Biking to Napa Valley's Wineries Since 1987
What started humbly as an accidental outgrowth of an existing local bike shop has matured into the premier bicycle tour company in wine country. While the focus has always been to provide visitors with a unique and exhilerating way to visit Napa's wineries, it has taken years of experience and refinement to arrive at the level of services we're able to offer our guests today. Every member of the NVBT team is passionate about sharing our local insider knowledge to enhance your experience!
1987
- Napa Valley Bike Tours & Rentals is born as a sub-business of Napa Valley Cyclery, a bike shop that originally opened to serve local Napa bicyclists with bike sales and repairs.
- The shop is located at 4080 Byway East in northern Napa, CA (on the east side of Hwy. 29)
- Demand from tourists nudges the shop owners into the bike rental business and it isn't long before they realize there is a market for organized, professionally guided bike tours visiting local wineries.
1990
- The owner of Napa Valley Cyclery retires.
- An employee of the bike shop, Lori Townsend, buys the business and phases out the local sales and repair services (as there were other local bike shops serving this need).
- She drops the name Napa Valley Cyclery, and refocuses the new Napa Valley Bike Tours & Rentals to specialize in providing wine-tasting bike tours and rentals for Napa Valley visitors.
2001
- John Hilldebrand purchases the company and continues running bike tours and rentals without many changes.
- During his 3-year ownership, Hilldebrand moves Napa Valley Bike Tours shop location twice: first to Wise Drive and eventually to an industrial park on Coombs Street in Downtown Napa.
2004
- In September '04, Brad Dropping and his wife visit Napa Valley on vacation. While on a bike tour hosted by John Hilldebrand, they wonder aloud what it would take to move here from Atlanta (with two young daughters in tow). John is quick to offer, "Why don't you buy my bike tour business?"
- Brad takes the leap and moves to Napa in October (several months ahead of his family) to throw himself into restructuring the business.
- When Brad officially takes over in Jan.'05, NVBT has one full-time employee (Brad!), a "fleet" of 64 rental bikes in various states of disrepair, and one tour van that... well, Brad tells John to just keep his van.
2005-07
- Brad's first priority is to move NVBT to the heart of the wineries and thus, NVBT lands at 6488 Washington Street in Yountville (across from the Villagio Inn & Spa). With more than 40 wineries within 5 miles, it's an ideal location for bike tours geared for casual tourists.
- Brad hires Nick Wierzba as Operations Manager.
- As the visionary, Brad develops NVBT's offerings to include vacation packages that combine daily guided bike tours with accommodations and dining. The packages become so popular, he hires Kellie Macway to manage vacation sales & provide concierge services.
2008
- As the rental fleet swells to more than 200 bikes, NVBT outgrows its space at 6488 Washington Street (now home to Somerston Wine Co.) and moves a half-mile up the street to 6795 Washington Street, inside Washington Square Plaza.
2009-2012
- A sibling store, Sonoma Valley Bike Tours, is launched in 2009. Located just off the historic Sonoma Plaza, the location is another great hub for visitors looking for casual bike routes to local wineries.
- NVBT continues to broaden its wine country activity offerings with the addition of Luxury Car Services and a Vineyard Safari Tour.
- Today, the Napa & Sonoma Valley Bike Tours family includes 6 full-time employees, more than 30 seasonal, part-time Tour Guides and a fleet of more than 300 rental bikes and four support vehicles.
Meet the NVBT Shop Crew & Admin Team
Brad Dropping
Visionary-in-Chief
Brad spent his childhood in Michigan, where many of his early two-wheeled adventures took place on the motocross tracks that he raced nearly every weekend.
After graduating from Kennesaw State University just outside of Atlanta, Brad set roots in the area, pursuing a successful 26-year career in the mortgage and financial planning industry and starting a family.
In 2004 following his 15th wedding anniversary vacation in the Napa Valley, Brad returned to Atlanta where he told his dumbstruck friends and family that he was going to leave his career and pack up his wife and two young daughters to move across the country and run a bike tour business. As reckless and spontaneous as that sounds, when the housing market collapsed a few years later, everyone was left wondering if Brad had some kind of premonition!
Determined to live and enjoy his younger, vital years in “Destination Paradise” rather than take the traditional path of waiting for retirement, Brad worked hard to turn his Napa Valley pipe dream into a reality.
The long hours eventually paid off. Under Brad’s guidance, Napa Valley Bike Tours is today more than 7 times the size it was when he acquired it back in late 2004.
Outside of work, Brad is an avid mountain and road cyclist and also enjoys hiking, golfing, kayaking and snow skiing. But above all else, Brad loves spending time with his three children, Kenlee, Averi and Zac.
Brad’s favorite Napa Valley wines: “It's impossible to narrow down, so here are my Top 10: Fontenella’s Zinfandel, Cabernets by Dalla Valle, Fantesca, Baldacci and Chimney Rock, Fantesca’s Pinot Noir, Beau Vigne’s Blended Cab “Juliet”, O’Brien’s “Seduction” blend and their Merlot, and Robert Foley's Merlot.
Jay Torre
Bike Tour & Rentals Associate
For many of our guests Jay is “that guy.” You know the one. The local guy you meet while on vacation who is endlessly helpful and eager to give his personal recommendations. Jay is the guy who, for many, becomes an old buddy two minutes after meeting him.
Before he landed at Napa & Sonoma Valley Bike Tours, Jay’s first gig out of college involved promotional marketing for the San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors & Oakland Raiders. As an avid sports fan, it was a fun gig, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to move to Napa Valley to be closer to his family and take a position where he gets to share the area with visitors wanting to explore the wine country by bike.
