Who does not thank for little...                 
 

I was young when I first discovered cycling. I remember riding a Huffy mountain bike in the late 80s with my two best friends in middle school. We would take them apart almost every week for no reason except just to figure out how things worked. We never had the right tools, so we would break stuff.... a lot. We found relief at the local Schwinn shop in our city. We were always buying shifter cables to replace the ones we cut too short or trying to replace the bolt that shot out into the depths of the cluttered garage. We would also just walk around the shop and stare at the bikes. Not just the good ones, all of them. Looking back, I was obsessed with bikes. I think I was at that shop twice a week for years.

I got my first job as a mechanic at Butchika's Ski and Sports in Salem, New Hampshire when I was fifteen. They would only give me two days a week, after school. And that wasn't enough. So I also got a job at another shop where I worked one weekday and on Saturdays. I learned everything at these two stores. These shops helped to support my bike racing addiction, as well as my addiction to fixing bicycles. There was nothing more satisfying in life than to take a machine that was in horrible shape and give it back to the customer in perfect working order. The customer's reaction to the work I did, was enough to give me the impression that I could do this forever. But I was still young. I didn't know what I was going to do on the weekend. I worked at these stores until I graduated high school in 1995.

I came to Saint Petersburg, Florida from Bradford, Massachusetts (Go Red Sox!!) after high school graduation to attend Eckerd College. It looked cool from the post card they sent me, so I figured I would go there. I graduated in 1999 with a BA in Environmental Studies. I worked part time at Fast Track Bicycles and then at ABC Bicycles during my four years at Eckerd. I also raced road bikes all four years, traveling all across the state.

While at ABC Bicycles, I had the opportunity to take on more responsibilities and realized that I really liked working not only with bicycles, but also with people. Actually, I loved it. So when the owner was ready to sell, I knew that this was my chance. You only get one shot at an opportunity of a lifetime. So, with everything I had (and with a loan from my parents), I bought it and I have never looked back. This is what I was born to do, to work on bikes and make people happy. That is it. And it is what I will be doing forever.

Lloyd Peterson

Life, love, and the pursuit of bicycling sums up my existence. For this lifetime, anyway. I'm Lloyd Peterson. I've been in Florida since 1964. Born at Fort Campbell Army Base in Kentucky.

Cycling came to me very young. Even my father worked at a bicycle shop in his heyday. But that's not what influenced me to ride or work in the industry. Right out of high school I started at Skyway Bicycles in St. Pete. That was in 1987. asd I've been at it ever since. Very fun sums up the past years.

But fun times are easy to find. I feel very fortunate to find it everywhere, and in eveyone.

So, please come and experience fun and cycling with us at ABC!

Keep the rubber side down!

Jeff Nitz

My name is Jeff Nitz and I'm one of the part time sales and service guys at ABC Bicycles. I joined ABC almost 2 years ago. I am also currently working part time as a Real Estate agent. Being a great friend of Rick's and having a love for the sport of cycling made for a good fit for me and the ABC team.

I have over thirty years of cycling in these legs of mine. I've cycled in Europe, and in many areas of the United States, both on the road and mountain bike. I have also commuted to most of my jobs in the past. Over the years, I have competed in many cycling events and have recently enjoyed the past two years training to push myself in the ultra distance rides (150 miles +). For me, the joy is in the training. Keeping track of my performance through training logs, heart rate monitors, and performance meters have allowed me to see how my body has developed over certain distances.

I love to see all the individuals come in that have an interest in the same activity I love. Whether the customer is getting into cycling competitively, commuting, or just riding casually.... I can relate to them all.

Bottom line - don't drive, ride! You'll feel better.

Ben Carlson

My name is Ben Carlson and I'm excited that ABC Bicycles has adopted me into their family.

I was born in Tampa and have lived in the bay area my whole life.  I graduated Boca Ciega High School in 2003 and quickly took up smoking to fit in with friends.  Several years later I found myself to be weak and unmotivated. Encouraged by Jesus and my family I started exercising and soon found my passion in triathlon. I have been racing for several years now and am very passionate about the sport.  

I especially enjoy riding my bike because of the speed, and the amount of muscles that you engage.  I am a big advocate of fitness and an overall sense of well being.   I am always encouraged by the novice bike rider because it reminds me of myself when I began the journey in a time not so long ago.  

ABC Bicycles is where sport and recreation meet, and I'm thrilled to bring this experience to you the customer.