Job Availability

Wheelhouse Detroit seeks to fill an integral position of a busy, multi-faceted bike shop. S/he will assist with renting bikes; customer service; minor mechanical issues such as changing a flat tire; restocking inventory; cleaning…and whatever else needs to get done!

Skills: The most important thing necessary for this job is the willingness to jump in and get your hands dirty! Scared to talk to strangers? Need not apply. This job can be high-energy and it can be fun. It can be stressful and it can be quiet. A successful candidate will be quick on their feet and nimble of mind.

This candidate must have an interest in biking. Owning a bike is a plus!
Hours: 10-20/week, Pay Rate: $8/hour

No calls – Please email resume and three references to info@wheelhousedetroit.com.

June E-Blast

June is here, and with it wonderful weather for cycling…we hope!

Keep reading for info about bikes, bike rides, bike tours and bike repair…You might call us single-minded here at the Wheelhouse.

The shop is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the following two exceptions: We are closed on Monday, June 24 due to the Fireworks and will be open holiday hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Independence Day, Thursday, July 4.

RETAIL

As more and more people shop online and at big box stores, there is fear within the bike industry that the independent bike shop is an endangered species. Wheelhouse strives to offer a well-thought out selection of bikes and bike accessories about which our staff can knowledgably speak. We are confident that neither the world wide web nor Big-Marts can compete with us there. So shop smart, shop local, shop Wheelhouse!

We carry the following brands, all of which we believe to be of great quality and fairly priced: Sun cruisers, comfort hybrids & adult trikes; Origin 8 urban commuters & folding bikes; Kona hybrids & cyclocross; Brooklyn Cruisers; Continental, Kenda & Michelin tires; helmets from Bell, Giro, Lazer & 661; Michelin & Q tubes; auto racks from Saris (made in the USA!); bike racks from Topeak, Wald (made in the USA!) & Axiom; Park Tool floor pumps & tools; Knog & Planet Bike lights; bottle cages from King Cage (made in the USA!) & Dimension; Timbuk2 & Jandd bags; & locks from Kryptonite…plus pedals, bells, handlebar grips & tape; tubes; frame pumps; baske ts…whatever your cycling pleasure!

Investing in your bike by adding a rack or a basket, swapping out knobby tires for slicks or installing lights can make a huge impact in its functionality. Next thing you know, your butt is on a bike on the regular!

SALE! We’re ready for all of our 2012 bikes to find good homes, so we are really slashing prices.

Origin 8 F1 single speed folding bike: REG $350 NOW $275

Dew Deluxe 49cm: REG $849 NOW $679

Civia Twin City single speed: REG $595 NOW $500

SERVICE

Wheelhouse’s service feedback has been really great this year, between the efficiency of our new Point-of-Sale system and the excellence of the work that mechanic Dave Burke puts into every bike. So what are you waiting for? Bring that ride in for a tune-up that will get you back on the road in better shape than ever!

Our full menu of service prices can be found here. Please note that, in almost every case, service requires that you drop off your bike. We also offer Service Delivery! Yep, we can pick-up and/or drop-off your wounded cycle anywhere in Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park and the inner ring suburbs. For pricing, please visit our Service Page.

TOURS

Tour season is in full swing! We pride ourselves on offering an authentic experience that will be informative to visitors and lifers alike. Oh yeah, and they are fun! Please scroll our Tours Page for details and to make reservations.

We also offer private tours, which are great as a corporate team-building exercise, staff outing, non-profit fund-raiser, conference activity or pre-wedding excursion. A downloadable PDF with more info can be found here.

RENTALS

We have expanded our rental fleet, adding more cruisers, some comfort hybrids, an adult tricyle and an additional kids trailer. Online advance reservations available for a 10% discount. Reservations are recommended, particularly on weekends, as we sometimes do run out of bikes at peak hours.

WEEKDAY WALK-IN SPECIAL: On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a 2-hour cruiser rental is half-off, just $7.50. Fine print: cruisers only, no reservations, subject to availability.

GOT GROUP? We offer discounts to groups of six to 20 with advance notice and a deposit. More info available at Wheelhouse Group Rentals and Schools & Scouts. We can also deliver bikes to your event; inquire at info@wheelhousedetroit.com.

EVENTS

It’s great to see so many health-oriented businesses sprouting up around town, and we are partnering with several of them for some fantastic fun-n-fit activities through the summer months. We have Wheelhouse Workouts every other Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m., a free 12-15MPH ride; bi-weekly Endurance Thursdays, a free group ride that will be paced at 15-18MPH from 6-8 p.m. held in partnership with Detroit Endurance Lab; and a series of fitness tours with True Body Fitness. More info here.

