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About Us

Your Local Bike Shop

After many years biking and traveling for events and races, we had visited many bike shops across Florida. The combination of good customer service and good mechanics was hard to find. But a good mechanic is integral for every cyclist, especially at the competitive level. We found ourselves making the hour long trip to Ocala every weekend to have our bikes worked on. Hernando County definitely had a need for a good mechanic and a shop with great customer service. In 2006, "Crank Works Bicycles" was conceived but it would take several more years for the right timing to present itself and the shop to materialize. Five years after those initial discussions, we finally opened our doors. Crank Works Bicycles was established in September 2011.

Having been cyclists for many years and working in the industry for several years as well, we were familiar with most of the brands on the market. We used them ourselves and had experiences with many companies as both consumers and at the bike shop level. We endeavored to carry only the best brands in our store and aim to bring great products at a great value.

We are a biking family. Both Mark and Patricia have many, many miles logged on road, mountain, and adventure bikes. Our combined, diverse experiences allow us to solve nearly any problem that presents itself. Experience both riding and working with nearly every brand in the industry allows us to pick the best brands for our customers. We aim to provide the best products, supported with the best customer service, best warranty, at the most reasonable prices. We also personally test a lot of products before we put them on our sales floor to sell to our customers.

Patricia Laird - Owner

Patricia started mountain biking in 2004. She quickly fell in love with the sport and began racing mountain bikes the following season. Traveling the state bike racing gave her the opportunity to see many bike shops and pick out the things she liked and those she endeavored to change. Her experiences as a customer would give her the insight she needed to eventually create an amazing customer experience in her own shop. In 2011, Crank Works Bicycles opened their doors. They began, and continue to be, a pillar in the community, engaging with numerous community organizations and business owners across the county while continuing to provide the amazing customer service they set out to provide.

Mark - Lead Mechanic

Mark is one of the original local mountain bikers to Croom and started riding in the early 90's. He got an early start working on bikes at a local bike shop. After several seasons of providing race support and honing his mechanic skills, Mark left his corporate job in 2008 to work full time as a lead mechanic and manager for a bike shop in Ocala. After working for two more bike shops, he eventually found his way to Crank Works Bicycles. As the bike industry has shifted, Mark continues to learn, and has obtained numerous credentials including the prestigious USA CYCLING MECHANIC certification. He brings world class skills to the shop, often solving problems that other shops can't. After several decades working on bikes, Mark brings the experience of having worked on almost every brand of bicycle as well as numerous unique cases, such as hand cycles and other modified bikes. Mark can often be found with a bike loaded down with gear, trekking through the Florida swamps and forests on several day adventures.

Mike 

Mike's skills and work experience are vast. But he's joined the Crank Works team in his retirement. Mike moved to Spring Hill a few years ago and started hanging out at the bike shop every day to learn the mechanics of bikes. He soon found himself helping answer phones and working with customers as well. Mike adds a bit of humor to the shop and keeps the atmosphere light. We claimed him as our own, got him some shop shirts, and the rest is history! Mike loves riding both road and mountain bikes with his wife (and hanging out at the shop drinking his iced coffee)!

Jake - Mechanic

Jake has been a rising star at the shop! He joined the Crank Works team in 2019 as an apprentice mechanic and has quickly grown his skills. He rocks mechanics and the mountain bike trails too! Jake tries to keep a low profile but this dude is going places.

Browse Our Bike Selection

Find your dream bike today and visit us for a test ride. We'll ensure that you're on the right bike to meet your needs and the right frame size for a comfortable, safe cycling experience.