Duo's trek into bike business paying off

Heather Ray Karam

Katherine Robinson was a well-traveled veteran of the banking industry when adventure caused her to take a detour 12 years ago.

After 25 years in the corporate arena, Robinson set out on a path as an entrepreneur, opening a bicycle shop with her son-in-law, Allen Hodapp.

Cycle Logic, a 2,500-square-foot shop located in Northeast San Antonio, is a full-service bike store that stocks a wide selection of new and used bikes, consignment bikes and trade-ins.

Robinson admits that the move was especially adventurous, considering she wasn't a cyclist.

But her entrance into the bicycle business was just the change of pace she was looking for, Robinson recalls.

She was working as a senior vice president at a bank when Hodapp -- who at the time was dating her daughter -- approached Robinson about opening a bicycle business.

Hodapp had been a cyclist and racer for years and had been fixing bikes since the age of 7. His resume also included assisting in the opening of several bike shops across the country for a national bike chain and working at a local motorcycle dealership.

Robinson had never thought about going into business, but remembers her father owning a small shoe repair and paint store in her native North Carolina.

"I grew up watching my father run his own business, so I had a little entrepreneurship in my blood," she says.

Hodapp convinced Robinson that they could make the venture work.

"It was a match made in heaven," says Robinson about her partnership with her son-in-law. "I brought the financial experience to the business and he brought the knowledge of the bike industry."

The pair opened Cycle Logic in Robinson's garage in 1992. They were able to secure several vendors to sell them bikes, including manufacturer Caloi, a known Brazilian bicycle brand -- a company they still do business with today.

Switching gears

In the beginning, it was tough, Robinson says. Both Hodapp and Robinson worked full-time jobs to get the business off the ground, and Robinson remembers selling less than 20 bikes in their first year.

Hodapp soon conceived a plan to promote Cycle Logic to the public and racing community. He persuaded Robinson to race bikes on the racing circuit in Texas.

Robinson was uncertain about the racing endeavor, as she had never cycled before. However, she called upon her fortitude as a runner and decided to take on the challenge.

"It was such a complete flip-flop from my life," recalls Robinson. "I was a senior VP at a bank and all of a sudden here I was racing mountain bikes on the weekend."

Hodapp trained her for the competitions, and she went on to race the bike circuit from 1993 to 1994, which consisted of 11 races. She received many first and second place finishes in her age group.

"It was a world that I had never been exposed to before," Robinson says. "It was an adventure for me and it really expanded my horizons."

The bike shop also sponsored two additional racers full time in 1992, and the word began to spread about Cycle Logic, she says.

A year later, Robinson gave up the racing due to her obligations at the bank, so Hodapp began to fulfill much of the day-to-day operations at the store -- something he continues to do to this day.

Today, Robinson keeps one foot on the pedals and one in the corporate arena as an analyst and accountant in the treasury department of H.E. Butt Grocery Co.

Rolling along

Cycle Logic continues to meet the needs of both novice cyclists and experienced bikers alike -- albeit in a larger location than its original home.

Their original makeshift shop would give way to a retail site in 1994 -- an 875-square-foot space at Henderson Pass and Thousand Oaks.

"It was like working in a shoebox," quips Robinson.

The bike shop eventually moved to its current 2,500-square-foot shop on Wetmore Road.

Robinson says that her shop stands out from her larger competitors due to the personal attention that customers receive.

"We enjoy interacting with our customers and assisting them to find out what their riding needs are," she says.

Cycle Logic meets the needs of riders of all ages and experience levels with its selection of bicycles from a variety of manufacturers. The inventory includes road and mountain bikes, unicycles, tandem and recumbent bikes, BMX bikes, comfort cycles, and baby jogging strollers.

Bike prices range from $100 to as much as $10,000 for a custom-made bike.

Cycle Logic also carries an array of clothing and accessories for cyclists, and bike parts and components used for the aesthetics and maintenance of bicycles.

But it's the one-of-a-kind bikes designed by Hodapp that are helping Cycle Logic make a name for itself.

Hodapp -- an engineer by trade -- works with customers to choose all the parts needed, from the frame, to the wheels to the pedals.

"If it has two wheels and pedals, we can build it or fix it," quips Hodapp.

The shop also performs maintenance on any bike, no matter the age, brand name or lack thereof.

"We take a lot of pride in our work. We treat our customers' bikes like they are our own," says Robinson. "No matter what the cost of your bike, whether it is $50 or $500, we are here to take care of your riding needs."

For longtime customer Bob Sharpley, Cycle Logic was just the shop to take his used bike for a tune-up. Sharpley, a middle-school choir teacher, purchased his bicycle from a pawnshop and wanted to enhance some of its features.

"Allen is very knowledgeable about the (bike) industry and he really makes you feel at ease with any questions you have," says Sharpley. "(Hodapp and Robinson) make you feel at home at the shop."

Hodapp himself is an avid rider and has 30 years of experience building, restoring and repairing bikes.

"We will do whatever we can to get you back on the road and make your riding experience more comfortable," says Hodapp.

For Carolyn Esparza and her daughter, Shaniqua, the personal service they received from Cycle Logic was more than they expected.

Carolyn Esparza was searching for a tandem bike for herself and her 22-year-old daughter, who has been blind for the past 11 years. She found a consignment tandem bike at Cycle Logic, and Hodapp discounted the bike to make it possible for Esparza to make the purchase.

"Every time we go in there, they bend over backward to help people out who have a disability. They (Robinson and Hodapp) are very giving," says Carolyn.

Now, the Esparzas can enjoy a bike ride together.

"It's a good feeling to be on a bike and enjoy the nature. I can describe the sunsets and scenery to Shaniqua. It's a great time for us to spend together," Esparza says.

Building momentum

The pair is ecstatic about the future of Cycle Logic, though they admit there have been bumps in the road along the way.

The shop escaped financial ruin after the 1998 floods -- not because it was in the path of floodwaters, but because sales of cycles plummeted after the catastrophe. People were channeling their money to more dire needs, Hodapp says.

Today the duo is determined to continue to expand and carry more product lines that cater to women and children.

"We have really worked hard to grow this business and make a name for ourselves in the bike scene," Robinson says. "We hope to continue to provide our customers with the best."