The Local Gear — Local services in Cornish

First of all, let me start by saying that if you are looking for bicycle repairs, service or sales anywhere in the Western Maine area, there is simply no other choice. I took my road bike to The Local Gear on a Monday morning when I found myself in a pinch. I was having a problem with my drivetrain and needed the bike by Thursday, as I was due to take a ride in Vermont the following weekend. Dave, the owner, looked the bike over and gave me very honest advice. He told me that the problems with my bike were a warranty issue and that I should take it to a Cannondale dealer to get the work done for free. I explained to him that I had a ride coming up and did not have the time to wait for warranty work to be done. Dave was very accommodating and said he would have the repairs done as soon as possible. Dave promptly diagnosed the problem, called me later that morning to confirm and ordered the parts I needed. He expedited the shipping and repairs and I had my bike back by Wednesday afternoon. I have ridden a few hundred miles since the repairs and my bike shifts and feels better than it did when it was brand new. The prices are competitive and the owner genuinely wants what's best for his customers. I also want to say that I am relatively new to cycling. While I don't consider myself a bad cyclist, I am definitely not a pro and my equipment is definitely not elite. Before discovering The Local Gear, my experience with bike mechanics had been entirely negative. I have dealt with condescending and snobby bicycle shop owners in both Maine and New Hampshire. I have left my bike with other mechanics for days and been billed a lot of money just to get my bike back and have it shift worse than before. It seemed like there were no good bicycle shops anywhere. When I discovered The Local Gear, all of that changed. Dave made me feel like a valued customer, made conversation with me and answered all of my unrelated questions about cycling. He gave me valued advise on what equipment to get and how to get it. He is an expert on bikes, as he has worked as a professional race mechanic with professional cyclists for years and his work reflects that. I will definitely be a returning customer. As I said before, there is simply no other choice for bicycle repairs, service and sales....

I'm an old guy that hadn't ridden a bike since I got a drivers license (1955). I like to get outdoors and explore, but arthritic knees made walking uncomfortable. Tried a hand-me-down 20 year old mountain bike and discovered it was much easier on my knees really expanding my previously shrinking horizons. I ride ATV/snowmachine trails out my back door. Dave did a great job keeping the old bike going, but this year I decided to look into a newer model. Talked with Dave. He made a recommendation. I love it. Now I'm taking trails I wouldn't have enjoyed before, expanding my horizons even further. ...

Every fall recipe in New England has, or should have pumpkin somewhere on the list of ingredients. My knives are not spectacular, but they are mine and I love them. In the fall one of their tasks is to cut through pumpkins to make puree. Dave got my knives so sharp that my Sakari cut through the seeds while halving a sugar pumpkin. While sharpening my knives in ring one, in the center ring, he serviced my Gary Fisher mountain bike. My bike hasn’t ridden this well in years. All was delivered faster than he promised and at a lower cost. 12 out of 10… I...