As Mr Bartlett and wife Chris mark 30 years in their own business, they've put the Bridge Street shop up for sale and are planning their retirement.

Both ceded it would be with some sadness they'd be leaving the industry, but they were looking forward to travelling, spending more time with family, and, in Mr Bartlett's case, fishing.

"It will be sad - meeting people's always been a great thing about this work," he said.

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Mr Bartlett spent his first 23 years in the bicycle business working for a father and son - first in repairs and sales for Reg Smith, and later managing shops for his son Malcolm.

He then opened his own shops, spending 10 years each in premises on Fitzroy Street, in the old Southgate shopping complex, then in his current location.

Mrs Bartlett has worked by his side, mainly in administration, and said she'd also enjoyed meeting customers.

Another highlight has been watching her husband work: "He's definitely very good - fast and accurate."

In tandem with his work, Mr Bartlett also has a healthy track record of cycling for leisure and competition.

He's a life member of Tamworth Cycle Club, has won NSW country road and track titles, finished third twice in the Grafton to Inverell, and still coaches kids to victories such as state titles and Australian and international placings.

"I just think it's a clean, healthy sport," he said of its appeals.

"It's also a pretty hard sport. You've got to be dedicated and spend a lot of hours on it.

"It's also low-impact on your body - unless you fall off, of course."

Fall off he did in mid 2007, in an accident with a car while riding home from work. He ended up with a broken leg and off work for months. Mrs Bartlett stepped up, as did Armidale cycling colleagues Mark and Jock Bullen, to keep the business ticking on.

On the seemingly constant debate on cyclists' and motorists' rights and responsibilities, he said: "We've just got to share the roads."

Mr Bartlett said he'd seen a surge in popularity in the sport in recent years.

"It's mainly middle-aged people getting back into it or starting in the sport - mainly for fitness, but masters racing is also fairly big."

As for the future of the sport locally, he said the Northern Inland Centre of Sporting Excellence would be a boon.

"I think it will probably draw a lot of younger kids into it - the track is not as steep and the purpose-built crit course will be a lot safer than mixing it with traffic."

Challenges during the years have included online retail - "A lot of people do buy bikes and equipment online; some people even come in and try shoes on, then buy them online - it does happen".

But the face-to-face interactions have made up for that. "You get loyal customers come and go all the time - we've had customers into the family's fourth generation."