Lexington Center is more vibrant because we’re part of people’s everyday lives here. Let’s make sure we are able to stay in Lexington Center well into the future!
It’s never been more obvious why it’s important to shop local and support companies who support our local economy. The world is going to change as a result of the pandemic and small businesses are very directly affected by the stay-at-home order.
Thank you VERY MUCH to each of you who has bought a gift card, made a donation, or made a purchase of a bike, components, apparel, wheels, or other smaller items in the past few weeks. Even the smallest purchases mean a lot to us. Some of you are being hit harder than others, and have still contributed in some way. This reminds us why it is important to not just survive - but thrive - on the other side of this. Because this cycling community is TOO important to lose by way of unfortunate circumstances.
Reality Check: We need your business repeatedly
Next time you think: it’ll just be easier to go online and buy “X.” Please also remind yourself that you are lucky you have a choice. If you buy your cycling stuff online, soon (and now with the pandemic, even sooner) the choice to buy locally won’t exist. And those online prices? Often they are the same and sometimes higher than what you pay here. They’ve been going up steadily and in the future, when you don’t have a choice, they’ll be even higher. EVERY PURCHASE YOU MAKE COUNTS.
Each time you press the “purchase” button online, imagine a little nail going into our front door, helping seal it shut. Think about the people who have offered their years of cycling expertise to advise you on new bike builds, suggested compatibilities on components, those who have offered you service on your bike.
Think about the barista who made you a latte with a heart on it, on the day you really needed that latte - and that heart. Think about that person who won’t be able to walk through the door to help you in the future, that the door won’t exist, nor will the expertise or the great products behind that door.
We appreciate your emails asking us if we have something available to sell you. 95% of the time, we say “YES” we will get you that thing, we will advise you about it if you have questions, we will usually even deliver it to your home for no additional charge.
Many suppliers are making your retail experience even easier and working to keep retail brick and mortar stores alive. Please support them.
At times like these, we see who values retail, who values us as a partner. Many of our suppliers have stepped up, gotten creative, and it’s awesome to see some cool things happen!
Here’s a partial list (we’ll keep it up-to-date on our website going forward) of companies particularly pro-active in seeing us through the pandemic and who offer products we recommend for your cycling enjoyment!
Seven Cycles and Honey Bikes - Buy a Seven or Honey from us and have your cycling life made better.
Building a great bike takes great attention to detail and interest in each person who is getting each bike. There is a world of difference between a stock or custom bike built for you and one that isn’t.
Our bike suppliers Seven Cycles and Honey Bikes’ frames are built in Massachusetts. The craftspeople who build these fine frames and bikes are keeping great cycling and manufacturing alive in our state. What they do is important to our experience as cyclists and to our local economy. These people also care deeply about your cycling experience and building you an incredibly high value, quality product.
Email us to tell us what you want in a new bike, we’ll show you how much value you’ll get in a Seven or Honey, depending on what you are asking for. There is almost nothing bike-wise we can’t offer you by way of one of these great companies.
Frame builder at Seven Cycles, Dan Cariolo, shows Professional Cyclist, Kelly Catale, how he’s building her new frame for the bike that she’ll go on to race and win many races upon.
Garmin Cycling and Fitness Computers - Buy ANY Garmin product from us, Garmin will drop-ship direct to you. Place orders via our webstore.
Check out the Garmin 1030 at $400 (you save $200) for the best cycling computer available on the market today
Industry Nine - Buy Industry Nine wheels through us, they will drop-ship to you (or send to us to set them up for you)!
Industry Nine makes awesome quality, very cool looking wheels. Lightweight, durable, and built for nearly every type of riding.
UnTapped Maple - Buy on their website, they send us margin dollars
UnTapped Maple Products are natural, tasty, and available here normally when we’re open. We encourage you to shop on their online store while they are offering us margin on your purchases and thinking creatively to support retail!
Vittoria - Buy tires on their website 10% off to you with free shipping, they send us margin dollars
Use coupon code VittoriaAA2J on Vittoria.com for 10% off + FREE SHIPPING sitewide
Quality Bike Products - Buy any of thousands of bike components or accessories and get any/all of it drop-shipped to your door from theirs!
There are thousands of products available via QBP, please ask us for anything and we’re likely to be able to ship straight to you! Sorry, there’s simply too much to list. Please email us at connect@ridestudiocafe.com and ask us for what you want!
Rapha - Buy any Rapha apparel from us for curb-side pick-up or we’ll deliver to you.
Why buy Rapha apparel from us when you can get it online? Because you want to try it on in the store, you want to see it on our shelves once things go back to “normal.” Rapha left all retail stores ~4 years ago. Now they are back in brick and mortar. Why? They NEED retailers. Therefore, we need you to buy all of your Rapha from us or you won’t see it here in the future.
We place WEEKLY Rapha orders Tuesday mornings for delivery before the weekend. Get your orders to us by 10am Tuesday mornings!
The future is here and it is yours to define now. This is the time to make your cycling life even better than it has been.
A shopping area that used to be full of business is desolate. Just a few miles away from here, and only a few weeks away for many small businesses in our area.