Our Basic Maintenance Classes w/Fender Bender are back! This two-hour class will teach you some introductory mechanics like how to change a flat and will go over some basic rules of the road and commuting tips. Classes cost just $5 and include a patch kit. Dates for the rest of the year are Jun 27 – Jul 11 – Jul 25 – Aug 8 – Aug 22 – Sep 12 – Sep 2.

As biking becomes more and more visible as a form of transportation, more and more events are adding bike parking as an amenity, and we are happy to help out! You’ll find us at Detroit City FC home matches at Cass Tech (next up: tonight vs. Zanesville FC at 7:30 p.m.) and Riviere 28‘s Soiree on the Greenway on July 18…more to come!

We are a proud sponsor of two upcoming rides that are raising funds for some deserving causes.

On June 22, suit up for the Fourth Annual Compuware Motor City Bike Ride, which offers 20-mile fun ride and a Metric Century (62-mile) option. The event raises funds for the Danialle Karmanos Work It Out Foundation in support of youth health and wellness. Find out more and register here.

The Second Annual SASHA Center Detroit Bike Tour Fundraiser is set for June 23 at noon. We’ll take off from the Wheelhouse and enjoy a casual ride through the Greater Downtown area with stops at organizations that assist survivors of sexual assault — key to SASHA’s mission. It also includes a lunch stop at Goodwells! Find out more and register at their website.

Hope to see you soon and that you’re having a great summer!

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

In Town for Movement? Get Rolling With the Wheelhouse!

 
One of our favorite weekends of the year is the Movement Electronic Music Festival held over Memorial Day weekend. We love to get as many visitors onto a bike as possible, as we truly believe it is the best way to see the city.

To that end, we are offering discounts to anyone wearing a Movement festival wristband all weekend long. So whether you are looking for a quick ride to Eastern Market for lunch, a trip to Belle Isle for a swim, or want a bike for transportation the entire weekend, we’ve gotcha covered!

MOVEMENT FESTIVAL-GOER RENTAL RATES (CRUISERS)
$10/2 hours (reg. $15)
$18/half-day/4 hours (reg. $25)
$25/full day (reg. $35)
$40/2 days (reg. $50)
$60/3 days (reg. $75)
$75/full week (reg. $99)

You can call 313-656-2453 to reserve a bike at these rates.

We also offer a couple of techno-themed tours that delve into Detroit’s epic electronic music history.

The first tour will be Sunday, May 26 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. It will be the “short” tour. A rider will see landmarks such as The Music Institute, Underground Resistance HQ, and the East Riverfront Warehouse District. The tour price is $25; with bike rental, it’s $35.

The second will be on Monday, May 27 from noon to 4 p.m. It will be the “long” tour that will go for as many as 21 miles, taking riders past historic electronic music sites like The Music Institute, Underground Resistance HQ, and the Packard Plant. The tour price is $30; with bike rental, it’s $40. This “long” tour is recommended for more experienced riders.

If you are on Facebook, you can check out a great album of photos taken on one of previous Long Tours. As you can see, the stop at Underground Resistance HQ is pretty amazing.

We are also offering a Music Heritage tour on Saturday at 1 p.m. that will cover not just techno, but Motown, punk, soul, rock and many of the city’s historic venues.

If you are looking for a break from music altogether, we are offering our popular Architecture Tour on Saturday at 10 a.m. It’s a great overview of the Greater Downtown area and some of the city’s built gems. On Sunday, we’ll explore Detroit’s Auto Heritage with a great tour that includes a stop at the Packard Plant and the Model T-Plex.

You can register for any of of these tours at wheelhousedetroit.com/tours. In 2012, most of our tours sold out, so don’t wait too long!

Looking forward to seeing you at the Wheelhouse over Memorial Day weekend!

May E-Blast

Happy May!

Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop began operations on May 8, 2008. We are now entering our sixth year of business…in some ways, it seems like just yesterday that we opened our doors and, in others, decades ago! As that wise man Bob Dylan once sang, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”

We’d like to sincerely thank you for being a part of the Wheelhouse family. We would not be here without you, and that’s the plain truth.

We have been working hard to make this year our biggest and best ever and, therefore, this E-Blast might be our longest ever. Bear with us, we have some great news to share!

RETAIL

Wheelhouse strives to sell bicycles that are well-suited for urban riding; straddle the line of value and quality; and are made by a reputable manufacturer. We carry the following brands:

• Sun – cruisers, comfort hybrids & adult trikes.
• Origin 8 – Sun’s urban offshoot; urban commuters, folding.
• Kona – hybrids, cyclocross.
• Brooklyn Cruiser – retro-styled cruisers.
• Detroit Bikes – locally manufactured urban commuters (avail. in July).

