Lakeshore Cyclery in Storm Lake has been putting families on bicycles for four generations.
Customers from a tri-state area and beyond come to Lakeshore Cyclery for their years of top-notch service and selection of bicycles and accessories and their bicycle museum.
It's no wonder that they are voted one of the top 100 Bicycle Store in the U.S.A..
Brands
Lakeshore Cyclery is Northwest Iowa’s Largest Bicycle Dealer and they carry over 1,000 bicycles in stock, including: mountain, road, comfort, recumbent, BMX, cruiser, kids, tandems, unicycles and have one of the largest E-Bikes selections in the state.
They carry major brands such as Cannondale, Specialized, GT, Schwinn Signature, Catrike, TerraTrike, Sun Recumbents, Gazelle, Marin and more.
Check out their rental fleet of bicycles and specialty tandems and side-by-sides.
Used bicycles? - Yes - most brands are taken in on trade, tuned up and sold.
Their focus is to satisfy the customer by providing quality products and service at a competitive price.
About
Lakeshore Cyclery is a Certified Shimano Service Center and also Bosch E-Bike certified. They also carry a full line of fitness equipment, clothing, bicycle accessories, car racks, bicycle parts, hot tubs, home resort products as well as a great selection of used bikes.
The expert staff loves custom builds and complete overhauls.
Need a bike fit? Full fits are available and they'll make sure you leave feeling comfortable.
Check out the Antique Bicycle Museum (more details below).
The Godfredson family makes the following promises to you:
- To give professional information on choosing quality products at competitive prices
- To give you the finest service before and after the sale
- That our products are backed by the best warranty in the industry, along with Lakeshore Cyclery's Satisfaction Guarantee
- The Godfredson family will continue to provide the best products and services as they have for over 80 years.
Antique Bicycle Museum
Come check out the Antique Bicycle Museum on display at the store.
Over 75 vintage, specialty and one-of-kind bicycles are on display in the showroom with more along the wall in the warehouse.
It is a collection of vintage two-wheelers worthy of a visit for any bicycle aficionado. You are sure to see something you've never seen before.
The 1868 boneshaker is the oldest bicycle on display. It and other vintage bicycles are still ridden annually during the 4th of July parade in Storm Lake.
Many of the bicycles were restored over 65 years ago and still have that "new" appearance.
The collection consists of high-wheelers, nickel-plated tandems, original sting-rays, WW1 folding bicycles, wooden-wheeled bikes, Columbia racers and specialty bikes like the barrel-bike and a barnum and bailey circus bike and many many more.
The museum is open for viewing any time the store is open.
Family History
- 1938 - After the Great Depression, money was tight and the major form of transportation was the bicycle. Fred Godfredson opened R & F Bike Shop in Austin, Minnesota out of a two-stall garage.
- 1953 - Fred’s son Russell Godfredson returned from World War II to join his father. He later bought the business and moved the store across town. Russell became known for selling Whizzer bikes, Vespa Scooters, Raleigh, and was one of the biggest Schwinn dealers in the State. He was a part of the "500 Club" and "1000 Club" for selling the most Schwinn Bicycles in a year and amassed one of the largest bicycle collectors known at the time.
- 1985 - Russell’s son Larry started Lakeshore Cyclery in Storm Lake, Iowa, just down the street from their current location.
- 1992 - Lakeshore Cyclery moves to downtown Storm Lake as well as opened a second location in Okoboji.
- 1995 - R & F Bike Shop closes its doors after 57 years in Austin Minnesota and Lakeshore Cyclery moves back to Lakeshore Dr. to a 20,000 sq ft. store where they reside today.
- 2005 - Space for the Antique Bicycle Museum is created to showcase and share the extensive bicycle collection owned by the Godfredson family.
- 2015 - The showroom in the current location was remodeled to better showcase their vast bicycle inventory and accessories.
- 2020 - Larry’s son Riley recently graduated from the University of Northern Iowa and had is a 4th generation Godfredson in the family business. Riley is no stranger to the bike shop as he's worked around the shop since he was 8 years old.
May 2023 marks the 38th anniversary of the store in Storm Lake. Riley and the family have large expectations and look forward to continuing the family legacy for years to come.
Annual "B-4" Bike Ride
In the middle of July, always the Sunday before RAGBRAI, Lakeshore Cyclery hosts a 30-ish mile ride that goes from their store in Storm Lake to Hanover to Alta or Schaller and finishes back at the store for a BBQ lunch, refreshments, entertainment, giveaways and more. There are plenty of stops along the way with fresh fruit, cold drinks, etc.
The 2023 event marks the 28th year of the ride.
Storm Lake
Located in Northwest Iowa, Storm Lake is 10 miles North of Highway 20. Home of Buena Vista University, Storm Lake attracts a wide reach of tourists each year. King’s Pointe Waterpark Resort is located on the North Lakeshore of Storm Lake and is across the street from Lakeshore Cyclery. Storm Lake has multiple campgrounds, parks, marinas, bike trails, restaurants, and more.Visit StormLake.org for more information.
Storm Lake Future Trail
Lakeshore Cyclery is putting a LOT of effort to make the current 6 miles bicycle trail loop the entire Storm Lake. To loop the rest of the lake 7 more miles of trail is needed.
Storm Lake has talked about adding to the existing trail for years and the concept has not gained any traction.
Now that Riley is back from college, he recently composed a 45-page trail loop proposal for the city of Storm Lake to loop the entire lake with a bicycle trail. The proposal, in first draft, is a work-in-progress but is headed in the right direction.
The goal is to make Storm Lake and Buena Vista county more safe, bicycle-friendly, enjoyable, and to become more of a bicycle destination for more visitors. Currently the highway around the lake it hilly with no shoulder and is considered unsafe.
Small areas of construction have been started while others are in the site drawing stages. No date has been set for completion. Studies show that loop trails get used more often than out-and-back trails. There is just something better about new scenery and not doubling back.
Anyone who is interested in helping or has questions about the project can contact Riley Godfredson at 712-299-1944.