Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2008 12:00 am
NW MultiSports caters to competitors who swim, bike and run
By Nancy Raskauskas
Gazette-Times Reporter
On Second Street, in an area of downtown Corvallis known for its abundance of bike shops, yet another shop with shiny new cycles hanging on the wall quietly opened earlier this month.
But this shop hopes to fill a new market niche. It's a gamble by two accomplished mid-valley athletes who want to provide equipment to those who share in their passion for the sport of triathlon.
During the last five years, the number of triathlons in the Northwest has grown from fewer than 20 to more than 150 events, and new events are being added all the time.
With the closest triathlon-specific shops in Bend and Portland, Ed Bomber, who has more than 30 years of experience in swimming, biking and running events, and Gordon Cummings, an amateur-elite cyclist who said he "got on a bike when he was 3 and never got off," saw the possibility of creating a place for triathletes in the mid-valley.
"The decision to open the shop was really hatched on a couple of bike rides last fall," said Cummings.
"We haven't had time to go on a ride since," said Bomber.
Northwest MultiSports plans to sell high-end triathlon bikes by Cervelo, Felt and Kuota.
The store also has triathlon wetsuits by Orca and Blue 70, which make designs with extra arm flexibility and low-drag material for swimmers.
There will also be triathlon apparel and running shoes by triathlon companies such as Zoot.
They even have Bodyglide, an anti-chafing skin protector that's essential to long-distance triathletes but hard to find.
The store plans on being the cheapest dealer in town for Gu, among other training foods and drinks. Gu is a nutritional energy gel that can be found at endurance races across the country.
The shop plans to help customers - from novice to elite - find training partners and training opportunities with a bulletin board of local events, and runs and rides leaving from the shop.
It will also offer bike repair and custom fittings for athletes looking to adjust their bikes to maximum comfort and performance.
Bomber and Cummings have already invested in the local triathlon scene, as one of many sponsors for the Beaver Freezer triathlon this spring, before their store even opened.
"It's a growing sport, especially with the way society is going with a push for better health," said Bomber.
"We'd like to be a location where people can come by and see what races are happening," said Bomber, who has achieved many race goals of his own - including completing the Boston Marathon and an Ironman triathlon.
Cummings, who will be at the shop full-time, can draw on his solid experience as a cyclist when assisting customers. High points of his career included racing in a number of World Cup mountain bike championships and competing in the Olympic road bike trials in 1992 and 1996.
Both Bomber and Cummings view their store as a supportive resource.
"You can sell gas, and everyone has a frown, or you can sell triathlon stuff and people enjoy it," said Bomber.
"No one goes into a bike shop because they are in a bad mood," agrees Cummings. "You get a different side of people … and you get to help them achieve their goals."
At a glance
ADDRESS: Northwest MultiSports, 310 S.W. Second St., Corvallis
WEB SITE: www.nwmultisports.com
CHECK IT OUT: The store, which specializes in triathlon and related athletic gear, is open for business, but will host a grand opening May 10.