For local use only

HE IS

A biking enthusiast who enjoys sharing his love.

SELLING ENTHUSIAST

John Canepa, 23, has been working in the bike industry for six

years, three of them at Jax Bicycle Center in Downtown Huntington

Beach.

He’s wanted to sell bikes since he was a kid hanging around bike

shops.

“I definitely credit everything to being involved in the cycling

community,” Canepa said. “It’s a great way to meet people, travel,

learn new things and cover new ground.”

Once a bike mechanic, Canepa joined the sales team this year and

likes the response he gets from his customers.

“I enjoy it,” he said. “I like working with people, setting them

up with a bike they like. I just love to see them leave happy.”

But to Canepa its more than selling bikes -- it’s that he’s doing

it in Huntington Beach.

“We take a different approach -- we’re working with hometown

people,” Canepa said. “To see them happy makes us happy and keeps

them happy -- it just goes in circles.”

The main lines he sells at Jax are Trek, Specialized and Santa

Cruz mountain bikes and Masi and Le Monde road bikes. These high-end

bikes range in price from $1,800 to $5,000, for a road bike much like

Lance Armstrong rode in the Tour de France.

But mostly he sells beach cruisers, which cost about $250.

“We’re the largest beach cruiser dealer -- No. 1 in the world,” Canepa said. “It’s the mecca for the cruisers with the boardwalk.”

HUNTINGTON FAN

He’s lived in Huntington Beach for five years and loves it here.

“It’s great,” Canepa said. “Whatever your interest is you’ll find

other people doing the same thing and there’s always a place to go do

it.”

He enjoys being by the ocean and in a laid back community and

likes working in the Downtown area where everyone knows each other

and is friendly.

“It’s a perfect mixture of good people, good weather and fun

things to do,” Canepa said.

Though he grew up in Southern Florida, he always knew he’d live in

California. He found Huntington Beach fits his needs and active

lifestyle.

“I knew it was the place to be,” Canepa said. “Because it has

everything. It’s the only place in the world that has the perfect

combination. This is the place.”

LIVING THE LIFE

Last year, he took some time off and lived and raced abroad.

“It really opens your eyes on the world in general, seeing people

all over the world riding bikes and enjoying it,” Canepa said.

He has met a lot of people from different countries and most, he

said, think it’s cool that he lives in California. And they recognize

Huntington Beach.

“Huntington Beach is world-renowned for BMX, surfing,

skateboarding,” Canepa said. “It’s kind of the center for it.”

“It feels great to ride, be in the outdoors,” Canepa said. “It’s

good for you mentally and physically -- I always feel great after a

good ride.”

-- Interview by Suzie Harrison

and photo by Crystal Lauderdale