About Cycle Gear

"When they started, they just hired some kids and opened the first store."

In 1974, three motorcycle enthusiasts—Richard Christian, Ron Merritt, and Frank Klovis—started Cycle Gear in Richmond, California. “When they started, they just hired some kids and opened the first store—they didn't even have a manager," recalls Dave Bertram, who is widely credited with turning Cycle Gear from a small regional treasure into a national powerhouse.

Bertram joined the company in 1982 when Cycle Gear was still a fledgling—but that would change soon enough.

The Spark

Shortly after joining the team, Bertram had come to recognize that Cycle Gear was a great idea lacking a strategic direction. "I knew that it could grow to become a national retailer. Just about every other industry has a national chain; why not motorcycling?

A Bigger Picture Calls for A Bigger Canvas

By 1995, Bertram had bought out the original partners and developed an employee stock ownership program, making Cycle Gear employee-owned. “I had an incredible team but not a lot of cash. So we were opening only two or three stores a year.”

By 1998, he brought in private equity investment and quickly grew from six to 45 successful stores. “After six years of that,” Bertram says, “we hired an investment bank and went to market the proper way.”

Conversations With Riders

George Gerstenberg was there. “I was one of the first ones hired from outside the company in 1991.” Gerstenberg describes Bertram as having “foresight and vision beyond anyone else's.” He shared Bertram's belief that the company could become a national presence, and he had his part to play in it.

“By the late 1990s, while we were still growing, our customers were saying, 'We hope you can compete with mail order.' But we were able to. We kept asking our customers: How can we keep you coming back? What do you need to support our retail stores?" Gerstenberg's passion has been a training process aimed at gaining an understanding of riders and their needs. "It's how you ride and what you ride," Gerstenberg says, that matters in the conversation with customers.

Spanning Generations

"It's also about keeping team members satisfied and happy," Bertram says, and adds, "The most gratifying thing was to see the team members grow. Some started as part-timers who grew into managers, started families, and bought houses, and all of them helped us change an industry."

Embracing Today, Envisioning Tomorrow

Today, Cycle Gear is the nation's largest retailer of motorcycle apparel and accessories, with over 165 store locations, a massive online presence, mobile shopping, and content experiences across countless platforms that allow riders to interact and make purchases any way they choose. Cycle Gear's industry-leading focus on customer service and satisfaction has been a company hallmark since day one.