Business Spotlight: Loud Performance
Business Spotlight:
Loud Performance
The Folks at Loud Performance/Loud Underground are Here to Help With All Your Biking Needs
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to truly mountain bike? I don’t mean riding your traditional family bike through the neighborhood, sticking to the familiar streets surrounding your house. I mean taking your two wheels off the beaten path. Winding through and weaving around the trees on a rocket, stirring up dust and splashing through mud on a clearing just barely wide enough for your two tires, and making it out with nothing but some caked tires, a smile, and of course, memories that will carry you through the summer.
That’s what is so awesome about Ellicottville. Our town boasts state-of-the-art bike trails for all skill levels to enjoy that can be found at Holiday Valley, HoliMont and beyond. Some trails can be traversed within an hour, and riding others can kill a day. Either way, mountain biking in Ellicottville is the perfect summer activity for you and your family or friends!
Don’t know the first thing about biking? No problem! The folks at Loud Performance/Loud Underground, 2 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, are here to help you with all of your biking needs this summer.
Loud Performance offers three full-service bike and board shop locations in the WNY area, owned and operated by Dee Dippel. At Loud, you can rent or buy all things mountain bikes and even ride Loud’s very own trails at their flagship location located in Bemus Point. In Ellicottville, you can check out their shop in town, or find their remote service trailer at the base of the Sunset chair at the HoliMont Bike Park. Loud’s affiliation with HoliMont mountain biking has made it easier than ever to access HoliMont’s phenomenal downhill trails and to have the right equipment to do it. No matter where you are in WNY, there is a Loud Performance team to guide you.
I spoke with Dee Dippel, owner of Loud Performance and Loud Underground, who explained how he started his business back in 2015, which interestingly enough, had nothing to do with mountain biking at the time.
“Loud Performance got its roots in powersports,” said Dee. “We were definitely more involved in the powersports market back then, racing snowmobiles.” However, in true New York fashion, the weather for an eager Dee, ready to open his doors in October of 2015 was less than ideal. He realized pretty quickly that he might need to switch gears (no pun intended). “I think the trails were open like seven days that season; it was not great.” he commented.
That summer, Dee decided to dip his toes into the mountain biking market. He had always had a passion for it, and bought a small inventory for the summer of 2016. “By the end of September, we had them all sold,” Dee said proudly.
Seeing an opportunity in Ellicottville, Dee decided to add his second location, Loud Underground. He saw Ellicottville as a hub of recreation for WNY and appreciated their attraction traffic patterns in both the summer and the winter. A major draw was the system of mountain bike trails being carved out at HoliMont, and the attention to detail taken by the Western New York Mountain Biking Association to keep the connecting state trails pristine. “Providing services in the summertime has been a great addition to what I’m doing, and it’s been a great relationship with HoliMont. I can’t thank them enough!” Dee exclaimed.
All of this and more help sets Loud apart from other options when it comes to biking in Ellicottville. Along with their affiliation with the professionally maintained trails at HoliMont, Loud Underground offers fat bikes in the winter, which feature ultra-wide tires to chug through the snow. They have also branched out to include snowboards in their inventory, helping round them out as an all-season excursion. There is truly something for not only everyone, but for every time of the year at Loud!
Back in April, Dee and his buddy Chris Perks, owner of Daily City Train Skate Shop located in the same space at 2 Bristol Lane, joined forces (and their parking lot) to host a snowboard rail jam called Showdown Throwdown. Despite some rain, Dee reflected on the event successfully. “It’s definitely something we’re going to do again, and we’ve got some different ideas and programs for the shop to help get people engaged,” he added.
Definitely keep your eyes peeled both this summer and upcoming winter season, as things are in the works at both Loud Performance/Loud Underground and HoliMont. But in the meantime, why not get on a bike and enjoy the summer air with team at Loud? It’s a great activity for people of all ages and skill levels and will definitely make a fun summer memory! “For all your bike needs in Ellicottville, come find us at either 2 Bristol Lane or at the trailer at the base of HoliMont’s sunset chair,” said Dee.
You can find more information on Loud Performance and Loud Underground at loudperformance.com. Here, you’ll be able to check out bike rentals, trails, ride events, and more.