From PNW to Pura Vida

The story of BIKECRAFT

It all started back in 2006 in Bellingham, Washington

 

If you have ever been to Bellingham, you know that it is a very special place. Undoubtedly it is home to a vibrant rider and trail builders culture, there is a constant flow of new lines and features to ride and fresh ways to be inspired. This is where I first fell in love with mountain biking.

Life was more simple back then. Every day, I would wake up, brew some coffee, load of the dogs and bikes and head to the mountains for a day of trail riding and stunt creation. The days were hard work, but instead of feeling tired, I found myself invigorated by the dream of creating my own line and riding it. My nights were spent waiting tables and dreaming of my next trail project. Life was good. I was earning my turns.

In 2009, my wife and I decided to start our next adventure: to build our own destination wedding business in Costa Rica. Building a website became a replacement for trail building. A surfboard became our go-to shred weapon and the mountain bike started to get dusty. Little by little our business started to take off. We welcomed the birth of a daughter Jade and then soon after our son Knox. Life became very busy.

Fast forward to the announcement of the global pandemic of 2020. All of a sudden our bustling business screeched to a halt. Borders were closed, the beaches closed, the world was quiet. It was a unique time in the world where huge swaths of the world population felt the same way at the same time: restless and bored, yet scared at the same time. Then something magic happened: people started getting on their bikes again. People started feeling free again. Our beach town of Tamarindo sprouted a local mountain bike community. The stress of the unknown was replaced with the fun and freedom of adventure. It was at this time that I rediscovered my love of mountain bikes and trail building. During my time spent in the jungle, I started to craft a plan to create a premium bike shop focused on creating amazing experiences on two wheels. BIKECRAFT was born.

BIKECRAFT is a mountain bike lifestyle shop based in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. We offer a full line of stylish, yet functional equipment for your next adventure. Our shop is a hub of commerce, creativity and connection surrounding all things bike. BIKECRAFT is a meeting place and a place to be inspired. We recently partnered with Hacienda Pinilla Beach Community to advance the local mountain bike trail network. With a motivated and supportive land owner we are able to create a full range of amazing new trail options for the local riding community and offer rental mountain bikes for discerning enthusiasts. Next time you are in Tamarindo, make sure to stop in the shop and share some stories.

Pura Vida,

Jonathan Cooley | Owner