Steamboat Springs is the birthplace of Moots, Eriksen, and other outdoor industry brands. Visit this ski town and you’ll see why. Located in the Northern Yampa Valley the city has thrived due to its proximity to the Routt National Forest and its plethora of trails. It doesn’t matter what your preferred form of recreation is, Steamboat has an abundance of resources for it.

One of the bike shops in Steamboat is in one of the most unique spaces I’ve ever visited. Period. When Jon from Moots took me to pick up some last minute supplies before embarking on our Steamboat Ramble Ride trip, my jaw was on the ground. While most of the outdoor shops in Steamboat are very clean and corporate, Orange Peel Bikes embraced its chaotic beauty. Much like something found in nature, there are no right angles in this bee-hive shaped space.

Back in 1979, Kent Ericksen bought this unique location for $1 USD at auction. Yep. One whole dollar. The building originally was a sawdust incinerator. Kent’s shop was called Sore Saddle Cyclery. In 1981, Moots was born in this unique space.

Orange Peel Bikes is now owned and operated by Brock Webster. Yes, they’re a Moots dealer, too! The shop’s proximity to ski lifts and trails is by no coincidence. It was actually built around a lift called Stagecoach which is now defunct, but it’s as close to the trailhead as you can get. Because of this, Orange Peel Bikes caters to commuter traffic, trail shredders, and road cyclists in the summer months. In the winter, they are a fatbike dealer and have an extensive rental fleet.

If you look throughout the space, you’ll note little details, like the Moots door hinges, and other quirky details, of which Brock and the employees at Orange Peel have noted as Kent’s wacky but functional engineering.

Yes, Orange Peel Bikes is a staple of Steamboat Springs and is one of the coolest spaces I’ve ever seen in the cycling industry. If you’re in town, be sure to swing through!

Orange Peel Bikes
1136 Yampa St
Steamboat Springs, CO
80487

Hours
Monday-Friday 10AM–6PM
Saturday 10AM–5PM
Sunday Closed

____

Follow Orange Peel Bikes on Instagram.