As a city filled with bikes, it is only fitting that Davis has numerous bike shops to keep its bikers safe. This year, UC Davis’ own on-campus bike shop, the Bike Barn, has been voted the best bike shop in Davis.
The barn was built in 1910, and is one of the longest standing buildings at UC Davis. Located between the Silo and Rock Hall, it is easily accessible for the thousands of students who bike on-campus daily.
“I think that [there is a] convenience factor of it being on campus,” said David Canzoneri, a fourth-year economics major and business manager for the Bike Barn. “Whether they live on campus or not, a lot of students are biking on-campus.”
According to Canzoneri, the shop’s student employees help create a welcoming environment because they can relate to the many students who come in to have their bikes repaired.
“All the employees except for the general manager are students,” Canzoneri said. “It helps to have a familiar friendly face.”
According to their website, the barn repairs over 10,000 bikes a year. On top of this, it offers rental bikes and eight full-service repair stands for students to use in between classes. In the coming years, the Bike Barn is hoping to bring back the Bike Garage in the North end of the building to expand their services.
The shop caters to students’ needs, never turning down a request to repair a bike. While other bike shops may refuse to work on lower-end, inexpensive bikes, Canzoneri stressed that the Bike Barn always ensures to serve each customer.
“One thing that sets us apart from other shops is that there’s not really a job we will turn away,” Canzoneri said.
Written by: Alyssa Vandenberg — features@theaggie.org
