Bjorn Cycling is coming to Wayzata with a seasonal bike repair pop-up near the lakefront and Dakota Rail Regional Trail.
The Wayzata City Council approved a seasonal lease agreement with Bjorn Cycling for a pilot program at Shaver Park. The company will offer minor bicycle repairs, express tune-ups and free basic maintenance lessons for residents and trail users.
The repair station is scheduled to operate Saturdays from May 2 through Oct. 10 near the west end of downtown, close to Wayzata Beach. Hours are 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays from May 2 through May 23, then 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays from May 30 through Oct. 10.
The setup is expected to be simple: a small tent and bike repair station. Minor repairs will be handled on site. More extensive repairs will be done off site. Bjorn Cycling will offer discounted service for Wayzata residents and pay the city 10 percent of bike repair revenue.
For founder Erik Bloom, Wayzata was a natural fit.
“People aren’t there by accident,” Bloom said in written responses to Wayzata.com. “They’ve chosen to be outside… …you’re fitting into what they already came to do.”
Bloom sees the location as part of the normal flow of a lakefront visit. A rider can drop off a bike, grab coffee, take a walk downtown or meet friends, then come back when the work is done.
“The quick turn around helps riders that have the simpler fix to not have to drop off a bike and wait weeks for just a tune-up,” Bloom said.
Bjorn Cycling started as a teaching program for youth and adults and has grown into a bike service and teaching pop-up. According to materials provided by the company, Bloom started as a bike mechanic and avid rider while attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. In the late 1990s, he helped start a youth program in St. Paul where disadvantaged families could earn bicycles while working in a shop.
After years in the corporate world — while still working in bike shops as his “fun” job — Bloom began teaching bike maintenance classes in 2020. By 2021, the program had expanded from Plymouth and Wayzata to more than 10 locations.
Teaching remains part of the point.
“A repair is a transaction. Teaching is an interaction,” Bloom said. “One ends when the bike rolls away; the other sticks with the rider long after.”
At the Wayzata pop-up, Bjorn Cycling plans to offer free 15-minute trailside repair classes. Bloom said many small bike issues go unaddressed because riders either do not know what is wrong or feel intimidated walking into a traditional bike shop.
“When you embed education, even in a 5-minute interaction you lower that barrier,” Bloom said. “Suddenly maintenance feels approachable.”
Bloom said many casual riders assume that if a bike still rolls, it is fine. He wants riders to think instead about the basics: air, brakes and chain.
Underinflated tires make a bike harder to pedal and less stable. Weak brakes can make children, older riders and casual cyclists less confident on the trail. A dry chain can make a bike noisy, inefficient and more expensive to maintain over time.
“Confidence in braking equals confidence on the trail,” Bloom said.
The pilot also includes a complimentary spring bicycle safety check event for Wayzata residents. Bjorn Cycling’s own materials describe the opening event on May 2nd as “Free Bike Checks by the beach.”
City staff said the Parks and Trails Board reviewed the proposal and unanimously recommended approval. The board found that the program would improve access to bike repair services for residents and trail users while minimizing conflicts with peak beach activity.
The location puts Bjorn Cycling near several of Wayzata’s most active public spaces: Shaver Park, Wayzata Beach, the lakefront and the Dakota Rail Trail.
Bloom said success after the first season would not be measured only by how many bikes were fixed.
“Success after that first season in Wayzata isn’t just about how many bikes you fixed,” Bloom said. “It’s about whether the program became part of the rhythm of the place.”
His longer-term hope is for Bjorn Cycling to become a more permanent trailhead resource for riders, residents and visitors.
For now, the idea is straightforward: keep people riding, teach them a little along the way and make it easier to enjoy Wayzata on two wheels.
