LITTLE ROCK — You’ve heard about the North Little Rock River Trail, right? It’s about 7.5 miles of a mostly traffic-free biking-walking-jogging-
skating-horseback-riding path that runs parallel to the Arkansas River. A perfect area to show off to visiting relatives, or to explore with the kids on Christmas break.
There are all sorts of attractions along the River Trail, including the Big Rock Quarry with its awesome rock cliffs, Burns Park and its multisports playgrounds, Riverview Park and its skate park and, of course, the Big Dam Bridge.
How best to see all of these sights?
Well, a bicycle is a pretty good way, and River Trail Rentals in North Little Rock has a fleet for rent.
David Fike has been operating River Trail Rentals for a couple of years now. Located at River Trail Station between the Junction Bridge and the Interstate 30 bridge - just behind the wall that separates the river and Riverfront Drive in what was once an old firemen’s lodge - the small business certainly has location on its side.
It was on a family trip to Branson that Fike was inspired to open his own shop.
“I went on a bike ride in Branson where we rentedbikes. I came back down here and [my wife and I] took our own bikes down on the River Trail and I started wondering if anyone offers bike rentals around here,” says Fike on a sunny, crisp afternoon at his shop with its view of the Arkansas River and the Little Rock skyline.
A little research showedFike, 45, that no one had already filled the bike-rental service niche, so he took the leap. He keeps busy with freelance graphic design work, but renting bicycles has become a year-round job.
His stable holds many sizes of machines, from kids bikes and single-speed cruisers to comfortable, 21-speed hybridsand nimble road-racing rigs. There are even tandems and a recumbent for rent.
“I have a pretty good range of bikes,” he says. He also manages the upkeep on the bikes.
Bicycles can be rented for a half day (four hours) or a full day (24 hours). “A halfday rate for a cruiser bike is $16 and a full-day is $30,” Fikesays. For a hybrid bike, fees are $21 for a half day and $35 for a whole day.
“The hybrids are more comfortable,” Fike says, noting that they are sought-after rentals. “They have larger diameter wheels. They have comfort grips. They are, by far, the most popular type of bike for the trail.”
Tandem bikes rent for $26 for a half day and $50 for 24 hours. The Giant TCR road bikes go for $45 for four hours and $70 for a full day. If a rider brings in his own clipless pedals, Fike will install them on a rental road bike.
The shop is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Monday and Tuesdays are by appointment only, Fike said. The shop’s number is (501) 374-5505. Its Web address is rivertrailrentals.com.
Maps are available with River Trail details and directions on maneuvering through the Little Rock portion of the trail as well. And for riders looking for an adult beverage after their spin, Fike also sells beer.
Not everyone rents a bike to take on the River Trail, Fike said. “It’s interesting to see some of the applications people use the tandems for. A lot of people use them at weddings.”
People who are easing backinto riding after an injury also like the tandems, Fike said, because riding with a partner relieves them of some of the responsibility of keeping the bike balanced.
The shop is divided between Fike’s rental business and also space Fike offers for rent for parties and meetings. Information on scheduling an event can be found at rivertrailstation.com.
Fike also is planning an expansion across the river in the spring, opening a bicycle rental location at the Peabody Little Rock hotel.
“It’s going to be in the back of the Peabody, facing Peabody Park. I’m really excited about that because that has more exposure to conventions and that kind of thing, and I hope to get more of that compulsive rental traffic.”
With both sides of the river soon to be covered, Fike is optimistic. One of the more pleasing aspects of the job, hesays, is when locals ride the River Trail for the first time.
“They’ll come back and will just be blown away by the infrastructure of the trail, especially on the north side [of the river],” Fike says. “And then they are like, ‘I didn’t know this was here.’ People know the Big Dam Bridge and the downtown area. But the in-between areas of the trail really has a lot of things to offer.”
ActiveStyle, Pages 34 on 12/21/2009