Wheelhouse might be small in square footage, but we’ve become pretty adept at keeping a robust array of bike goodies on hand for all of your needs and wants. We stock a full range of top bike accessory brands such as Continental, Topeak, Planet Bike, Bell, Giro, Axiom, Saris, Kenda, Park Tool, Knog, Michelin, Timbuk2, Kryptonite, Master Lock, Pedros and Jandd. What do you need? A tube, tire, saddle, bag, basket, pump, mirror, helmet…We’ve gotcha covered! And if you’re in the market for a sharp Wheelhouse t-shirt, you can grab one of those on your next visit, or snap one up online.

SERVICE

We recently installed a new POS system, which was an opportune time for us to review our service prices. Rather than merely increasing them, we’ve broken them down in a way that we believe to be transparent. There’s no man behind the curtain here! Check out our full menu of service prices here. Please note that, in almost every case, service requires that you drop off your bike. We will do our best to let you know when it will be ready for pick-up. We all want to see you back riding as soon as possible, but to do things right can sometimes take some time.

We are excited to announce that we now offer Service Delivery! Yep, we can pick-up and/or drop-off your wounded cycle. For pricing, please visit our Service Page.

TOURS

Our tour schedule for 2013 is finalized! A couple of notes worth mentioning: Our Underground Railroad Tour has added a stop at the Detroit Historical Museum to visit their recently renovated Doorway to Freedom exhibit; the Belle Isle tour has included a stop at the Acquarium to the roster; and we’ve developed a Music Heritage Tour that spans genres — techno, rock, rap, soul, punk and Motown. You can scroll our Tours Page for details and to make reservations.

We also offer private tours, which are great as a corporate team-building exercise, non-profit fund-raiser, conference activity or pre-wedding excursion. A downloadable PDF with more info can be found here.

RENTALS

We are expanding our rental fleet, adding more cruisers, some comfort hybrids, an adult tricycle and an additional kids trailer. We will also soon have a couple of  Autobikes! Online advance reservations available for a 10% discount.

WEEKDAY WALK-IN SPECIAL: On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a 2-hour cruiser rental is half-off, just $7.50. Fine print: cruisers only, no reservations, subject to availability.

GOT A GROUP? We offer discounts to groups of six to 20 with advance notice and a deposit. More info available at Wheelhouse Group Rentals and Schools & Scouts. We can also deliver bikes to your event; inquire at info@wheelhousedetroit.com.

EVENTS

We have a lot going on, which might be an understatement. Read on…

It’s great to see so many health-oriented businesses sprouting up around town, and we are partnering with several of them for some fantastic fun-n-fit activities through the summer months. We have Wheelhouse Workouts every other Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m., a free 12-15MPH ride; bi-weekly Endurance Thursdays, a free group ride that will be paced at 15-18MPH from 6-8 p.m. held in partnership with Detroit Endurance Lab; and a series of fitness tours with True Body Fitness. More info here.

We are also offering Cycle + Stretch with Midtown Yoga Shelter on May 19, register for that on our Tours Page.

A couple of annual rides that we are helping out with is the Ride of Silence on May 15 at 7 p.m. on Belle Isle and Cycle Into Spring on May 18 at Maheras Gentry Park.

Our Basic Maintenance Classes w/Fender Bender are back! This two-hour class will teach you some basic mechanics like changing a flat and go over some basic rules of the road and commuting tips. Classes cost just $5 and include a patch kit. Dates for the year: May 30 – Jun 13 – Jun 27 – Jul 11 – Jul 25 – Aug 8 – Aug 22 – Sep 12 – Sep 2.

As biking becomes more and more visible as a form of transportation, more and more events are adding bike parking as an amenity, and we are happy to help out! You’ll find us at Detroit City FC home matches at Cass Tech; Detroit Tigers Bike to the Ballpark on May 22, and Riviere 28‘s Light up the Riverfront on June 6 and Soiree on the Greenway on July 18. More to come!

We’re going to venture up to Port Austin for the weekend of June 7 for Detroit Up North – Take Two. More info about the 75- and 150-mile options, camping and more here!

Hope we see you soon — and that we’ve given plenty of reasons for that to occur. Ride often and well.

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

Wildlife in Detroit? Yup.

From Apr. 22 to May 19, snap a photo of any Wildlife you see flying, swimming or hopping around the GM Ren Cen and RiverWalk. Use the hashtag #RenCenWildlife and tag @GMRenCen and you might have a chance to win a prize!

