What does heaven look like? I have seen it and it has more bikes and bike stuff in one place than you can imagine. You probably wouldn’t expect to find heaven in Pittsburgh, but there it sits in a forlorn industrial park not far from downtown. Behind a faux storefront painted on an industrial building sits the largest collection of bicycles and bike stuff in the entire world.
I was visiting Pittsburgh with my wife who was attending the annual NCECA ceramics convention. She was up to her ears in clay every day and I was free to play in the traffic. So when I found out about Bicycle Heaven I knew I had to go there. It is overwhelming from the moment you enter. They ask for a donation to support it and it is well worth the taxi fare and a generous donation to go there.
The bikes on display range from 19th century penny farthings (with the large front wheel) to the latest carbon fiber race bikes. The majority of the bikes are sting rays, cruisers and old steel 10 speed racers. There is a gazillion bike parts of every variety and much of it is for sale. And then there are the exotics: The Bowden Spacelander plastic aerodynamic bikes, PeeWee Herman’s bike and even a Missoni designer bike. There are more forks than you will find anywhere, all arranged by color, a zillion banana seats, piles of tires, buckets of old brakes and derailleurs and other components. Give yourself some time to wander around and absorb it all. They also have a bike shop and rent bikes, too.
The crowning glory, the pièce de résistance, the masterpiece of the entire place is the disco black-light bike extravaganza: (turn up the sound!)
Go there – you can bike there, walk, drive, taxi, even go by boat, but GO!
open daily 10am – 7pm
RJ Casey Industrial Park
1800 Preble & Columbus Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
(412) 734-4034
(412) 716-4956