Bicycling is an incredibly popular hobby, sport, and mode of transportation that has quickly gained a foothold in major cities such as New York, which has ongoing issues with traffic congestion. Given the number of people who have embraced cycling as either a means of transport, a healthy hobby--or both--it is suitable that New York City has become a hub of the cycling community that recently welcomed a pop-up shop dedicated to the topic.
Biking and the pop-up shop
On June 22, 2017, the world’s leading innovative international manufacturer bike parts, Shimano, opened its very first urban pop-up shop called SHIMANO BIKE NYC which is situated in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan.
Among other things, the store displays thirty-three brand new bikes from Moots, Cryptic Cycles, and other leading manufacturers. Anyone who visits the store has the opportunity to test ride the bikes and attend workshops about topics such as cycling, wellness, and health, fashion, Sports and more.
Masahiko Jimbo, the vice president of marketing at Shimano Japan Inc., has been into biking and racing since he was a university student. From the time he joined his college cycling club, Mr. Jimbo never imagined taking up a career in anything unrelated to bicycling. Mr. Jimbo was extremely excited to be involved with the unveiling of the NYC pop-up store, which is actually the company’s first foray into the “pop-up” trend in all their seventy-plus year history.
“Currently, bikes are getting attention more than ever as a 21st-century vehicle regarding benefits for the environment, health, sightseeing, and transportation,” he stated in a recent interview. “Our goal is to share the attractive bike/bike components focused on urban cycling with people who care about urban style in order to enhance the city travel to another level.”
Rentals, workshops, and urban riding
The goal of the Shimano pop-up store is to make visitors feel comfortable with bikes and the experience of urban riding.
Noting how many bikes can currently be rented in New York City, it is more important than ever for people to feel comfortable on bikes. The grand opening went well, with over one-hundred people flocking to the storefront.
“Thanks for all the compliments and high hope for the store from visitors, I firmly believe that our decision to open our pop-up store here in Manhattan was right,” Mr.
Jimbo said. “We got countless amazing, positive feedback from them about the bikes they tried and those that were on display.”
Visitors to the urban concept pop-up store can expect to find a varied selection of components for urban biking, geared at city commuting. Bike rentals are available through the store, with pricing as low as $10/hour. The location will also host workshops with influential speakers about subjects in numerous categories including Sports, Fashion, and Healthy Lifestyle. Weekend group rides and bike tours are also offered.
“We are expecting the growth of components of E-bike – electrically assisted pedal cycle – which is gaining more popularity in Europe, and in the U.S.,” Mr.
Jimbo stated. “A bike is one of the greatest tools that human created. It is good for your health and for the environment. We believe that we can contribute to society by spreading the delight of biking to as many people as we can reach.”
Mr. Jimbo hopes to use SHIMANO BIKE NYC as a way to help people experience the newest models in urban bicycles. The pop-up store is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 am to 7 pm and will run until August 20, 2017.
