Martins Bike and Fitness

 Martins Bike & Fitness is a retail store in Ephrata, PA. I purchased a Giant Roam II bike there in 2013. I researched and tried many bikes before settling on the Giant Roam. My local bike shops did not carry the Giant brand. Martins was a high volume dealer that had Giant bikes in stock at at an attractive price point. Since then I purchased another bike for my wife and a carbon frame for me.

I try to utilize my local bike shop whenever possible but I liked the Giant brand. I do stay local for accessories and repairs. Recently I decided it was time for a new helmet. My local shop was closed that day and I remembered Martins was building an addition the last time I had visited a few years ago. I thought I would take the two hour ride to get the helmet and see the expansion.

When I walked into the expanded store I was awe struck. This is one of the the largest bike shops I have ever been in. There are other retailers that sell more bikes but they generally have many locations. Martains is concentrated in a single location. The store has a large staff and everyone I delt with was very knowledgeable. They have a dedicated test track to facilitate trying out your favorite bike before buying. 


The store also contains a museum. Their museum does not have nearly as many antique bikes as Bicycle Heaven but the bikes they do have are professionally displayed on raised platforms with railing and proper lighting. It creates a true museum experience rather than a bike shop filled with old bikes.




The store is located at 1891 Division Highway (Route 322), Ephrata, PA. Find it at: (40.14849, -76.12252)

For more information visit their website.



Bike Shop














Museum








































Courtney Campbell Causeway

 

The Courtney Campbell Causeway is located between Clearwater and Tampa, FL. It incorporates a four lane highway and a paved bike path. It is approximately eleven miles long. The bike path has nice views of Old Tampa Bay along its entire length.

About halfway across is a paid parking area (27.97187, -82.61127). There are porta potties here. The bike path is across the highway but there is a traffic light that facilitates crossing. This is where I started. Perhaps there are better options, but I am not familiar with the area.

On the day I visited in May of 2025 there were a significant number of people, but the trail didn’t feel the least bit crowded since the people were spread out and the trail was very wide. The trail is flat, just a few feet above the water. The exception is a couple of bridges that allow marine traffic under the road/bike path. The nice part is that the bike path bridges are separate from the road bridges. The remainder of the trail is protected from the roadway by guard rails and or trees.

More information at:

Visit Clearwater

Florida Scenic Highways


Video of my ride: