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Check Out Our Virtual Tours!
Last Fall, we launched a Virtual Tour app. It’s a great way to get to ride our vetted routes and learn some useful knowledge while riding at your own pace with your own crew! The app provides a GPS route with a video tour guide to view at each stop.
It’s a great value at $15 per download since you only need to do it once for any size group. We currently have two tours, Corktown and Auto Heritage to choose from, and several more will be launched this Spring.
To begin, download the free TOTAGO (Turn Off The App & Get Outside) app onto your mobile device.
Web URL: https://www.totago.co/app
Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.openplanit.totago (or search for TOTAGO in Google Play)
Once you have TOTAGO on your device, find one of our tours to download.
The Corktown Tour is at https://www.totago.co/app/trip/38621 or you can search TOTAGO "Wheelhouse Detroit Corktown Tour.”
The Auto Heritage Tour is at https://www.totago.co/app/trip/33933 or you can search TOTAGO for “Wheelhouse Detroit Auto Heritage.”
Details about both tours can be found HERE. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Tatiana or Kelli at info@wheelhousedetroit.com. They’ll be glad to walk you through the process.
Please let us know if you have any feedback and happy riding!
Tour Update - April 2021
I was in conversation with someone else involved with planning and programming for this coming season (which I think of as April to October) and she said, “It’s like 2019, but not at all like 2019.” It’s tough enough to anticipate things in a “regular” year, so I have decided to bestow a bit of grace on myself and instead of planning out the entire season, we’re gonna take it month by month, at least for now.
So, for the month of April, we are going to solely focus on small private tours for 1 to 6 people.
Pricing for a 3-hour tour is as follows:
Monday through Thursday: $250
Friday through Sunday: $300 Note: Weekend tours can add a drink (NA or adult) from Bob’s Barge at Valade Park or the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard for $5 a head. This can be for during the tour or after, whatever works for your timeline.
These prices include bikes and helmets.
One of the best things about working with small groups is how intimate they are. No yelling, no squeezing into an awkward space, no groups getting separated by lights. For as limited as we were in 2020 by regulations, I found that the tours we did give were some of the best in our entire lifespan.
Another great thing is how flexible we can be. While in regular times we do charge a fee for customization, with smaller groups it’s much easier to work with you to come up with your perfect tour. We can stop for food, drinks, shopping, or whatever you’d like!
We have the following tours already developed, so we can take you on one of these, a hybrid of a couple of them, or just let us know the places you’d like to see and we can make it work (within reason, of course!). Any of these tours can be adapted to include rest stop(s) at some of our favorite independent establishments.
Near East Side – 8 to 16 miles, 2 to 3 hrs
This tour showcases several of Detroit’s unique attractions. Stops may include the Dequindre Cut, Heidelberg Project, Earthworks Urban Farm, Eastern Market, Lafayette Park, Elmwood Cemetery, the Detroit RiverWalk, Belle Isle, and Indian Village.
Near West Side – 8 to 16 miles, 2 to 3 hrs
Explore the Riverwalk, Downtown, Corktown, and Mexicantown on this tour. Stops may include The Underground Railroad Monument, Campus Martius, Capital Park, Most Holy Trinity, the site of Tiger Stadium, Michigan Central Station, Ste. Anne’s Church, and Clark Park.
Detroit RiverWalk/Dequindre Cut – 5 to 8 miles, 2 hrs (This tour is $200 on weekdays, $250 on weekends.)
Ideal for families, this tour is almost entirely on greenways, separated from auto traffic. Short and sweet, it focuses on the beautifully renewed RiverWalk and the Dequindre Cut rail-to-trail.
Booze* & Bikes – Approx. 10 miles, 3 hrs
Detroit has an amazing craft beer, cocktail, and wine culture. Stops will vary depending on interest, time, and date. Options include Atwater Brewery, Motor City Brewing Works, Batch Brewery, 8 Degrees Plato, Cost Plus Wine, Motor City Wine, Two James Distillery, Detroit Distillery, The Royce, and more. *If booze ain’t your thing, we can take you to cafes instead!
