BMC Teammachine SLR01

BMC Teammachine SLR01 54cm

Launching a small business is seemingly endless series of obstacles. Retail fixtures, contractors, and the long list of things we couldn’t care less about, like Quickbooks integrations and city inspections. But we are undaunted! We push on because we love bikes. We want to share our passion for cycling with Austin, and figure that if we work hard enough, we’ll get our reward.

Perhaps it arrived today.

Our first frameset, a gorgeous BMC Teammachine SLR01, size 54. How would you like it built?

One of the fastest frames in professional peloton has landed. Black on black on black. We’re thinking carbon wheels and electronic shifting to start, but let’s get fancy after that. Titanium bolts? Ceramic Speed chain?

At Bicycle House, we appreciate the engineering that creates a masterpiece like this. Hours in a wind tunnel, prototypes, designers and engineers… We’re lucky to have partnered with BMC, and lucky to have snagged one of these coveted frames, made from the highest level carbon BMC employs.

If you’re interested in frameset 1 of what we hope is many, drop us a line. We may not be open quite yet, but we’re hungry to see this beauty on the road.

Full Specifications

Work in Progress

Some may ask why we would choose to start a brick & mortar in the midst of a global pandemic, with industry crippling supply chain issues changing the way consumers shop. It’s a fair question. An obvious one… And yet, with every day that goes by, we grow more confident in our decision.

Great service is timeless. Even consumer direct items need maintenance. Like many things, bikes have grown so seemingly complicated, sometimes you just want someone to talk you through the options.

At least that’s what we hope.

For now, we’ll spend our time refurbishing this old warehouse on Burnet Road, doing our best to make something special. Let’s give 100% effort and see what happens. No matter what, it’ll be a heck of an adventure.

Designed to be a service heavy shop, a large portion of Bicycle House will be dedicated to repair. That said, we’ll still stock a healthy selection of mid to high-end bikes from Giant, Liv, BMC, and Scott, plus brands like Supercross and Ssquared for Austin’s inexplicably under-represented BMX racer.

 

We’re also believers in the benefit of a proper fit. A rider’s comfort is tied to their enjoyment. That’s a simple statement with huge repercussions. We want more people, having more fun on their bikes. What can we do to make that happen? How can we grow an inclusive community of cyclists?

While we’ve got a shiny logo and a small business loan, we aren’t foolish enough to think we’ve got all the answers. We’ll make mistakes along the way. We’ll learn. Like we mentioned before, it’ll be an adventure.

Join us for the ride.

Bicycle House Retail Area

Our Bikes

Scott Spark 900 AXS

Selling bikes is a core aspect of our business. We are the Bicycle House, after all. And we’ve been in this business long enough to know that a proper bike brand is a partner. They can contribute to, or diminish, your chances of success.

After much searching, so many emails, follow up emails, and Zoom calls, we’re proud to launch our business as dealers of Giant, Liv, Scott, and BMC. These four brands will comprise the majority of our stock, and a large potion of our sales floor. While we’re still looking at some niche dealers and custom brands, we feel the depth and quality of these offerings will allow us to deliver dream bikes to riders of all types.

Giant Bicycles

Engineers & Innovators

Experts in manufacturing. The depth of Giant’s products make for a great partner.

You’ve probably owned a Giant made bike at one time or another, you just didn’t know it. As one of the few brands who own their factories, Giant is often contracted to make frames for other. companies. This vertical integration means that Giant knows the intricacies of manufacturing. They have the ability to tinker at will, refining their wares based upon hard data, or feedback from their robust stable of professional riders.

Scott Sports

Champion pedigree

Boundary pushing designs, ridden to multiple World titles.

The Scott brand fancies itself innovative, and it’s rather hard to disagree. From watching Greg Lemond win the Tour De France by 8 eight seconds utilizing Scott’s (and the world’s) first aerobar, to Nino Schurter’s perfect 2017 World Cup XC season, Scott had never been bound by convention. Their engineers have pulled the industry forward, unflinching in their desire to turn technology into speed.

Liv Cycling

Women first

Female riders, creating bikes for female riders. Sometimes common sense can be groundbreaking.

The antithesis to products created by, tested with, and decided upon, with no women in the room. Liv bikes have always had a clear point of view, and a worthy vision. It’s simple. We need more women on bikes. Utilizing the manufacturing expertise of Giant, Liv has the infrastructure in place to create something very special, and we’re proud to support their mission.

premium performance

Swiss engineering at its finest

BMC Switzerland’s R&D inspired approach to bikes makes them a perennial favorite here at the House. They’re on the front lines, pursuing new technologies while imbuing their products with an indefinable … something, that makes us swoon.

We’ll be adding to this list as we find brands that share our vision. Suggestions? Drop us a line, or visit our Brands page for an in-depth view of our retail partners.

Meet the Owner

Bicycle House is the brainchild of Owner, and Service Manager, James Balentine. With more than 30 years of cycling industry experience, James has been learning the trade since his first job in 1990, at the young age of 12. For the past three decades he’s helped open, manage, and oversee operations at renowned shops throughout Texas.

James Balentine B&W

James Balentine

Paralympic & US National Triathlon Team Mechanic

In 2004 James started as a team mechanic for the US National Triathlon Team. As of writing he’s supported the team at over 25 World Championships. In 2013 James became a US Paralympic Triathlon Team Mechanic, who’s had the honor of supporting the team at both the Rio and Tokyo Paralympics.

While he’s best known as a talented mechanic, James is no slouch on the bike. In the early 90’s he began racing MTB’s and BMX. By the end of that decade he was the winner of 12 Nationals, riding as a pro from 1999-2005, when his career was cut short due to injury. James now races BMX at an amateur level, as well as jumping into the occasional MTB or CX race.

Bicycle House is an extension of James’ philosophy. Work done right. Straightforward service. Pride of craft.