Peachtree Bikes

I stopped by Peachtree Bikes that just opened next door and sat down to talk with Patrick Gregory, one of the owners and operators of the family business, and Lauren Hadley, the Store Manager.

Thanks for sitting with me and letting our readers and community know more about you!

Lauren: Thank you so much!  It is so cool to do this!
Patrick: Yes, we are happy to talk about bikes!


So, what is your bike background?

Patrick: I started at another one of our stores at 14 years old so like....
Lauren: Oh no. *laughs*
Patrick: over 20 years ago?  It was my first job.  I think I even had to get a permit.  It was our location at Gwinnett Place Mall, which isn't there anymore.
Lauren: I started working at Atlanta cycling in 2020, it was a part time job. 
Patrick: But you have ridden most of your life.
Lauren: I have always ridden bikes, and bought my first bike from Chastain (sister store) at like 14 years old, and also commuted through college.  I just started to ride bikes because I thought it would be a fun. 
 

What brought you to Decatur?

Patrick: We always knew Bike South (A bike shop that shuttered in 2019 after 50 years), and Bike South caused a bit of a vacuum when it closed where there were no real bike shops in the area, and we wanted to step in and help the market with the university and a lot of people who bike in this area.  Stars aligned and we found a place right across the street.

While I was talking with Patrick and Lauren, a customer came into the shop all the way from College Park to get his bike serviced, showcasing just how there aren't many shops in the greater Atlanta Area that service local riders.

Atlanta seems to be doing better and better with access for bike riders and enthusiasts, what would you say Decatur and Atlanta could do to improve?

Patrick: That's easy! The infrastructure on the roads. Being able to ride on the street safely is a serious problem here.  It is getting better, Atlanta and Decatur have come around with off-road paths and trails like The Belt Line and Stone Mountain path.
Lauren: Yeah. People just feel so unsafe commuting on bikes around Atlanta so fixing the roads and infrastructure. Also, group rides being more advertised would be nice or any outreach.  Marta and transportation being more friendly to take your bikes from one part of town to another. The bike lanes in Atlanta are so bad they are commonly referred to as "trash lanes," because of the amount of trash and lack of maintenance.
 

If you were to generally commuting around Decatur, which bike would you choose and why?

Patrick: VADO electric pedal assist, it just amplifies your pedal power so you don't have to do as much work.  It comes equipped with racks and lights and you can even hook your phone up and use it for routes. 

Lauren: All of our regulars around here have this bike.  Like all of them!  I would choose the VADO with the smaller battery.
Patrick: You are trying to copy me!
Lauren: No!  *laughs*
Ok, ok I am gonna choose the Sirrus X 4.0.  A non electric bike, but is the most capable for the most amount of terrain. Light weight, good for not slipping in the rain and good both off-road and on-road commuting.

If you were to go to some of the trails in the North Georgia mountains or Stone Mountain for a day of mountain bike riding which bikes would you choose and why?

Lauren: Epic (looks at Patrick waiting for him to say the same bike and laughing). It's a lightweight full suspension mountain bike that specializes in cross country style mountain biking.  It is good for most any rough terrain riding.

Patrick:  I don't get a ton of time so I want to make the most of it and choose an electric mountain LEVO.  It is also a boosted pedal, if I am pressed for time and have an hour, you can do more and see more because it opens up more possibilities, and has walking mode.  So it will walk 2 miles per hour and you don't have to carry or push it.
 

It is Atlanta circa 2010 and the apocalypse has happened and you survive The Walking Dead, what bike do you have? What 3 bike accessories do you carry?

Patrick: Oh that is a good question.  No electric bike, no charge. I would go with a Crux.
Lauren: A Diverge.
Patrick: They are both very similar. They are fast, they are super capable and can go anywhere.
Both of them are half mountain bike, half road bike.  It is superior for both of those things.

Tim, the mechanic and master tech walked up front to help a customer picking up their bike and joined into our zombie discussion.

What would your 3 bike accessories be?

Patrick: Tim would say a pedal wrench because you could knock a zombie over the head.  Every bike shop says if they ever needed any weapon it would be a pedal wrench.
Tim: A flat repair kit.
Lauren: A helmet.
Patrick: I don't think you would need a helmet if you are dealing with zombies!
Lauren: Maybe.
Patrick: Sunglasses to look cool
Lauren: Yeah I have sensitive eyes and yeah they look cool! We have cool ones!
Tim: Sunglasses and a helmet!
 

What would you suggest is the best maintenance to do for a bike and how often?
Tim: Clean it.
Patrick: CLEAN IT.
Tim: Clean it and lube it up.
Clean it once a week especially if you ride every day.  Maybe once every 2 rides.
Patrick: If you do this type of maintenance it will absolutely give you serious longevity on your bike.
 

Obviously bikes are a very green approach that will help lessen climate change as it takes hold on our world.  Unfortunately, Georgia is a very hot place.  What advice would you give riders to stay cool as temperatures continue to rise while riding your bike?
 
Tim: Hydration.
Lauren: A hack is freezing your water bottle the night before.
Patrick: Don't go out in cotton, having the right clothing and cooling fabric that doesn't absorb heat. Same with helmets.
Lauren: Nutrition.  Salt tablets and other supplements for electrolytes which we carry. There are recommendations like, for instance, an hour out on the trail you should be drinking 24 ounces of water.
 

Any cool tips you would like to give any riders out there?

Lauren: Yes, if you are interested in bikes you should test ride bikes.  The best way to learn about bikes is to ride them and come into shops and ask questions, we even have a 30 days for a return to make sure you have the right bike.  If people are nervous about riding a bike in Atlanta because it feels dangerous, there are group rides in the community, for all different levels.  The community has a lot of offer.  
Tim: They used to do some rides with themes, like riding around and looking at all the original firehouses, another was modern architecture. Of course around Halloween there was graveyard themes. I am not sure they have them anymore but there are a lot of group rides here in the community.

Peachtree Bikes is open now, and stay tuned for more information about the Grand Opening!