by Nadya Williams
From safer sidewalks and streets to soaring hills, Gary Dunn of North Beach Cyclery, 1757 Stockton Street, has a vision. Since its opening in Spring 2024, his shop operates exclusively with lightweight, pedal-assist bicycles that are belt-driven (no derailer or chain), very low maintenance, and most important, safer for pedestrians and riders.
Over many years as a tour guide, operating fleets with both throttle-assist and pedal-assist e-bikes, Dunn has observed a clear pattern in incident reports. “I see so many conventional throttle-assist e-bikes accelerating past startled people on sidewalks and roadways,” Dunn said in a recent interview. “They are often not experienced riders, and the bikes give them too much power without the necessary experience, leading to less control. Pedal-assist bicycles, however, require the rider to pedal actively before power is delivered, offering a more traditional bike feel and providing assistance only when needed. Safety has always been a core part of my shop’s mission.”
Dunn’s love affair with bicycles started when he was 17 and continued to mountain bike racing, garnering him first place in the 1994 West Coast Mountain Bike Series. Wine industry sales became his day job for 25 years, and competitive racing shifted to casual riding with friends, participating in a few 24-hour team races, and organizing weekly group rides.
However, pandemic and economic shifts destabilized the wine industry, and his love of cycling evolved into a courier business and then the Stockton Street shop.
North Beach Cyclery offers sales and full servicing as well as private guided tours. Beside the iconic routes of the waterfront, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands, tours go far afield to Mount Diablo, Santa Cruz, and beyond. Dunn’s family history with the area adds many special touches from conventional tourist trips.
The shop is a family enterprise. Dunn’s wife Jennifer, who teaches physical education at Galileo High School, is his supportive advisor. Son Michael, a university student, pinch-hits when he can.
“In fact, the storefront where I now have my shop used to be the daycare center where my son went,” Dunn says, adding that his grandparents had deep roots in old North Beach, from Fisherman’s Wharf to Julius’ Castle. Speaking of The City, Dunn is especially appreciative of the extensive help from San Francisco small business departments—from a $10,000 startup grant to legal advice, business plans, and waivers of some permits and fees.
North Beach Cyclery also hosts special events, as when his longtime friend Jonathan Van Coops, a cyclist and cartographer, spoke in November last year to an evening crowd. During a job with the Coastal Commission, Van Coops developed official maps and guidebooks. He Van Coops is well known for his popular A Serious Cyclist’s Guide to San Francisco and Beyond. Like Dunn, Van Coops has traversed the West Coast extensively but ventured further afield in both competitive and recreational rides in Europe, culminating in the book Pedaling Through the Years: Stories of a Cycling Life . All are on sale at the shop.
North Beach Cyclery
1757 Stockton Street (at Greenwich), San Francisco, CA 94133
Thursdays through Tuesdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(415) 216-5228
northbeachcyclery.com
