Wheelfine Imports

Visit to Wheelfine Imports Sat 9/12/15

After reading on the 'net a while back that about an hour away there is a very cool independent, owner-operated bike shop, dealing mostly in Italian bicycles (the sexiest kind), I rounded up a couple of bike-savvier buddies and headed north along the Delaware River to Lambertville, NJ.

We made a right off SR 29 onto Brunswick Pike opposite downtown Lambertville, climbed a hill, and about 1-2 miles up the road we found Wheelfine Imports sitting by the highway in a rural residential area. Right away we were taken with several bikes leaning up against the outside of the building. After ogling them (two new Electras 29ers, an older Bianchi and others), we went in the wide-open door of the low one-story building and immediately had to squeeze our way past the many bikes that filled the small front counter room.

I called hello, and shortly thereafter the friendly proprietor appeared, Michael Johnson. He made some quips right off the bat, putting us at ease. He said he started out working nearby for legendary bike-builder Jim Redcay. His good reputation is well deserved. He let us poke around the various rooms for about an hour while he regaled us with all kinds of bike info. There was a lot of back and forth between Padge, Harry, and Michael. I just tried to absorb everything while not saying anything too stupid. I did come up with the correct answer as to what type of non-carbon-fiber frame material led to the development of carbon-fiber forks.

The shop had bikes from Colnago, DeRosa, Cinelli, Ciocc, Merckx, Pinarello and others jammed in everywhere over 2 rooms. ("No Treks here.") Awe-inspiring. Michael says he sells more Bianchi pista bikes than any other shop in New Jersey.

Also, there were bike items on shelves filling up the rest of the space, including tools, lube, racks for mounting on bikes, racks for mounting on cars to carry bikes, gloves, jerseys (including a Wheelfine), helmets etc. and even pastel-colored straw baskets for the girly bikes. In short, it seemed he had everything.

On his workstand, Michael had a Carrera carbon-fiber bike which was lighter than any I've ever lifted. He took off the radial-spoked front wheel and tire and handed it to me; it was laughably light. He said he had built the wheel, lacing it so the flanged ends of the spokes were on the inside of the hub flange, which he says is better but takes a minute longer.

It was like being in church and going to communion.

Before leaving, I bought a chain (my first Wipperman!) and Padge bought a mountain-biking backpack made by Dueter (a German brand he had heard good things about while on his latest trip to his native England).
On the ride home, we chattered like chimps, our heads spinning from the visit to a shrine.