In this article we feature Ishan Khosla and Armaan Sharma, the founders of The BayBikeBros: a youth-run bike business in Cupertino. What started off as a small idea transformed into a blossoming reality in their own backyards.
The Inspiration
For Ishan and Armaan, the story of BayBikeBros goes all the way back to their time at Hyde Middle School. Two outdoor cycling enthusiasts, the two of them used to spend hours outside racing on their bikes on the way to school. But after accumulating miles and miles on their rides, they both began to notice some wear and tear. The gears and brakes didn’t have the same effectiveness as they used to. The handle bars, once easily maneuverable, had become stiff and rigid. And, the beautifully rimmed wheels, once the pride of both Ishan and Armaan, had become flat and squishy. And this was an issue that they found common not only to them, but also all their neighbors.
They realized that to return to the quality of those enjoyable riding days, they would need to establish a workspace, where bike repairs could be made quickly and efficiently. And with that mission in mind, BayBikeBros was born.
Pictured above, Ishan Khosla and Armaan Sharma, the founders of BayBikeBros.
The setup that BayBikeBros used to install repairs and fix old bikes. Left: The tripod stand and tools. Right: A repaired bike.
The Birth of a Business
The business, which started with them fixing only their own bikes, quickly grew. They found themselves repairing everything from rusty chains to faulty derailleurs, often sourcing parts from Amazon, Target, or REI.
Their business model was simple but effective: assess the problem, quote a fair price based on parts and labor, and get the bike back to the customer as quickly as possible. They had no fixed price structure, which allowed them to adapt to each job’s unique challenge. Their flexibility, locality, and speed soon made them a favorite in Cupertino.
We were inspired to start when we learned that many community members were unable to cycle as their bikes were in need of repair, and they either didn’t have the time, money, or expertise to get their bikes back on the road. We wanted to make sure that everyone had access to biking without being limited by any of those factors.
Despite the difficulty in scaling the work, the satisfaction of solving problems and helping others kept them going. Along the way, they also discovered a tool that allowed them to market their venture to Cupertino residents: Nextdoor. After starting to post monthly about their accomplishments and satisfied customers, people began to take notice. What first began as them reaching out to customers, turned into customers reaching out to them.
Testimonials from the Nextdoor community, where Ishan and Armaan have established a major presence in Cupertino.
Impact
Today, Ishan and Armaan estimate that they have repaired bikes for approximately 50 families in Cupertino. They think there is immense room for growth. They’re constantly brainstorming ideas to take their project to the next level. Some future plans include servicing more bikes in the community and expanding outreach to more local cities. They believe that through small steps, they can establish a name for themselves in the bike work industry.
Let us know if you have any questions or thoughts about the BayBikeBros business by emailing us at info@walkbikecupertino.org or posting in the comments below.
Note: between the writing of this article and its publication, Walk Bike Cupertino interviewed and offered Ishan Khosla, one of the founders of BayBikeBros, a position as a Youth Board member.
The information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and does not reflect the opinions of any other organization or entity. For more information, contact WBC at info@walkbikecupertino.org.
Pictures of the BayBikeBros founders is not visible on the mobile view. The web site view shows the 2 boys and their pictures.
Nicely written article. Good to see high schoolers spending their time worthwhile.
Good catch, Jayshri! We’ve updated the mobile and tablet versions to make sure that everyone can see the picture of the BayBikeBros. Thanks for your keen eyes.