The fact that Richmond is capable of supporting more bike shops is a good thing. RichmondBizsense had this article a couple of days ago, and I’ve been meaning to post. The sign on the storefront says “Coming Jan. ’12.” It looks like there’s still a lot of work to do to make that a reality, but whenever it happens the place should be worth checking out.

From the RichmondBizsense piece: Two entrepreneurs are going where the customers are. Or at least where the potential customers meet before going on bike rides.

Ann “Spike” Toler, 50 and Clint Kronenberger, 40, said adjacent to Forest Hill Park was the perfect spot for their new bike shop, Coqui Cyclery, because of the nearby trails and the number of cyclists in the area.

“We all gather at Crossroads after our rides,” Toler said, referring to the coffee shop across from the park.

The shop, set to open late this month, will fix and sell bikes, as well as lead weekly group rides through Forest Hill Park.

Kronenberger said the shop will carry everything from “the high end triathlon bikes to a child’s first bike with training wheels on it.”

He said the shop will carry Pivot Cycles, a brand based in Arizona.

I just saw this on the Richmond-MORE website. Looks like a lot of fun.

The Urban Assault Ride is the biggest bicycle scavenger hunt series in the nation! Here’s how it works: You and your teammate will set out on a city-wide quest for ‘checkpoints’ on your favorite two-wheeled steeds. At each checkpoint, you’ll drop your bikes and complete a funky/adventurous obstacle course, then remount your bikes and hit the streets for more.

The goal is to complete all the checkpoints in the shortest amount of time. You choose your own route and checkpoint order. This means that the most clever are often the victors. Of course, it may also help if you can pull a mean big-wheel powerslide and fly across an inflatable slip-n-slide 😉

After your pedal-powered adventure, your team will cross the finish line and enter a massive celebration of New Belgium Brewing Co’s whimsical ways, bikes, and big wheels. The after party is just as much fun as the ride itself, thanks to the craziest raffle prize contest you’ll ever experience.

The race is on March 25th. Check the RichmondOutside.com Slate of Events for more info.