Bike shops offer communities an old-school, vintage feel, yet many lack these gems in their own neighborhood. Thankfully for Hoboken and Jersey City residents, we have access to a full-service, sales, and repairs bike shop called Grove Street Bicycles. Located at 172 Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City, Grove Street Bicycles provides shoppers with kids’ bikes, men’s and women’s road bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, and electric bicycles. Read on to learn more about Grove Street Bicycles in Jersey City, its new location, + its unique products and services.
About Grove Street Bicycles + Its Products
Ralph Sinisi, owner of Grove Street Bicycles, is a native of Journal Square in Jersey City. When he moved downtown in 2005, he was shocked at the lack of bicycle shops in the area. To fulfill the community’s needs, Sinisi opened the bicycle shop with his business partner, Rodney Morweiser, in 2008.
“[Morweiser] and I both rode BMX bicycles together,” Sinisi told Hoboken Girl. “He was the only mechanic I would let work on my bike. He would make my bike feel so good, being as solid and well-assembled as possible. I approached Rodney about my idea to open a bicycle shop and have him as my partner.”
According to Sinisi, Grove Street Bicycles has the largest selection of bicycles in their area, with men’s and women’s hybrid bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, kid’s bikes, electric bikes, and bicycle gear and accessories.
“We have been pushing bicycle advocacy to make riding as safe as possible with the hectic traffic of our cities,” he said. “We work directly with Bike JC, an organization that works for the safety of riders and to make our city as bike friendly as possible.”
Grove Street Bicycles has sponsored Bike JC Ward Tour since 2010, providing free starting line wrenching and driving a mobile wrenching support van to assist those who need it along their ride.
The bike shop also sells a variety of popular, high-quality bicycles from brands like Jamis, Masi, Aventon, and Haro. Its main brand is Giant Bicycles — the largest bike manufacturer in the world.
“We offer our customers the highest quality bicycles, electric bicycles, accessories, rentals, and repairs,” said Sinisi. “All bikes come with free lifetime service. We will service your bike for free for as long as you own it. Our sales tax is only 3.5% on bikes and accessories since we are located in an Urban Enterprise Zone.”
Growing Through Challenges
Since its launch in 2008, Grove Street Bicycles has endured many challenges, from natural disasters to a global pandemic.
“In 2012 our store was flooded in Hurricane Sandy and we had to rebuild,” said Sinisi. “In 2016 a fire destroyed our original location. We moved to multiple temporary locations and finally moved into our amazing space now at 172 Columbus Drive.”
After its most recent move, COVID-19 hit and overwhelmed the bicycle supply chain, leading to a low stock of bicycles. In fact, throughout 2021, the store was almost empty.
“We continued to do all we could with service even though parts availability was also a huge problem,” he said. “The supply chain caught back up last year so we have an amazing stock of gorgeous bicycles and accessories at all times again.”
A Business Fueled by Passion
Sinisi and Morweiser have taken bike riding seriously throughout their lives. As a mechanic, Morweiser has over 35 years of experience. When launching the shop, they both intended to get more people in their community on bicycles.
“Riding a bicycle is one of the healthiest exercises possible,” Sinisi said. “Bikes are fun to ride and make people happy. Making people healthy and happy are our main goals.”
Sinisi especially enjoys operating his business out of Jersey City, highlighting his love for the diverse mix of people and communities in the area. In fact, his great-grandparents immigrated to Jersey City and Bayonne, and his grandparents settled in Journal Square.
“This place has been the lives of my family for many generations,” he said. “The way the city has grown and changed is staggering. The amount of development and new residents show the destination Jersey City has become.”
In addition to admiring his community members, Sinisi also takes pride in his staff, stating that the bike shop employs the best mechanics in the business. They provide custom bike builds and repairs for flat tires to hydraulic brakes and suspension components.
Grove Street Bicycles is located at 172 Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City. For client inquiries, call 201-451-BIKE or email grovestreetbicycles@gmail.com.
