founder Ron's portrait. -
Infinite Bikes is one of the largest Cannondale dealers in the country, and shares the brand's love for green. -
Infinite's Guru fitting station gets a lot of work: about four free fits a day. About 95 percent of the fits lead to a bike sale. -
No shop dogs sighted on day one, but Infinite Bicycles had a well-dressed mascot. -
The Wasatch Range was our constant ride companion. -
Canyon Bicycles has served the south Salt Lake area for 20 years. Owner Mike Pratt moved and expanded the original store to its current location in Draper 10 years ago, gaining several thousand square feet and easier access for its broad customer base. Store manager David Saenz said the Draper store is a hotbed for all categories, with the market split between mountain, road and lifestyle. The Specialized and Trek dealer has a sizable apparel selection and a designated women's section with bikes, accessories and apparel merchandised in one area at the front of the store. -
Canyon was a large shop where the mechanics enjoyed a spacious work area. -
Canyon manages to keep Trek and Specialized happy on the sales floor. -
Canyon was packed with an impressive number of built bikes. -
We rode Fuji Sportif road bikes courtesy of tour sponsor ASI. -
Go Ride has served the region's growing mountain bike community since 1998 when owner Scott Crabill started the company as an online downhill store in his small apartment. In 2002, Crabill opened a storefront and has since expanded in both space and focus to become Salt Lake City's primary mountain bike shop. While Go Ride still has a functioning online store that caters to the downhill market, the majority of its revenue comes from its brick-and-mortar store, which attracts mountain bikers of all skill levels. -
The cool wood feature display from the entry, or just the showroom of pure mountain bike awesomeness. -
Ryan and Alison Littlefield own one of Utah’s finest pro shops—a BRAIN Top 100 for five years and also picked as one of the best pro shops in the nation. And a quick look around the main floor of the 13,000 square-foot store speaks to the Littlefield’s commitment to serving a demanding clientele. An A-list of brand names populate the Contender—Cervelo, Pinarello, Time, Cannondale, Scott, Moots and others—pack the showroom. As Ryan explained, “We’re not a one brand store. When customers come in we want them to try three or four bikes until we find the right that fits their style,” he said. -
Contender's shoe display caught our eye. It uses several wheels built up with some blemished carbon rims from local supplier Enve.