Why bother tracking wildlife in the city? It could pay off. Each week one lucky winner will receive a FitBit pedometer to track the miles you’ve covered on the Detroit Riverwalk, courtesy of Verizon Wireless in the GM Renaissance Center. But there’s more!

Each week, a small group of GM Ren Cen judges will choose one best photo. All photos populated with the hashtag #RenCenWildlife will then be compiled and housed on the GM Ren Cen Flickr page (as possible). Winners will be notified via email of their prize, and recognized on all GM Ren Cen social platforms.

On May 13 one lucky winner will receive a Fitbit Zip and a gift certificate redeemable for a segway rental from Segways2U located at the GM Renaissance Center. On May 20, we will give away a FitBit and a guided bicycle tour for two, courtesy of Wheelhouse Detroit!

From May 1-19, 2013, Wheelhouse Detroit will offer participants a #RenCenWildlife discount of $8 for 1 hour rides, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, if you mention you’re in the area taking photos to enter in the #RenCenWildlife contest. Please remember to hashtag #wheelhouse_det on those images.

Official rules can be found here and Here’s the Facebook App!

Wheelhouse is Hiring!

Please note, this position has been filled. Thank you!

Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop is seeking a qualified, motivated individual to join its team in 2013 as Shop Staff. This is a seasonal part-time job (approx. 20 hours/week) with varying shifts that will include nights, weekends and holidays. The job will run through October.

Wheelhouse Detroit’s mission is “Experience the Motor City on Two Wheels!” and all employees are asked to share in this goal. We aim to be a friendly and accessible bike shop experience for customers of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, races and ethnicities.  This can be a fast-paced environment that requires frequent customer interaction.

Tasks will include, but not be limited, to the following:

RETAIL
Successfully complete orientation and training period
Share product knowledge and enthusiasm for bikes with customers
Direct customers through entire sales process
Build and maintain relationships with customers
Complete a multitude of daily housekeeping and office tasks

RENTALS
Process customer bike rentals including payment and waivers
Provide customer with directions and destinations as required
Select and size customer bikes
Maintain working knowledge of reservations

TOURS
Maintain working knowledge of tours and reservations
Sign in tour customers that arrive for a scheduled tour
Assist tour staff with tour departure and arrival

SERVICE
Assist service staff with bike intake and pick-up
Maintain special order records

Additional hours are possible, including staffing off-site events (sponsored rides, promotional booths and bike-parking); distribution of promotional materials; and tour sweeping.

Candidate should be personable, punctual and self-motivated. This job is perfect for someone that is flexible, independent and enthusiastic. An edge would be given to a cyclist with knowledge of Detroit. Compensation will begin at $9 per hour. Hours per week will vary depending on the season.

Please submit a resume and three references to info@wheelhousedetroit.com for consideration of the position. No calls, please.

April E-Blast

Hi everyone,

It feels like we are still waiting for spring to begin, doesn’t it? Now is the best time to bring your bike in for service, before you want to ride it, so it’s ready for you when the weather turns. Plus, a basic tune-up is on special for just $40 for the rest of the month!

RETAIL

Wheelhouse carries the following bicycle brands: Sun and its urban offshoot, Origin 8; Kona; and, new for 2013, Brooklyn Cruiser and Detroit Bikes. Brooklyn Cruisers (pictured) come in single-, three- and seven-speeds and will begin arriving next week. Detroit Bikes, much like the Model T, are manufactured here and come in one color: black. They’re expected to be here in July.

Every bike purchased from Wheelhouse is assembled by a trained mechanic, professionally fit and granted one free tune-up – with no expiration date. Prices slashed on all 2012 bikes and 2013 bikes are now arriving!

Want to ride more? You might need lights, a rack or fenders to make your ride safer and more comfortable. And guess what? We stock a full range of top bike accessory brands such as Continental, Topeak, Planet Bike, Bell, Giro, Axiom, Saris, Kenda, Park Tool, Knog, Michelin, Timbuk2, Kryptonite, Master Lock, Pedros and Jandd. What do you need? A tube, tire, saddle, bag, basket, pump, mirror, helmet…We’ve gotcha covered!

TOURS & RENTALS

This weather has caused us to postpone the start of our tour season a week, so we’ll kick off the season with a tour of Belle Isle on April 20. Visit wheelhousedetroit.com/tours to read up on our offerings and make a reservation.

We also offer private tours, which are great as a corporate team-building exercise, non-profit fund-raiser, conference activity or pre-wedding excursion. Group rentals are also available at a discounted rate with an advance reservation. A downloadable PDF with more info can be found here and you can email us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com to set something up.

