Don Podolski of New Horizons Bikes. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Don Podolski, owner of New Horizons Bikes, was busy assembling children’s bikes this week in advance of Westfield’s Shop Small weekend, with his Australian shepherd, Ryder, by his side.
Podolski said all customers who visit the store during the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce promotion on Fri., Nov. 29 and Sat., Nov. 30 will receive a free water bottle, no purchase necessary. They are also offering a 10% in store credit towards the next bike purchase.
Podolski said besides kid’s bikes, Christmas isn’t the biggest bike time, but it is a good time for accessories and stocking stuffers such as lights, bells, cycling gloves. “A lot of the day to day stuff that riders need,” he said.
The store also offers an ongoing guaranteed youth trade-program. Within four years of purchase, customers can get half back towards the next size back. “The way we look at it, these bikes have a great resale value,” Podolski said, adding that they are durable and repairable, and have trade-in value.
They also offer a Rewards program for customers. “Once we sign you in on rewards, it touches all purchases on the computer, and issues a 5% rebate twice a year,” he said.
Visit New Horizons Bikes for Shop Small weekend and you’ll meet Don Podolski and Ryder, his Australian shepherd. (Photo by Amy Porter)
New Horizons Bikes carries the kids’ brands of Frog, Norco, Kink and Fuji, and adult brands Norco, Fuji, Orbea and Electra. They also carry electric bikes in many of the same brands.
“Sales keep growing each year,” Podolski said.
Podolski said they are desperately waiting for other bikes to come in, most notably SE Bikes, which he said have become unbelievably popular and sell out completely in the summer.
He said tariffs on China have impacted the orders, leading to delays in deliveries on some of the models. He expects the SE delivery to come in mid-January. “Every bike coming in the first batch is sold on deposits,” Podolski said. Other companies have switched their manufacturing to Taiwan and Cambodia.
Bikes in general have become more of a just-in-time delivery, Podolski said, selling as they come in. They are on their third delivery of 2020 models of Kink, which will be sold out by February. They also have custom orders, such as the Orbea bikes, which are made in Spain, and offer free custom paint to order.
The cycling community is alive and well in Westfield, and New Horizons Bikes is a big part of it.
“Everyone is excited about the downtown section (of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail) being built, and what’s going in on Western Avenue,” Podolski said.
New Horizons is located at 55 Franklin St.
