United They Stand: A Glimpse into the United Ladies Bikes & Accessories

Although the United Ladies Bikes and Accessories (AKA “Bike Ladies”) may not be a household name for some, they are undoubtedly a key entity in the world of bicycle enthusiasts.  United Ladies Bikes and Accessories is a one stop shop for all of your unique or custom bicycle needs.  They sell various bike parts including bike tires, rims, seats, grips, and handle bars.  As one of the owners of United Ladies Bikes and Accessories, Cindy Contreras states, we have “everything you would need to build a bike.  You can bring your frame [in] and walk away with [a] complete bike.”  Cindy continues, “We have many different styles and colors… and we carry every size bike part.”  And if for some reason they don’t have the part you are looking for, United Ladies Bikes and Accessories guarantees to “try to get it or let you know where you could get it.”  Now that sounds like good customer service.

The Bike Ladies offer up great history and bike accessories.

The vision of the “Bike Ladies” started in the late 1970’s when an all-girls car club, named The United Ladies Car Club, was created.  New members from close and far joined the estrogen-rich club, all “uniting” together for this common interest.  The car club continued until “everyone started getting married and having kids,” Cindy claims.  That’s when Cindy’s leisure activity transformed into a business.  She began her bicycle enterprise in 1993 when she opened The United Ladies Lowrider Bike Shop in La Puente, California.  When she started off, she had a slightly different business model.  “We started by buying old bikes and repainting and fixing them up for resale,” Cindy recalls.  As the demand grew for specific bicycle parts, the “Bike Ladies” aimed to appease their customer base by broadening their scope to include carrying new bicycles and bicycle parts.  One of their most prized processions was a custom made tandem Schwinn Lil’ Tiger bike.

This Schwinn Lil’ Tiger was one of the collectibles displayed at UCLA’s museum, on loan from The United Ladies Lowrider Bike Shop.

This petite bike was made in the 1960’s and is a mere 12” long.  Imagine that!  This bike was such an anomaly that the “Bike Ladies” were asked to show their tandem bike at one of UCLA’s museums.

The United Ladies Lowrider Bike Shop remained open until 2000 when they closed their doors.  Cindy saw this as an opportunity to reinvent her business plan.  She changed her name to United Ladies Bikes and Accessories and took this opportunity to travel to car shows, bike shows, and swap meets.  The “Bike Ladies”, as Cindy and her business partner Anna Vallejo are now commonly referred to as; enjoy traveling to different swap meets and shows.  Cindy explains one of the perks of attending the Pomona Swap Meet.  “We all love going to the swap meet, because there are people we [met] many years ago and the only time you see them is at the swap meet, and these friends are our swap meet family.”

Cindy not only enjoys her pseudo families company at the swap meets, she has recruited the help of her children and grandchildren as well.  “From day one my daughter Rosalie and my son Dion [have] been part of this family business.  They started by helping unload the trailer one tire at a time,” Cindy recalls.  “They never had a problem being at the swap meet at 3 AM.”  Now that Cindy’s children are grown up, her grandchildren are helping out too.  Cindy has three grandchildren who started helping at the swap meet as soon as they could walk; Joe who is 11, Phillip who is 6, and Frankie who is 5.  “Frankie is my granddaughter and she loves to go to the Pomona Swap.  She knows everybody around us and all the vendors know her.”

Over the years the United Ladies Bikes and Accessories have undergone changes to their business location, their business name, and their business model.  Despite these changes, the “Bike Ladies” have remained united in their love for bicycle parts and accessories.  Cindy summarizes it best by claiming “20 years later [and] still having fun.”  If you are interested in finding specific bicycle parts or in learning more about the United Ladies Bikes and Accessories, please send Cindy an email at [email protected] or you can give her a call at (909) 994-1420. Also visit them on Road 26, Spaces 55, 65 and 67. at the next Pomona Swap Meet.

-By: Amy Strange, Contributor

Three generations of the “Bike Ladies.” From left to the right: Cindy Contreras, Frankie Contreras and Rosalie Contreras

Cindy Contreras doing what she does best: helping swappers out with whatever they’re on the hunt for!

Hard to find chrome wheels with hi-count spokes for your custom bike.