Swinfold is responsible for the aspects of the business that give it a pulse, including management and inventory. A wide range of services is offered at the shop, which include full-service repair, powder coating, full-assembly and restoration. Bikes are a major part of the operation, but the store is also heavily stocked with accessories. Inventory is generally determined by market trends that depend on what products are new in a given year or customer demand for a product.
Powder coating is not exclusively relevant to bikes at the shop. A customer can request powder-coating services for just about anything.
“I actually just powder coated an artillery shell for a tank a couple of months ago,” Swinford said. “The guy was going to make it into a plaque. This was just a piece of steel that was made for training round, so no harm. That was pretty wild.”
Skill level is not an issue for those who wish to purchase products from the store, according to Swinford.
“For people just getting into it, we try to work with them so they become more advanced and skilled,” he said. “I feel like I am a teacher toward them to help them with getting started. Usually people pick it up pretty quick, but if not I am always here for questions.”
Swinford also does wholesale distribution for other companies when there is a service they are unable to provide.
“Something that other shops can’t do I can do, and if not I send stuff other places so they can do things,” he said. “It depends on the skill level, but most of the time I can probably do 99 percent of everything. If I don’t know how to do it, then I’ll learn how to do it. I’m learning every day.”
Shopping at Links and Kinks offers a more personal touch for the buyer than what a big box store is able to offer, Swinford said.
“You get a little more attention to detail, and we also size the bike to the person. Then they are more comfortable on the bike instead of being uncomfortable,” he said. “That and you can get a lot of accessories. It’s more of a one-on-one kind of thing than a box store.”
There can also be the issue of safety when determining which type of store to purchase of bike from, according to Swinford.
“Certain things are not assembled correctly and it becomes a safety issue,” he said. “With us we take our time putting them together. It usually takes a box store five or 10 minutes to put together a bike. It takes us at least a half-hour to put together a bike.”
Charlie Talent, a customer who frequents the shop and is a professional BMX racer, agreed that the one-on-one experience is beneficial.
“When I found out he was opening the bike shop I was really excited because a lot of the bike shops around this area are not really customer friendly,” Talent said. “It’s just a good atmosphere to just go in there and have a place to hang out, get your bike worked on and get to know the person that is actually ordering your stuff for you.”
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