How does a business like Cordova Gear compete with Amazon? Any bike part that can be found on Cordova Gear’s shelves can also be found under Amazon’s “Outdoor Recreation” tab. But there is one thing online retailers can’t do: install a bike part or repair it when it breaks.
Natasha Casciano, owner of Cordova Gear, earned her bicycle mechanic certification at Portland’s United Bicycle Institute. When she began selling bicycles in 2017, Casciano offered repairs on the bikes from her store. As of Aug. 15, she also offers repairs to bikes from other retailers.
“It’s a hard business for a small community,” Casciano said. “We’re teeny, and I can’t carry parts for every type of bike … But, I decided, if there wasn’t a service in town, we needed to expand our service so that we can offer repair to bikes other than what we sell. We have been getting a bigger and bigger response.”
After the morning rush dies down, Casciano retreats to her bicycle garage, a narrow, L-shaped sunroom that runs along the side of the shop. There, she works replacing burst inner tubes and rusty cables, ducking back into the store when customers arrive. The commonest repairs, like flat tires and worn-out brake pads, are also the cheapest to fix. Casciano charges a minimum of $25 for any bike that goes up on the rack.
Cordova Gear also features a “bicycle seat library” where riders can try out different seats. Casciano believes that many novice cyclists give up on the sport simply because they’re riding on an uncomfortable seat. This issue seems more likely to afflict women than men, she said.
Casciano recommends booking an appointment if your bike’s gears don’t shift smoothly, if its wheels wobble or if its brakes are less responsive than they used to be. Squealing or other odd sounds can also signal trouble.
“If people become more mindful, they not only ride more, but they take care of their bikes a lot better,” Casciano said.
