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Stage Race Boosts Business For Bike Shops

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – On day two of the Joe Martin Stage Race, professional and amateur cyclists from all over the world competed in the cross country eve...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - On day two of the Joe Martin Stage Race, professional and amateur cyclists from all over the world competed in the cross country event. The four-day race brings in hundreds of cyclists and boosts business for local bike shops.

Phat Tire on Mall Avenue in Fayetteville is one of those businesses. Mechanic Spike Manlike said they anticipate the madness every year.

"There's nothing you can really do to prepare, I guess the biggest situation is that in the bicycle world it's way more complex to do repairs you know you can just get on it and ride it if it's a hybrid, but a lot of the road bikes and high performance mountain bikes take a lot of care, they take a skilled mechanic," Manlike said.

He said on a typical weekend, his crew will work on around 50 bikes. He said this weekend, they will see close to 75. Manlike said his shop is also short staffed, because some of the professional cycling teams will borrow Phat Tire's mechanics for the race.

"Someone off the street can't just come in and do the job and tell you about the bike, some of these bikes people are going to be going 65 miles per hour and the level of safety for that, you just have to have a professional working on it," Manlike said.

He said some of the professional bikes can cost up to $15,000 dollars. He said in their shop, they carry bikes in every price range.

"In the biking world, lightweight means everything, and you have to pay to get a lighter bike," Manlike said.

On Friday, Manlike was working on his own gear and bike. He said he and several other Phat Tire employees will take part in Saturday's amateur event.

"It's just about the end, and it's that you're giving it your all when you get off the bike, you've done it, it's total exhaustion but at the same time you've been to your limit and it's a sport where you can go to your limit frequently," Manlike said.

The Joe Martin Stage Race will be in Northwest Arkansas until Sunday (April 26). The final race will be several loops through downtown Fayetteville.

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