Terrence Patrick’s career in cycling began with a “fixie crew” in 2009. On Friday, the crew that took on the name “Heavy Pedal” opened its first store in downtown Phoenix.
What began as a cycling blog for a fixed-gear bike crew has become a bike and apparel company making its own merchandise. Over the past four years, the group has evolved, and now it has opened a store on Madison Street and Eighth Avenue.
Heavy Pedal’s 2,500-square-foot warehouse will feature a clothing line as well as its first line of bikes. On Friday, Heavy Pedal featured several different DJs and artists, including New York-based designer Leonor Aispuro, who sewed Heavy Pedal cycling caps during the grand opening.
“This is my first time making cycling caps, so it has been an interesting experience,” Aispuro said. “I’m used to working alone or with few people but am excited to be able to sew for a live audience at the opening.”
Patrick started Heavy Pedal as a “fixie crew.” The term “fixie” refers to a specific type of single-speed fixed-gear bicycle. Heavy Pedal would meet at Lux Coffee Bar and ride to various bars for their weekly Lux Ride. Eventually, California-based Leader Bikes asked Patrick to create and keep a blog and began to sponsor him; thus theheavypedal.com was created.
Patrick met co-owner Victor Vasquez in art school shortly after the blog was created. Vasquez thought the website could use some shirts as merchandise, so he created a few. They sold instantly.
Since then, they have been expanding in product and reach until they became a company of handcrafted fixies with a following in Los Angeles. They were debating whether or not to uproot to Los Angeles but picked this location and decided to stay with Phoenix as it grows, Patrick said.
“Downtown Phoenix holds a special place in my heart,” Patrick said. “I have seen this grow for decades. And it is great to see it become more bike-friendly, and if we can come in, open our doors and promote alternative, healthy transportation along with the city’s help, that will be awesome.”
Patrick said they were trying to use First Fridays to propel themselves, as there is already a high attendance at the Roosevelt Row event, a short bike ride away from the new warehouse.
Their do-it-yourself ethic doesn’t stop at merchandise. Patrick and Vasquez got the keys to the space in November and have been adding shelving, custom lighting and a mural to the spot. The goal is to create an atmosphere that encourages customers to come in and hang out as well as shop.
Heavy Pedal also hopes to tap into the student market from the growing Downtown campus. With a lot of ASU students frequently using bikes as their primary mode of transportation, students such as justice studies junior Teresa Hauer see the addition of a bike store as a welcoming sign to a growing community.
“I think it’s about time there was a hub like this for dedicated riders downtown,” Hauer said. “The riding population is increasing like a tidal wave, and especially with coming changes to the light rail and the introduction of Grid Bike Share, a presence like Heavy Pedals is important.”
The warehouse operating hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
While the warehouse is solely operating as Heavy Pedal’s manufacturing headquarters at this time, plans for expansion include the addition of several cycling and lifestyle retailers.
Contact the reporter at tdgriffi@asu.edu
