Eaton Bikes Key West – A New Fave Shop

Eaton Bikes Drawing

Paradise is best on two wheels.  With a slogan like that, we knew we found the best bike shop in Key West.  On vacation in the Florida Keys, we spent a day in Key West, home of Hemmingway, the Southernmost Point in the United States and people dressed in silver catsuits and body paint also known as street performers.  It’s also the home of a very cool bike shop, Eaton Bikes, just a few blocks off the main drag of Duvall Street, where you can also catch a drag show if so inclined.  We opted for stops at Mallory Square, Panini Panini sandwich shop on Duvall and Virginia Streets, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, the Southern Most Point marker, Higgs Beach, and a wonderful vegan/vegetarian bar/restaurant on Southard Street called simply, “The Café.”  The first stop however, was the bike shop.

Cruise to Southernmost Point

We’ve rented beach cruisers a few years ago in Key West, but I couldn’t remember the shop name.  All I can recall is that the shop had an actual name as opposed to Key Bikes, Bike Key West, Sunshine Cycles or any goofy touristy combination of bike related and tropical related words.  “It’s a real shop name,” I said, “not Key West Bike Rental.”  We binged and googled “Key West Bike Shop” on our phones as we drove down the sliver of Highway 1 that ties the keys together.  We scrolled through the results.  The only bike shop that came up with a normal name was Eaton Bikes, 830 Eaton Street.  “That must be it!”

Mirror in Eaton Bikes Restroom

Every bike shop in Key West rents beach cruisers.  I’m also pretty sure that every bank, bar, sandwich stand and parasailing outfit also rent bikes.  We wanted a real bike shop, run by people into cycling.  I didn’t want to rent from an “activity” center and people more interested in our credit card number than making sure we had good bikes and a great time.  The second the shop door bell clanged overhead, we definitely stepped into the right place.  Wow!

Handpainted

The staff at Eaton was super friendly.  The price was right, $18 for a 24 hour rental.  Being typical fussy cyclists, even with beach cruisers, they spent extra time making sure our saddles and handlebars were set up on our Jamis cruisers where we wanted them.  While they closed at 8pm, they instructed that if we were out late we could lock the bikes to the fence and drop the key in a mailbox.  They even had lights on the bikes.  While they went about setting up bikes for all six of us, I set out in the shop snapping pictures of the hand painted cruiser bikes and interesting bike art.  

Fun Handpainted Goodness

Paul Frank Sockmonkey Saddle

Not Sure If It Honked or Squaked

Key West Headlights

Should've Bought For My Cross Bike

Across from The Cafe'

Token Seagull on Dock Shot

And, The Token Sunset

Fatty Time vs. Ned Overend Time

It's Fatty Time!

From kayaking in Key Largo, hiking in Breckenridge, riding a Volcano in Maui, no matter what endeavor you choose or wherever it is, undoubtedly you’ll been exposed to Fatty Time.  Chances are you’ll kick its ass.  That was the case for us while on vacation in Key Largo last week.  (Now you know why the blog’s been dormant for a week.)

As an endurance athlete, we’re all used to doing outdoor activities for hours and hours.  Consequently we look for similar activities while on vacation.  If you can’t do three hours on a road bike at home, you look to do three hours on a beach cruiser, three hours in a kayak, three hours hiking on the trail.  The problem is that the quoted times for vacation activities aren’t given in fit-person time, it’s Fatty Time. 

All Hail King Ned

There’s been only one time where I was actually quoted a time for an outdoor activity where I couldn’t even come close to touching it.  That was in Albuquerque, on Sandia Peak.  Apparently way way way back in the day when I had a Proflex with purple anodized parts, they held a hill climb on Sandia Peak and pro mountain bike guru Ned Overend won (on what now would be a sad excuse for a Specialized bike.)  Our trip was back in the early 90’s.  We went to visit a friend who worked for Intel in Albuquerque.  I’m not sure if the signs are still posted, but as we climbed the trail to the summit, along the way we were reminded of how much we sucked.  The signs read, “Ned’s Time 35 minutes.”  Foolishly I looked at my computer.  It read 55 minutes.  On and on, Ned's gap grew to nearly an hour at the top.  Even when I was in my late 20’s, Ned was killing me.  He still can.

Conversely to Ned’s Time, I was quoted Fatty Time in Key Largo last week.  We rented sea kayaks at John Pennekamp Coral Reef Park.  The guide at the kayak rental place quoted us 1 ½ to 2 hours to complete a trail carved out through the mangrove swamp along the ocean.  For four cabin fever plagued Cincinnatians, we couldn’t sign the waiver fast enough for a two hour outdoor adventure under sunny skies in 75 degree weather.  We set off zigging and zagging our way up and down three channels, snapping photos and playing bumper boats.  We sprinted for buoys.  We had a blast and covered every inch of trail and probably a few places we weren’t supposed to paddle through.  We docked the boats.  Less than an hour had passed.

Dammit.  We were quoted Fatty Time.

Haleakala Downhill Dorks

Ya see, Fatty Time is a time quoted for an outdoor activities based on how fast the average tourist can complete the activity.  It takes 2 hours for the average tourist to kayak the mangroves in Key Largo.  HawaiiActivities.com quotes 5-6 hours to complete an 18 mile downhill bike ride from the top of Haleakala to the sea.  Most of the people who read this blog can ride a slight grade uphill for 18 miles in under an hour.  I haven’t kayaked for 2 years.  I get sea sick in open water.  I am the tourist kayak king of Key Largo. 

When booking activities on vacation always keep Fatty Time and the following in mind.  The average tourist takes the car from the hotel room to the front desk to get fresh towels.  The average tourist has barely enough endurance to walk the aisles at a grocery store.  The average tourist doesn’t bring their own bike helmets and running shoes on vacation.  The average tourist can’t swim the length of the hotel pool.  The next time you rent a bike, hike a trail or kayak, remember to ask, “…now is that Ned's Time or Fatty Time.”