Head to our readers’ favorite bike shops for anything from a tune up to a new ride, and join in a group cycle
By Renee Ambroso | Maps by Lindsay Scott
The Bicycle Chain (1) – The shop at 210 W. Franklin St. is still owned by the same people who originally opened it in the early ’90s, when it was known as Franklin Street Cycles. The Bicycle Chain currently operates shops in Apex, Raleigh and Durham in addition to the Franklin Street location. @bicycle_chai
In Stock: You’ll find “a little bit of everything” at The Bicycle Chain, says manager Sarah Fountain. “Our bread and butter [is] commuter bikes – both regular and electric – and we also sell a lot of mountain, gravel and road bikes. We have everything from BMX to kids [bikes], too.”
Ride Along: Longtime customer Chris Sherman leads the weekly Tuesday Night Trail Hop group ride. Routes cover both gravel and mountain bike terrain in areas like Carolina North Forest, Battle Branch Trail and Bolin Creek Trail, and are tailored to match attendees’ interests. “It’s a good way for people new to the area to get to know the local trail system and meet other cyclists,” Sarah says.
River Mill Cycles (2) – David Kaminski fostered his love of mountain biking in western North Carolina in the early ’90s and opened his shop in 2022 in Saxapahaw. He later met Gregg Dodson, who came on board in 2024 as the store relocated to Hillsborough. “Saxapahaw was wonderful – it’s really a remarkable community [with] a great vibe,” David says. “Unfortunately … it’s too small to support a bike shop all on its own.” The current location at 615 Hampton Pointe “is right off I-85, so we’re convenient for north Chapel Hill, Mebane and west Durham,” David says. @rivermillcycles
In Stock: River Mill Cycles offers mountain, road, gravel, kids and e-bikes. “We’re a full-service bike shop,” Gregg adds. “We welcome customers to come in for service for pretty much any make and model. We’re [also] doing our best to service e-bikes of all makes.”
Ride Along: A Thursday group ride takes place at the George and Julia Brumley Family Nature Preserve, about a five-minute drive from the shop. “In the past year that we’ve been hosting it, I’ve had the opportunity to ride with folks who are a lot faster than me and people taking a more casual pace,” Gregg says. “It’s a fun way to experience the trail differently than you would by yourself. … You’re either going to be slowed down a bit … or pushed outside your comfort zone, which helps you develop as a rider.” Gregg says Brumley offers a fantastic mix of rocky terrain, jumps, obstacles and flowy trails. River Mill Cycles also hosts monthly, casual roundtable meetings at Eno River Brewing that explore topics such as the local trail systems and an introduction to bikepacking.
Back Alley Bikes (3) – Founded in an alley off Graham Street in 2007, the shop moved to its current location at 100 Boyd St. in Carrboro in 2013. “We’re a small local shop,” says co-owner Tamara Sanders. “[Rob Noti, my co-owner,] and I work in the shop, and we appreciate folks who support local. We’re here because of the community.” @backalleybikes
In Stock: Tamara describes Back Alley’s offerings as “dirt-focused,” although gravel and adventure bikes, around-town hybrids and kids bikes are all available. “We’ve started [carrying] electric bikes as well,” she says, adding that special orders can be made for anything the shop doesn’t keep in stock. “We’ve always been a very service-focused shop,” Tamara says. “We take excellent care at servicing anything from high-end race bikes and full-suspension mountain bikes to commuter, family and kids bikes.”
Ride Along: The monthly Whimsical Wednesday Wander takes riders on a social jaunt to a spot within a 3-mile radius of the shop. Cyclists pitch ideas for routes that are written on a cootie catcher to be selected randomly past destinations have included Merritt’s Pasture, Gimghoul Castle and MLK Park on Hillsborough Road. Tamara recommends riders check Back Alley’s website and Instagram for details. “For a nice, contained, in-town trail ride, our favorite [location] is the Outdoor Education Center at UNC,” Tamara says. “To see if the trails are open, folks can visit the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists website.”
Trek Bicycle Chapel Hill (4) – “Our goal, being a Trek direct-owned store, is to support our bikes,” says Trek Bicycle Chapel Hill store manager Dan Nemeth. The South Elliott Road location, which opened in fall 2019, is one of four Trek stores in the Triangle. “We support the National Interscholastic Cycling Association and provide discounts to local youth cycling teams that help get kids on bikes,” Dan adds. @trekbikes
In Stock: “We cater to all markets,” Dan says. “Kids bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes, road bikes. … E-bikes are an extremely popular item, especially in Chapel Hill, where it’s super hilly.” He adds that “straight bar bikes that are great for the greenways like the Bolin Creek Trail, [American] Tobacco Trail and around town” are also popular. Trek Bicycle Chapel Hill’s service team also provides tuneups and repairs for bikes of any make and model.
Ride Along: The Tour de Snacks road-focused group ride leaves from Open Eye Cafe the first Sunday of each month. “It’s a fun ride with stops for snacks every 10 to 15 miles,” Dan says. The mileage increases each ride, culminating in a 100-kilometer route in September. A Glow Roll departs from Trek Bicycle at 7:30 p.m. on the last Friday night every month. The social, casual ride ranges from 8 to 10 miles. Riders often wear glow sticks, play music and stop by The Casual Pint for beer, nonalcoholic beverages and snacks after. A mountain bike ride on the second and fourth Sundays of the month alternates between trails at Carolina North Forest and Brumley Nature Preserve. Dan recommends checking Trek’s Eventbrite page for details on all group rides.
Chapel Hill’s E-Bike Lending Library – Chapel Hill residents 18 years and older can use standard and cargo e-bikes at no cost for up to one week every 30 days.“[The Town of] Chapel Hill has done a phenomenal job partnering with grants, so there is a fleet of e-bikes [available among] Trek [Bicycle Chapel Hill] and The Bicycle Chain that residents can sign up to [use],” Dan says.
Looking to meet new friends and other cyclists? Check out The Triangle Weekender’s top cycling clubs in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill!
