DAYTON — A former factory that was left abandoned in downtown Dayton has been given a new lease on life.
News Center 7′s Michael Gordon explains the rise of a unique family friendly business that caters to thrill seekers of all ages.
Mike’s Bike Park, located at 1300 E. First Street, includes enough bumps and jumps to help a pro rider perfect their craft but where an amateur can also get around without looking too bad.
Mike Bisig, bike park owner, said, “If all I have to do is work really hard to provide something for the community then we are into that we have 100 to 150 volunteers to help us at the beginning and it has grown and grown since we started.”
Bisig added that along with a lot of elbow grease, it also took a surprising amount of math to bring this place together.
“Nothing is exactly square in the building so when we are building the ramps it really is like a very complex geometry problem to do that,” he said,
The bike park is located inside a former radiator factory and for a newbie it can be intimidating.
It may look like the top priority is fun, but it’s not. It is safety. That is why all of the hard parts have been made soft thanks to the padding around all the columns.
The business is staffed by employees who love to ride. Some even do it competitively when they are off the clock.
Ben Eyink, who is a bike mechanic, said, “People have been flocking into the shop. It is amazing to meet new people and see all kinds of people that are involved in this sport.”
As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, Bisig is also working on new projects that have been on hold for the past year like setting up summer camps and getting inexperienced riders to work with those who are brand new to the sport.
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