Mad Duck Cyclery - The Best Little Bike Shop in Texas and the Universe

EP: 6 - “What are we passionate about?” They were on a sailboat in the Virgin Islands, and that is the question three friends pondered. Dogs, bikes and sailboats was the answer. Two were in Telecommunications and one was a heavy equipment (bull dozers and excavators) mechanic. In 2001, they opened Mad Duck Cyclery in Grapevine, Texas (just north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex). Located in a former Wienerschnitzel building, the funking little bike boutique is one of the pre-eminent bike shops in the country. It’s the kind of place where – “everybody knows your name,” and the kind of bike you ride. Dogs are welcome and all levels of cyclist – from beginner to Cat 1 – are treated with same respect.

 

I sit down with one of the owners, Clarence Muller at Mad Duck Manor on the shores of Lake Grapevine. Listen to the birds chirp as we take a deep dive into running a bike shop, and the simple joys of pedaling your bike. Mad Duck is a fierce advocate for bike and pedestrian safety in their community. They are regulars at the Grapevine city council meetings, fighting for lower speed limits and pushing to build more bike paths. They care about their community and their customers safety. Mad Duck Cyclery is so much more than a bike shop. They know that bikes build community and get folks outside. You meet the nicest people on a pedal machine.

 

Clarence is a committed listener to The Tinstreamer Podcast.  We talk about the Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association and the amazing trail system they've created in North Texas. We briefly chat about Airwolf and Jonny Quest, which leads me to ask Clarence which cycling movie he prefers: Breaking Away or American Flyers? We talk a lot about bikes, technology, and our hair turning gray. This is a long one folks, but Clarence and Mad Duck really embody the Tinstreamer ethos, and the conversation flowed like a brand-new XTR drivetrain. Terry, Gary and Clarence started Mad Duck with no market research or social media.  They simply wanted to follow their passion, build a community and hang with their dogs. They just happen to sell bikes too.