WG Wheel Works opens West Orange Trail station

For the grand opening of the newest West Orange Trail station Feb. 7, Winter Garden Wheel Works is inviting the community to a celebration from 10 a.m.-noon at the station, 455 E. Plant St.

This event will include free refreshments, door prizes, music, balloons for children and other giveaways.

“It’s just to make it a formal event,” said Dennis Jones, co-owner of Winter Garden Wheel Works, which opened the station for service Jan. 20.

Orange County Parks and Recreation partnered with Winter Garden Wheel Works to open the Winter Garden Station of the West Orange Trail with a bicycle rental service. This service has moved from the Winter Garden Wheel Works shop on West Plant Street a few blocks along the road, with the idea of making it easier for trail riders to park, ride and play.

This station is about 5 miles east of the trail’s starting point, Killarney Station, the only other rental location on the trail at this time, Jones said. Among bicycles available for rent will be comfort hybrids, performance road bikes, recumbent and tandem.

Rentals, accessories and nutrition products will be the offerings at the station, with no plans to expand into service because of the close proximity to Winter Garden Wheel Works’ main location.

“We say we don’t do service, but we will help with triage, flat tires and small things,” said Karen Jones, Dennis’s wife and co-owner. “In the worst-case scenario, we take them a few blocks down and service them there. We make sure they’re riding safe — no loose handlebars or seats not tightened. It’s a two-second fix; we’re here for convenience. If it doesn’t take parts, pieces or time, we’ll get you back on the trail, and air is always free.”

In addition to rider safety, the Joneses and their staff want to make it easier for riders to access the trail from a location with a lot dedicated almost exclusively to the trail, as well as provide information to people not familiar with the area.

“We can refer them to local restaurants and show them the charm of Winter Garden,” Dennis said.

The manager of the Winter Garden Station will be Beverly Edgar, who joins the Joneses in excitement for this addition to not just the trail but the community.

“There is a lot of excitement among trail riders that this is open again,” Edgar said of the station, which was a dormant building for about two years. “We will get a lot of visitors not familiar with the area who can get a lot of information on the area and the store.”

For more information, visit wgwheelworks.com or call (407) 877-7433 for the Winter Garden Station or (407) 654-1496 for the main Winter Garden Wheel Works location.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].