By Michelle Moskowitz
Sentinel Correspondent
Summer may be winding down, but Greenwich cyclists continue their distance rides throughout the community despite the record-breaking heat waves.
Even with the myriad fitness centers in town, such as Equinox, New York Sports Club, the YMCA and Soul Cycle, cycling continues to be how many Greenwich residents achieve both their peak mental and physical fitness.
I recently sat down with Rob Koshar, owner of Greenwich Bicycles, located at 35 Amogerone Way, on a bustling Friday afternoon. In fact, Koshar was so busy servicing customers and scheduling bike repairs that we needed to reschedule our interview to a less hectic time.
Koshar, who runs a staff of seven, has been in the bike business for more than 30 years. A second-generation business owner and steadfast rider himself, Koshar recalls his father’s passion for cycling while growing up in nearby Bedford.
“In 1963, my dad bought the first 10-speed bike ever made, called the ‘English Racer.’ At that time, no one rode bikes, jogged outside or even went to a gym. But my dad was the crazy guy on his bike riding around town with such joy that people started to inquire,” Koshar remembered fondly.
After much consultation with intrigued neighbors, his father sold his very first bike through the jewelry shop he owned, and then decided to transition his business into his true passion, bicycles.
“I started to ride more seriously while in college and then got hooked,” said Koshar. “Now, 30 years later, my work is my hobby and my hobby is my work,” said Koshar.
Indeed, he rides 25 miles a day before he gets to work in the morning.
But while he certainly has maintained his loyal customer base over the years, Koshar admitted that he is one of the few remaining local businesses selling hard goods in Greenwich.
He sells road bikes, mountain bikes, and family bikes of all varieties, but all of top quality. While there are four other bike shops in Greenwich, Koshar said what sets Greenwich Bicycles apart is its deep knowledge base, expert technicians, and its ability to provide the top of the line bike for advanced riders, as well as dependable bikes like the top-selling Electra Townie for casual riders.
Unlike other local retailers who have lost significant business to amazon.com and other big-store chains, the cycling business is protected because quality brands will only distribute their bikes through authorized retailers, due to the liability of consumers assembling bikes on their own improperly.
But Koshar explained that while his business may be steady, it has changed.
“Today, I’m really competing with Apple,” he said. “Kids are more interested in Pokémon Go than getting on a bicycle, which is indicative of a bigger problem of keeping kids fit today.”
In addition, aside from the designated bike lane on Sound Beach Avenue, the limitation of safe riding paths is a concern for many in town.
That said, there are still many nostalgic parents who grew up on a bike and want their kids to share in that experience.
Greenwich resident Alex Abstoss, a customer who was in the shop during our interview, purchased bikes for her entire family and could not have been happier.
“They installed a bike rack on my car in under 30 minutes and found all of us the perfect bike to meet our individual needs,” said Abstoss.
But the more lucrative piece of Koshar’s business is geared toward the ardent riders, those seeking an “endorphin rush,” he said.
These riders purchase high-end custom bikes, suited to optimize their speed, comfort and distance riding capabilities.
Many of his clients take part in competitive races, including triathlons both near and far, not to mention the large numbers who have joined well-established Greenwich clubs like Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club and the Greenwich Triathlon Club.
The next big race is the Hospital for Special Surgery Tour De Greenwich XXXII 20 Mile Bike Ride on Sunday, Sept. 11, starting at Greenwich High School at 7:30 a.m.
The race is part of the Greenwich Cup series, sponsored by HSS in partnership with the town of Greenwich Parks and Recreation. Registration is available at threadsandtreads.com.
One predominant ride in town is the regular Wednesday Night Ride, known on the inside track as “WNR,” a Greenwich-based riding club riding formed in 1994 which draws experienced riders from all over Fairfield and Westchester counties.
What started as a casual pick-up ride at Greenwich High School, has since become a very well-organized, advanced weekly ride at 6 p.m. that runs from March to October with approximately 30 to 50 riders on any given week.
The group averages about 24 m.p.h. over a 46-mile loop, with approximately 3,000 feet of total elevation ascent.
Matt Armstrong, a Greenwich commercial real estate developer and longtime cyclist, has been the leader of the group.
Over the years, he has tried to make the ride more respectful of the rules of the road as well as ensure that participants are properly equipped for the ride.
“Our riders come from all different socio-economic and demographic walks of life which is the beauty of the sport. But we are typically traveling at 20 to 25 m.p.h. on roads with speed limits of 30-35 mph so hopefully we won’t delay too many drivers unreasonably,” said Armstrong.
Armstrong, who rides about 250 miles per week, got into the sport at a very young age delivering local newspapers door to door every evening after he attended school.
“By the time I gave up the route and went to high school, I had become a very accomplished cyclist,” Armstrong said. “I kept cycling through college and business school and when I moved back to Greenwich in 1990, I started looking for groups of people to ride with. The WNR kind of evolved from that.
“I tell young people, it is a great way to stay fit, manage your weight, and meet new people. And I should also mention that we have a number of very accomplished women.”
Koshar, who participates in rides all over the world when he can get away from the shop, added that the sport is truly contagious. “Friends pass on to other friends about the thrill seeking exhilaration of the sport and then decide to to try it out for themselves,” said Koshar. “It’s what I do not only for physical fitness, but for mental fitness as well—it’s all there in cycling.”
Feeling inspired to ride? Visit greenwichbikes.com for more information.
Cyclists can go to mapmyride.com for maps of bike routes in Greenwich.
