Hill Cycle Shop was the premier bicycle shop in the Philadelphia area for many decades.Here is the Facebook dedicated to Hill Cycle Shop.
John Eustice(2 time US Pro Champion) speaking about his youth and riding -
"I grew up near Philadelphia and there was a wonderful bike shop, Hill Cycle Shop, one of a handful of legendary bike shops that keep the tradition of professional cycling alive. [Hill Cycle was founded in 1929 by the Casale family, –ed.] There were a few in New York , too: Stuyvesant's, which is now “A” bicycles[A Bicycle Shop], Thomas Avenia in East Harlem, and later, Kissena. There was Princeton Kopps Cycle too, and together they were the East Coast establishment that kept the flame burning for American cycling. The shops were beautiful, full of Campagnolos and Masis, Pinarellos and Colnagos, and beautiful hand-made Vittore Gianni wool jerseys—Eddy Merckx used to get Gianni to make his jerseys. Hill Cycle Shop was an incredible jewel box of a bike shop and a very stimulating place for a boy interested in cycling." - from the article - John Eustice, Looking backward and forward
We have the Hill Cycle show bike, we are currently restoring it and it will hang downstairs as a reminder of Philadelphia's Bicycle racing history. I will add photos of it in the future as well.
8 comments:
In the early seventies--maybe '71 or '72--I went to a crit in Ardmore's Suburban Square shopping center. It was the first bike race I ever saw. I was hooked from then on, though I didn't pickup racing myself. That day I met a few kids my age racing on gorgeous Masis and Cinellis. I think they were members of the Philadelphia Bicycle Club. I remember meeting an older guy too--it's driving me crazy that I can't remember his name but he was a scion of a well known Chestnut Hill family. I think they all hung out at Hill Cycles (the minute I saw your post I flashed to the memories I had of that crit, so that must be an association I've had for a long time)
it is really my hornor to have a view at your blog,it is really good.
@Anonymous 2010, the club was the Pensylvania Bicycle Club whose major sponsor was Hill Cycle shop of Chestnut Hill and the name of the guy was Jerry Casale (jr).
I used to own circa 73 Hill cycle (holdsworth) orange w/blue panels that I traded for two Geoffrey Butlers one TT and one regular road bike I still regret the day I still own both butlers
Did you ever finish the show biike and publish pictures?
I recall the Royal Blue jerseys from Hill Cycle. There was an older boy from my neighborhood with a shock of blonde hair who would ride through my street. I only ever went into the store once to my regret. It was an imposing place filled with color. This would be late 80s
In 1971 after dark in the fall, my mother and I went into the hill, cycle shop and Jerry Casals
Was there.
He sold me a chrome plated, Schwinn Paramount, that I have today that is in mint condition, and he did all of the drilling personally on the brakes and the crank. I’ll never forget him telling my mother they’ll chop down a telephone pole to get to this bike.
I used my lawn-mowing and paper delivery savings to get a Schwinn Super Sport for $104.95 in '68 from Dunbar cycles in DE and was hooked for life: Proprietor Paul Dunbar directed me to Hill Cycle if I wanted to learn more or buy better, or both. Jerry Casale fixed me up with a Peugeot PX-10 for $160 but what I really wanted was just a better Schwinn. My parents balked at spending so much more for a Paramount, Jerry came to my aid with his vigilantly Italian oratory skills but to no avail. Too bad, they should have listened to him and let me use my own savings to get the Paramount. The bargain pro bike taught me more about turning wrenches than turning pedals. Jerry's advice was followed a year or two later, quickly followed by a chance to move to Chicago, leaving Hill Cycle mentoring, patience & inspiration and making me Oscar Wastyn's challenge in the Spring of '74. A half century ago there were a handful of serious shops and shopkeepers - Jerry was unparalleled and stood at the top of the list.
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