Whether you’re in the market for a new Trek or interested in a bike rental, Trailhead Bike Shop has you covered. With new owners who have distinct goals for the Ludington Avenue store, Trailhead is making headlines in the outdoor recreation community.
By the end of April, customers can expect to see fresh energy, extended hours, repair service and new rental bikes from Trailhead owners, Kyle and Lynnette Nichols of Grand Haven. They are in the process of moving here full time, anxious to become part of the Ludington community.Â
The Nichols took over the store this spring from Jeff Betz, who opened Trailhead in 1993. Kyle is an avid biker and outdoorsman, so when the opportunity arose to purchase Trailhead, the couple jumped at it.Â
“We have always wanted to have our own business, and when the opportunity presented itself to purchase Trailhead Bike Shop, we knew this was exactly what we wanted to do,” Lynnette said.Â
When his engineering job was downsized due to COVID-19, Kyle began working for Trailhead last summer. He has ridden bikes since he was a kid, became interested in mountain biking in college, and has competed in a few races over the years. In the Ludington area, Kyle has been impressed by the amount of biking and trails.
“It is very easy to get around town by bike; a lot of the roads have nice wide shoulders,” he said. “Bike-repair tools downtown and at some parks are a great asset. There are also plenty of places to park bikes. Ludington has a great bike culture.
“The mountain bike trails here are great. To have mountain bike trails of this caliber in town where you can ride from your house is amazing. We also have several world-class trails within an hour’s drive. I would love to see nice paved trails that would connect Ludington to the trail systems to the east and south of us.”
Trailhead Bike Shop has been a long-time supplier of bicycles and kayaks to those in West Michigan who have a thirst for adventure. Trailhead Bike Shop will continue to carry Trek road and mountain bikes, in addition to hybrids, adult tricycles, easy-boarding bikes, foldable bikes, electric bikes, kayaks, paddleboards, and more.
“We feel the name is a huge part of this business and plan to build a brand around it,” Lynnette said. “We plan to offer all of the brands and services that we always have, but also stock more kayaks and paddleboards. We will offer more apparel and our own line of shirts and stickers.”
Bike and paddleboard rentals are offered in 2, 4, 8 or 24-hour periods or multiple-day periods. Trailhead also has youth bikes and a Burley kids trailer available for a pair of little ones.Â
“Most of our rental fleet will be brand-new bikes this year. We will have bikes for around town, a couple of mountain bikes, and a couple of fat-tire bikes and an electric bike,” Lynnette added.
The Nichols said they are pleased with the warm welcome they have received from the community and are excited to start this new venture.
Group Ride Information
Wednesday night group rides for local cyclists will continue in the Ludington area. Email kyle@trailheadbikeshop.com to be added to the contact list. He will send out an email every week with ride locations and updates. For information on other places in the region to ride, check out https://trailheadbikeshop.com/