Very few think of Pullman as anything more than a college town, that there are very few, if any, exceptional business ventures within it. B&L Bicycles disproves said assumption, being recognized by the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) as one of the best bike shops in the U.S.

Brice Erickson, owner of B&L, grew up around bicycles his entire life, managing B&L for 20 years while having spent 28 years in the industry itself. “My wife and I started the business from the ground up,” Erickson said.

Founded in 1996, Erickson and his wife Leanne dedicated themselves to the stores success, living on the upper level when it first opened. “We lived upstairs for over two years,” Erickson said.

In addition to his 28 years of experience within the industry, Erickson said that what makes his shop stand out from others is his core emphasis on bicycle fitting. His intellectual foundation of bicycle fitting was learned from Michael Sylvester during the early years of his career.

“He is internationally recognized as one of the pioneers of modern bike fitting,” Erickson said.

Sylvester brought science and research to the bicycle fitting industry, said Erickson, and was called upon by former president George W. Bush whenever he needed his bike worked on.

Erickson also said that he tries to stay up-to-date on bicycle fitting technology, acknowledging that if people receive discomfort while riding their bike, it could stop them from cycling entirely. “I’ve got equipment that you don’t probably see within 3 or 400 miles,” Erickson said.

Another core aspect of B&L is that the employees come from a mechanical background, said Erickson. “We can actually make things sometimes when necessary,” Erickson said.

B&L prides itself on its technical expertise, said Erickson, having three employees who are advanced fitters. Erickson also said that every employee has a personal interest in bicycle riding, in addition to their extensive training and knowledge about the industry.

Clare Haley, one of B&L mechanics, said that her favorite part of the job is working alongside her coworkers, teaching her everything she knows.  “I like the people I work with. I think we have a really good crew here, I think we all get along pretty well,” Haley said.

In regards to the NBDA, a lot of information about B&L was sent, tested by mystery customers and phone calls to see if the shop qualified for national recognition. “The NBDA gives out less than 300 of those nationwide, and there is almost 4,000 dealers out there,” Erickson said.

B&L serves a wide demographic of consumers, said Erickson, ranging from college students to retirees, children, and professional riders due to Pullman’s size. “For us, we have to service a wide range of people to be surviving,” Erickson said.

“I enjoy dealing with people and seeing them get a bicycle and seeing it change their life,” said Sean Ellis, one of the mechanics at B&L. Ellis also said that B&L focuses on those who are new to cycling, not wanting those people to feel intimidated.

Erickson wants everyone to know that his favorite part of the job being excited to go to work every day. “Not everyone gets to say that,” Erickson said.