About
Maklin Bikes
Built by riders. Run by riders.
Maklin Bikes is the content side of Maklin Bike Shop — a place to share what we learn on the trail, in the shop, and at the races. We ride hard, test gear, and build bikes the way they should be built.
Take the first three letters of Makela, add the last three of Hamlin, and you get Maklin. That’s it. Simple, personal, and ours.
Story
Steve and Lynn Hamlin own and operate Maklin Bike Shop in Scandia, Minnesota. Both work in the shop full time. Their two boys, Kyle and Reid, come in and out — and you’ll see them in the race reports and videos too.
The shop carries high-end gravel, road, and mountain bikes from Cervélo, Santa Cruz, Niner, Bianchi, TIME Bicycle, Salsa, and Jamis, along with a full service department and a deep selection of components and accessories.
Maklin Bikes — this site — started as a way to document everything that doesn’t fit neatly on a retail website. The bikes we ride personally. The trails we’ve explored. The races we’ve done. The custom builds we’re proud of. It’s a content library and a resource, all in one place.
We rotate through our bikes regularly — it keeps us current on what’s actually good, and it means when a customer asks us which bike to buy, we have some experienced guidance. The reviews, trail reports, and race recaps here all come from real time on the bike. Not press releases, not catalog copy.
What’s on This Site
Bike Reviews
Every bike we’ve personally ridden and spent real time on — gravel, MTB, road, and fat bikes. Shop-owner perspective, not press copy. Browse reviews →
Custom Builds
Behind-the-scenes build documentation — specs, component choices, and the reasoning behind each build. See builds →
Trails & Routes
MTB trails, gravel routes, and road rides we’ve ridden across 14+ states — with trailhead info, maps, and ride notes. Explore trails →
Racing
Race reports from MTB, gravel, fat bike, and road events — results, gear setups, and what we’d change next time. See race reports →
Maklin Bike Shop — Scandia, MN
The shop is where the real work happens. Full service department, fit consultations, custom builds, and a curated selection of high-end bikes and components. If you’re in the Twin Cities area, come by.
We do custom builds for riders all over the region — and we ship. If you’re thinking about a build and want to talk it through, reach out. We’re happy to put something together that makes sense for the way you actually ride.
Visit Maklin Bike Shop →Shop Info
Brands We Carry at the Shop
Come Find Us
Stop by the shop in Scandia, give us a call, or check out the shop website if there’s anything we can help with.