Bike Shop On a Roll for Decades

The smell of rubber cedes to the arranged and assembled bicycles within the sunny storeroom on Moorestown’s Main Street.

“I am a fourth-generation Moorestown native,” says a practical and casual guy, wearing denim shorts and a grey polo shirt.

Meet Ed Workman, owner of , a familiar fixture in town, specializing in the sales, service and repair of bicycles.

The 52-year-old proprietor is one of only a handful of bicycle store owners in Burlington County, a business that has seen some growth as more folks have sought bikes for transportation and recreation.

“My family has a long history in Moorestown,” boasts Workman, as he shows an antique milk bottle from the 1930s, etched with WORKMAN’S DAIRY, from an earlier family farm in Moorestown.

Workman’s father opened the bike store in 1973 after a stint in the family’s trucking firm, another shuttered family venture, which hauled Jersey vegetables for soup-making over to the Campbell’s plant in Camden.

“My grandfather kept the truck business non-union,” recalls Workman. “But my grandfather and dad felt the pressure of unions squeezing in, and my dad got out and started this business.”

Although Workman says he can’t remember why his father chose the cycle business, except maybe he gave up “one set of wheels for another.”

“I do remember working in the store, along with my sister and brother, from an early age, sweeping floors or fixing bikes,” Workman says at the same moment a local woman wheels in her son’s bike to fix its flat tire.

After selling a bike store in Pennsylvania, Workman took over the helm in Moorestown in 1989, inheriting bikes, equipment and its lone employee, John Bunker, an unflappable and knowledgeable mechanic, who was hired by Workman’s dad.

The bike store—or rather bike showroom—flaunts flashy cruisers in gumdrop colors, Olympic-geared wheels, and sleek and splashy kids’ rides for the greenhorn.  A cherry red dual-drive bicycle flaunts itself in the front window. Price tags hawk between $130 and $1,500, among the Schwinns, Treks and GTs sharing floor space. 

Top-tier racing threads hang alongside locks, baskets and helmets.

Investing in a bike might not be like shopping for a fancy sports car, but, according to Workman, it’s essential to gauge a customer’s cycle taste—a need for speed, placid pedaling, or a free-wheeling image.

“People have to know what they want,” says Workman. “Some people come in and have no idea, so we have to ask the right questions. We have a bike for almost everyone.”

Electric bikes—costing upwards of $1,000—are increasing in popularity. They cost nickels to operate, they don’t emit fumes, and operators can shirk licensing rules, making them the preferred mode of transportation for those who have lost their licenses.

“Some people buy electric bikes because they are energy-conscious,” says Workman. He adds wryly, “But we do have people buying electric bikes who have gotten DUIs.” 

These days, some small business owners feel the impact of larger chains which stock more merchandise and can offer lower prices. But Workman says he’s not fazed—these tactics allow conglomerates to sell name-brands at reduced rates, but with cheaper parts or accessories.

“A Schwinn bike sold at Walmart is possibly designed with inferior parts,” says Workman. “We carry more quality-oriented products.”

Spraying a bit of lubricant on the chain can be transforming for an untouched and neglected bike, or a bike that is ridden in snow or rain to prolong durability, says Workman. But proper tire maintenance as a rule extends a sweet ride.

“Most people don’t do it,” says Workman. “But adequate air in the tires will keep your bike in great condition.”