“We call bikes ‘the great equalizer’ because our youngest [son] was riding the same trails that we were on a little tiny bike, and he felt like he was part of the family,” Alise said.
Alise and her husband, Evan Bailey, co-own and operate Biking Roots together in Spring, opening the store’s current location on Rhodes Road in January 2022. The Baileys—who had prior business experience—originally opened their shop in 2019, inspired by Evan’s life-long love of biking.
“Our main goal for the shop was we love being together as a family, doing something active and outdoors, getting [our kids] away from the screens,” Evan said.
Evan and Alise now have three sons, and the family frequently bikes together on the local trails, Alise said.
Biking Roots sells mountain bikes for riders of all ages but no road bikes, Evan said. Mountain bikes, which have wide tires with large treads, are built for trail-riding, he said.
“Texas isn’t necessarily road bike friendly. ... Our streets and roads, they’re just not built for bikes,” Evan said.
The store also sells helmets and bike seats, and offers mountain bike repairs and rental.
Evan said it can be difficult for Biking Roots to keep up with online prices. Running the store requires investing in a lot of inventory even as customers’ buying habits change, he said.
Despite some challenges, the Baileys love the community they engage with, Evan said.
“Most people that have [smaller] bike shops ... they’re not in it for the money. ... You do it out of love, and you do it out of community,” Evan said.
Biking Roots
21631 Rhodes Road, Ste. A101, Spring
832-510-4696
www.bikingroots.com
Hours: Tue. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wed.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Sun.-Mon.
