• Courtesy of Earl's Cyclery and Fitness
• Earl's Cyclery and Fitness

Earl's Cyclery and Fitness — Earl's has kept locals on two wheels for 66 years with a wide selection of bikes, gear and accessories — and an emphasis on attentive customer service. Bikers can get tune-ups here, too.

Other Finalists (Inside Chittenden County)

• North Star Sports
• Old Spokes Home
• Outdoor Gear Exchange
• Skirack

• File: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
• Onion River Outdoors

Onion River Outdoors — It was a tough year for Onion River Outdoors. Last summer's catastrophic flooding in downtown Montpelier left the specialty bike shop, an institution in central Vermont's outdoor-rec scene, a muddy and waterlogged mess. But it's a testament to the shop's staying power and customer loyalty that, when the going got tough, the tough got back in the saddle and made it to the top again.

A Daysies favorite among pedal pushers of all stripes, Onion River Outdoors is as much about creating community as it is about selling top-quality gear and providing expert service and repairs. The shop organizes such annual events as the Muddy Onion, an early-spring gravel ride; the Frozen Onion, a fat-tire ride on snow; and the Tour de Creemee gravel grinder; as well as weekly shop rides and periodic mountain bike clinics. Come hell or high water, this is where the rubber meets the road.

Other Finalists (Outside Chittenden County)

• Bicycle Express
• Bootlegger Bikes
• The Gear House