Corktown – Approx. 8 miles, 3 hrs
Get inside info on Detroit's oldest neighborhood, including charming Victorian homes, historic churches and buildings, and vibrant and dynamic businesses. Stops include Most Holy Trinity Church, Michigan Central Station, North Corktown, and the site of Tiger Stadium.
Eastern Market – Approx. 5 miles, 2 to 3 hrs
This tour takes in the Dequindre Cut, Lafayette Park, and the historic market, with an emphasis on history, current development, shopping opportunities, and vibrant murals.
Belle Isle – Approx. 15 miles, 3 hrs
Explore the architecture of Detroit's island gem, including the Flynn Pavilion, Aquarium and Conservatory, the Boat and Yacht Clubs, the Casino, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and Livingstone Lighthouse. Depending on the day of the week, this tour can include stops at one or more of the listed attractions.
Please reach out to Linda, our bookings coordinator, to get your April tour set up! Any April tour booked in March will receive $50 off booking price so, weekdays will be $200, weekends $250.
Hope to ride with you soon - Kelli
PS - A more affordable and flexible option is one of our Virtual Tours! Find out more HERE.
The State of the Supply Chain (TLDR: Not Pretty)
As we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of leaving “these pandemic times,” there is an unfortunate reality: the supply chain is looking to be just as messed up as it was last year.
So we are gearing up for another season of bikes and parts shortages and increased costs -- both wholesale and freight -- across the board. I get multiple emails a week from our bike brand reps and distributors about this.
I encourage you to read up on the topic (if you can only read one article, the NYT one I posted below is EPIC). It feels to me like consumers don't really know about this even though it's a harsh reality for lots of businesses (hot tubs, kayaks, boats, appliances, to name a few off the top of my head). Just to put things in perspective, there are some tube and tire sizes we cannot find anywhere and we are still waiting on a shipment of bikes that we ordered in September 2019.
One decision we’ve had to make is that we will not be accepting deposits for individual special order bikes. While theoretically we can place individual bike orders, the reality is that wait times could be upwards of a year for fulfillment, and we do not feel comfortable being put into that position with zero control over the product.
In closing, pretty please be kind to people trying to do business but unable to get the stuff they need to do it properly. It's demoralizing to have to continually disappoint potential customers. Trust me, we want to sell you the bike stuff you need and want!
Here’s to understanding and patience in the coming season - Kelli
Further Reading:
‘I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This’: Chaos Strikes Global Shipping, The New York Times, 3/7/21
Broken Chain: Small and new brands hard hit by component shortage, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, 3/7/21
Broken Chain: Why not build more factories? Here's why. Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, 3/9/21
Bike Shortages Will Likely Last Until Next Year, and Possibly into 2022, Bicycling, 11/6/20
It's Almost (Real) Spring! Time For Bike Service!
As I write this, we are in full-on construction mode at the shop. We’ve been planning this renovation all winter, and are really stoked as to how much it is going to enhance our efficiency.
We are currently booking service appointments for March 16 to 31.
Our March Special is free pickups and drop-offs for tuneups within the city limits. (Yes, that includes you, Hamtramck and Highland Park!)
A tuneup is $75 and includes brake and gear adjustment; minor (on-bike) wheel true; lube, check and tighten crank & headset. We’ll also wipe your bike down and get rid of the winter dust.
So email us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com to schedule whatever service you need. Let us know what you are looking for, times/days that work for you, and whether you’d like to drop it off at the shop or for us to come scoop it up. We can do as quick as same-day turn-around for tube and tire swaps. This is your chance to get your bike taken care of before the Spring rush.
We’ll be open for the season on April 2.
