Good Times never expire!

By now those to whom this matters will already know that Joselyn's Bicycles has closed up shop. If you did not know, uh...surprise!

I have worked in several (that's more than a few, but less than a bunch) bike shops in my time, so I know a fine establishment when I see it. Joselyn's was a sleeper; what seemed overcrowded and 2nd tier upon the casual looky loo was actually a tight ship in the classic submarine style. They'd store smoked hams and nets full of cheeses tucked into the piping because it's all necessary and there's only so much room when you are underground (can we mix metaphors? or does that muddy the water?). The "BIG" brands were already sewn up, so it was Giant and Jamis- solid performers with good value for the dollar.

We've all been into the shop that can't be bothered to help, or that has nothing but shitty attitudes for any one but "PROs", etc. This was not the case with Joselyn's Bicycles. The staff were wildly varied in their bike interests: BMX (race or street), flatland, commuting, trail riding, cyclocross, road, bikepacking. It was a real shop. Any discipline was welcome and at home with somebody. The mechanics were among the finest I have known. Everybody was passionate about bikes. Everybody was a kook. Most of all, Fist Frank Panto...the proprietor...the hub of all this bike love.

Fist Frank sponsored athletes and players in all those categories mentioned. He himself rides in more than a few but less than a bunch of them. We all have our shortcomings and our faults and our poorly disguised obsessions and our thinly veiled depravities and our flat out craziness, and none more than Frank. But let's not dwell on what an ass Fist Frank is, let's celebrate what an asset he has been to the local scene.

Joselyn's will be missed, but Frank will not. He is still here. You will see him out on a ride. When you do, ride up behind him real quiet-like and softly grab hold of his seat. Sit there, in his stinky draft, and when he finally notices tell him it's not unusual to be loved by anyone.



Thanks for the ride, Frank.





P.S. Those of y'all shopping bikes and parts online? FUCK YOU. Your local scene can only thrive if YOU make it thrive. Support your local bike shop. Those are the people working for safe routes to your schools, performing maintenance on your trail systems, sponsoring your race series, helping you with repairs or parts before/after hours, knowing the secret spots, ready to help with route advice or area specific tyres or dialing your sag or drinking your beer or any one of a thousand things. Don't talk about it, be about it. Local Bike Shop!