COMING UP…

There are so many amazing things approaching on the horizon…May will see the start of our fitness rides and maintenance classes and the Detroit City FC will kick off its season…June is Detroit Up North, River Days and the Motor City Bike Ride…July will be Bike the Bridge…and Tour de Troit is September 21…whew!

Also, stay tuned for info about our 5th Anniversary party in early May…You’re invited!

Warmer weather is on its way, and we are looking forward to another great season here on the Riverfront.

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater
Rivard Plaza, Detroit RiverFront
Detroit, MI 48207
313-656-BIKE (2453)
www.wheelhousedetroit.com
Follow us on Twitter @wheelhouse_det
Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!

Want better cycling & pedestrian amenities on Woodward?

Here’s your chance to get involved.

There will be a cycling focus group meeting next Wednesday, April 17th at noon to discuss how Woodward can be made more bike friendly. The focus will be primarily on the portion from McNichols to Ferndale, but other feedback is welcomed. Lunch will be provided. The location is the St. James Catholic Church on Woodward in Ferndale (241 Pearson at Woodward).

There are other opportunities to get involved in the Woodward Complete Streets project. The attached brochure lists the complete agenda, which runs from April 17 to 19.

Woodward Complete Streets_Flyer_2013-04-17.

March 2013 E-Blast

We’re back! Can you believe this will be our sixth year in business?!?!?

We have a ton of exciting things in the works for you this year but, for now, we just want to say a quick “hello” and let you know what is happening in this early spring season.

SPRING HOURS

Through March, we will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Starting in April, we will also be open on Mondays and we’ll go to seven days a week in May.

RETAIL

Wheelhouse carries the following bicycle brands: Sun and its urban offshoot, Origin 8; Kona; and, new for 2013, we are thrilled to announce that we will be adding Brooklyn Cruiser and Detroit Bikes to the roster! Every bike purchased from Wheelhouse is assembled by a trained mechanic, professionally fit and granted one free tune-up – with no expiration date. Prices now slashed on all 2012 bikes. 2013 bikes will begin arriving in April, just two weeks away!

We stock a full range of top bike accessory brands such as Continental, Topeak, Planet Bike, Bell, Giro, Axiom, Saris, Kenda, Park Tool, Knog, Michelin, Timbuk2, Kryptonite, Master Lock, Pedros and Jandd. What do you need? A tube, tire, saddle, bag, basket, fenders, pump, mirror, helmet…We’ve gotcha covered!

SERVICE

We have a couple of early-season specials on standard tune-ups:

Next weekend, we have a March du Nain Rouge Special — a Tune-Up for just $35 with a small catch: you have to say, “Get that Nain off my back!” to get the deal! This is good only for bikes brought in March 22 to 24.

The remainder of Spring, we will perform tune-ups for $40, with the price resetting to regular ($50) starting May 1.

For the second year running, Wheelhouse is teaming up with Fender Bender to offer regular “Maintenance 101” classes! Learn how to change a flat and make adjustments to your bike. We’ll also review Rules of the Road and discuss commuting tips. Classes will begin in May and run through September.

TOURS

We will be returning all of our tours from 2012 – including Architecture, Belle Isle, Eastern Market, Public Art, Hamtramck, Auto Heritage, Urban Agriculture, Murals of SW Detroit and Underground Railroad – and we’re working on a couple of new ones too! Tours start at $25 per person or $35 with a bike rental.

Look for our calendar to publish in early April. In the meantime, if you’d like to schedule a tour for your group (work, church, school, family, friends, whatever!) shoot us an email at info@wheelhousedetroit.com!

RENTALS

Bike rentals start at $15 for 2 hours and $35 for a full day. We can also accommodate multi-day rentals and we do offer accessories such as child trailer or seat or an auto rack.

Group rentals are a great outing! We do offer a price-break for groups of six to 20 with an advance reservation. Email info@wheelhousedetroit.com to book your date!

RIDE

Starting in May, we will be hosting a couple of regular fitness rides. One will be at a 12-16 mph pace and is co-sponsored by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and Fitness Works. The other will be a 16-20 mph pace and will be co-presented by Detroit Endurance Lab.

Also stay tuned for Yoga + Ride with Midtown Yoga Shelter Sundays in May, the Ride of Silence (5/15), Detroit Up North (6/7 to 6/9), bike-parking at Detroit City FC home matches…and lots, lots more! 

We look forward to seeing you and your bike very soon.

Thanks,
Your Friends at Wheelhouse Detroit

1340 E. Atwater
Rivard Plaza, Detroit RiverFront
Detroit, MI 48207
313-656-BIKE (2453)
www.wheelhousedetroit.com
Follow us on Twitter @wheelhouse_det
Become a Facebook Fan of Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop!