About Us
Yosemite Bicycle Shop opened in January 2001 by Rick Garner in Oakhurst, CA, just south of Yosemite National Park. I just moved my store to 1628 Crow Creek Dr. in Oakdale, CA. our new phone # is 559-760-5619. We have family and 4 grandkids in the Modesto area and finally decided it was time to make my home here.
I have been in the bicycle business since 1972, when my brother Mike and I opened Garner's Pro Bike Shop in Redwood City, Ca. (San Francisco Bay Area). In 1973, I started building bicycle frames and in 1978, I started building all terrain bikes (later to be called mountain bikes). We started the Sequoia Cycling Club a year later and promoted many bike races. In 1974, My brother and I were among the very first Specialized bicycle dealers in the world and were involved in the founding of Specialized Bicycle Components Co. and helped Mike Sinyard develop the first production mountain bike in the world (the Stumpjumper). In 1975-1976, I was the district representative for the U.S. Cycling Federation. In 1975, when I promoted the California State Championships that I went to Caltrans for a moving road closure permit for the road race championships. It was a surprise to them because they had never issued one to a bike race before even though bike races had been held in the state long before I started promoting them. The time trial course that I chose that year near Sierraville, Ca. is still being used today for the state championships.
In the spring of 1976, I was approached by the San Francisco Columbus Day Celebration Committee who were interested in holding an international caliber bicycle race to take place in September as part of the Columbus Day festivities. I agreed to hold the event, which I named the Giro Di San Francisco. It was at this event that a prominent racer, Bob Lemond brought his 15 year old son Greg to the sign in table and asked if I could issue him a racing license so he could race. It was there that I issued Greg Lemond his first racing license. Greg finished third that day and was awarded a trophy that stood as tall as he did by Mayor Mosconi In 1977, I moved the race to the North Beach area of San Francisco with the first ever climb up Lombard Street ! It was during this race, that Greg Lemond passed the lead motorcycle up that hill and went on to win the event. It was Dianne Feinstein that awarded him his trophy that year.