Avid cyclists and businessmen, Bob Smith and Ric Hutchens offer sales, service and friendly advice for their growing clientele.

Having established a successful shop in Kent, Smith and Hutchens recently opened a second store in downtown Auburn at 104 E. Main St. They hope Cycle Therapy becomes a full-service hub that meets the needs of the Auburn community, offering the same reliable products and services as the Kent store.

Hutchens, an Auburn native, is excited about the opportunity.

“I first became passionate about cycling here,” said Hutchens, a certified master mechanic.

Smith, an avid mountain biker who is a member of the city’s Bicycle Task Force added: “Auburn offers a great opportunity for our business because of its network of bicycle trails and its excellent access to public transportation.”

Shop hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 11-5 Sunday.

For more information, please visit www.cycletherapybikeshop.com.

The Auburn Reporter recently caught up with the co-owners to talk shop.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself?

Hutchens: I started working on bicycles at the old Mountain Bike Outfitters Shop when I was 16. I’ve just been hooked into the bicycling atmosphere, the culture and the way of life since. I knew from the beginning that I always wanted to be a store owner. I just love the people I meet and the people I work with.

Smith: Due to the economic turndown, I got into bikes about 10 years ago. I just worked my way up to shop ownership through being an avid cyclist.

Q. What makes your shop different from others?

Smith: We try to get to know the customer and show them a bike that really does fit their needs and help them to find places to ride, local places that we ride. We invite them to come ride with us on weekends and show them places.

Hutchens: Like Bob said, we really get to know the people. And we’re more family oriented, so we like to help people get into their first bikes, all the way up to helping people get started with racing or touring. We’re very personable. Bob and I are always at either store. We like to be in contact with our customers.

Q. Why Auburn?

Hutchens: Auburn had a bike shop for a long time, and then it went out of business six or seven years ago. As soon as that happened, me being from Auburn, I wanted to put another shop in Auburn. I wanted to put a business back in Auburn where I grew up.

Q. As Auburn grows, there is need for more routes for bicyclists to roam. Do you like what the City is doing with its Bicycle Task Force?

Smith: They have a great vision on how to bring bicycling to Auburn, helping with road markings and signage and trying in the future to plan more bike events.

Q. Do you foresee Auburn organizing and hosting a major bicycle event?

Hutchens: We actually would like to get involved and put on like a cyclocross race in the fall-winter time because that’s an up-and-coming segment of bicycling. It is very popular. We also would like to see bike rodeos for kids, making sure the bikes are in good working order and that helmets are fitted correctly. Those are the kind of events we would like to do.

Q. What is the most common way you help introduce people to the sport? How easy is it to get started on a bike?

Smith: We try to teach them that comfort is the most important thing. A bike that fits properly is a huge deal, and helmet safety comes next. We also try to get them to a fun place to ride, whether it’s local or if they have to drive to it and try to show them the trails.

Q. How has the downtown community accepted your business?

Hutchens: Being here a short time, everything seems to be working out pretty well. The other business owners and everybody have been really nice. The City has been great to work with as well, and the Downtown Association really has some good things going.

Q. What’s really important to you as you conduct your business?

Hutchens: We’re a very customer-service oriented, family-oriented shop. We’re not going to be your typical bike shop where perhaps they’re going turn to you down because you have a Huffy. We just want everybody to get out, ride and have a good time. That’s what we’re really about.