What if your next bike repair came with a good cup of coffee, a group ride and somewhere to actually hang out afterward?
That’s the idea behind Joyride, a new bike shop and café coming to Fort Collins at 830 S. College Avenue.
The business currently lists the location as ‘coming soon’ on its website, where Joyride describes itself as a bike repair shop, café and gathering space designed to bring bikes, coffee and community together.
Created by the team behind Queer+ Bikes, Joyride is being built around the idea that cycling should be about more than speed and equipment. The space will offer professional bike repair and maintenance alongside specialty coffee, smoothies, non-alcoholic drinks, workshops, group rides and community events.
The founders are Lauren Mehl and B Steele, who bring backgrounds in cycling, mechanics, community building, communications and events to the project.
Mehl discovered cycling after moving to Colorado and eventually became involved in building cycling communities, while Steele is a longtime bike mechanic and self-described coffee enthusiast. Together, they are creating a space that blends their interests in bikes, food, education and connection.
The café side of Joyride will offer specialty coffee, smoothies and creative non-alcoholic drinks, giving riders a place to fuel up before a ride or settle in afterward. The space is intentionally alcohol-free.
The bike shop will provide repairs, maintenance and custom work, with an emphasis on making the process approachable for riders who may not know their way around a bike. Joyride also plans to offer hands-on education through workshops and open-shop nights.
Then there is the community side. Joyride plans to host group rides, clinics, gear swaps, film nights, storytelling events and other gatherings. Its retail selection will include cycling essentials, apparel from women-owned and purpose-driven brands, local collaborations and Joyride merchandise.
The concept grew out of the community already built through Queer+ Bikes and other cycling events in Northern Colorado. The founders say they wanted to create a physical home where those connections could continue beyond a scheduled ride or event.
The South College Avenue location will put Joyride in a well-traveled part of Fort Collins, close to the city’s cycling and college communities.
Rather than positioning itself solely as a traditional bike shop, Joyride is aiming for something closer to a neighborhood hangout – a place where someone can come in to fix a bike, grab coffee, join an event or simply spend some time.
An exact opening date has not yet been announced.
