T’Naus Nieto
The Chronicle-News

At the beginning of December, a local bike shop, Tarantula Cycles, moved its location to 200 E Main Street, adding more visibility to potential customers and some much-needed space for products and services.

“We’ve really been able to scale up as our business has grown and the demand grows in Trinidad,” Tarantula Cycles co-owner Joe Kozlowicz said. “We’re a locally grown business and were able to fill a vacant property… There’s a strong outdoor recreation movement in Trinidad, and that growth and its economic impact. We started from a tiny business of 600 square feet, now we’re able to buy this building out on Mainstreet.”

The successful move of the bike shop could indicate substantial gains for the City of Trinidad’s “Bicycle Tourism Vision” and align with the goals of broadening Trinidad as an outdoor recreation destination.

According to the City of Trinidad’s “Bicycle Tourism Vision,” cycling tourists stay around three days longer than typical visitors and spend an average of $240 more per trip. 82% have a university education, and over half make over $75k annually.

The growth of the local bike shop could show the expansion of support from tourists’ bike needs, coupled with a growing local cycling community.

Co-owners of Tarantula Cycles spoke to The Chronicle-News and expressed the unique landscape of Trinidad, its gravel roads, mountainous terrain, city roads, and more, making the city an excellent destination for cyclists and riding bikes as a great, if not superior, alternate form of commute for locals, where citizens could hop on a bike and get just about anywhere in town in 10-15 minutes or less.

“Trinidad is a great place to get around,” co-owner Dave Kurian said. “It’s a very bikeable city. A bike sort of shrinks the town, and you can get end to end in a matter of minutes. I love seeing people riding bikes because I think it makes a lot of sense around here.”

Kozlowicz said, “That’s part of why we’re here, and it’s a huge reason people move here in general. It’s that quality of life and access to activities like cycling. Cycling is something we can build and grow. We have all these mountain bike trails on Fishers Peak State Park. You can have a small-town bike store almost anywhere, but without investments in tourism and outdoor infrastructure, there’s not as much of a market. And it’s actually growing, that seed is sprouting here in Trinidad.”

Tarantula Cycles is a full-service bike shop that offers a full range of bike accessories and parts, with a “deep” catalog of things they can order. They sell a wide range of bikes in various categories, such as BMX, electric bikes, mountain, gravel, commuters, kids, and more, with mixtures such as electric mountain bikes. For services, they do just about everything, from basic adjustments to full tunes and overhauls, suspension work, and wheel building. They could even build custom bikes from the frame up.

Kurian said, “I think it’s an amazing place (Trinidad) for folks who like to be outside. There’s just a year-round sunshine, it’s hard to overstate how great it is. The gravel roads go in every direction for miles and miles. There’s a lot of history in the area, mountain biking, hiking, and even paddling. The options are excellent. I always say this is my favorite place I’ve ever lived. So, I’m just stoked to have a chance to help share that with everyone and make it a little more accessible.”

“I don’t want to sell short the impact of a local bicycle shop by focusing only on economic impact and outdoor recreation,” Kozlowicz said. “We are also a community hub, a place where people gather to catch up, share a passion, and, of course, get out and ride. We hope cycling continues to increase among Trinidad’s youth, particularly as a healthy and fun activity, and we also hope more folks locally will choose bikes for commuting and in-town trips.  The power of the bicycle is so much more than just a diversion or a workout. Riders are more engaged with their neighbors and community on two wheels.”