We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Reinert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.
David, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
After a five years car free lifestyle I began to see the world in a completely different way. During the car free experience I discovered may places I would have normally passed by never know were there had I been in a car. The bicycle saved me so much time from the mundane hassles a car creates. Parking was never a problem. Never stopping for gas or finding where cheaper gas could be bought. Once I began to see how easy it was I felt this personal and spiritual experience should be promoted and passed on to the masses. The impact on my health was another driving force. Bikes rides create good moods. My body always seemed happier and so far has rewarded me not needing medical interventions. You might say bicycles are prescriptions medicines that do not require a doctors signature.
If I can use my personal experiences and knowledge at my shop to help others create a healthier, safer, money saving, and more environmental sustainable world then mission accomplished!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up in rural Missouri and like most kids in small towns your bicycle is the way you got around. My older brother was always taking his bike apart and trying to improve it in some way. Like a lot of younger siblings, I looked up to my brother and usually wanted to be involved in what he was doing. I believe it was these early experiences in life working with tools and trying to fix broken things is what lead me to the idea of opening a bicycle repair shop. At the Bicycle Depot we offer a full line of services. From fixing flat tires, changing brakes, custom bike builds for the most experienced rider, and e-bike service and troubleshooting. We pride ourselves on being able to provide quality service and quick turn around time at an affordable price. Our 5 star rating is also a result of our customer service and customer care. Living in the community we serve helps us stand out against the competition. Big box stores do not have local interests at heart. Being locally owned, we see our customer’s on a daily basis throughout the community and strive to have a good representation no matter where we run into our clients.
Bicycle Depot is proud of the fact that we ride our bikes and we ride a lot. Company policy is all employees must ride to work unless carrying 60lbs or more. Riding bikes and testing products allows us to try it before you have too. All of the knowledge we gain from cycling we pass along to fellow riders. With our vast knowledge from using all the different products we can assist you on what products work and which one we might take a pass on. We walk the walk as they might say. We are here to make your cycling experience the best it can because we know what it’s like to be there riding whether commuting, mountain biking, road racing, or just having fun with exercise we have you and most importantly your bicycle covered.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Bicycles had always been a side hustle but never front and center until I opened my current shop. Most of my adult life I’ve been an educator. Teaching has always been a joy for me because working with students helps me stay youthful. I believe working as an educator keeps you striving to learn more each day, just like a business owner always looking for another angle to take care of the customers. After leaving the public school sector, I was hired by a non-profit to teach kids how to ride bicycles. This is really where my side hobby and passion for bikes reached my professional career. Work with kids in a teacher role but teach them bicycle handling skills, yes sign me up.
At the non-profit, I also had the ability to work in the shop servicing fleet bikes and building up new ones for community rentals and ride shares. While working in this shop, I gained a huge amount of knowledge working a variety of bicycles. Here I started buying up used tools and telling friends and family that I can repair their bikes at my house. Things went ok but the COVID pandemic really fueled my side hustle into a full-time business. Bicycle are COVID-friendly and a great way to spend time if you can’t go anywhere. Almost overnight I went from a few bikes a week at my house to taking appointments. My family and customers all looked at me and said open a place already, you’ll do great. So I found a space, signed a lease and doing what I love.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
In 2003 I was finishing up my degree at UMKC and went to a Superbowl party hosted by a friend of mine. There were a lot of UMKC students there and one of them stood out from the rest. She was very interested in the game and seemed to have a lot of football knowledge. I started chatting with her about football but turns out we shared a fair amount of interests in other areas. I ended up asking her if she wanted to go out sometime and she agreed. A week later I called her and said would you like to play miniature golf? She accepted the offer and we had the longest first date I’ve ever been on. We stayed in contact and six years later we got married.
After seventeen years together she said stop talking about a bike shop and open one already. If she had not had my back, I would have never considered opening a bicycle shop. Her only request was to be part owner and be able to handle the books. I could not ask for a better business partner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bikedepotkc.com
- Instagram: @bikedepotkc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BicycleDepotKC
Image Credits
I own all the images and I have the rights to give them to whoever I please.