Be Real Sports Cycling & Fitness has moved locations, though they didn’t have to go far. The bicycle shop now operates out of its own building just of KY 54, and just across the road from their old spot.
Be Real is now located at 4325 Gate Way, which is situated just off KY 54 across from their former home in the strip center that houses Trunnell’s.
“We have always wanted to be standalone, and this was really a great space for it. Plus we only had to move across the street,” said Larry Myles, who owns the business alongside his son Mark.
Myles said there was some nervousness about relocating, but because of their following and unique services offered he was confident that everything would work out.
Myles said the new space also offers a more beneficial layout for their business. They’re still finalizing the design and spacing of everything, but the building allows Be Real to have a large showroom up front and a service area and inventory space in the back.
The shop also offers bicycle servicing, repairs, and rentals, aiming to return riders to the road efficiently.
As the only area business dedicated to “all things cycling,” Be Real provides a wealth of knowledge to everyone that enters the store, which features the latest in custom cycling and endurance equipment. The shop also offers bicycle servicing, repairs, and rentals, aiming to return riders to the road efficiently.
Be Real is a Trek-authorized dealer and certified service provider, though they offer about eight different brands and can work on any bike.
Myles has always been an avid cyclist, racing on BMX and eventually endurance circuits. He discovered his passion for providing apparel and servicing bikes when local and regional colleges and universities started programs and he solicited his expertise.
In 2010, his wife suggested that he convert his passion into a business. Shortly after that, Myles left his career in industrial chemical and mechanical engineering to pursue his dream of opening a bike shop. They finally opened a brick-and-mortar shop in 2018.
“We’ve become a staple in the Owensboro cycling community,” said Mark Myles, who’s also competed professionally after spending his whole life in the cycling world.
In the early years of Be Real, sponsored group rides would feature just over 10 riders; by 2022 rides boasted nearly 40 people. Both father and son said cycling had been steadily growing in the area, but nothing compared to the uptick in interest sparked by the pandemic.
“We were already in a good spot when the pandemic hit because most people in the community that knew me associated me with bikes,” Larry Myles said earlier this year. “We had that theme going, but then the boom happened, and everyone who was contained wanted to be outside, increasing sales.”
Myles said they hadn’t slowed down since, taking that traction and continuing to build on it. He said he continues to encounter people that didn’t know they were around, but he’s slowly trying to change that.
Both Larry and Mark strongly emphasize community, keeping it as a focal point in their efforts.
“We’re avid community drivers with cycling and always will be — from bike shop ownership to community-driven stuff to events like races,” Larry Myles said. “We see people from the whole spectrum from the Greenbelt riders to the competitive athletes — whether it’s triathlon, road, mountain, cyclocross, gravel. We’ve got a great community here in Owensboro, and it drives us.”
For more information about Be Real Sports Cycling and Fitness, visit Facebook page here.
