BIKES ... AND BIKES
WES HAYSLIP was a longtime bicycle racer and rider until hamstring injuries sidelined him. He still rides bicycles, but now spends a lot more time on motorcycles. He started Pink Gorilla Cycles two years ago in Austin, Texas; the store name is a playful jab at the giant inflatables car dealers use to get attention.
Hayslip initially focused on motorcycles, but recently brought in high-end bicycles into the showroom. He carries top-end race bike brands like Ellsworth and Ventana that sell for $3,000 to $6,000 each.
Though he has friends that ride motorized and pedal-powered bikes, he hopes to build the bicycle business enough to eventually have a separate store.
“The idea is to get the bicycle business growing and have a separate space, or at least a divided space,” he said. “I don’t expect that the bicycles are going to pull from the motorcycle business. But I did have a guy that rode a bike who bought the Hero camera — he wanted the motorsports edition.”
