Ahhhh...Sugden and Lynch. Great bike shop. Nice guys - Nick and Martin
Lynch.
Peter said he was driving down Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park a few weeks
back and an awning company was replacing the awning on the Optician Shop
where Sugden & Lynch USED to be (until circa 1980). They had removed the
decrepit awning, revealing the old "Sugden & Lynch Bicycles" sign above the
door. Peter pulled over and stared at the sign for a moment, reminiscing the
glory days of the 1970s, when the shop was going like gangbusters. Jim
Landreth of Menlo Sport, in Menlo Park, later bought S&L, around 1980.
Sadly, Jim passed away a few years back. First time I ever rode a real
'penny farthing' ("boneshaker") was in 1981, behind Jim's shop in the
parking lot. I was a hot racer chick and thought I could do anything. Well,
I got launched right over the handlebars on that bike and landed on my
keester. He reached out and caught the bike but let me take the scrapes and
bruises. Jim had a good laugh over that one.
S&L sold Masi, Pogliaghi, Peugeot, Raleigh, Zeus, Vittore Gianni wool
clothing, Clement tires, and of course, Campagnolo. They sold Clement tires
mail order and did well at that.
Okay, back to reality.
Jan Johnson
Portola Valley, CA