by Alfonso Castillo III

Tucked away in Austin’s Eastside is what looks like a bicycle shop that Gregory Town left behind for us to enjoy. The wooden building is a sun-faded red and its small and rustic steps and ramp make you feel as if you are walking into another time. A time when bicycle shops were just a shop (with no fuss, no frills, just bicycles, parts, and mechanics). This hidden gem is nestled nicely on the corner of Onion St. and East 5th. The view of the Saltillo Plaza and Metrorail Stop add to the shop’s old town feel.

As you enter you will see only a small section reserved for the shops merchandise and then you see that the rest of the shop is just that a workshop. There is a straight view of where the mechanics work on your bicycle. All the parts are stored nicely in view and the shops true charm comes to light. It is a shop made for the mechanic and that fact brings the consumer into the whole process. You get to see the quality work done right before your eyes (if you choose to wait for your repairs).

Eastside Pedal Pushers opened in 2003 and the cycling community has helped this gem grow by word-of-mouth promoting and the shops workmanship. Just one block south of the East 6th shops and food, you can easily slip off and enjoy some of the Eastside’s food and shopping while your bicycle gets fixed. Stop in and let Lee and his staff (of four) work on your bicycle, you will see the beauty of a shop that has mechanics with over 60 years combined experience working on bicycles. There is not a problem with your bicycle they couldn’t diagnose or fix. They also specialize in retro-fitting your current bicycle from road to single to commuter and so on, so swing on by Eastside Pedal Pushers at 1414 East 5th, Austin, TX, 78702. Phone #: (512)826-3414

Full Service Shop: Yes

Rent Bicycles: Yes (Coaster Commuter Bicycles by Linus)

Rate: $25-$30 (per bicycle/per day)

Some brands they carry: Linus, Origin 8, Cateye, Lysene, Redline, and many more