Pedals & Petals of Inlet was recently named one of America’s Best Bike Shops for 2014 by the National Bicycle Dealers Association.
Of the approximately 4,000 bike shops in the United States, less than 300 were chosen to be named “America’s Best.”
To qualify for the honor, bike shop owners were asked to fill out a detailed application describing what sets them apart from the average store.
Mystery shoppers then evaluated the business in more detail by visiting the store, reviewing their website, and contacting the shop by phone to assess the performance from a consumer’s perspective.
During the application process, stories came in from all over the country of shops that donate bicycles to children, work to find safe routes to schools, build bike trails and organize free rides to get people outside and help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The program is designed to help consumers find great stores in their areas that will provide the expertise and professionalism they need to get the most benefit from cycling.
The recipients of the America’s Best Bike Shops title not only offer great shopping experiences, but are also rated on their support for their communities, as well as support for bicycle advocacy both locally and nationally.
In the spring, Pedals and Petals was voted first runner-up in the Best Bike Shop category in Adirondack Life magazine’s Best of the Adirondacks feature.
Throughout his 20 years of ownership of Pedals and Petals, Ted Christodaro has been an active proponent of enhancing the cycling experience in the West Central Adirondacks.
He is a longtime sponsor of the iconic 40-mile mountain bike race, the Black Fly Challenge, and has worked side-by-side with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) to help improve existing and design new mountain bike trails in the Moose River Plains area.
He also donates his services at the Old Forge Library’s annual Bicycle Safety Clinic, where he inspects and makes small repairs to bikes of pre-school and elementary school aged kids.
For the past eight years Christodaro’s shop has participated in the Trek Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness Ride, a fundraiser for breast cancer research that will take place this year on Saturday, October 11th.