And the winner is…

Indy Cycle Specialist

5804 E. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46219
Neighborhood: East Indy
Indy Cycle Specialist has been serving the Eastside for more than 15 years. Housed in a former furniture store, it's a big bike shop with a neighborhood feel. It's staffed entirely by people who ride and enjoy bikes, including the owner, Scott Irons, who puts in thousands of dirt miles on his own Giant Trance each year. The shop's personnel can help all customers find what they need, from the beginning bicyclist to the racing pro.

Nominees

DG Bicycles

1407 E. 86th St.
Indianapolis , IN 46240
Neighborhood: North Indy
Open since 2009, DG Bicycles is Indy's newest shop, but it's quickly gained a reputation as the place that serves up a range of bikes: road, mountain, BMX, touring, commuter. It even offers rentals - and why not, since it's located right on the Monon Trail. The guys involved with the shop - Scott Dunwoody (owner), Larry Shinn and Jim Born - are active in the cycling community. DG Bicycle has scheduled rides, open to the public, several times a week, plus Saturday Evening Dinner Rides.

T3 MultiSport

1343 W. 86th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46260
Neighborhood: North Indy
T3 MultiSport has its mission down to a science - literally. The owner, Vern LaMere, has a master of science degree in Exercise Physiology-Human Performance from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (1991). He has directed the Human Performance Lab at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in Indy, where he worked for 13 years. Plus, he's a competitive cyclist, runner and mult-sport athlete and a Certified USA Triathlon Coach. Like its owner, the shop is highly active in the triathlete world, too.

Bicycle Garage Indy

4130 East 82nd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Neighborhood: North Indy
Bicycle Garage Indy may be most widely known for its experienced riding staff, two stores, large inventory of bikes and tent sale, but it also offers bicycle fitting services, maintenance classes, mini-clinics, one-on-one programs, Ladies' Nights and Kids Nights and public bike rides. It's also extremely involved with community projects - SustainIndy BikeWays plan and Shifting Gears (a partnership that provides people with donated bikes) - and sponsors several bicycle event, from the Mayor's Ride to Bike to Work Day Corporate Challenge. Maybe that's why BGI was named the Retail Advocate of the Year from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News in 2008.

Joe's Cycles

1060 Virginia Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Neighborhood: South Indy
Since opening Joes Cycles two years ago, owner Joe Cox has helped make Fountain Square one of Indys main cycling hubs. At any given moment, riders (many on fixed-gear bikes) roll down Virginia Avenue from Downtown, stopping in for a cup of coffee, an accessory or a tune-up. In 2010, Cox plans to launch his own brand of high-end bike frames and plans to open extra showroom space.

A-1 Cyclery

6847 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis , IN 46241
Neighborhood: West Indy
Sure, A1 Cyclery would be happy to sell you a bike from one of its top brand lines (Cervelo, Felt, Trek), but it would be happier to sell you a biking lifestyle. Just check its Web site - the shop takes a well-rounded approach to bikes, with links such as "Kids Bikes" and "Health Fitness." A1 Cyclery is maybe best known for BMX, but it also caters to the triathalon set.

What other people are saying...

2 comments | Add Your Own
No_profile_photo

jonbrewer - January 19, 2010 at 4:50 PM

I voted for T3 because they're great guys and are right by my house, but I also gotta give a write-in to Matthew's Bicycles on Pendleton Pike. The...

More...

Report This Comment
No_profile_photo

rossgram - January 17, 2010 at 9:07 AM

Um ... Bikeline?!

Report This Comment

Add a comment

Please log in to comment

View All Comments »

Best of Indianapolis 2010: The winners are in!

Best of Indianapolis 2010: The winners are in!

Thanks to everyone who voted for our first-ever Best of Indianapolis! The winners are in! Did your favorite restaurants, bars, clubs and retail shops win?

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees. These choices were hard ones to make, and all of the great places in this city didn't make it any easier on the voters!

View all awards! »

More on Metromix.com