The Campbell Reporter

Business

BikeConcierge business gets out-of-towners out of hotels

By Cathy Weselby

Avid cyclist Karl Etzel used to travel on business for Intel and Cypress Semiconductor and often found himself sitting in hotel rooms staring out at the beautiful scenery and wishing he could get out and ride.

He didn't, however, because it would be a "total hassle."

"The rental car didn't have a bike rack, there wasn't any place to rent a bike, and I wouldn't have any idea where to ride," he says.

Alex Wheeler spent the past 10 years in the bike industry, working for RockShox, Fox Racing and X-Fusion, but was frustrated that the long workdays left little time to ride.

"When I ride, I feel so much better," Wheeler says.

The pair shared their stories during a 24-hour race at Laguna Seca last May, and in January, the Silicon Valley Cycling Center was born.

One of the company's innovative features is a bike service called BikeConcierge. When business travelers staying at local hotels want to go on a ride, Silicon Valley Cycling Center will deliver the bike, nutrition and suggested routes for the visitor.

"BikeConcierge knocks down the obstacles to riding on a business trip," Etzel says.

There are two other branches of the business. The co-founders offer camps that provide guided excursions and high-tech training products that help cyclists optimize their performance.

In the area of performance, Etzel and Wheeler work with customers by appointment. Some cyclists are interested in using the power meter, which measures heart rate and how much energy the cyclist expends. Wheeler says the data can be used to improve training techniques.

The center offers personalized bike fitting, based on the Wobblenaught system. It's a two-hour process that analyzes a cyclist's measurements and movement while riding.

"We want to help anybody who wants to get into cycling and have more fun on their bike," Wheeler says.

Etzel, who lives in Willow Glen, says the company is focusing mostly on road cycling because road bikers are more receptive to high-technology equipment.

Located on Dell Avenue in the industrial area of Campbell, the Silicon Valley Cycling Center is more like a bike studio than a shop. The partners selected the Campbell location because of its proximity to the Los Gatos Creek Trail, which can connect riders to a number of great mountain trails.

There are half a dozen cycling hotbeds across the country, and the Bay Area is one of them. Many road cycling pros live locally.

The duo's enthusiasm for cycling is infectious. Wheeler says that after riding for a couple of hours, he feels at peace with the world, and that feeling gets burned into memory.

"Cycling is painful, so your body releases endorphins," he adds. "It's one of the major reasons people get hooked on cycling."

Etzel adds that cycling gives you a calm confidence that translates into everyday life.

"I've been through so much while cycling that I feel that I can handle anything in the business world or family life," Etzel says. "It's like yeah, I can get up at 2 a.m. and change one more diaper."

For more information on the Silicon Valley Cycling Center, 1190 Dell Ave., Suite A, call 408.871.8307 or visit www.svcyclingcenter.com.