A boutique catering to pro cycling has recently opened in Asheville, pampering hardcore road riders in ways that might make them go pro.
The Chainheart Cycling Studio is a tight little operation offering cyclists the details for riding.
First, it’s where you will buy your local-brewed coffee. The Chainheart blend is bold and delightful. Even those of you with the perfect diet have been known to enhance riding energy with caffeine.
Motorpacing is what folks have been going gaga over. Owner Andy Grabowski says that ever since the first day he pulled a pace line on his scooter right past a group ride, his appointment book has been filling up. He says he can pull a pace line at 35 miles per hour.
Now I know the word “boutique” might frighten some of you macho men, but trust me, the shop has cinder block walls and a flat-screen television on the cycling channel. There is also a very masculine looking dog with jowls.
In the far corner is an area designed for personalized bike fits. Adjusting the bike to specific measurements not only protects joints, but makes for a more efficient ride. Efficient = fast.
Speaking of protecting the body—there is also a massage therapy room. Tavis Cummings is the licensed massage and bodywork therapist who also works with the Center for Massage and Natural Health, managing the student clinic. Being a cyclist, he is familiar with cycling injuries and issues. He is also capable of demonstrating “deep-tissue” techniques.
Grabowski, who owns and runs the shop, is also the mechanic. He is certified by the Union Cycliste Internationale, which means he’s qualified to work on Lance Armstrong’s bike. Although this is a rare designation, there will soon be another UCI licensed mechanic.
The shop is displaying a full line of carbon fiber Felt bicycles. Some of the world’s top riders are on Felt. While 70% of his business caters to the road, the rest are mountain bikes. And to prove what awesome bikes they are, Grabowski has already got nine of the area’s best riders lined up to race this spring.
The shop carries the basic emergency needs, but what’s fun are the funky, handmade cycling hats sewn by his wife. The ones in wool keep selling out.
What’s really deluxe is that the studio is on Riverside Drive just minutes from trail rides at Richmond Hill or a plethora of road rides that roll through Leceister or go flat along the river into Marshall.
The shop is closed from 1 p.m to 3 p.m for rides, but Grabowski says he’s always available by appointment and is still tweaking the hours for what suits the most people.
Find Chainheart online here.
Mon – Tues:
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Wed:
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Thurs – Fri:
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
