New Haven Independent

Posted by: JMAC | February 6, 2008 1:14 PM

Devil's Gear is the best in town!

Posted by: robn | February 6, 2008 1:32 PM

New Haven needs more good solid citizens like Matt Feiner!!

Posted by: Cheri | February 6, 2008 1:44 PM

Congratulations Matt!
This is great news for New Haven cyclists, myself included, who need minor repairs on the fly. Also, should give the shop a great rise in business now that they'll have such a visible location. I wouldn't take my bike anywhere else!

Posted by: charlie | February 6, 2008 2:16 PM

Awesome! Now if only Yale itself would be more bicycle-friendly. One major problem is Science Hill. Why doesn't Yale build a bicycle path along/through there so that you can get from East Rock to the main campus without having to ride on Whitney Avenue? Another big problem is College Street. How are Yale employees supposed to ride to the medical school if they have to cross speeding traffic coming off Route 34? There should be better signals there. The city may be doing something there in the next 10 years, but you have got to believe that something would have been done earlier if Yale thought about pedestrian/cyclist commuters in a more progressive way.

Posted by: Leslie | February 6, 2008 2:23 PM

Love that poster. Devil's Gear = awesome.
Two Devil's Gears = awesomer.

Posted by: Dougie | February 6, 2008 5:35 PM

Congratulations!

Posted by: DingDong | February 6, 2008 8:02 PM

Charlie, I agree. Yale is supposedly committed to sustainable transportation and has a staff of two people working just on that, yet they refuse to include a bike lane in the plans for YBB. A bike lane there is crucial to connecting East Rock to downtown.

Posted by: Marisa | February 7, 2008 8:43 AM

What a handsome fella next to that bike! Congratulations Matthew and the Devil's Gear! What great news for new haven cyclists and the community.

Posted by: Zack | February 7, 2008 9:56 AM

Sweet! Congrats, Matt.

Posted by: Richard Stowe | February 7, 2008 10:44 AM

awesome! where's audubon street? what hours will devil gear downtown be open?

Posted by: Esbe | February 7, 2008 7:17 PM

Yale must be given Devil's gear a good rental rate, which is great, because they're not going to make a lot of money fixing flat tires. The "promotion" for the main store will be good, but still.

(To Richard -- it is to the right off of Whitney a long block north of Grove. But they aren't open yet, supposedly will be soon.)

Posted by: Esbe | February 7, 2008 7:24 PM

Wow, I am slow. I just thought: in a couple of years, this shop will be across the street from the terminus of the Farmington Canal Bike Trail!

Well, the hope is to continue the trail to the harbor, but the old canal itself ends in the park behind the music school across the street. And Yale is paying to extend the trail to that point. Hmmm, could Devil's Gear rent bikes and inline skates to the cool kids who will want to bike up the trail?

Posted by: Zack | February 8, 2008 7:43 AM

Map of Audobon St.

Posted by: kavorka | February 8, 2008 10:23 AM

Yale doesn't want him selling bikes because they are trying to get rid of retail on Audubon for some reason, so they are letting Matt come in as a "service" place not a shop. They are kicking out the retail stores i.e. the Toy Shop, Sogno, and the Bead Hive. I think that it is ridiculous. Nothing against the Devil's Gear, they are a great addition. I just feel bad for the other businesses. I understand not wanting to have a convenience store or something like that, but artsy little shops like the Bead Hive are a great fit.

Posted by: Hartford Johnson | February 8, 2008 10:39 AM

That's just great. Now at Audobon and Whitney - more of those damn two-wheelers running red lights, riding in the middle of the street, riding across crosswalks they're supposed to walk through and cutting in front of Mack trucks.

Posted by: Cheri | February 8, 2008 2:51 PM

Wow! I'm sorry Hartford Johnson's so irritated by cyclists!
We (cyclists) shouldn't be on sidewalks, unless the street is absolutely treacherous, and even then, a bike on the sidewalk should always defer to the pedestrians. However, I have no sympathy for Mack trucks!!! Not that I'd try to cut them off, but come on!!! Unfortunately, cars find bikes to be a nuisance because they're in the way...cars can't speed so much if they have to look out for humans not protected by a metal shell and insurance!
TWO WHEELS GOOD, FOUR WHEELS BAD!!!

Posted by: Esbe | February 8, 2008 4:23 PM

Kavorka -- Yale is trying to get rid of retail on the street? But not "services"? I have to say that makes so little sense that I don't really believe it. What else fits on that street -- the shops were entirely empty for like a decade until Yale bought the buildings.

Posted by: 2Unique | February 8, 2008 6:00 PM

That's right, folks, it's true...Yale's getting rid of the retail on Audubon...leases won't be renewed when they expire, most of them by the end of 2008. As ESBE says, doesn't make sense, but it's true. First, they give the City $1.6 million for business retention, then they pull the rug out from under 3 going businesses. So much for "Business Retention." We need a "Yankee Doodle" outcry here, don'tcha tink???

Posted by: ericaholahan | February 9, 2008 12:38 AM

I am excited to see the Devil's Gear arrive on Audubon St. I hope that their commitment to environmentalism, getting people outdoors and riding (in a less-than friendly bike town) and their good business sense will be catching.

That said, what is the deal with Yale and its property management? When will they start including us, the residents, in their decisions, and not just their wants and needs? They sometimes act like spoiled children playing monopoly; if they can buy everything up and build on it the way they see fit, great, if not, force the guy who's clearly going to lose anyway out of the game.

I realize that is the point of Monopoly, but is this how we want our largest employer (which happens to be an internationally recognized institution of higher learning) to act?

When will Yale recognize in its business maneuvers that New Haven citizens should have a voice as well (and not just the wealthy ones at that)?

Matt, I think you're great and I'm happy you're moving into space on Audubon. I know you will be a positive force for change, as you have been in other avenues.

I look forward to visiting the new shop!

Posted by: East Rockette | February 10, 2008 8:52 PM

Definitely time for a Yankee Doodle outcry about the loss of retail on Audubon St. Those are cute little shops, and we shop at the toyshop often. Plus, having real activity at street level (rather than "service shops" - what would that be?) makes the street feel alive. It's a buzzing, youthful, artsy zone, what with the music school and the CAW and the ECA, and the A & H high school kids.

I love the idea of a bike repair shop (yay Devil's gear - sell some kids bikes, too, eh?), but not at the expense of the retail that's already there.

Anyone know what exactly Yale is thinking of putting there, and who we can talk to about it?

Posted by: Paul Bass | February 11, 2008 11:04 AM

I think the retail picture may be more complicated. Stay tuned; we'll get info this week.

Posted by: Esbe | February 11, 2008 11:28 PM

Paul -- please do find out and let us know what is up!