Outside of work, Jay plays in a local adult hockey league. He also enjoys mountain biking and skiing in Lake Tahoe whenever he gets the chance.
A little-known fact about Jay: “My family actually lived just outside of Paris for a few months while my father was on a work assignment there. Ever since that experience, I have followed French Open Tennis and, of course, Tour de France.”
Jay's favorite Napa Valley winery: "I've always loved the laid-back vibe at Hopper Creek Winery. Our guests always have a great time there, especially during harvest when they let everyone do the punchdowns."
Joy Ver Palileo
Bike Tour & Rentals Associate
A first-generation Filipino-American, Joy grew up in nearby American Canyon and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2010 with a double-major in Art and Film & Digital Media. And as a member of the UCSC Cycling Team, Joy says, she also earned a minor in bike riding, although it’s not on paper.
Joy continues to race with an amateur women’s team, Pacific Crush, based in San Francisco – she’s their youngest team member! And don’t let her sweet smile and small stature fool you. This girl specializes in short, fast and technical crit races. Fierce handling skills and an iron will are a must!
“One of my favorite parts about my job is being able to meet people from all across the country and the world. I'm constantly inspired by guests to visit the places they come from.”
Although she hasn’t traveled much (yet!) Joy dreams of joining the mobile circus of spectators that follows the Tour de France. “A few weeks spent just riding and eating baguettes, terrines and macaroons and drinking wine all day… That'd be amazingggg!”
Joy's favorite Napa Valley winery: "I love Robert Sinskey's pinot, and it's organic, to boot. I also love being greeted in their tasting room by the smell of freshly baked tarts from their kitchen."
Kellie Macway
Sales & Marketing
Kellie joined the NVBT team in June 2007. Having worked the five years prior for a mom & pop triathlon and running race production company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she brought diverse experience in marketing communications as well as the flexibility to do whatever the day - or sometimes, the moment - calls for, which can mean website design one day and helping rent bikes the next.
Originally hired in 2007 to manage vacation package sales and provide concierge services, Kellie's role quickly expanded to include web and print design, as well as managing group sales for private and corporate events.
Kellie grew up in San Jose and studied advertising and journalism at San Jose State University. She's cycled in Thailand, Mexico and France, but says the most other-worldly biking she's done was in Death Valley, where a point-to-point 27-mile mountain bike ride through Titus Canyon was definitely a highlight.
When she's not at her desk at NVBT, you'll find Kellie cycling the roads of Napa and Sonoma with her husband, Kevin. In 2009, the pair honeymooned in France and rode Mt. Ventoux, L'Alpe D'Huez and ate way more than the daily recommended allowance of cheese.
Kellie's favorite Napa Valley winery: "The Ceja family story is a beautiful example of the American Dream."
Paul Torre
Operations Assistant
As Operations Assistant, Paul is routinely dispatched on “mission critical” assignments. You’re likely to find him on the shop floor during peak hours assisting with getting everyone off and rolling. And in the rare case when your bike gets a flat tire, Paul will fill the role of knight in shining armor, turning up roadside to assist you with a replacement wheel or even a whole new bike.
Paul moved Napa Valley in 2002 after retiring from a 33-year career as an engineer. Since then, he’s made a full-time job of developing his knowledge about the local history, geography, key wine makers, vineyard practices and even a fair amount about barrel-making. His continuing education has included stints working at Artesa and Cliff Lede Vineyards.
When he’s not “on assignment” at NVBT, you’ll find Paul cycling, playing tennis or wielding a variety of tools while working on his latest home improvement project.
And if there is snow on the ground in Lake Tahoe, Paul’s bound to be first one in line at the chairlift at Squaw Valley ski resort, where he is a ski instructor. As an avid (some say: daredevil) skiier, a “routine” day on the slopes with Paul requires vocabulary words such as Barrel, Face, Chute and Precipice.
Paul's favorite Napa Valley winery: "I particularly enjoy visiting Honig Vineyards. Their Sauvignon Blanc is always a favorite."
Robert Nelson
Operations Manager
Robert handles everything from hiring, managing and training our Tour Guides, to planning the routes, making wine tasting appointments, placing lunch orders and juggling the staffing and resources for all of our operations. During peak season, Robert’s job resembles trying to manage Grand Central Station!
Born in Ridgecrest, California, Robert says if you don't know where that is, "It's desert country. Home of searing heat, high winds and actually, some pretty excellent mountain biking."
Robert's earliest exploits in the desert on his first bike, a 1976 Huffy Evil Knievel only marked the beginning of a lifelong passion. While attending U.C. Berkeley, Robert raced in mountain and cyclocross events in addition to participating in road races with his college cycling team. "Go, Bears!"
After three years of "post-graduate work" as a bike messenger on the streets of San Francisco, Robert landed his first official shop gig as a sales manager at Square Wheel Bicycle Shop in Berkeley and later became a partner at Berkeley's Missing Link Bicycle Cooperative, where he got his trial-by-fire training as a bike mechanic. His wife's career eventually brought him to the Napa Valley in 2007.
When he's not busy calling the shots for NVBT's daily operations, you'll find Robert mountain biking at Skyline Park, winding up the road on one of his favorite local climbs or riding a tandem with his son, Auggie.
Robert's favorite Napa Valley winery: "I recommend Mumm's Cuvee M Red, best enjoyed on their patio overlooking their vineyards."