Haros Have Arrived Just In Time For Christmas
I know we all hear things like, “the supply chain’s a mess” all the time but unless you are inside of it, you might not realize just how bad it is. To wit, we still haven’t received bikes we pre-ordered in 2019 for the 2020 season, yet we are expected to put in pre-orders for 2021 because if we don’t, we may not get anything until 2022.
Every single one of our distributors says 2021 will be just as bad as 2020.
So it’s hard to explain how overjoyed we were to receive a small shipment of Haro BMX’s just in the nick of time for Christmas.
Here’s what we have available:
1 Downtown 26” in Black $440
2 Downtown 24” in Black $440
1 Downtown 20.5” in White $370
You can click through the photos for specs. We are happy to help you with a test ride or measurements to assure fit.
Please note our prices reflect freight costs. Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned supply chain issues, these cannot be absorbed into the bike’s cost at this time.
We are also able to deliver. Here’s a 26” that was pre-sold (in May!) on its way to its new home. This kid is gonna be so stoked on the 25th!
Please reach out to us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com to purchase or with any questions.
Rolling Out of 2020 with a THANK YOU
Before this year had arrived, I realized that 2020 would be our 13th year of operation. I joked about it being “Lucky 13,” with cautious optimism after having closed the Hamtramck location in 2019. There was a sense of failure, but also hope — after all, my life would be a tad easier without running back and forth between 2 locations, right?
The last emails in my inbox from early March are between myself and European tour operators, cruise ship companies, and other such tourism entities. I had been working over the winter with Visit Detroit to grow my outreach to active travelers.
Welp.
The next 2 months were spent pursuing grants and loans and freaking out at our ever-shrinking bank account.
Then we opened in May, and it was like I owned a completely different business. I spent so much energy saying “no” — you can’t come in without a mask…you need an appointment…we can’t get any bikes, saddles, tires, or any of the basic items that we sell…it will be 3 weeks for you to get your bike back from its tuneup…no walk-in rentals at this time…we cannot accommodate that size of a group — it was a real mind-bender as a small business owner whose number one goal is always to grow, to say yes, to enlarge! Suddenly it felt like we were operating from a dark corner.
But we did it and came out the other side breathing. For that, I thank my wonderful staff. We worked less hours, but harder hours. I also decided this was the year that we would begin to pay everyone a minimum of $15 an hour. I figured if that was the reason my business died this year, so be it. That’s not going away.
All my love to the incomparable General Manager, Tatiana — she is a rare bird of so many talents and such loyalty I feel lucky every single day that she is on my team. Linda managed our appointments and bookings like a champ. The number of emails and calls she chewed through with kindness and professionalism is simply awesome. Judith and Rob, our mechanics, faced a daunting amount of repairs and an inability to source all the parts we normally have access to. They are both talented, ingenius, and, most importantly, good people. And I can’t imagine getting through this year without Joseline’s steadfastness, unflappability, and reliability. We didn’t do many tours, but I appreciate the willingness of Mike, Amanda, Chris, and Reg to jump in during such a weird season.
Some silver linings: We developed a Virtual Tour app that we will continue to grow in 2021, and the National Bicycle Dealer Association named us one of America’s Best Bike Shops for the 6th year running.
The amount of support and congeniality among the Detroit small business community never fails to amaze me. And when times were darkest, the collective light shined so bright. There are many that inspired, but I really need to thank the fine folks from Trixie’s Bar and Canine to Five for helping out with our weird pandemic storage needs.
We were fortunate to receive support, financial and otherwise, from TechTown, Wayne County, DEGC, Invest Detroit, Robar PR, our amazing accountant Belal Majed, MEDC, the City of Detroit, Hatch Detroit, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. We are also blessed with a friendly landlord in the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
In conclusion, thank you to every single one of our customers for patronizing us this difficult year. We are moving forward into 2021, our 14th season — and 14 is actually my lucky number, so that feels nice! — with high hopes, the proven ability to adapt, and the wish for peace, health, and happiness for each and every one of you.
Sincerely,
Kelli
Holiday Shopping At Your Convenience
We are currently open by appointment for shopping, both at the shop and virtually.
