North Bend bike store wants to provide options
May 7, 2008
By Laura Geggel
Ric Howland has switched from bicycling athlete to owner of Rattlesnake Lake Cycles, a new North Bend bicycle shop specializing in European brands.
Howland wore out his old sneakers running marathons in Spokane as he worked to lose weight for his high school wrestling team. Following in his father’s Ironman footsteps, he transitioned to triathlons.
“I kicked butt in swimming and cycling, but not so well on the running,” said Howland, a six-year North Bend resident. “When I was doing triathlons, somebody on the bicycle team in Spokane told me to join a cycling team, so I did.”
At age 19, he started racing bicycles, specializing in short distance cycling and biking around California and at the national level. He never placed, but he carries his two-wheeled enthusiasm with him as he helps customers fix and buy bikes at Rattlesnake Lake Cycles.
“I just love working on bikes and I love talking to people about bikes,” said Howland. “It doesn’t matter if it’s an $8,000 race bike or some kid’s first bike for a second birthday. I like to sell any bike.”
After his racing days, Howland married, went through the Marine Corps and worked as an operations manager for 15 years at three different companies.
“After a while, I didn’t like the executive path,” he said. “I didn’t like the commute environmentally that I had to drive three hours a day to (and from) Kent.”
Howland kept his biking passion in the backseat, setting up cyber shop at rattlesnakecycles.com and selling Italian gear. His Web site was so successful his wife “kicked him out of the basement” and he moved into a store by Ace Hardware. In his first week, customers from Monroe and Wenatchee visited, seeking his rare wares.
“Even up here, I’ve had a lot of walk-ins because bike stores in Seattle don’t carry this kind of stuff,” said Howland.
Matt Bell, who lives on the outskirts of Snoqualmie, took his mountain bike to Howland and, after several visits and a mountain bike refurbishment, says he is considering buying a Bianchi road bicycle.
“(Howland) wants to talk to you and find out what your needs are,” Bell said, who likes biking along the old logging trails. “He did such a good job setting up my mountain bike.”
Rattlesnake Lake Cycles is the second bicycle store in North Bend, but Howland thinks there is enough bike demand both for him and SingleTrack Cycles.
“I sell the same type of bikes, but I sell different brands – I do more road cycling than they do,” he said. “It’s just offering a choice.”
He offers the choices of the biking masters. He sells clothing brands like Santini, Castelli and Melini – favorites of riders in the Giro d’italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España – and saddles from Selle SMP, which have a split seat for a comfortable ride.
“These are all the same clothing that the major teams in the world wear,” said Howland. “It’s like going to a Seahawks game and getting a real jersey.”
Howland bikes with his 17-year-old son Trevor, who is enrolled in Bellevue Community College’s Running Start program. Trevor plans to work full-time in his dad’s store for the summer.
“I learned how to build bikes,” Trevor said. “It looks hard, but it’s fun.”
Rattlesnake Lake Cycles will donate a pro-clothing kit to the Tour de Peaks, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce July 27 and get a booth at the Mount Si Festival Aug. 9.
“If you’re looking for a bike and you’re not exactly sure what to get or what type of bike you need, test drive some stuff and we’ll see what you like,” said Howland.
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