About

Ultimate Bicycle

Why we exist

Why does Ultimate Bicycle exist? An odd question to be sure, but a rather important one. There are over a dozen bike shops in the Charlotte area, and hundreds of websites selling cycling products. Ultimate Bicycle, as a company, has existed in various forms in the Charlotte area since 1993, under several owners. After Mike bought the shop, we all sat down to talk about the changes we would like to see, and what direction we believe that we should go.

What came out of that conversation was a simple motto:

We want to be a bike shop for the rest of us.

This motto means alot to every single one of us here at Ultimate. It led to many more conversations about what we need to do to make this concept a reality. As part of that we wanted to share a bit of what we believe, and make a few promises to you.

We believe that bike shops should cater to your needs. It seems now days that bike shops are in an endless race to see who can have the biggest, shiniest building, stocked to the rafters with expensive bikes and accessories. That is great for the 2% of cyclists in the world that are looking for that, but what about everyone else? Why do these stores offer six different models of $3000 or more carbon fiber racing bikes, but only two or three bikes for riding around town? Why do they only offer absurdly small cycling clothing that makes you look like an out of work super hero, but nothing practical that most of us would feel comfortable wearing in public? We don’t want to be that shop.

We promise you that every single item in our store is there because we believe in it. We carry the widest range of bicycles in the city that are practical, affordable, comfortable, and fun. As a shop we discuss every single model of bicycle that we carry, and if we wouldn’t buy one of them for a member of our family, we don’t carry it. The same goes for everything else in the building. There is a dirty little secret in the bike industry: most shops are filled with accessories that the staff doesn’t ride or even like. Why do they carry them? They HAVE to. Most bike companies require dealers to carry a certain amount of their products in order to get lower prices on their bikes or to even carry their bikes at all. We are not going to do that. We ride and use what we sell, and it isn’t because we have to, it is because we like it.

We believe that bike shops should be welcoming and friendly to everyone who walks through their doors.

We believe cycling is a lifestyle.

We believe cycling is more fun with friends.

We believe in sustainability, and the importance of American made products.