Cocktail Returns on Fri., Jul 21 at The Espee. Tickets On Sale Now!

San Antonio bicycle retailer Bike World closes after 51 years

The five shops will reopen as Trek Bicycles on July 19.

By Brandon Rodriguez on Thu, Jul 13, 2023 at 12:11 pm

[
      {
        "name": "Real 1 Player (r2) - Inline",
        "component": "27560945",
        "insertPoint": "3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
      },{
        "name": "Air Ad - NativeInline - Injected",
        "component": "27688470",
        "insertPoint": "2/3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "9"
      }
    ]

click to enlarge

Facebook / Bike World

Bike World employees stand in front of the chain's U.S. Highway 281 location prior to its July 10 closure.

Bike World has been a pillar of San Antonio's cycling community since it opened in 1971. However, after more than five decades, owner Whit Snell is peddling on to other ventures.

Bike World's five shops closed July 10 and will reopen as Trek Bicycles on July 19, operating as retail units of Wisconsin-based manufacturer and distributor Trek, one of the world's dominant bike brands.

Snell revealed his plans for the Bike World chain in a recent Instagram post. In his post, he considered the matter carefully before deciding to retire.

Trek's acquisition of Bike World shouldn't come as a shock. Large-scale manufacturers have been buying mom-and-pop shops for decades, and Bike World was a Trek dealer.

In his online post, Snell said the shops' longstanding relationship with Trek makes him hopeful for their future.

"As I considered offers for the shop, I knew I couldn’t leave it in the hands of just anyone — it’s meant too much to me. And for that reason, I’m thrilled to find a partner in Trek Bicycle," the post reads.

Trek recently made it onto Fortune magazine's annual 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 2023.