SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsCambria Bicycle Outfitter in the Tour of CaliforniaSaturday, February 18, 2006Bicycle and parts retailer Cambria Bicycle Outfitter is setting up shop alongside the Tour of California, the only bicycle retailer to do so for all eight days of the Tour's Lifestyles Festival."There will be local bicycle retailers at each stop, but we're the only one that will be part of the entire tour," said Steve Fleury, general manager. He had been tracking the development of the tour and contacted AEG, the tour owner, last fall when details of the race became official. Using a 22-foot trailer, Cambria Bicycle Outfitter will travel to each race stop and construct a traveling store stocked with merchandise. "We're really equipped to do this type of event," said Fleury. "We've done mountain bike and road bike races all across the country, but this will be at a whole new level." Cambria Bicycle Outfitter, celebrating its 20th anniversary in May, is based in Cambria with stores in San Luis Obispo and Santa Rosa. As well, the retailer does mail order and Internet-based sales. "We're one of the top five mail-order companies in the world for bike parts," said Fleury, who estimated mail order sales exceed $10 million annually. In conjunction with the tour, the retailer just completed a contest to give three winners a daylong ride in a Mavic "neutral support car." Mavic, a French manufacturer of bike wheels and components, will provide a vehicle throughout the race that follows the cyclists and provides back-up mechanical support. More than 500 entries were received at the retailer's three locations, as well as at Cambria Bicycle Emporium, a partner company in Auburn. Winners from Atascadero, Cambria and Petaluma were selected, but the names have not yet been released. The rides will be offered along the Sausalito-to-Santa Rosa, Monterey-to-San Luis Obispo and San Luis Obispo-to-Santa Barbara stages. "Basically, the winners will get to be in the race," he said. "They will meet the cyclists and get VIP treatment." The Tribune, Biz Buzz To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Read More
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