Bike Doctor keeps rolling after 20 years, six locations

• Bike Doctor is located at 381 S. 30th St.%2C Heath. The business moved to 30th Street in 2006.
• Bike Doctor opened in the spring of 1995 on Cherry Valley Road%2C across from Market Basket.

HEATH – Repairing bikes and selling bikes has been the love of Shawn Lint's life.

For 20 years, area residents have returned the love, following Lint's business, Bike Doctor, to six locations in Newark and Heath.

"I love doing this stuff," Lint said. "Very few people can say they love going to work."

The current store, at 381 S. 30th St., Heath, sits across the parking lot from the previous site. The business moved from Hebron Road to 30th Street in 2006.

Lint acknowledges every move caused some anxiety about the business' future, but customers stuck with him.

"I was a little bit concerned, but I've had a good clientele for a long time," Lint said. "I think I do real good service, nice price and good selection."

His customers are as varied as his bicycles, which include road, mountain, hybrid or the $2,100 fat bike with extremely wide tires.

"I have every walk of life," Lint said. "Down and out and desperate for transportation, and very wealthy, doctors and lawyers."

The 1984 Licking Valley High School graduate was a BMX racer in high school and worked in a bike shop.

Bike Doctor opened in the spring of 1995 on Cherry Valley Road, across from Market Basket.

The business then set up shop on 30th Street next to Subway, moved to North 21st Street at West Main Street, then to Hebron Road before returning to 30th Street.

"We do a lot of repairs. My (business) name really says what I do. I like fixing bikes, but it's really fun selling too."

The biggest threat to the business, Lint said, is online shopping.

"More and more people are buying stuff online," Lint said. "I understand buying online, but it you don't buy at a shop, you put them out of business.

"I hope people keep coming to me and skip the online buying. A lot of online stuff is just other bike shops posting stuff."

Some couples go on mountain biking weekends, he said. If they purchased the higher-prices bicycles, they're more likely to use them.

"It's good motivation," Lint said. "You have to ride it. You don't want it to just sit there."

kmallett@newark

advocate.com

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Twitter: @kmallett1958

Hours

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; call ahead for Sunday. Call or text 740-522-3444 or 740-975-3444.