THE MAPLEWOOD BIKE SHED COMES FULL CIRCLE
- ellencdonker
- Jun 17
- 7 min read
New owners honor the vision of Danny Ives
By Ellen Donker
The Maplewood Bike Shed is just 6 years old, yet it has a meaningful story to tell. It starts out happy, turns tragic and continues with resilience, ultimately evolving into a new chapter that keeps the vision of founder Danny Ives alive.
A 2011 graduate of Columbia High School, Ives had a passion for wheels and a zest for life. It started with bicycles from the time he could walk and expanded to motorcycles and vintage cars. His childhood dream was to open his own bike store.
He first launched a mobile bike repair shop that became well-known in SOMA. By March 2020, at the age of 27, he opened a storefront on Springfield Avenue called the Maplewood Bike Shed. Ed Schwarz, his mother’s partner, provided the financing for the venture, believing this was what Danny was meant to do.
With the pandemic on the heels of the store’s opening, Ives helped many people get their bicycles in riding shape. Barely six months later, he died in a tragic motorcycle accident on Sept. 5, 2020.
Martine Ives, Danny’s mother, felt it important to keep the store open. “I saw all the work that he had put into putting the Bike Shed together. I didn’t see it going [away]… I’m like, ‘No, I can’t let his dream pass.’ ” She adds, “It wasn’t just for him. He wanted it so bad for the town. It’s like, ‘No, the town needs a bike shop.’ ”
Alongside a full-time job, Martine managed the store with some of Danny’s staff. “I guess it helped me, for my healing sake,” she says. “I feel connected. I feel like Danny’s there, that he’s helping me.”
Working seven days a week was exhausting, however, so after a time she asked Ed to search for someone to take over the shop. “I wanted to pass it on to the right person,” says Martine. They found José Bencosme at a bike shop in Chatham and hired him as the lead mechanic in 2021 with the possibility of ownership, if he was interested.
José and his wife Jazmin never met Danny, but they’ve become close with Martine and Ed. When José first joined, Martine liked to drill him on his English, which helped improve his fluency. She also relayed Danny’s vision that the shop was more about community than money. For that reason, they never turned a customer away. In the summer, they offered vegetables from the backyard garden that Martine lovingly maintained if a tomato or eggplant was ripe enough to take home.
Jazmin says they sometimes call her “Mom.” “I feel like sometimes she saw Danny in José, because he is doing now what Danny, as a mechanic, was doing with working with the bikes,” she says.
In July 2024, Martine sold the store to the Bencosmes. Jazmin and José are grateful for this new phase of life. “We never thought that this would be possible or that this would happen in the coming five or six years,” says Jazmin.
She explains that she and José came to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2018, not for a better life but to try something new. They had solid careers: She was trained as an industrial engineer and José was an accountant in his family’s business. José was also a professional cyclist, having raced for his country in UCI Continental Circuits such as Vuelta Ciclistica Independencia Nacional. Although he grew up taking bicycles apart, he was trained to be a mechanic in the Army.
When the couple moved to the United States, Jazmin took a job working for an Italian bike distributor. That gave her the knowledge to support her work at the shop but also the know-how to run the administrative side of the business. She quit that job, she says, “when we took over this business in ‘24. We understood that [José] couldn’t do it alone.” Although she was sorry to leave what she called her second home, she says, “I love to grow. I love to try different things, and also I have been taking courses about financials and investments.”
The Maplewood Bike Shed sells and repairs all kinds of bicycles and skateboards. They also sell parts and accessories such as helmets, saddles and swag, the latter of which is produced by José’s family’s business in the Dominican Republic. Since buying the shop, the Bencosmes have put their mark on it. They have a broader range of bikes and have introduced some new brands, including Cannondale. They strive to have something for everyone and work hard to find the right bike and fit for each customer.
Once again, Jazmin’s past work experience comes in handy. “As an industrial engineer, I took classes regarding ergonomics for workers…[and] applied it to biking. When you get unnatural pain, [it’s] because you don’t have 100 percent ergonomic position in your arms, your legs, your back, you know, everything.” She says a proper fit should make for a comfortable ride.
