Velo Cult San Diego0

Everything I’ve ever heard about Velo Cult was absolutely true. For those who don’t know, Velo Cult is a bike shop located near Balboa Park in San Diego, California. This shop is seriously badass, and I can easily see why many call it the best bike in shop the country and even the world. The atmosphere of the shop if very relaxed and friendly, and the guys working there are incredibly nice. After Keith and I told them where we were from, they recalled that a guy from Nashville had been in the shop earlier that day. It happened to be our friend Richard, who’s been traveling literally all over the world with just his bike and a backpack for the past several years. We gave him a call, and while waiting for him to arrive, we were offered a cold beer, which was definitely welcomed on a particularly hot day for San Diego, and sat around chatting about traveling, riding in different cities, bike trails, and touring routes. Continue reading for more photos and the rest of my review. The full photo set can be found on my Flickr.

Richard soon met up with us and we had a little reunion. It’s always weird seeing a familiar face in a different city. While Keith and Richard caught up, I started taking a look around the shop. One of the coolest things about Velo Cult, is the amount of customization that goes into their product line. From their own locally made blends of coffee (a breakfast blend, called “Fausto Cuppi” and a darker blend dubbed “Eddy Perckx”) to cycling caps handmade in San Francisco to even their own customized locally handmade leather saddle bags. Aside from all their custom apparel and product line, Velo Cult also offers an excellent selection of frames, accessories, and components for your every day needs as well as a lot of cool vintage finds for your personal collection or custom build. Keith and I make it a point to visit local bike shops while we travel, and I have to say, Velo Cult has got to be the best thus far. From the people working their to their product line itself, Velo Cult is undoubtedly the coolest shop we’ve visited. If you’re in the area, whether you’re a local or just visiting, I would really recommend stopping by, checking out the shop, grabbing some custom goods, and conversing with the very cool people you’ll find there.