BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
Passionate cycling enthusiasts take note! The Trailhead Bicycles is THE community spot for everything pedaling two wheels.
Trailhead’s mission: “Owned & operated by Kyle, Andy, Erin, & Adam. We believe walking into a bike shop should be a fun, welcoming experience! Together we are building a space for our cycling community to start and end their rides, whether a local jaunt out Quigley or an epic multi-day adventure. We are a year-round, full-service bicycle shop with retail and rentals to keep you pedaling.”
Motion and Passion
Andy Solomon is the most animated and knowledgeable bike tech you’ll ever meet. He spoke (pun intended) while servicing two bicycles — one he’d been working on while the other came in, that moment, for a tune-up. Sparklingly busy, they know no slack.
Solomon with wife Erin (who produces their community events and coaches the middle school Devo Mountain Bike team), left Victor, Idaho, having worked bike shops there and in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Seeking a fresh scene, Hailey found them. With partner Kyle Wies, they opened The Trailhead in 2022 and haven’t had a chance to look back.
Solomon’s Ring
Solomon’s ebullience is infectious and, as that client came in for a quick tune-up, she was as excited as he. His knowledge and immediate expertise, coupled with pure cheer, is precisely what this community is about and what he adds.
“I feel like I’ve seen a lot of differences from Victor to here, in a positive way, with my family, my daughter (8 years old), and just the biking community. But it’s the community in general. We’ve made a lot of friends really fast.. It’s beautiful, it’s so beautiful.”
Solomon spins wheels and adjusts gears while speaking, absolutely in tune with passion – almost a ballet. A huge music fan, he loves local bands and frequents The Liberty Theater for its fresh offerings. Bluegrass was jangling the shop and he’s “open-book,” loving everything from New Age to Hip-Hop.
Pro Tip
Revealing their current schedule on the computer, there’s 106 work orders THIS WEEK.
“At the beginning of the season, we ask people, if you get your bike tuned up every year, do it in the winter. We’re open in the winter, can do it then, and you miss the line! Right now, we have that line!”
Indeed, 10 cyclists were in the store an hour before closing!
If you bike, or want to, pop into The Trailhead and ask for Andy. Love on Lewin, a two-year-old gentle and delightful Old English sheepdog who’s been there since six weeks old.
The Trailhead Bicycles is next door to Iconoclast Books adjacent to Atkinsons’ Market, 17 E. Bullion St., Hailey, ID 83333.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Phone: (208) 788-0883.
https://www.thetrailheadbicycles.com/
