Spring is very nearly sprung here along the Hudson River – and if you find yourself antsy for some outdoor fun, try swinging by Catskill Bicycle Supply Co., the full-service bike shop run by Lee and Ian Herchenroder.
Whether you’re looking for a niche repair or hopping onto a banana seat for the very first time, the Herchenroders have got you covered. “We’re bike people,” says Ian. “And we love helping people find their way with a bike.”
The siblings grew up in Round Top, just twenty minutes west of Catskill. Ian operated a local mail-in mountain bike suspension business several years ago, but mostly lived in other states along the East Coast before moving back in 2022.
Round Top and share a lifelong obsession with bikes
Lee, meanwhile, taught science at Hunter-Tannersville schools for fifteen years before stepping away from the classroom last June. “I felt like I needed a change,” he says. “It was one of those things where the stars aligned and Ian and I were both ready to pounce.”
Cycling has been a lifelong obsession for Lee, whose earliest memories involve riding a bike to his friend’s house and “bumming around through the woods.” Ian, being younger, had their own interests at first but got into BMX racing while in college.
“It was a way I could stay connected to my brother and friends. They would come out to see me at school, and I knew where all the trails were.”
Over the years, Ian and Lee always had opinions about how other bike shops did business. Now, their acquired taste informs how they run Catskill Bicycle: it’s one of the few shops in the Northeast to offer custom suspension service, and features a full fleet of e-bikes to rent.
They also host a wide variety of community events – from yoga to nighttime mountain rides. If you’re interested in hanging with other local cyclists, there will be a Cyclists’ Social on Saturday, March 30th at Left Bank Ciders, and a bikepacking-touring workshop on Friday, April 5th.
“There’s a butt for every seat,” Lee laughs – and Ian agrees. “It feels like we’re serving our communities in a different way here. If you ride a bike, there’s a spot for you on our rides.”
Catskill Bicycle Supply Co. is located at 347 Main Street in Catskill, and is open Thursday through Monday. To learn more about events, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages. To make a rental or schedule a repair, visit www.catskillbike.com.
Ben Rendich is a filmmaker and writer. He’s in pre-production on his first feature, Sweet Confusion, and has a blog where he writes movie reviews and essays called Reflections on a Silver Screen. He lives in Catskill.
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