The storefront of 426 First Ave. S.W. on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Bike N’ Hike, the downtown Albany store where our family has bought bicycles and bike stuff for more than 40 years, is closing by the end of this month.
Al French, of Lebanon, started Bike N’ Hike in 1971. The first store was in Corvallis. He opened the Albany store in 1974.
French died in 2021. His son J.J. has managed the Albany store for many years now. He told me Friday the store will remain open until Sept. 28 to sell whatever inventory remains.
The Corvallis store remains open for now.
The Albany store’s building, at 426 First Ave. S.W., was built circa 1909 and is on Albany’s inventory of historic properties. J.J. told me his mother plans to sell it.
This was the only traditional bike shop remaining in Albany. There’s a store, also on First Avenue, that deals in electric bikes only, and Walmart on Goldfish Farm Road has a selection of standard bikes and gear, according to its website.
It was in the 1980s that I bought my first new road bike from Bike N’ Hike. It was a Centurion Accordo, a low-end entry model, and served me well for years, starting with a loop tour with the Mid-Valley Bicycle Club. We went up the valley, across to Astoria and back down the coast in 1985.
Ever since then, I’ve dropped by the First Avenue store every time I needed something, whether it was a bike, a full-fledged tune-up or repair, or just a couple of tubes.
Bike N’ Hike has kept my bikes — and therefore me — going for all the time we’ve lived in Albany. Nothing lasts, I know, but I did not need or want this particular reminder that everything ends. (hh)
J.J. French in his last month behind the counter at Bike N’ Hike in Albany.
Just a side note, at Northwest Electric Bikes, (the e-bike store that you mentioned on 1st avenue) we also sell some regular bike parts. We repair regular bikes as well. :)
Sorry to hear they are closing. I don’t ride a bike anymore, but my husband and did buy bikes there in 1988 and I rode mine on my first and only Cycle Oregon. Over the years we bought bikes for our kids as well as helmets and other items at Bike N’ Hike.
I’m sorry to read that the bike shop is closing. According to the City Council, CARA’s gentrification of downtown makes Albany a bustling place with businesses galore!
The Carousel and the re-purposing of Monteith Park are supposed to have people flocking to Albany. Hmmm! Doesn’t seem so. (Oh, almost forgot the 9 million to be spent yet on Water Street being paved with gold…Oops, I mean with bricks.) Ok, Ray, let me have it…or try your darnedest to.
No need… You’re doing fine all by yourself…
Thanks, Ray. (Hasso puts the word “Reply” under comments, indicating he intends for us to reply; but, with his personal blackballing, sometimes it seems the word “Reply” should be done away with.)
Alas, the convenience of online shopping, with its endless options and often lower prices, proved too formidable. The struggle to compete with giants who could ship a bike faster than you could say “free shipping” was a battle hard-fought but ultimately lost.
So long Bike and Hike, may your wheels spin forever in our memories.
I remember getting my first BMX there in the 80’s, a shiny Diamond Back Viper, and several other bikes throughout the years. One of my buddies worked there in high school in the 90s. Lots of good memories of that place. Sorry to see it go. Tough time to be in the bike biz with online shopping. I’m guilty, the last 4 bikes I’ve bought have been from direct to consumer brands.
Good riddance. Now if we could just get rid of the cyclists who do 10mph in the middle of Madison, we’d be cooking.
With the crappy resurfacing job, I wouldn’t think CARS could do 10mph in the middle of Madison.
Yes, on most residential streets in Albany, drivers are so busy zigging and zagging to dodge potholes that maintaining a 10 mph speed is difficult.
Too fast for you?
I wonder if there will be any “really” great closing buys? hmmmm
In the late 70’s, I purchased my first “real” bicycle from Bike & Hike. For the time and my pocketbook, it was a really expensive bicycle. I spent many a weekend riding around Albany’s back streets logging in loads of miles. I don’t currently ride but I do still own that bike. I guess I can say the investment payed off!
When is the last date you can purchase a bike? Is there a final closing date? I would like to stop by and purchase a bike prior to closing. I had no idea this bike shop was closing. Pleas respond. Thank yiu, Elizer
So not too sad to see these guys go. Tried to get a flat fixed and brakes adjusted and they told me it would be over a week, and they guys didn’t really seem interested in my business. I later found PNW mobile bike repair, I believe his name was Marc, was able to get it repaired quick and he didn’t charge me through the nose even though he did some extra inspections and adjustments to make sure my bike was safe. He was super nice and wiaved his travel fee b/c I brought the bike to his house as I lived fairly close. Don’t say there’s no bike repair options in albany, Marc is the best!
Every town our size should have a local bike shop and it’s sad to hear this news.
This shop is near my daily loop and was always good to know if I needed a tube for flat repair they would be convenient.
However, as Joe above, I have had issues with staff. I had stopped to ask if they would inspect my rim after having/repairing a pretty nasty flat coming out of Monteith Park. The staff refused when I asked if I might have them pump up my tire fully. (I had only used minimum pressure until I could get a second opinion on the damage to rim.)