Business & Tech

Local Business Brings Bike Repairs to Your Doorstep

Bicycle Repair Express offers Farmington Valley residents mobile bike repair services.

When Steve Novy got his first job in a bicycle shop in 1980, he never would have dreamed that it would lead him to the world of mobile repair services. But last summer, he decided it was time to forge a new path when starting his second business.

After working for two different bike shops in Maryland for about ten years, Novy moved with his wife Beth to Connecticut to be closer to her family in Rhode Island. He worked with a local Schwinn bicycle dealer to find the perfect spot to open his own bike shop.

"I got the bug early on and it just exploded from there," Novy said. "I really enjoy mechanical things, anything that requires taking something apart and putting it back together."

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Cycling Concepts opened in Rocky Hill in 1990, and Novy operated the successful shop until 2007, when he decided to sell the business so he and his family could move to Simsbury.

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Novy, his wife and their two children — Kelsey, 15, and Thomas, 9 — moved from their home in Middletown to take advantage of Simsbury's strong school district.

After spending a few years as a stay-at-home Dad and working to remodel the family's new home, Novy decided he was ready to try something new.

Novy first launched Bicycle Repair Express, a mobile bicycle repair business, in Simsbury last July and has been busy fixing bikes throughout the Farmington Valley ever since.

He first got the idea when he saw a mobile pet grooming van while driving through town.

"I felt it was a good opportunity," Novy said. "I thought 'There's probably a good number of consumers out there who would love the ability to have someone come to their home and fix their bikes.'"

When Novy isn't riding or volunteering at Simsbury Free Bike, he's on the road bringing the repair shop to his customers' doorsteps.

His services include just about any type of bike repairs with the exception of more complicated mechanisms like hydrolic brakes. But if you've got a flat tire, need a tune-up or a replacement part, you might want to call on Bicycle Repair Express.

For more information, visit the Bicycle Repair Express website or call 860-808-9966.


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