Meet David Kirby, our resident bike expert in the Shinola flagship New York store, seen (handsomely) riding The Runwell in the above photo. Starting in September, he will be leading a bike tour every Saturday evening from the Tribeca store (177 Franklin St.) that hits points north up the West Side Highway.
We recently had the pleasure of chatting with David and found out he’s a pretty interesting guy. For example, he spent last year living on a goat farm in Alaska. Now that’s something you don’t hear everyday.
Where are you from, and where do you live now?
I’m from Raleigh, North Carolina and I currently live in Brooklyn, New York.
What are some of your general interests?
I enjoy cycling, of course. But also New York is a great place for live music and comedy. Any given night I’ll be out seeing a band in the Lower East Side or stand-up in Williamsburg.
How did you first get into cycling?
I first got into cycling near the end of high school. I spent the July between my junior and senior year watching the Tour de France and fell in love with the sport. I wanted to start racing, but I only had my childhood mountain bike from Wal-Mart. My dad had an old, rusty bike that had been neglected for years. I took it out of the shed, put air in the tires and started riding as much as I could.
What do you enjoy the most about bike commuting?
Living in New York adds an entirely different element to commuting. It’s certainly challenging and you have to be a bit more aware than your average commuter, but it’s worth it. There is no better view of the city than coming over the Williamsburg Bridge as the sun rises and the fog covers everything but the tops of the tallest buildings. Riding a bike is a great way to experience New York. It’s far different from the subway, the back of a cab or even walking. What I like most about riding my bike everywhere is I get see the city from a perspective that comparatively few other New Yorkers get to experience.
When do you start giving bike tours from the Shinola store?
Our bike tours start in September! We are reaching out to cyclists all over the city to come to the Shinola store Saturday evening, grab a coffee from The Smile Cafe in the front of our store, and meet me for a fun ride up the West Side Highway.
What’s an interesting non-bike-related factoid about you?
An interesting fact would be I spent last year living on a goat farm in Alaska.