History

While Mikhail was attending Columbia University, he started commuting to class and his part-time teaching job in Berkeley College by bicycle. Riding his bike from Coney Island in Brooklyn to Morningside Heights in Manhattan kept him in shape and helped save money - it was also freedom. His passion for bikes has grown over the years: despite couple of stolen bikes, two bike accidents and having to maneuver through hundreds of miles of New York City streets - he proudly calls himself a NYC cyclist.

Looking for his first bike turned into a frustrating experience. Bikes in shops retailed at prices too high for a college student on a budget. Searching online classified ads was time consuming and disappointing. Most sellers were badly informed of the bike’s resell value and majority of the bikes needed repairs. One of Mikhail’s bike hunting experiences ended with buying a bike and then being stuck with it after the bike’s actual performance was not up to par.

Mikhail wanted to change that. Despite his enthusiasm for teaching Mathematics and his never-ending pursuit to write a PhD dissertation, Mikhail ambitiously decided to open a bike shop in Harlem, hoping that the store would help offset the cost of education.

Mikhail believes that selecting a bicycle is a very personal experience. With this belief in mind, he instituted the policy that centers on the customer, keeps the overhead down and offers a better shopping experience for an overall affordable and reliable option to purchase a new bicycle. Bicycles are simple mechanical devices. With proper maintenance or repairs, they can faithfully serve for a long time. Pedal Universe offers a selection of reconditioned bicycles at a very significant price advantage compared to similar models of new bicycles. Stop in and say hi (if he is not there, he should be in a library). Mikhail is an active and avid cyclist who enjoys chatting with his customers.