Wheaton resident opens bicycle repair shop

WHEATON – Collin Tillotson has been repairing bicycles for most of his life.

"When I was about 7 years old, I got a hand-me-down bike that broke right after I got it," said the Wheaton resident, who is now 34. "I got it working for a short period of time."

Tillotson recently opened a bicycle repair shop, The Bike Surgeon, which is based out of his home at 415 S. Pierce Ave. in Wheaton. Prior to opening the business, he had been manager of Element Multisport in downtown Glen Ellyn, which later became The Bike Hub. Tillotson also worked for Performance Bicycle for nine years, managing stores in Chicago, Naperville and Schaumburg.

"This is something I always wanted to do," Tillotson said about starting The Bike Surgeon. "I find enjoyment meeting people where I live and talking to them about their bikes and offering them advice."

With a 48-hour turnaround goal, Tillotson hopes to get customers back on their bikes as soon as possible. That includes people who are bringing in their bike for repairs prior to a race.

"There are a lot of people who have last-minute race repairs," he said. "They need their bike taken care of overnight. But it's just as important to me if people are going on vacation and need their bike repaired. I check out the whole bike when somebody drops it off."

Tillotson knows the importance of having a bike in good working condition before a race. He planned to participate in the Tour of Glen Ellyn bicycle race July 16 as both a participant and volunteer.

But he wants to educate his customers as well.

"I would rather teach them how to work on their own bike than have them rely on me for everything," Tillotson said.

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Know more

Information about The Bike Surgeon is available by going to its Facebook page at facebook.com/thebikesurgeon.