Wheel & Sprocket: The North Shore's neighborhood bike shop

Wheel & Sprocket's Fox Point location is far more than a bike store — it's a 50-year-old family business that functions as the cycling hub for Milwaukee's North Shore communities.

Located at 6940 N. Santa Monica Blvd at the corner of Green Tree Road, this shop combines the resources of Wisconsin's largest independent bike retailer with the intimate, first-name-basis feel of a true neighborhood store.

For North Shore families in Fox Point, Bayside, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, and Glendale, it's the go-to destination for everything from a toddler's first balance bike to a professional bike fitting — and there's even a café inside.

A family business built on two generations

Wheel & Sprocket's story starts in 1973, when Frank Tamel opened a small bike shop in a Hales Corners strip mall. A young college student named Chris Kegel took a part-time mechanic job there and never really left. He purchased full ownership in 1989, made his final payment to Tamel in 1999, and spent the next two decades building the company into a cycling institution.

Chris Kegel became a Wisconsin cycling legend. He served as past president of both the League of American Bicyclists and the Wisconsin Bike Federation, helped found Bikes Belong (now People for Bikes), and was instrumental in developing the Oak Leaf Trail, Ozaukee Interurban Trail, and Hank Aaron State Trail — the very paths that North Shore families ride today. He received an honorary doctorate from UW-Milwaukee in 2016, and Wisconsin's governor declared September 25 "Chris Kegel Day."

When Chris passed unexpectedly in 2017 at age 64, ownership transferred to his three children: Noel Kegel (President), Amelia Kegel (VP and Board Chairperson of the Wisconsin Bike Fed), and Tessa Kegel. Today they run 12 locations across Wisconsin and Illinois with over 200 employees, making Wheel & Sprocket the largest independent Trek retailer in the world. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 with a gala at their Bay View flagship store.

Amelia Kegel has described the company's philosophy: "We are bike generalists that offer all types of bicycles, something for everyone who wants to enjoy cycling. We believe in not only selling bikes but also promoting safe riding environments. The world improves with an increasing number of cyclists."

What you'll find inside the Fox Point shop

The Fox Point location positions itself as the "community bicycle shop" for the North Shore. Unlike the massive 25,000-square-foot Bay View flagship, this is a smaller, more personal store where regulars know the staff by name. It was expanded in 2013 with an upstairs bike fitting studio and main-floor bathrooms, and in 2021 the Joy Ride Café opened inside the store, serving coffee, craft beer, pizza, and bakery items. All Joy Ride Café profits benefit the Chris Kegel Foundation.

Services span the full spectrum of cycling needs:

• New and used bike sales covering road, mountain, gravel, hybrid, commuter, cargo, e-bikes, recumbents, kids' bikes, and BMX from brands including Trek, Electra, Surly, Salsa, All-City, Pinarello, Riese & Müller, Tern, Yuba, and woom (a premium kids' bike brand)

• Full-service repair with tiered packages from a $50 wash-and-lube up to a $425 premium overhaul, plus à la carte services and express 24-hour turnaround options. Technicians are certified on Bosch, Shimano, SRAM, and other major e-bike motor systems.

• Professional bike fitting in the dedicated upstairs studio, operated in partnership with Milwaukee Bike Fit Studio. Fitter Phil Godkin earns rave reviews — one customer wrote: "Phil is truly a master of his craft. His knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, and cycling are impressive by any standards."

• Trade-in program using BicycleBlueBook.com valuations, with trade-in value issued as an immediate gift card — particularly useful for families with kids outgrowing bikes each season

• Home pickup and delivery for repairs within 10 miles

• Pack and ship services for bicycles

Accessories and gear come from brands like Bontrager, Shimano, SRAM, Thule, Saris, Kuat (car racks), Burley (trailers and child carriers), Pearl Izumi, Giro, Bell, CamelBak, and Wahoo Fitness. Every new bike purchase includes free professional assembly, a 30-day test ride with money-back guarantee, and an included service plan with 50% off labor for three years.

Store hours and contact information

Day Hours Monday 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Tuesday Closed Wednesday – Friday 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Saturday – Sunday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Phone: (414) 247-8100 · Email: foxpoint@wheelandsprocket.com · Website: wheelandsprocket.com

Why families keep coming back

For a family-focused audience, Wheel & Sprocket Fox Point checks every box. Yelp flags the location as "Good for Kids," and nearly 5,000 reviews on their Listen360 platform paint a consistent picture of patience, honesty, and zero-pressure service.

The kids' bike selection runs from Strider balance bikes for toddlers as young as 18 months through Trek Precaliber youth bikes with gears, plus the premium woom line. Child seats, Burley trailers, and kids' helmets round out the family gear. The trade-in program is especially popular with parents — bring in a bike the kids have outgrown and put the value toward the next size up.

Customer reviews repeatedly highlight the staff's honesty and willingness to steer families toward the right fit rather than the most expensive option. One long-time customer captured the Fox Point ethos: "Jesse and his crew are top notch. They don't sell, they listen… then they try to provide advice and guidance to help you find the bike that's best for you." Another noted: "I've taken my kids' bikes in for tune-ups this year… Jerry and the others who fix the bikes are so awesome and always empathetic." Sales Manager Joel Peregrine has been specifically praised for making adaptive adjustments for customers with disabilities.

The shop also ran a "Kids Bike It" summer program modeled on library reading challenges, where kids pledged to ride 45 or 75 minutes per week to win prizes. Their website maintains a dedicated "Ride As a Family" page with tips geared toward making rides fun rather than fast: "Frequent stops, frequent snacks and a mellow pace are all welcome here."

A gateway to the North Shore's best trails

The Fox Point location's geography is a genuine advantage. It sits near the northern segments of the Oak Leaf Trail — Milwaukee County's 135-mile paved multi-use trail system — and close to the connection point for the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, which offers 30 paved miles heading north through Mequon, Cedarburg, Grafton, and Port Washington. One trail reviewer noted the area south of Mill Road has "only two streets to cross… it is a great ride for families." These are the exact trails Chris Kegel spent decades advocating for and building.

The shop also serves as the Thursday evening departure point for Cadence Women's Cycling, a not-for-profit group for women and nonbinary riders. Rides roll out at 6 PM sharp from the northeast corner of the parking lot, May through August, with pace groups averaging 13–14 mph along North Shore routes. Any cycling group is welcome to use the shop as a meetup point.

Community roots run deep

Wheel & Sprocket supports over 70 cycling events annually, but several stand out for families:

• Chris' Slow Roll (September): A free, family-friendly 10-mile lakefront ride honoring Chris Kegel, drawing roughly 1,000 riders. The 11th annual ride is expected in 2026, with a post-ride celebration at Kegel's Inn Beer Garden.

• UPAF Ride for the Arts: Wheel & Sprocket is a key partner. Kids 12 and under ride free (thanks to Brewers Community Foundation), and a 1.5-mile Arts Path is designed specifically for families.

• Ride on the Wild Side: The one day each year you can ride your bike through the Milwaukee County Zoo — a 2.5-mile family loop with longer options, plus breakfast, lunch, and zoo admission included.

• Bike Expo Sale (April, Wisconsin State Fair Park): Returned in 2025 after a five-year COVID hiatus. Over 2,000 bikes including hundreds of used kids' bikes, free admission, an e-bike test track, and seminars from 50+ community riding groups.

The Chris Kegel Foundation, established in 2017, channels profits from the Joy Ride Café and fundraising events into cycling infrastructure projects: installing fix-it stands along trails, improving trail wayfinding signage, supporting a bike park for kids initiative with Milwaukee County Parks, and funding trail-building education at the John Muir Trailhead. Wheel & Sprocket also partners with the Wisconsin Bike Fed (which houses its offices at the Bay View location), NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) for middle and high school mountain biking leagues, and organizations including the Milwaukee Boys & Girls Club, My TEAM Triumph, and VA Adaptive Sports Clinics.

An award-winning reputation

The numbers speak for themselves. Wheel & Sprocket was named the #1 Bicycle Retailer in the Country by the National Bicycle Dealers Association in both 2002 and 2003, earned Bicycling Magazine's #3 Best Bike Shop ranking, holds NBDA Platinum Retailer Excellence status for over a decade running, and received Trek's prestigious Legend's Honor Hall of Fame Award in 2004. The company also earned the League of American Bicyclists' Gold Bicycle Friendly Business Award and IMBA Platinum Retailer designation.

At the Fox Point location specifically, the Listen360 review platform shows nearly 5,000 reviews that are overwhelmingly positive. Google and Yelp ratings across the Wheel & Sprocket brand hover around 4.4–4.8 stars. The Fox Point Yelp page has 78 reviews. Negative feedback is rare and typically limited to occasional parts delays on warranty claims — no patterns of rudeness, overcharging, or poor workmanship appear anywhere.

The review that best captures what makes this shop special comes from a Milwaukee transplant: "I moved to Milwaukee a couple of years ago from the east coast. In relocating my priority was to find a good doctor, a good community and a good bike shop. Thank you Wheel & Sprocket!" Another customer summed it up more simply: "Staff is a knowledgeable group of bikers who always give you great advice and recommendations. It is a joy to hang out with other bikers, even when it is 10 below zero."

Conclusion

Wheel & Sprocket Fox Point occupies a rare sweet spot for North Shore families: it delivers the selection, expertise, and infrastructure of a nationally recognized retailer while maintaining the warmth and personal service of a neighborhood shop where staff remember your name and your kids' bike sizes. The combination of a dedicated bike fitting studio, Joy Ride Café, trail-adjacent location, honest and patient staff, robust trade-in program for growing kids, and deep community investment through the Chris Kegel Foundation makes it more than just a place to buy a bike. It's a second-generation family business that has spent over 50 years building the trails, the advocacy, and the culture that make cycling accessible for Milwaukee-area families. For North Shore Family Adventures readers looking to get the whole family on two wheels, this is the starting line.