Assistant Manager Juan Manuel Sanchez said the owners chose the shop—a converted home near Katy’s historic downtown—to foster a familiar atmosphere.
“We are like family,” Sanchez said. “The people that come here, they feel like they're [welcomed] here.”
How it started
Owner Edgar Lopez opened Active Cycling in April 2023 alongside his business partners Leonardo Vargas, Danilo Quinones, Dario Montes and Julio Ronderos.
Lopez said he’s ridden and worked on bikes every day since 2015. At 14 years old, Lopez landed his first job at a local bike shop in Guatemala City to support himself, he said.
“I bike and coach other cyclists about how to ride and how to be safe,” Lopez said. “It is gratifying for me [to see the] improvement of every one of my friends and customers.”
Lopez said it was Montes’ idea to start the local bike shop, which sells bikes and equipment, and provides maintenance and repairs to bicycle owners.
The shop also creates another space for the Greater Houston area’s network of cyclists, which Sanchez said remains a primary goal for the owners.
“They show up when there are events and sponsored a rider in the Katy Flatland [Century] triathlon,” Sanchez said. “They put [up] tents and [bought] barbecue for about 120 riders [who] showed up to the anniversary event in April.”
Why it matters
Lopez emphasized the contributions of various cycling clubs around Houston, including their support of local shops and their ability to bring riders together. He said he’s grateful to the community in Katy that have supported Active Cycling since its inception.
He’s a member of the Latino Riders Cycling Club and the Southwest Cycling Club because they are a short riding distance from his house, but he said he would join them all if he could.
“Cycling clubs put a lot of time and effort [into] promoting local cycling,” Lopez said. “One way or another, all of them [are] great assets to the community and for this amazing sport.”
- 5415 E. Fifth St., Katy
- www.activecyclingshoptx.com