Fine-Tuning the Ride (final)

    

The Entrance of The Dutch Wheelman Bicycle Shop

    As soon as you walk into The Dutch Wheelman Bicycle Shop on Main St in Bloomsburg, you will instantly spot a surplus of different colored bikes and two friendly folks in the rear of the shop. From front to back, you can notice the knowledge about bicycles, without even introducing yourself to the employees. At a glance, a sense of expertise sinks in quickly, for you know your bike troubles will get resolved. 

    Stepping into the red glass door of The Dutch Wheelman, notes of coffee, tire rubber, and hints of a car garage hit you immediately. The rectangular building has white walls strung with bicycles, photos of Frans' different voyages, and tons of bicycle riding equipment. The feel of the place finds itself lonely, as no other customers entered other than myself. The weather has a gigantic impact on business, knowing nobody wants to ride a bike in frigid temperatures. "Spring is the busiest, as the weather breaks, nice days come and people want to go biking," Frans explained. The vast brands of bikes, such as Trek, and the diversity of equipment shows the level that this place holds itself to. A trip up the pine grease stained stairs, in the back left corner, bikes dangle from the ceiling front to back. Boxes of parts and frames get stored in a spare room, for when they decide they need to build more bicycles. In the far right, you will discover a wall lined with tools and spare parts for tasks that need completed. 

Bikes lined up for sale

    Frans Verstraeten, the proud and longtime owner of Dutch Wheelman, knows all of the ins and outs about a bicycle. Going 41 years strong, you happen to see and come across a lot. A pair of blue jeans, a basic t-shirt, circular rimmed spectacles, and a strong and robust Dutch accent. Growing up in Europe as a bike racer, the passion for bikes was always there. After years in Europe, coming to the United States is when he began his ownership. "So when I came here, I had some jobs that were not so good. I got a better job, but I did not like that the pay scale was different on how long you were there instead of hard work. And they did not want to give me a raise, so I said I'm out of here! And then I started my own bicycle business," Frans said enthusiastically. These decisions were wise, seeing the long standing success they hold as a business, and success will carry through the family for generations. 

    The family connection hits you immediately when you enter The Dutch Wheelman. Along with Mr. Verstraeten, his son in law, Peter Hall is another key piece that keeps this place going. Peter Hall, a middle-aged man dressed in work jeans, a basic t-shirt, and a classic trucker style cap, has worked on and fixed up bicycles for countless years. Like Frans, his life long earnestness to bicycles gives a sense of excellence to the shop. If there's an issue, they will get it resolved as soon as they can. "There are very few things that I have not seen. And when you think you have seen it all, then somebody comes in with something difficult," Hall describes. Through all the hard work and determination, Hall has strived and will continue to strive for excellence. 

   

     For Frans, biking goes way beyond passion, it is his way of life. Coming from Europe, he always enjoys a voyage out of the United States to go observe the world. But it is never just alone, he carries along his family and friends with him on these trips as well. A complete bike ride around these countries is a must to really implement themselves, and take in what each country has to offer. France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Scotland are just a few of the countries he has toured on bicycle. "I take people on tours, to enjoy the fun of biking as well as seeing and taking in these cultures. We want to take in all the culture," Frans noted. The commitment to continue these trips every summer really highlights his life long ardency for cycling. 

Photographs of Frans' many bicycle trips

     No day in the shop unfolds the same way, as new problems can erupt at any moment. "It's all different. Sales, it's service, it's... every day is different," Peter Hall demonstrates. Whether working on an old bicycle with tools that stopped production, or building bikes for the store floor, it is always something new every shift. Some days, they get aggressively overwhelmed with work, and do not even get a chance to think for themselves. "But there will be a time where we don't sit down, we don't eat lunch, it's just gets busy like that," Hall expresses. Back to a previous point, the weather contributes as a major factor in how swamped they get. Weather determines if a day consists of mainly sales or building bicycles throughout the day. 

       Walking back out through the red glass door, you quickly realize that The Dutch Wheelman offers far more than just your average bicycle shop. Their stories, their travels around the globe, and their nonstop drive to solve any issues or complications that pedal into the shop reflects the knowledge that Frans and Peter pour into their work. Even on the quietest winter days, the shop displays the drive and passion that these two men carry for themselves. As seasons shift and cyclers return, The Dutch Wheelman stands prepared for whatever challenges come in their direction.