In my conversation with Andrew Crooks, who has been catering to the East Village's biking needs since 2005, I learned that after moving to Manhattan, he realized that if he was going to spend seventy to eighty hours a week working, he needed to be involved with something about which he was passionate. That realization, as he put it, "narrowed down the list of things [he] wanted to do." Having been an avid cyclist since college, Andrew wanted to remain involved in the cycling community. Thus, he opened his first shop on Second Avenue, finding his niche in this market.In 2013, when Andrew was approached by the developer of Gotham West Market, who envisioned NYC Velo not only as a bike shop but also as a bike concierge for the residents of the new rental apartments above Gotham West, he jumped at the opportunity. The store provides bike storage, repairs and rentals for apartment dwellers who are only a few turns of the peddles from the Hudson River Greenway.Happy to help residents, casual bikers, and competitive cyclists alike, NYC Velo prides itself on being a place for "cyclists by cyclists." Each member of the staff has previous experience working in bike shops and can offer excellent guidance on their wide selection of new bikes.