Competitive Cyclist

In the last decade or so, Competitive Cyclist has grown from relatively humble beginnings as a small Hillcrest bike shop into one of the biggest online bicycle retailers in the world.
Partners Brendan Quirk and Craig Zediker started the business in the late ’90s “because we were racing; we just loved high-end racing bikes,” said Quirk, president of Competitive Cyclist. “And at that point, culturally, cycling was not as popular as it is now.”
Quirk and Zediker soon recruited Hap Seliga as a third partner. Seliga is “a really passionate mountain biker, and we wanted to expand into mountain biking, so we recruited him, and the three of us together have built what we have now,” Quirk said.
The partners turned to the Internet to connect with high-end bicycle customers around the country. Before long, they shut down the storefront to focus on the Internet.
Competitive Cyclist now employs 60 people at its 25,000-SF administrative office and distribution facility in North Little Rock. That central location has been an advantage for a business whose customers often need parts and accessories delivered quickly.
“Our biggest markets are California and New York City, so being central to those two places is nice,” Quirk said.
But some of the biggest factors in the company’s success are its high level of customer service and the fact that the employees are serious gear heads who understand the culture of bicycling and are willing to spend time talking to customers about the ins and outs of a particular bike, accessory or piece of clothing.
“Our customers tell us that we have a Zappos level of customer service,” Quirk said, referring to the online shoe retailer.
“Another important strength is that bikes are very technical products, and bike gear, whether it’s a pair of shorts or a helmet or a whole bike, it’s a really technical purchase,” he said. “We strive to educate our customers, because we feel like educated customers are the most confident customers.”

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