Enterprise: Enfield entrepreneur finds success with mobile bike repair business

WEST LEBANON — Todd Chewning knew he wanted to remain in the field of bicycle repair when he found himself out of work after the Norwich bike shop where he had worked for three years closed.

“I’m a lifelong bike mechanic, so I thought this was the time to branch out, to go on my own,” he said, while repairing brake levers on a bike inside his van at a home in Norwich one afternoon.

He knew opening his own shop would require a significant amount of capital, in addition to having to provide all the other services a shop offers besides repairs. During that transitional period around a decade ago, the idea of becoming a mobile bike mechanic — bringing his repair service to the customer instead of the other way around— seemed like a logical and financially sound approach to take.

“I decided to go the mobile route because of low overhead,” Chewning, 56, said. “Everything in the van is paid for ahead of time, so I’m not in debt for anything except a little of what I owe on the van.”

About the time Chewning was mulling over his plan, a mobile bike repair franchise business called Velofix emerged, and that gave some credibility to the business model. Chewning did not want to lose a cut of his income by paying a franchise fee, so he decided to take an independent approach.

“I researched it, wrote up a business plan and decided to go for it,” Chewning said. “I think I was able to start with about $5,000.”

That was nine years ago. Today, Cowbell Bike Repair — a name chosen for what cycling fans ring at races when riders pedal past — has a steady stream of cyclists needing their bikes tuned up for the season or other repairs. Tuneups start at $71 with the $110 tuneup ($130 for e-bikes) being the most popular, Chewning said. At the high end, the price is between $220 and $250. In addition, Cowbell charges a destination fee of between $7 and $40.

“I am booked about three or four weeks out in the spring and summer,” Chewning said. “It gets a little busier when there is a local cycling event coming up.”

Specific statistics on the number of businesses providing services at the home are not readily available, but the list has expanded to include everything from pet grooming and veterinary care to massage therapists, hairdressers, personal trainers and car detailing, as people look to save time any way they can.

“In a world where everybody wants everything today, it is nice to have someone come to your house while you do other things,” he said.

Chewning said an advantage to running his bike repair business out of his large cargo van — beside low overhead — is being able to work without the interruptions that come with owning a bike shop.

“I can concentrate on the bike and the client,” Chewning said. “I can easily talk to them about their bike without any disruptions. Also, in a bike shop, you may have a dozen or more bikes lined up needing repairs when you arrive in the morning and that can be frustrating, trying to get the repairs done as quickly as possible.”

For the customer, Chewning said convenience and being able to talk about their bike are the biggest factors they choose Cowbell for repairs. A shop may have a bike a few weeks before it gets to the repair but with Cowbell the customer can continue to ride and loses use of the bike only while the repair is being done.

“In my system, they can keep riding in the meantime,” he said. “The client may not be here but will tell me, ‘you know where the bikes are so just go ahead and get started.’ ”

Chewning’s van is outfitted with the tools and products he need to complete most repairs. It even has ceiling fans for a cooler interior during summer. A client who works in a machine shop built the van’s walls to store products and tools and permanently attached a bike stand where most of the repair work is done. He also has a modified shelving unit for tools, a work bench and a truing stand where he straightens rims.

“It is very efficient because everything I need is just a couple of steps away,” Chewning said. “Everything I did was meant to save space.”

Customers book their repairs online and will note any specific problems they want fixed.

“I encourage them to book online because it is easier for me and my clients and they can fit it into their schedule,” Chewning said.

The van interior, accessible from the side and rear, stocks a lot of standard parts such as tires, tubes, brake pads, shifters and cables. If a specialty part is needed, Chewning said he tries to figure that out ahead of time so he can buy it in his weekly ordering. There are occasions where he may have to bring the bike back to what he called a “glorified garage” at his home. He estimates he repairs anywhere from five to eight bikes a day. After the three repairs in Norwich, two of which involved a rear rack on an e-bike and a new drivetrain, Chewning had another booking in West Lebanon.

Getting the business off the ground posed some challenges. Foremost among these was being able to buy parts from distributors at wholesale prices, which are lower than retail. For one distributor he had to show his van and tax credentials.

“Distributors might think you are opening a shop in your garage so you can sell parts to your friends,” he said. “You have to prove your legitimacy. One of the qualifications from parts distributors is to be able to work year-round.”

During winter, when business slows, Chewning updates his training about what is new in the bike world, including electric bikes.

“You have to keep up with the technology, like wireless electronic shifting,” Chewning said. “A lot of times I have to bring my laptop and plug the bike in and I diagnose the bike that way.”

When he first started, Chewning held a part-time job during the off season for about four years but now can focus on the business year round.

“One of the reasons I chose this is because I can be sort of outdoors and still be involved in bikes. I’m doing what I do best and I treat my customers’ bikes as if they were mine.”

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.