Bicycling Around Town

By Kirby Adams

"I've never heard of a pedestrian being killed by a bicycle courier," Jackie Green told me while explaining the many attributes of his environmentally friendly courier service. Come to think of it, thankfully I have never heard of that particular calamity myself.

If you work downtown you've probably seen Green's riders wearing their red and yellow T-shirts while winding their way through the streets of Louisville.  With a canvas bag over one shoulder, rain or shine, the eight Bike Depot couriers deliver letters and packages in the 40202 and 40203 zip codes.  The price for a delivery, just five bucks.  "You can't leave the office for $5," Green joked.  

Four years ago, Green and Cindy Baker started the bike courier service.  Today they have moved the business to 107 West Market.  The red brick two-story structure is home to the courier service as well as a bike shop owned by Thalon Hubbell and Will Davis. The bicycle shop services equipment for bicycle commuters, sells accessories and refurbishes bikes.  In fact, if you are looking for a deal you'll find bicycles priced from $40 to $400.  One day Green and Baker would like to see a café in the front of the building.  In the meantime, the space has played host to artists during the First Friday Gallery Hop and live musicians.  If you'd like the Bike Depot to deliver your packages visit them online www.bikedepot.com or call 583-2232.  You can call Hubbell and Davis in the bike shop at 583-1566.

Another bicycle business that combines a variety of aspects of cycling is The Cycler's Café located at 2295 Lexington Road.  The shop opened last spring in the old August Moon building.  Its large wooden front porch with an industrial-strength bike rack makes it a popular stop before and after rides.  It's also become a stomping ground for those who like a good variety of sandwiches, iced tea and smoothies.  You can order a banana strawberry smoothie and a sandwich named after one of the city's parks while surrounded by the beauty of road and mountain bikes and accessories.  Joe Sohm owns the café and plans to expand the menu in the next few months.  In the meantime I highly recommend the Carvelle ice cream shipped in from the east coast.

Behind the Café there is a repair shop where broken bikes are brought back to life. "We repair anything if it's a bicycle.  If the bike has two wheels we'll look at it," says service manager, Paul Cecil.  Unlike the Bike Depot, which sells refurbished bikes, those at the Cycler's Café are new or consigned.  Sohm sells Felt, Kona and Santa Cruz brands along with any type of bicycle part or wear you can think of.   Did I mention you don't have to leave your bike if you don't want to?  There is a drive through window for food, but cyclists are welcome.  Call ahead if you like, 451-5152.

Between the two businesses - the Cyclers Café and the Bike Depot - local cyclists have two outlets for repairs, refreshment and a delivery, if needed.   

Kirby Adams is the consumer reporter for Kentuckiana's News Channel WHAS-11 and a sports and fitness buff. You can e-mail Kirby at kirby.adams@whas11.com. Kirby is also a member of Kentuckiana HealthFitness' Editorial Advisory Board.

If you know of a little "GEM" or a story, you would like to share it with our readers, drop me a note about it.

Kirby Adams
C/o WHAS-11 TV
P.O. Box 2588
Louisville, KY 40201