Thursday, October 1, 2026
“Can I call you back? Right now, I’m fixing a flat tire.”
That’s how the interview with Spokengear’s owner, Dan Cruikshank, began. A veteran with almost 40 years in business and plenty to do, Cruikshank’s priority that day was to address the needs of a customer.
It’s that commitment to service that has made his trio of enterprises—Spokengear Cyclery and Outdoor, Cedaero bike pack designer and manufacturer, and Cedar Coffee Company—“go to” places.
Tucked away in a forest of cedar trees on 11th St. in Two Harbors, Minnesota, the companies are celebrating 10 years in business and a record of success. “People asked me why I didn’t locate along the main drag (Highway 61) with all the other gift shops, stores, and gas stations when I came up here,” Cruikshank says. “They thought I was crazy, but they forgot a thing called the internet. People find us.” He says they and his employees like the company’s pleasant, sylvan location.
Back in 1986, Cruikshank dropped out of college and, with business partner Jeff Knight, started Granite Gear, making backpacks for outdoor enthusiasts and the military.
“We started the company in a warehouse in Minneapolis, but moved the business to Two Harbors in 1988, and we’ve been here ever since,” he says. “But after growing Granite Gear for 27 years, it got pretty big and some of the joy was gone.”
Recalling the freedom he felt riding his bike around Minnetonka as a youngster, he envisioned something more adventurous. He spent three years putting together a business plan, purchasing land, and constructing a building in the cedar forest. While the building was under construction, he set up a sewing shop in his garage, prototyping a new line of bike packs under the brand Cedaero, a name that combines cedar and aerodynamic.
“Cedaero is kind of magical,” Cruikshank says. “It embodies what I call our passion for nature and science.”
Realizing there wasn’t a bike shop in Two Harbors, he started Spokengear and then added the coffee shop because there wasn’t one of those, either.
Today, Cruikshank employs about 30 people, plus a few helpers in the summer. The three businesses under one roof are growing at about 10 to 15 percent a year. He’s passionate about all of them. “The goal was to build a community around bikes, coffee, and adventure,” he says. He’s accomplished that.
Spokengear offers a full range of bikes and bike services. “Our mechanics wrench on bikes on two bike stands out front, so customers can see what’s going on,” explains Cruikshank. The company’s service team has years of experience servicing bikes of all shapes and sizes, and Cruikshank has a certification from the United Bicycle Institute to back up their expertise. “We invite customers into the service area to explain what’s wrong and give them an estimate,” Cruikshank says. Hands-on clinics and biking events further position Spokengear as a cycling expert.
Cruikshank says e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular and are the fastest-growing part of the business. “They’ve been the biggest change,” he says. “They’re really common in Europe. And they open up possibilities for folks with grey hair.”
He acknowledges online ordering, but adds, “We don’t necessarily sell entry-level products but focus on the more specialized gravel, mountain, and adventure bikes. Our customers know we are a specialty shop, and they can get advice on where to ride.”
Cedaero-designed bike packs and panniers stand out because they’re very clean-looking, says Cruikshank. “No loose threads.” With a plethora of designs, fabrics, and colors to choose from, riders can personalize their bike and make it an expression of their unique personality.
“Thirty percent of our business is custom packs for bikes,” he explains. “We get a photo of a bike, import that information into our software, make a pattern, cut it out on the table, and stitch it together.” A custom-ordered bike pack can be turned around in about six weeks, with classic chain stitching as a feature on some extra special editions. Materials—all made in the U.S.—include the traditional Cordura nylon, waxed canvas, and the newer X-ply, which combines cotton duck with polyester film. Since launching the brand in 2017 with just three staffers, the Cedaero crew has grown to include a mix of what the company’s website refers to as “bike nerds, artists, sewing wizards, and outdoor enthusiasts.”
In addition to all styles of custom half and full packs, Cedaero’s inventory includes accessories like wallets, seat packs, and handlebar packs.
The coffee shop may seem like an outlier to some, but it fits, says Cruikshank. “People stop in for coffee or something off our full breakfast or lunch menu, then wander into the bike shop.” The cafe has indoor seating with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the five-acre campus. In warmer weather, customers can sit outside on the dog-friendly patio and perhaps walk the trail or visit the small creek flowing through the woods.
“We just added our own roaster,” explains Cruikshank. “Our baristas roast and grind coffee, serve espresso and latte art, bake scones, and make burritos. It’s a place where our customers—townspeople, folks with cabins up north, or tourists exploring the North Shore—can relax and plan their next trip around the block or around the world.”
As with most businesses, especially those as close to customers as this Two Harbors trio, people make the difference.
“Our team,” Cruikshank says when asked about his greatest satisfaction. “We have a great group of people assembled here, and I love coming to work every day.
“Running three businesses at once is exhausting and rewarding at the same time, but surrounding myself with great staff and customers is what I call ‘Living the Dream.’”
And he hasn’t forgotten how he got here, crediting his wife, Kirsten, and former business partner Jeff Knight with encouraging and helping him develop his companies and achieve success. “I could not do this alone,” Cruikshank says. “I’ve been blessed with supportive friends and family.”
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