“I feel good doing what I’m doing today because I feel that I can contribute to others in a very good way,” she says. “When you repair a bicycle for an adult or kid, you are contributing to that person or family.”
She especially likes to hear from customers after they go for a ride on the bike they just bought. “They text us, and that’s very kind when they do that, because when they go to a special place, they send a picture [and say], ‘Thank you, guys. I love my new bike, and I’m with my husband riding together,’ ” she says. “I just feel like, wow, we are doing something good.”
The Bencosmes are active with the riding community. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they go on group rides in Rahway River Park and Warinanco Park and participate in other special rides throughout the year. To keep customers informed, they send out email blasts for upcoming rides and encourage people to check their Facebook and Instagram for more information. They will also gladly recommend places to ride to match a customer’s skill level, bicycle and desired experience.
Martine still visits the store to check in with Jazmin and José and to tend the vegetable garden that she plants every year. She’s glad to know the shop is in good hands and says, “I feel good. I feel at peace. I feel at ease.”
Family-Friendly Bike Rides Want to get out for a ride without the traffic? Here are some great spots to explore whether you're looking for car-free paths, quiet scenic roads or a longer loop through varied terrain. All are within an hour's car ride. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Basking Ridge Cycling on the scenic roads that skirt and pass through the through the Great Swamp is a popular way to experience this 7,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge. Much of it is unpaved but hard-packed and suitable for hybrid, gravel or wider road tires. Riders must be aware of road traffic and be prepared to share the road. Two loop rides – one 18 miles and the other 24 miles – begin near the Great Swamp National Refuge Headquarters. For a shorter, 14 to 16 mile ride that’s mostly flat, scenic and gives you the best “Great Swamp” atmosphere without getting into heavy traffic, begin at the Chatham Municipal Building (54 Fairmount Avenue in Chatham) and head south along Southern Boulevard. |
Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Compared with the Great Swamp roads, Duke Farms is calmer and easier. Twenty miles of onsite trails offer a mix of wide historic roads and natural trails, let you experience the property in your own way and without the fear of vehicular traffic. The atmosphere feels more like a giant park than a typical bike trail. There are no cars on the interior roads, which makes it especially enjoyable for families, casual cyclists and anyone who wants a peaceful ride with mostly flat terrain and plenty of places to stop and explore. |
Loantaka Brook Reservation, 468 South Street, Morris Township Loantaka Brook Reservation offers about 10 miles of paved multi-use trails stretching through woods, meadows, streams and wetlands. There is no vehicular traffic, plenty of shade and smooth paths. The trail follows Loantaka Brook through a series of connected parklands, creating a secluded ride despite being surrounded by suburbs. To bike the paved trails, head to the South Street Lot (468 South Street, Morristown). Parking is also available at the Kitchell Road Lot in the center of the park or the Loantaka Way Lot near the southern end. |
Frenchtown The D & R Canal Towpath provides a scenic, flat ride. You can start in Frenchtown and ride the 15 miles to Lambertville or turn around at one of the charming small towns along the way. The path is surfaced with compacted grit, providing a smooth enjoyable ride with spectacular views of the Delaware River and the canal. One of the best parts of starting in Frenchtown is that the main street is packed with cafés, restaurants, galleries and shops, making it easy to turn a ride into a half-day outing. Parking is available at the park and ride lot at Front & Bridge Streets near the Uhlerstown–Frenchtown Bridge. |
Sandy Hook Sandy Hook at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore is part of Gateway National Recreation Area, a 27,000-acre urban national park that encompasses beaches, wetlands, historic military sites and wildlife refuges. The riding experience offers views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side, Sandy Hook Bay on the other, and historic lighthouses, beaches and coastal wildlife all around. Most riders park near Sandy Hook Visitor Center and follow the paved path north through the park toward Sandy Hook Lighthouse and the northern tip of the peninsula for an out-and-back route. |
Ellen Donker looks forward to consulting with the Bencosmes on a suitable group ride that is not too hilly and not too fast.
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