It’s official: CG Pro Bikes now has a Main Street Bluffton address.
That announcement makes many Bluffton area bike riders very happy. In addition, it brings a retail store to downtown Main Street, which will attract more area and out-of-town shoppers to downtown Bluffton.
Raymond and Liz Harner of Columbus Grove are in the process of moving their popular bicycle shop to Bluffton. Earlier this month, the Harmers purchased the 127-129 N. Main St. building housing The Curling Iron and previously, the Siferd Hoselman Co. auto parts store. The bike shop should be open within the next 60 days.
The Curling Iron will remain where it is. The bike shop will move into the former auto parts store. Now with over 1,700 square feet of retail space, Bluffton will see many bikes and a variety of biking accessories.
“We will offer new bikes, all levels of bike repairs, bike parts, bike clothing, some running clothing, plus we are focusing on equipment needed for triathlons,” said Raymond Harmer.
“We’ll offer one additional service: bike fitting.” He explained that for many bikers, simply sitting on a bike and raising or lowering the seat, isn’t enough. The bike fitting service, for the serious biker, takes into consideration many additional factors.
Once the shop is open, customers can expect to see the walls lined up with 50 bikes or more. After the store opens, the Harners hope to increase that inventory.
Name brands in the shop include:
• BMC – high-end road bikes
• Marin – mountain bikes, road bikes, kid’s bikes and a full-line brand of bikes
• KHS – a complete line of three-wheelers, tandems, adult-sized bikes and fat bikes (4-inch tires)
• The North Face apparel (according to the Harmers, it’ll be the only bike store between Toledo and Columbus that sells North Face)
• Rans – recumbent and crank-forward bikes
• Profile Design – triathlon parts
• Bellwether - clothing
• Bell – helmets
The shop will have dressing rooms, bike fit studio and an office, in addition to the retail and repair space. In addition to these services, bike rentals are in the planning stages.
Group bike rides, a regular feature of CG Pro Bikes, will continue once the shop relocates to Bluffton. Those group rides, open to all level of bikers, will offer trips in the countryside around Bluffton on a weekly basis.
The move to Bluffton took two years. The Harmers looked at several Main Street locations. “We are so happy to be in Bluffton. We’d like to thank the chamber and everyone who has encouraged us to relocate here,” said Raymond.
