Inside Compass Bike Lab: How a Boutique Service Shop Became a Community Hub

To learn more, visit Compass Bike Lab or follow along on Instagram.

In just two years, Compass Bike Lab in Eau Claire has quietly shaken up what people expect from a bike shop. Owned and run by Adrian Ong, Compass isn’t your typical store stuffed with sale bins and overstocked racks. Instead, it’s clean, open, and purposefully minimal. Think: more gallery than garage. High-end bikes are displayed like art, every service begins with a deep clean, and community is baked into everything they do.

Adrian, who also works full-time in real estate, opened Compass in April 2023 as a true passion project, not a side hustle or a business built around retail numbers. "We felt there was a void in the Chippewa Valley cycling market for a niche bike shop," he explains. "Something a little bit boutique that was focused primarily on service and repair." That vision struck a nerve. Today, the service queue is always full, and the shop has built a strong, loyal following that trusts them for everything from everyday tune-ups to dream bike builds.

A Different Kind of Bike Shop

Walking into Compass doesn’t feel like walking into a shop at all. It feels like entering a space designed for people who truly love bikes. That vibe is completely intentional. Adrian calls the aesthetic "minimalistic, almost sterile." The shop is bright, clean, and thoughtfully designed from the concrete floors and open concept to the memorable hexagon lighting overhead.

Eventually, Adrian hopes the space evolves into something more lounge-like, maybe even with coffee or food. But there’s one big hurdle: "We have the room, we have the potential to expand. The issue is staffing, you can’t have mechanics pulling espresso shots between brake bleeds."

Every Bike Gets the Same Treatment

One of the first things that sets Compass apart is their commitment to cleanliness, literally. Every single bike gets a full detail before it hits the stand. "No other shop details bikes like we do," Adrian says. "We clean them first so our mechanics have a better experience and can actually see the issues."

That philosophy came from a mentor, Sean Brandenburg at Shift Cyclery, who once told Adrian, "When you return a customer’s bike clean, they’ll notice that more than a perfectly indexed derailleur."

Turns out, customers notice. Plenty of people now bring their bikes in just for a detailing. "Nothing’s wrong with the bike. They just want it clean," Adrian says. That unexpected demand has helped keep the shop humming through the off-season.

Custom Builds for Different Types of Riders

Custom builds are at the heart of what Compass does and they all begin with a conversation. "We listen and we don’t judge." Whether someone comes in with a dream build or a pile of mismatched part ideas, the Compass crew works to turn it into something personal and dialed.

Each team member has their own specialty. Adrian handles race bikes and high-performance setups. Dustin, with decades of wrenching under his belt, is the go-to for steel frames and bikepacking rigs. Logan’s your guy for full-suspension and enduro builds. "We all have our strengths and weaknesses," Adrian says. "Every day is different, and that keeps it fun."

Growth Without the Rush

Even though the shop has grown fast, sometimes selling a bike a day in the spring, Adrian’s not chasing expansion for expansion’s sake. And Compass hasn't leaned on traditional advertising. Word-of-mouth has been more than enough. "We don’t have any aspirations to 2x in 2025," he says. "Then your passion project becomes a burden, and your teammates don’t want to be there anymore."

Instead, they’re growing intentionally. One key step you might see in the future? Launching a new website where customers can order parts and accessories online. "We have access to more vendors than any shop in the Chippewa Valley," Adrian says. "But customers don’t know that yet."

Service Over Sales

From day one, Compass has focused more on service than sales, which can be a bit unique in the bike shop world. "Frankly speaking, because I sell real estate, I don’t sell bicycles," Adrian says. That decision isn’t just philosophical, it’s practical. With slim margins on parts, high shipping costs, and inventory headaches, selling bikes and parts doesn’t always add up for small shops.

Instead, Compass leans into what they do best: awesome service and thoughtful builds and upgrades. Most of the bikes they carry are high-end demo models that riders can test, order, or use as inspiration for a fully custom build.

Rooted in Community

Through the growth of the last two years, the mission at Compass is community. Adrian and his business partner don’t take a paycheck from the shop. Instead, proceeds go back into supporting local Chippewa Valley cycling like Eau Claire Youth Cycling and Valley Girls Cycling. "Community is what keeps us going," Adrian says who also just started a weekly shop ride for anyone to join.

In the end, Compass Bike Lab is more than a bike shop. It’s a place where people feel welcome, whether they’re building up a carbon race machine or rolling in on a vintage cruiser. "All bikes are equal as long as you have two wheels," Adrian says. "Everybody should be a cyclist. It makes the world a better place."

To learn more, visit Compass Bike Lab or follow along on Instagram.