Action Wheels keeps Bethlehem riding

On a 17-degree day in Bethlehem, about 60 cyclists — bundled in layers and gripping frozen handlebars — showed up for a 3-mile ride in memory of Alex Pretti, a member of the cycling community who was killed in an encounter involving United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 24.

Part memorial and part protest, the ride brought together cyclists from across the Lehigh Valley to speak out against ICE and ride side by side despite the cold. 

Scott Effting, owner of Action Wheels Bike Shop at 520 W. Broad St., organized the ride as part of Angry Catfish’s global group memorial ride for Pretti. He said he didn’t expect a strong turnout because of the below-freezing weather, but the event became a favorite memory. 

He said moments like these are becoming defining for Action Wheels Bike Shop. 

The shop, which first opened in 1980, has grown alongside the city. It sells bicycles and accessories and offers repairs and tuneups.

“I was a kid who always came here,” Effting said. “They asked if I could help out for a pair of grips or two in the summer. I started managing the store a month later.”

Before taking over ownership in 2017, Effting worked under the shop’s original owner, Larry D’Amelio, for four years. He said D’Amelio ran the shop for more than 30 years before he died. 

“(The workers) really love the shop, so I think (D’Amelio) would be very stoked to see where it’s going,” Effting said.

Effting said he remembers BMX jams where more than 100 people showed up to ride and have fun. He also said he remembers smaller moments, like landing a new trick and celebrating with friends. 

For Effting, that sense of community runs through all his memories of riding.

“(At Action Wheels), it’s a very unique experience where every time you come in, it’s us,” he said. “It feels very personable. That’s what I really like.”

Inside the shop, that energy carries through the entire team. 

For Jakob Wellner — a Bethlehem native who has worked at the shop for two years — the job didn’t come through a formal application. He said it came from showing up and spending time with the staff. 

Now handling customer sales, he said the people are what keep him excited to come into work each day. 

“It’s a dream job,” Wellner said. “I bring my personality in here. There’s no facade and I feel like people like that.”

In the back of the shop, Scott Holjes has been keeping the wheels turning — both mechanically and socially — for six years. For him, fixing bikes is more than physical repair work.

“It’s fun to have people involved and to meet other like-minded individuals and have a good time,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like work. I think that’s why I’m still here.”

Holjes acknowledged the help he’s received from others, and expressed thankfulness for their kindness. He said he enjoys helping people get to work by fixing their bikes.

Customer appreciation, he said, shows up in small ways, like people bringing in fruit and snacks, which brightens his day.

“What’s definitely made (work) way more fun over the last couple of years is focusing more on what we can do for others,” Effting said. “Trying to be a pillar of our community and helping others has made it way more fun, interesting and refreshing.”

Still, running a small business hasn’t gotten easier. Effting said it’s become more difficult over time due to tariffs affecting imported bikes, forcing the shop to be more creative and step outside its comfort zone each year to make up for lost revenue.

To adapt, Effting said the shop has expanded its offerings, selling more merchandise and bringing in products beyond bikes.

This includes coffee from Blind Tiger, a local coffee roaster and caterer.

“Just like every other small business, we have to get a little crafty these days to keep doing it,” Effting said. 

Action Wheels also works closely with other local businesses, including Homebase Skateshop at 29 W. Fourth St., building a network of support across the city. 

“There’s a bunch of businesses that support each other,” Wellner said. “It’s sharing the spotlight and bringing more awareness to other shops.”

At the same time, the city around them is changing. 

Effting said more people are advocating for bike lanes, pedestrian safety and better infrastructure. He said Bethlehem is slowly becoming more welcoming to cyclists.

“With the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation getting a bigger location, Bethlehem is becoming a very bike and walking-centric city,” Effting said. “It’s very cool to see that change over time.”

Wellner has also seen changes in the city but believes it still needs improvement, and said he would like to see more pedestrian and cycling infrastructure because the area remains too focused on cars and should move in the opposite direction.

He said 15 years ago, there were at least five cycling races in the Lehigh Valley that no longer exist.

For a sport that once thrived in the region, Wellner said Action Wheels is trying to bring that energy back. 

“(Cycling is) a dying sport in a way,” Wellner said. “We want to bring more light to it and get it back into the (Lehigh) Valley because it was really popular around here.”

The team is planning to host another Pennsylvania Cyclocross Series this year, which is a fast-paced, closed-course event where riders complete laps. 

“This year’s main goal is to keep the dream alive, get a good turnout for our events and to have a good, safe year with all of our group rides,” Effting said.

Through group rides, campouts and after-work events, community remains central to everything Action Wheels does. Some events bring in dozens of regulars, while others — including the anti-ICE memorial ride — draw a wide range of participants. 

In many ways, Effting said the shop’s purpose has stayed the same: to be a place where people can hang out, make friends and have a good time.