Three decades and then some. That’s how long Miami Bicycles and Repair has been in business at NE 19th Avenue and 163rd Street in North Miami Beach – and as of a year ago, at NE 123rd Street and 16th Avenue in North Miami, too. The expansion was thanks to current owners Andrey Parsegov and Jake Gilmore, childhood friends who are living out their dream together.
“Jake and I have known each other since we were 5, attending the same schools and graduating from Michael Krop Senior High School in 2010,” said Parsegov. “Growing up in the same community and both lovers of biking, when the opportunity came to partner on the shop five years ago we took it on.”
That happened when the bike store’s former owner, Ed Gault, announced he’d be retiring, something Gilmore remembers well.
(Josie Gulliksen for Biscayne Times)
There’s lots of gear available at the North Miami store, including helmets, water bottles and shoes.
“After high school, I would go to the store on 163rd Street and sweep the floors. Eventually, I worked there part-time and I recall Ed telling me, ‘If you don’t buy this place I’m closing it.’ And I always wanted to have my own business,” said Gilmore.
So when the time was right, he and Parsegov bought the place.
The long-established North Miami Beach location is a fixture in the community – and the new North Miami shop is fast becoming one.
“The North Miami location is doing very well and getting a great response from the community, including Bal Harbour and Sans Souci,” said Parsegov. “We also work with Bal Harbour and North Miami police departments servicing their bikes. North Miami PD has yearly bike rides and a bike unit with a focus on staying active.”
As the proprietors of the local bike shop, the two friends pride themselves on consistent customer service and a reputation as the go-to place for service and repair that includes working “directly with condominiums in the area, servicing and repairing residents’ bikes. We even have a service van so we can come by and pick up the bikes,” Parsegov said.
He commented that local cycling boomed right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s led to a 10-time increase now,” he said. “As the community gets involved [we’re seeing] more and more riders, and friendship groups have also developed due to cycling.”
(Josie Gulliksen for Biscayne Times)
Every style of bike can be found at the North Miami store on NE 123rd Street.
That caused a spike in bike sales – which is a good thing – yet presented a challenge.
“Demand was so high but distributors and manufacturers were behind with the hit of the COVID wave, so they’re telling people that they’ll be receiving bikes in two years. Just like the car manufacturers are behind, so are bike manufacturers,” said Parsegov.
The second part of their business is the repair side of the shop, with a stream of local riders coming in for flat fixes and mechanical repairs.
“We get our hands on anything mechanical. We can perform any kind of maintenance on the bike and all mechanical repairs on both high-end and low-end bikes,” which is done by Gilmore.
“Jake is the best mechanic in the city, I really feel that’s what the community gravitates toward, having that kind of mechanical service,” said Parsegov. “The repairs are what’s keeping people coming back.”
Gilmore’s level of expertise comes from the training he received from his mentor, Gault.
“I was trained by Ed,” he said. “He was my mentor and like a dad to me both in work and life.”
Parsegov and Gilmore also dedicate plenty of time to educating the cycling community. They teach bicyclists how to properly use gears for bridges and inclines, and the difference between the front and back brake, among other skills.
“There are many customers that need a refresher course on all of these, those things that make the bike ride that much more enjoyable,” said Parsegov.
(Josie Gulliksen for Biscayne Times)
Jake Gilmore working a bike for an upcoming program with Break the Cycle.
The friends and business partners have also seen a big increase in electric scooters being brought in “more and more each day, so we have to carve out a section in our shop for those repairs,” he added.
Having spent time in Amsterdam and other places where there is a vibrant cycling community, Parsegov says Miami isn’t there yet, but is getting more cycling friendly with a push to create more bike lanes.
“We have a lot of people who are everyday cyclists, so we’re always looking to (speak with and advise) the right people to start a conversation on how commuters – as opposed to cyclists – see cities,” he said. “We know our community very well, we have group rides and we facilitate our riders in the right direction. We have certain sections in the city that we recommend to riders as the safest ways to travel, areas which we ourselves have used back and forth.”
At the shops they also sell a large line of accessories from helmets to vests and lights for night biking.
The duo are also involved with several nonprofits, including Mystic Force Foundation, founded by Dr. Steven and Silvia Vanni to raise funds for childhood cancer research and treatments.
“I have known the Vanni family for many years, having attended high school with their son, and Silvia works with a lot of groups throughout the city and so we donate bikes to the kids (served by Mystic Force),” said Parsegov.
He and Gilmore are also involved with the group Break the Cycle, an urban cycling group that brings together experienced and novice cyclists while also working on causes like gun violence and health issues plaguing local communities. Gilmore was recently busy assembling bikes for their program.
(Josie Gulliksen for Biscayne Times)
A sign at the North Miami store lists all the services and repairs available to customers.
“We bring the bikes to kids in low-income communities and provide educational programming as a service,” he said.
The two regularly support community events where they provide bike services for free, including brake checks, seat tightening and more “which we provide as a volunteer effort to help the cycling community,” said Gilmore.
His and Parsegov’s efforts – from keeping a beloved local resource running and the time they spend supporting good works – makes perfect sense for the longtime resident biking enthusiasts.
“The decision to open in North Miami was part of our business growth,” tk said. “We chose a strategic location in a community excited about cycling.”
Reach Miami Bicycles and Repair in North Miami at 1640 NE 123rd St. at 786.212.1058 and in North Miami Beach at 1951 NE 163rd St. at 305.940.1050, or visit the website at Miami-Bikes.com.