This Women's Bike Month, we chatted with Carice Reddien of Bicycle Belle about the trials and triumphs of her journey.
Tell us your story
When I founded Bicycle Belle, I wanted to create a shop that was more focused on what you can do with a bicycle than on the bicycle itself. I wanted to make the shop accessible to people who didn’t think of themselves as “bike people” — and to provide simple, useful solutions for people who wanted to use bikes to get themselves where they needed to go.
What are some things people might not know about being a woman bike shop owner? What are some challenges, and what's particularly rewarding?
Well, one good thing about owning the shop is that you can bring your baby to the shop with you. We’re probably the only bike shop in the area with a changing table and a kids toy area. Work/life balance can be challenging: There have been lots of Saturdays when I’m heading into the shop, but my family is planning a fun activity without me and I’m a little bummed to miss it. Then I’ll ride past the soccer fields and see three families on bikes we sold, and that makes me feel like the work is meaningful.
Any favorite Bluebikes experiences or tips?
Bluebikes are really great for our customers. They can drop off their bike for service, pick up a Bluebike at Porter, and head off. When their bike is ready, they can just ride back to Porter and come by to grab their bike.
Any tips for parents who want to transport kids by bike?
My main reason to bike with my kids is that it’s almost always more fun to be out and about in the outdoors together than strapped into a car. And you can always find parking. 🙂
