The Old Fort Ride House / Kitsbow Bike Shop, Powered by Schoenauer Service Course, will be managed and staffed by Chad Schoenauer, a longtime area bike mechanic and service manager. He has more than 30 years of experience in the industry and the Asheville area road racing scene.
Slated to open this week, the Old Fort Ride House Bike Shop, Powered by Schoenauer Service Course offers visitors and residents of Old Fort trail-side service on the doorstep of more than 40 miles of incredible mountain bike trails on 70,000+ acres of public land. Helping get flats fixed up fast, or work on more serious service issues, Schoenauer Service Course will get riders back on the trails in no time.
The bike shop will be managed and operated by Chad Schoenauer, a veteran of the bike industry and road racing scene in Asheville for more than 30 years. “The Old Fort Ride House bike shop will address customer needs for all types of cycling,” Schoenauer explains. “Whether you’re a daily commuter, road rider, or trail shredder, SSC will help when you need us.”
Schoenauer will rent a 700 square-foot space, with Kitsbow providing point of sale terminals, marketing assistance, and other support. Learn more about Kitsbow Cycling Apparel, which is made in the U.S.A.
Kitsbow has been a tremendous partner at startup, and no doubt will be in the future. Kitsbow has already developed an excellent customer experience with the Old Fort Ride House. SSC will enhance the Ride House experience and vice versa.”
The Ride House is located next to the manufacturing facility and is on the doorstep of 70,000-plus acres of public land and more than 40 miles of trails in and around Old Fort. The bike shop will be part of other amenities already offered, including a cafe, device-charging stations, bike racks, public restrooms, changing rooms, and free filtered chilled water.
While bike sales and rentals are not yet part of the shop’s rollout, it likely will be the next step, said Billstrom, who added the company is talking to several major brands about hosting a demo center.