If you haven’t heard, the supply chain for bikes and accessories (and many many other things, right?) is a complete mess, and it isn’t getting sorted any time soon. So special orders are tough right now, it is kind of a what-you-see-is-what-you-get scenario. With that said, we do have quite a bit! All your basics, like helmets, lights, bags, pumps, baskets, bells, and locks. Components like pedals, grips, bar tape, etc. as well.
We have a small but mighty selection of new and used bikes, including folders, trikes, and more. Reach out for a test ride appointment!
Some great news: We have a handful of Haro 2021 Downtowns (20”, 24”, and 26”) arriving shortly and are currently accepting pre-orders. These are some of the best BMX bikes out there and we were fortunate to score some in time for the holidays!
Check out our array of US-made Winter gear HERE, including Wheelhouse logo hoodies.
Email us to set up a shopping appointment. We are responsive and flexible, we want to make this experience as convenient as possible for you. Buy where you ride! Thanks for your support!
Need a Repair? We're Here to Help!
We are currently Open By Appointment. Call it “off-season but not really.”
We are happy to meet you at the shop for drop-off and pickup. We are very communicative and flexible; you will have a confirmed time for bike drop-off, communication throughout the service process about timing and price, and a specified time to pick up after completion that works for you.
We can also come to your home or place of work and save you a trip! Pricing for this service is as follows:
Within City Limits (including Hamtramck and Highland Park): $5 each way; FREE with full tuneup ($75)
Inner Ring Suburbs: $25 round-trip; $10 with full tuneup ($75)
Outer Ring Suburbs: $50 round-trip; $25 with full tuneup ($75)
More info about Service, including pricing, can be found HERE. To schedule that appointment, reach out to General Manager Tatiana at info@wheelhousedetroit.com. She’ll be in touch within 48 hours.
Ride With Wheelhouse Anytime With Our Virtual Tours!
You know those bright sunny Winter days that are rare and precious? Those are the ideal days to gather your household and head out on a Wheelhouse Virtual tour!
We have 2 to choose from: Auto Heritage and Corktown. Both are just under 10 miles and include 11 and 7 stops, respectively.
So how does it work? First, you download the Totago app, available for both Android and Apple devices. Next, you go to the “Wheelhouse Detroit - Auto Heritage Tour” or the “Wheelhouse Detroit - Corktown Tour” and pay for the download — it’s $15. The download includes a route map you can follow while you are riding along with marked stops. At each stop, there is a video included with your virtual guide there to give you information about the place where you are at that very moment! Here is a preview, this is the video that would play at the start of the Corktown tour: CORKTOWN START.
All the download linkage and tour details can be found at our website. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Tatiana or Kelli at info@wheelhousedetroit.com. They’ll be glad to walk you through the process!
Next spring, we plan to launch several more Virtual Tours, so stay tuned!
We Got Warm, Cozy Winter Gear MADE IN THE US
Looking for cozy winter gear that will make for a great gift? We got you!
You can’t go wrong with a Wheelhouse hoodie! We have zip-up ($40) and pullover ($38) styles. They are high quality, long-lasting, American-made, and locally printed.
Keep those extremities toasty! We carry DeFeet wool socks ($13) and gloves ($30). They are warm, well made, and are also made in the US. (Sensing a theme here?)
We also have a range of classic Walz wool caps ($30-45) for the cool cat in your life. These made-in-the-US cycling caps work well for a range of functions from sporty to casual to dressy. We’ve got houndstooth, plaid, and solids.
And last but not least, the amazing Weatherneck balaclava system. It’s 2 parts, uses magnets to secure flexible connections, and is sewn in Milwaukee! It costs $40 and a solid investment for fall, winter, and spring due to its adaptability.
To make a shopping appointment, email us at info@wheelhousedetroit.com. We can also set up a virtual shopping appointment and deliver your selection(s)! We are flexible and aim to make your experience as convenient as possible.