25 years of evolution

High Peaks Cyclery celebrates quarter-century in Lake Placid

By MIKE LYNCH, Enterprise Sports Writer
LAKE PLACID — In 25 years as the owner of High Peaks Cyclery, Brian Delaney has witnessed his business evolve from a small bike shop to one that offers everything from guided cross country ski trips to outdoor gear for all seasons.

Delaney moved to the Lake Placid area shortly after 1980 Winter Olympics to pursue a degree in ski area management from North Country Community College in Saranac Lake. That move was inspired by an article that appeared in Outside Magazine that mentioned NCCC. Delaney had been working as a physical chemist but he didn’t find the work completely fulfilling.

“I read that article and it hit me like a sledgehammer,” he said. “This is my destiny.”

While living in Ray Brook, Delaney attended NCCC and worked part time at a sporting store in Lake Placid. After receiving his degree, he took a job working at a small mountain outside of Syracuse.

But he didn’t stay long, about a year.

“Syracuse wasn’t for us,” said Delaney, referring to his wife, Karen, who grew up in Michigan but came to Lake Placid to work at a local hospital as a nurse during the Olympics.

Dissatisfied with Syracuse, he and his wife scouted out a spot to open up a store in Lake Placid. What they found was the circular building downtown that served as at Austrian hospitality house during the 1980 Winter Olympics and later became the Aroma Round coffee shop and restaurant.

“It was good place for us to start because it’s an historic building,” Karen Delaney said.

The plan was to lead Adirondack bike tours and sell cyclery equipment. But the Delaneys could see there was a need for more than just a bike shop in Lake Placid and began the process of evolving into an all-season outdoor store.

After 10 years, their lease on the building was up. Instead of renewing, they purchased their present building on Main Street, which was a vending machine warehouse.

The Delaneys had the place renovated and started over in their new location. there, the evolution of the business continued.

“Making the store a year round operation was kind of a vision of my personality,” said Brian Delaney, a former member of the U.S. National cycling team who also enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, biking and backcountry and nordic skiing.

The retail store offers gear and guided trips on everything from rock climbing to skiing. In addition, downstairs, they lease space to Jones Outfitters, an Orvis fly fishing dealer and outfitter that specializes in guided fishing trips.

One change he’s seen in recent years is that the guiding aspect of the business called Mountain Adventure Guide Service has taken a larger role. To cater to this need, he has plans to renovate the building next door and create a “guide house” loosely based on a model he saw this past winter while skiing in Switzerland. It would have a bunk room and all outfitting would take place in that building.

“A downtown storefront for a guide service is needed, to have a focal point for people to come to,” said Delaney, adding that he’s been lucky enough to have good help both in retail and guiding to allow for this type of expansion.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a good group of guides,” he said, pointing out that his senior guide, Royce Van Evera has been with him for about 15 years.

Another change is that now all four of the Delaney children are working at the store, having all graduated from high school.

Today, High Peaks also runs a mountain bike center at Mount Van Hoevenberg in the summer and running and bike programs during the week in Lake Placid.

But with all the changes the business has gone through much has stayed the same.

One aspect of the business that has been there from the beginning is the summer mini-triathlon series.

“The mini triathlon is a down-home way to get people into triathlons,” Brian Delaney said. “We’ve introduced over 9,000 people to the sport of triathlon.”

While he said the triathlons aren’t money makers, Delaney seems to have a passion for them, a key thread that has been at the heart of what he’s done at the business since the start.

“It’s been a wonderful 25 years and we’ve been so fortunate to meet needs and help people enjoy life,” he said.