By DON STINE
If you are looking for a new or vintage bicycle, or even to have your present bike repaired or accessorized, then you might stop in at the Rusty Pedal bike shop scheduled to open on Sixth Avenue in Neptune this spring.
Shawn Mazur, Neptune, and Steve Vorwerk, Belmar, are opening their new store, The Rusty Pedal at 1103 Sixth Ave. this spring. The new shop is just off Memorial Drive near the Bradley Beach train station.
“Steve and I are big-time antique bike collectors and have been doing this for several years- it’s been a longtime hobby. They are now stored all over the place so now it is time to put them all under one roof,” Mazur said.
The two business partners have been traveling to swap meets to purchase old bikes and car parts and now have about 250 vintage bikes. Bikes for sales will range from $40 to $4,000.
“We will have affordable and collectible bikes with a constantly changing inventory. We will also specialize in old car parts and memorabilia but vintage bikes will be our main thing,” Mazur said.
The store will specialize in bikes from the 1930s and 40s, like Schwinn and Columbia brands, through today’s more modern bikes, including beach cruisers, muscle bikes and other models. They also specialize in vintage transportation memorabilia, including gas station and automobile memorabilia.
The Rusty Pedal will also sell new bikes and offer repairs, such as fixing flat tires, replacing chains, and providing accessories, like seats, lights, basket, etc. They will also offer bike rentals.
“We will also help people restore people’s vintage bikes- help find the right parts and make the repairs,” he said.
They hope to have their store open by late April or early May – just in time for the summer bicycle season.
The Rusty Pedal is participating in a township-sponsored façade rehabilitation program for their new store and will get about $5,000 in grant money for their project.
Mazur, 46, and Vorwerk, 32, said they also eagerly await plans to develop a transit village in the neighborhood.
“What transit village doesn’t have a bike shop? People are more interested in a healthier lifestyle and people can get around well on a bike in this area,” Mazur said.
