Oliver de Abreu was studying business at the European Institute of Entrepreneurship in Madrid, Spain, more than 6,000 miles from home, and suffering from acute anxiety.
Looking around at his classmates, many of whom were raised in privilege, de Abreu felt out of place, an imposter.
His were humble beginnings. He’d grown up in Venezuela, the son of a grocer. And while his father was himself an entrepreneur with his own store, de Abreu felt small and unprepared in the echoing halls and lecture rooms of the university.
He had a wife and infant daughter depending on him, but the weight of the world and its impending expectations of him were overwhelming.
“I wanted to scream—to cry, even,” he said. “I wanted to quit. But then it hit me: I don’t have to compete with the world. I can pick a community and give them my all, like my dad did back home.”
de Abreu, who’d dreamt of living in the United States, researched business opportunities in Miami. After what felt like countless web searches and phone calls to friends and associates, he discovered that while the area had a thriving cycling community, it lacked a bike shop whose purpose was to serve its members, not just sell to them.
As he spoke with cyclists to learn about their needs and desires, he became more and more captivated with every story.
“I wanted to know the good, the bad and the ugly—what cyclists hated about going into a bike shop, what made them cringe about the idea,” he said.
Cyclists, he found, love the sport because it’s a fun way to stay fit. It provides a sense of community and a safe escape from the commotion of modern life—”a retreat into the soul of nature,” as he put it.
“It was all very simple: They want a good bike and to have fun, stay fit and build a community around their hobby,” he said.
In September 2016, de Abreu opened Suncycling and Fitness Shop as a response to the needs he’d heard. The business has since grown to two locations in Coconut Grove and Hialeah, with two additional shops planned in Downtown Miami and Coral Gables.
His staff, comprised of athletes and cycling engineers with the same enthusiasm for cycling as their clientele, guide cyclists new and experienced through the company’s impressive inventory and services. Suncycling offers a spectrum of pro bikes, e-bikes, urban bikes, bike components, apparel, accessories from top brands—often, Abreu said, at a third of the price offered by competitors.
“Our staff knows cycling; they’re not just trained salespeople trying to make you buy things you don’t need or want,” he said. “We want to help you find a happy medium between quality and price, so that you can pursue your hobby without limits.”
Every bike sold comes with 20 Suncycling perks ranging from a 14-day change-your-mind refund, free flat repairs, personal training, nutritional expertise, fitting sessions, body measurements, watch parties, weekly fun rides and access to invite-only events.
Online, Suncycling’s Facebook page is host to nearly 1,700 dedicated cyclists who discuss their shared passion, plan rides throughout Miami or organize to participate in rides listed on the company’s website.
For de Abreu, becoming part of this tightly knit crowd of adventure seekers was the ultimate reward. But to get there required earnestly caring about the people in the community, not to mention a lot of hard work.
“Every person I helped opened doors for me,” he said. “I’ve been able to travel all over and make friends—real friends—within the cycling world. When I get to see someone else pursue their hobby full-heartedly and turn it into a passion, that’s what Suncycling is all about for me.”
For more information, visit www.suncycling.com or www.facebook.com/suncyclingcfs.
