Santiam Bicycle, a fixture in Salem’s cycling community, closes shop downtown
Santiam Bicycle, a longtime fixture in Salem’s cycling community, has permanently shut its doors downtown after decades citing competition with online shopping and big box stores.
The bike shop sold bikes and gear but also did tune ups, repairs and organized group rides and helped support local cycling trails.
Santiam Bicycle served Salem’s cycling community for decades and said in a Facebook post last week that its storefront at 388 Commercial St. N.E. had permanently shut its doors.
The Facebook post generated over 70 comments from people who fondly remembered the store and who shared some of their experiences over the years. Santiam Bicycle said in response to one commenter that the reason for the closure was complicated.
“Like most things it was mix of events but folks turning to online sources and big box stores played a big role,” Santiam Bicycle said.
On Monday, the shop’s interior was largely cleaned out. The store did not immediately reply to an email from Salem Reporter requesting more information.
“We are deeply grateful to our loyal customers, commuters, fellow gear heads, trail builders, and all the passionate riders who have supported us over the years. We will miss you more than words can express,” Santiam Bicycle said on Facebook. “Whenever possible, please choose your local bike shop over online sources. These are your neighbors, the people who will fix your bikes, fundraise for your trails, and dedicate countless hours to building and maintaining the places we all love to ride. Every community needs great bike shops and those shops need your support to thrive.”
Some of Salem’s other bike shops include Scott’s Cycle at 147 Commercial St. S.E., The Northwest Hub at 1230 Broadway St. N.E., Northwest BMX at 1697 25th St. S.E. and the Bike Peddler at 174 Commercial St. N.E.
Santiam Bicycle was once known as Santiam Bicycle Way of Life and used to operate at 3349 Commercial St. S.E. before moving to its most recent location downtown in 1998, according to a newspaper article published by the Statesman Journal on Feb. 26, 1998.
At the time, the store’s manager Chris De Concini, told the newspaper the shop moved to its new storefront because business was booming.
Santiam Bicycle’s departure comes about two years after the closure of Salem Summit Company, an independent outdoor retailer, in 2023.
The downtown store, which offered gear for skiing, backpacking, rock climbing, hiking and rafting among other activities, was also a major part of the community of outdoor retailers catering to Salem’s cycling and recreation enthusiasts.
Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790.
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Joe Siess is a reporter for Salem Reporter. Joe joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and primarily covers city and county government but loves surprises. Joe previously reported for the Redmond Spokesman, the Bulletin in Bend, Klamath Falls Herald and News and the Malheur Enterprise. He was born in Independence, MO, where the Oregon Trail officially starts, and grew up in the Kansas City area.
