Tucked behind University Boulevard downtown is a string of local shops, including German bakery Edelweiss and bike shop VeloCity Pro Cycle. While Edelweiss can provide coffee, VeloCity Pro Cycle can help with anything a cyclist may need for a day of biking, whether on campus, the road or any of the local mountain biking trails.

VeloCity Pro Cycle carries a full range of bicycles, equipment and nutrition supplements. They help customers through the entire process of owning 
a bike, from fittings and gear to 
maintenance and repairs.

Warren Myers, the owner of the shop, said the mechanics can solve a 
multitude of problems.

“We can really do anything, from fixing a flat to building a bike from the ground up and anything in between,” 
he said.

Renford Brevett, a senior majoring in civil engineering, has been a loyal customer for several years and has bought two bikes from the shop. He said he trusts them with all of his repairs.

“If something’s wrong with my bike, the first thing I do is take it in and see what they can do,” Brevett said. “They’re the right people for the job.”

Geoff Aplin, a junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies, works at VeloCity.

“It’s a real bike shop,” Aplin said. “We’ve got real mechanics in here with real experience.”

Brevett said the store has always sought to be helpful and honest about time estimates and the severity of issues with the bikes he has brought in.

“I’d feel like I’d be betraying them if I went anywhere else,” Brevett said.

Myers bought the shop from the original owners last October. He was involved in cycling in college and said he’s learned about aspects of the sport he wasn’t previously involved in since owning VeloCity.

“When I bought the shop, it really threw me back into that sense,” Myers said. “I’ve got a lot left to learn from 
that perspective.”

The store carries several bike brands, one of which is specifically geared towards students’ needs.

“They’re student-budget friendly and come in some fun colors. Just a little cooler, a little different,” said Myers.

Myers and his staff can direct customers to group rides for any experience level or cycling type.

Giving back to the community is also on Myers’ priority list. Last winter, the store partnered with Nick’s Kids to collect bikes and give them to kids as Christmas presents. Last year the shop gave away around 50 bikes to kids.

He said he wants the store to be a part of the community, not just a passive business. The shop sponsors numerous charity runs throughout the year in addition to other bike races.

The store has worked on a race called the Tour de Tuscaloosa previously and will bring it back in the spring.

“It’s fun to not just sit in the shop but to be involved and help create new cyclists,” Myers said. “That’s really what we’re here for: to help support and create new cyclists.”