Yesteryear Cyclery: Old School Service Values Meet New School Technology Article by Matt Conley, southcoast247.com Assistant Editor Photos by Dennis Yermoshin, southcoast247.com Photographer
Yesteryear Cyclery has been located on Hathaway Road in New Bedford since 1979. The technology of bicycles has evolved ten fold since then.
Bicycles just aren’t what they used to be.
As I spoke with Dave Pavao, manager of Yesteryear Cyclery on Hathaway Road in New Bedford, we discussed just how much biking technology has evolved over the past few decades. What was once an industry dominated by simplicity, comfort, and convenience, has now become a business that is bringing revolutionary design, style, and technology to even beginner level bikes.
Take the Raleigh Coasting bicycle for instance. Its look may be reminiscent of a retro time period, but this bike features cutting edge machinery that automatically shifts gears on its own, making the convenience level for the rider the top priority. A computer, powered by the movement of the tires, electronically handles the shifting, making for a seamless transition from gear to gear based on the terrain the rider is encountering.
Knowing that bikes can retail in the thousands, I asked Dave to reveal the price tag of this sleek road bike. At a mere $475, this brand new ride is astonishingly reasonable. In fact most bikes for beginners, or novices looking to get back into biking, are looking to spend around $270 for a basic model. At $475, the Raleigh Coasting bike falls just under the price range that newbies should expect to spend.
Of course the bike world is not limited to any one style. The variety available to customers is so vast that it would boggle the mind to imagine just how many customized types there are out there. Yesteryear’s showroom (set to expand over the next year) has many makes and models on display, but as Dave put it, the number one question a customer must ask themselves is "Where would you want to go?"
URBAN BIKING
Downtown New Bedford is a hot spot for urban biking. Comfort is of the utmost priority for the rider and Dave recommends a bike with a wider tire and street tread to handle the metropolitan roads. Giant, the leading manufacturer of bicycles, offers many different urban comfort bike styles that fit the bill for the city landscape. Something along the lines of their Sedona model is a nice choice.
COUNTRYSIDE LONG DISTANCE
If the Tour de France intrigues you, the South Coast’s rural areas feature an array of post card-esque back roads for long distance routes. The drop down handle bar style road bike is perfect for cruising through the countryside of areas like Westport, Freetown, or even Rochester. Lance Armstrong costumes are optional, but the light ride of a Raleigh Grand Prix is guaranteed to assist in producing a genuine riding experience.
Manager Dave Pavao stands before Yesteryear’s vast showroom of bikes.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Though mountain bikes have seen a decrease in sales over the years now that street bikes and comfort models have made a comeback, mountain bikes feature flat handle bars and have the suspension to take on rough mountain terrain. Dave recommends the Raleigh brand for these types of outdoor expeditions. Check out the Raleigh Mojave as a reference point.
While specific bike designs cater to the needs of various road conditions, certain biking accessories remain universal to all styles and brands.
ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES Water Bottle
Hydration is never underrated, especially for long journeys in the heat. The body needs to replenish itself with water, and a water bottle (and a back up supply) is integral to a healthy ride.
Floor Pump with a Pressure Gauge
It is mandatory to check each tire’s pressure gauge before each ride. A floor pump with a pressure gauge will replace lost air and maintain the appropriate pressure. Of course bringing a portable pump along for the ride will fix temporary pressure loss, but is not as important as the floor pump.
Patch Kit
Dave was adamant about mentioning that patch kits do not fix a flat tire completely. They merely serve as a short term solution (similar to a "donut" tire on a car with a flat). Service is immediately required for any bike tire flat, for it is the tube that will need to be replaced.
Teflon-Based Lubricant
Reducing rust build up and keeping your bike chain lubricated will help in maintaining the maximum performance of your bike (as will tune ups). Spraying the bike chain every so often will keep "the heart" of the bike in good order.
Recent expansions at Yesteryear have included a revamped repair department as well as a lot for used bikes (always a preferred purchase over most department store selections.)
Odometer
Keeping track of a bike’s overall accumulated mileage will help the owner keep up to date on maintenance. Everyone should keep track of mileage check points so that key parts do not begin to go south after extensive overuse.
While brand names like Raleigh, Giant, and Trek certainly dominate the industry, Dave offered the advice of looking past the façade and elegance of a bike’s look. It’s "all about the comfort" of the bike you want, Dave noted, and whether or not it will be a "pleasurable experience" to ride it for recreation, commuting purposes, or fitness. Dave stresses that a customer should always test ride the bike they have their eye on. While it can be custom fit for customers by Yesteryear’s staff, it is the comfort level that will make it worth purchasing or not.
Service to their customers is what Dave feels sets Yesteryear apart from their competition. In business since 1920, the family owned operation is now into its third generation. With all the changes in biking technology, Yesteryear continues to adapt to a new era of bicycles with the same attention to service that the Yesteryear name was built upon.
"(Yesteryear) mixes technological knowledge with old values of customer service," Dave stated. In addition to having experienced salesman on the showroom floor, they have expanded their repair department and, as mentioned before, their showroom will be getting larger within the next year.
The goals of the overall customer service Yesteryear offers include building up a positive rapport with each customer. Dave recommends that each customer returns with feedback and continues to bring their bike back for routine maintenance, as wear and tear needs to be handled with tune-ups (Dave recommends one about every six months) and the inspection of key parts like the chain (which should be replaced about every 1,000 miles or so).
Biking continues to be one of the top recreational activities in the world and shows no signs of slowing down. With new technologies making the sport more advanced than ever, biking continues to remain affordable for all types of users (from beginners to advanced cyclists).
Stop in to Yesteryear Cyclery, located at 330 Hathaway Road in New Bedford, MA and you’ll experience the kind of customer service that will assist you in finding the exact bike that is perfect for you.
For more information visit the official Yesteryear Cyclery website at www.yesteryearcyclery.com or call the store directly at (508) 993-2525.
Bicycles just aren’t what they used to be.
