The iconic lizard sculpture made of bike parts in Dolores has pedaled into the sunset.
After eight years in business, Lizardhead Cyclery in Dolores has closed its doors, said owner Nicholas Tyson Jones.
He opened his shop in 2012 on the town’s main street, offering new and used mountain and road bikes, BMX, accessories and repairs. The shop was an authorized dealer for Breezer bicycles.
Later on, Jones added used ski gear and ski and snowboard maintenance under the tagline, “Have you waxed your bottom?”
In 2014, Lizardhead Cyclery was awarded the 2013 Braxton Bicycle Shop Award by national magazine Adventure Cycling. Jones and his shop were credited with mechanical services and customer service that went beyond typical operations, including rescuing stranded cyclists.
Jones’ enthusiasm for cycling, craftsmanship and repair work was a presence in town, and his classic bike shop was a gathering spot for the outdoor crowd.
He raced locally, arranged epic rides and encouraged others to take up the sport.
“I love improving what people have, refurbishing parts and reusing them,” he told The Journal in a previous article. “When your bike runs well, you are happier, you ride better and hit the trails more often.”
His shop’s creative and instructional Facebook posts sometimes starred the antics of his shop cat. In 2017, he created a quarter-mile ice-skating track on McPhee Reservoir for cross-training purposes.
Jones said to his large following on social media he will miss the Dolores community and Colorado.
As for his plans, he said in eight years he has never taken a vacation.
“I’ve been working nonstop. Now I can finally go on a vacation and see some friends,” he said. “I’m optimistic.”
Lizardhead is the second bike shop in Dolores to come and go in the last 20 years. Dolores has easy access to a network of mountain bike trails and is at the crossroads of the Western Express Bicycle Route and the Great Parks South Bicycle Route.
“Dolores is an untapped market to discover with all of our biking trails, river adventures, McPhee Reservoir, fishing, hiking and camping, ” said Susan Lisak, director of the Dolores Chamber of Commerce.
