Store

How many "superstores" can you name, just offhand? Wal-Mart is one. How about Target? Ikea has to make the list for furniture, and Best Buy fills out the electronics spot. If you've been waiting for the bicycling equivalent, wait no more: West Coast chain Supergo advertises itself as America's Largest Cycling Superstores, and its U District shop fits the bill.

Supergo's shop floor is immense, with rooms for clothing, repair, parts and accessories; the central space is dominated by double-decker racks where the store stocks almost 600 bikes from full-on road racers to downhill screamers, with a selection of tamer city, sport, mountain and cruiser bikes, too. It's easy to feel intimidated by all the merchandise and choices, but the staff does a pretty good job of checking up on lost-looking customers and pointing them in the right direction.

Prices are good, better than what you'll find at many smaller stores, and on par with catalog retailers like Performance and Nashbar. Supergo stocks a wide assortment of gear from the major manufacturers as well as some house-brand bikes, clothing and parts. It also offers a complete service and repair shop, with prices similar to those you'd find elsewhere.

Bicyclists sometimes talk about the LBS — that's the Local Bike Shop — as if it's an endangered species in need of protection, the place where, Cheers-like, everybody knows your name. There's real value in such a shop, value that goes beyond price tags to include lots of personal attention and a strong sense of community. Supergo is not an LBS, not by a long shot. But if you're willing to put in some time and seek out help, you'll be OK at Supergo. Just don't expect people to shout "Norm!" when you walk through the door, and understand that you're buying from the bike world's version of Home Depot.