About Us
George Odio: Owner
George is the Lakes Areas most avid cyclist, cross country skier and local fitness guru! If he isn't on the trail riding or cross skiing, you can find him instructing a spin class or at a personal training session. Not just a lifelong athlete, George dedicates a great deal of his time to training others. Many cyclists and cross country skiers can attribute their drive to their coach George and his "enough is never enough" spirit. If you have not been to The Bike & Fitness Company, George encourages you to stop in and let his knowledgeable staff get you fitted with the best equipment in Central Minnesota. But getting the right equipment won't be enough; you'll want to join him and The Bike & Fitness Company Cycling and Ski Club for an outing soon!
Jake: General Manager, North Store Location
Jake's love for biking started at a young age. His first MS150 Bike Tour was at the tender age of 13! This is about the same time that he started hanging out at the local bike shop, so much in fact, that the owners offered him a job. At first Jake was a janitor and a gopher, but it kept him around bikes! He attended Alexandria Technical College for Sales and then moved to the Twin Cities to work at a bike shop. Jake married his high school sweetheart and moved back to their hometown to manage the new The Bike & Fitness Company. In his 15 years of service, Jake has made lifelong friendships with his customers and has a true insight of the cycling and fitness industry.
Amanda: Sales Floor Manager, North Store Location
It was back in the fall of 2005 and Amanda was working as a climbing instructor at the local rock wall when she first laid eyes on it. This particular afternoon there was a women's expo inside the gymnasium; across the room was a blue Trek 1500 WSD on display from The Bike & Fitness Company. The most beautiful bike in the world. It was love at first sight, literally. Fast forward 2 ˝ years and Amanda's love for bicycles has only grown. She can be found roaming the sales floor looking at all the pretty bikes and trying to find them a loving home. In her spare time she teaches spin classes at Racquetball Plus, volunteers at her churches youth group. She especially enjoys traveling to third world villages in Africa to do mission work. And most recently, Amanda is planning her wedding to her fiancé Steve, (the other love of her life).
Joe: Sales Manager, South Store Location
At age 12 Joe started his journey with bikes when he took his first job at a local bike shop. By 14, Joe was a Schwinn certified mechanic and was hooked on cycling. In 1995 he moved to Oregon, he embraced another passion, glass blowing; Joe spent the next thirteen years teaching and professionally producing glass at his own studio. All the while he traveled the country hiking, kayaking and mountain biking. Now Joe draws from his experience as an avid outdoorsman and small business owner to manage The Bike & Fitness Company South location. He is proud to be a part of a company that proves business can be an agent for social betterment. Joe can be seen on the Central Lakes Trail touring the countryside on a bike with his wife and four beautiful daughters.
Justin: Service Manager
Justin has always loved tinkering with things. When he was a young boy, he built plastic WWII planes with his dad. He still enjoys building models of cars but as a cold weather hobby. Justin's passion for tinkering turned to bikes early, always adjusting, lubricating and cleaning his bike. And now a little older and a dad himself, Justin has turned his tinkering hobby into a passionate career. Instead of using WD-40 on everything like he did as a kid, Justin has become a seasoned bike technician. He came to The Bike & Fitness Company with years of customer service experience and a true enthusiasm for helping others. "Our goal here is to get people passionate about their experience with their bike or fitness equipment. Even if you bought it someplace else, we'll service your equipment with excellence!" As the Service Manager, Justin invites you to stop in and have your bike checked out.
"And like always, estimates are free, because we want your biking experience to be an enjoyable one!"
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