New Waltham bike and ski shop focuses on community over profit

A new bike and ski shop has opened in Waltham and emphasizes building community over creating profit.

Brothers-in-law Ken Howard and Tom Holt opened Pedals & Powder at 85 River St. in December 2025. Since then, hundreds of customers have come through the shop to repair, trade in and buy bikes as well as ski and snowboard equipment.

Bridging the gap

Since the closure of Frank’s Spoke ’N Wheel on Main Street two years ago, there hasn’t been a bike shop in the city. Arlington residents Holt and Howard stumbled onto Waltham as the perfect location for their venture, drawn by its central location, abundant parking and the absence of other similar shops in the area. Howard comes from a tech background, having previously worked in Silicon Valley and other tech sectors. Holt formerly worked in bike shops on Nantucket and ran the Sandy Pedals Bike Share on the island before moving to the Boston area to start Pedals & Powder. 

“I’d describe [the shop] as a service center that also sells used and refurbished bikes,” said Howard of the store. The ski and snowboarding services keep the business busy during the winter when bike services aren’t as popular.

Holt and Howard do custom bike builds, repairs and refurbishments. Additionally, they tune, wax, laminate and perform edge repair on skis and snowboards.

“We don’t do [ski] boots, though,” Holt clarified. “We are not feet people. Too many variables, it’s too personal. Everyone’s feet are different.”

A community-based approach to business

When walking into Pedals & Powder, customers are greeted by Fezzik, a French bulldog “shop dog” named after a character in “The Princess Bride.” Holt and Howard are behind the counter alongside racks of bikes, working on repairs in plain view of customers. They believe that this approach is unique, as most bike shops have mechanics separated from the customer. 

“We want to talk to you about your bike,” said Holt. “Come hang out with us.”

Holt and Howard want to give customers information to make an informed choice about their bike repairs and purchases. While some bike shops want to push new products to customers, Pedals & Powder mostly sells refurbished equipment. The new equipment they sell is from brands that align with their values. 

“We just don’t need more stuff,” Howard said.

The shop largely repurposes used parts for repairs, which keeps costs down for customers. “For some people their bike is their commute, it’s their livelihood,” said Howard. For low-income customers, Holt and Howard help them to get their bike back on the road and functional for work at the lowest cost possible.

Sometimes Holt and Howard explain to customers how to fix the problem themselves. While this isn’t good for profit, it is good for building community and trust which creates future business potential. “That’s what matters. Then when they need something else, they come back,” said Howard.

Gear trade-ins are a part of the Pedals & Powder wheelhouse as well. For families whose kids outgrow bikes and skis quickly, they can trade in their equipment year after year to put toward purchasing gear that fits properly. For adults, trade-ins give the opportunity to upgrade their gear. 

While most of their products are refurbished, Holt and Howard envision a demo system in the future where customers can try out newly produced gear for a period of time and purchase it at the end of the trial period if they choose.

‘Make it your own weird’

Holt and Howard specialize in refurbishing older bike frames with modern updates. A recent project included converting a bike frame from the 2010s into an e-bike. They have also helped customers negotiate purchases of bikes on Facebook Marketplace so they get the fairest deal. For a customer who was trying to decide if she wanted to repair her bike or buy a replacement, Holt was able to buy the same model on Facebook Marketplace in case she decides on a replacement. If she doesn’t, they can sell the bike to another customer.

All repairs and refurbishments are fueled by what Howard describes as “the spirit of the bike community.” According to him, everyone wants their bike to be customized to their own niche needs. The goal is to “make it your own weird,” he said.

With community as a throughline in their practices, Holt and Howard hope to bring together people from all over Waltham and the surrounding communities through their shop. So far, so good, they said.

“People want us to be successful,” Holt said. “They like the idea of a community bike shop.”