Bike Week Interview: Landry's Bikes

Landry's is a local biking legend, with locations in Boston, Natick, Norwood, and Westboro, all featuring excellent equipment for all your biking needs. From hybrids to commuters to road and mountain bikes, they've got a machine to get you where you need to go--and apparel and accessories to make you look super-cool while you're getting there. Landry's also provides fitting services to help you find the right bike for your height, which is a more difficult and more crucial undertaking than you might think!

Landry's hosts a number of regular group rides, and also has a triathlon club for those not content to just bike for fun or transport. Landry's will be participating in Bay State Bike Week by hosting and showing up at various rides throughout the week. Check out the Landry's website for more information about their rides, workshops, and of course equipment.

Mark Vautour runs the Landry's Boston location and was kind enough to talk to Bostonist about his store and his biking experiences. This is the first installment in a series of scintillating Bike Week interviews!

How did you get started biking?

I started riding as a runner. I wanted to do triathlons at the age of 14 and needed a bike to get involved. I started off doing relay's and then switched doing them on my own.

Favorite bike you've ridden/owned?

I've had a lot of bikes I liked. Currently I ride a Cervelo Soloist SLC-SL. I've recently owned a Seven, Cyfac, Ritchey Breakaway.

Worst crash you've ever had?

My worst crash was at Bear Mountain in New York. It was field crash at high speed with a number of other riders. I broke my wrist pretty severely.

Do you have a favorite biking city? Bike shop (besides your own)?

Boulder CO, San Diego CA, and Paris have been model cycling cities. Northampton MA is a great riding area too. As for other shops River City in Portland OR is a favorite of mine.

Biggest biking pet peeve (drivers, roads, other bikers, pedestrians, whatever...)?

Pet peeve? Bicycles should be treated like cars and should have to follow the same rules. [Sounds like Mark agrees with us!] Cyclists should be expected to have helmets and lights.

What is the biggest legislative or other change needed to make it easier for more people to bike, in Boston or elsewhere?

As for legislation cyclists should simply be expected to function like cars. There need to be more bike lanes and awareness. We need more bike racks for safe parking.

We, too, would like more bike lanes and racks. Maybe Bike Week can help raise enough awareness to get plans for some. Stay tuned for tomorrow, when we talk to ANT Bike Mike!

Disclaimer: Bostonist is not advertising or endorsing Landry's in any way. We're just spreading the bike love!