Many Americans have memories of peddling down the street on a bicycle at some point in their childhood. A number of them even carry that memory into adulthood and turn it into a hobby or exercise regimen. But what most of them don't do is turn it into a livelihood.

"I cycled as a kid, but I was never really into it until I worked at a bike shop," said Ruben Santoscoy, a notable exception to the rule who serves as president for Ride Away Bicycles, Inc. "I was going to school at the time, and I developed a passion for the sport and the business aspect."

Although this San Antonio native entered UTSA with plans to follow his childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, he took a few business courses and changed his major to accounting. But thanks to his job at the bicycle shop, among other things, "by the time I graduated, I decided that [accounting] wasn't really something I wanted to do," Santoscoy said. "I wanted to open my own bike shop because I felt San Antonio could use another one."

With a little financial help from his father, retired OBGYN Dr. Jesus Rodolfo Santoscoy, he opened the first of three Ride Away Bicycles locations in 1996 “ the same year he graduated “ and has been "selling fun" ever since.

As a business owner with "18 employees, including myself," Santoscoy could easily delegate most of the day-to-day work to others. However, he prefers "to be active in my company because no one wants it to succeed more than I do," he said. "I pretty much do everything from clean the toilets to sweep the floors to service the customers. I'm involved in the whole spectrum."

And although Santoscoy has an accounting degree and does much of the company's accounting and payroll, he still consults a CPA "to make sure all the year-end adjustments, quarterlies and everything are correct."

Santoscoy may be a businessman, but he's no novice when it comes to bicycles. Thanks to his work at the bike shop, as well as a "hands-on, very comprehensive" two-week course at Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs, Santoscoy has been able to "expand my knowledge in bicycle repair and service" and "do a lot of the mechanics" associated with Ride Away Bicycles. He is also an active member of the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Such care for the business and knowledge of the product certainly play their part in the success of Ride Away Bicycles. But when it comes to the quality of its products and services, the shop can “ and does “ impress even the most meticulous of bicycle hobbyists. It carries a wide variety of bicycle brands, including Specialized, Giant Bicycles, Seven Cycles, Bianchi, Dahon and Haro, as well as a number of accessories, including clothing, bags and locks, among others.

"If it's cycling related, we sell it," Santoscoy said. "A lot of shops in town specialize in the high-end, but we carry the full spectrum. We're very well rounded."

In addition to variety, Ride Away Bicycles offers practicality, as it "is a full-service shop," Santoscoy said. "We service bikes whether they were purchased from us or not."

Although "getting the right product mix in the store and choosing what brands you carry is a little difficult when you're getting into the industry," according to Santoscoy, Store Manager Ed Solis has only praise for his boss.

"I have seen [Ride Away Bicycles] grow in size, professionalism and involvement in the cycling community," Solis said. "Ruben has been supportive of creative thinking and new ideas [that] increase business and the quality of work. Ruben is also one of the few owners [whom] I consider a friend."

Of all the shop's merits, Santoscoy's genuine care for people is the crowning glory of Ride Away Bicycles. Although he is obviously interested in the bicycles themselves, helping the customers "is something I really look forward to," he said. "We've had people come in here [who] are overweight and get into this industry to lose weight. We've seen them buy their first bike and over a couple of years, lose 100 [or] 150 pounds.

"Some of them take the sport to the point that they start racing and become competitive, even though it was just exercise at first. We've been able to help them blossom into something more spectacular. It's very rewarding helping customers achieve certain goals and aspirations."

Santoscoy's care for people doesn't stop with customer service. He also donates a significant portion of his time and talents to a number of charitable events, such as Bike MS, Race for the Cure and the Fiesta Wildflower Ride.

"We provide mechanical support for the charity rides," he said. "We've also helped with some of the school rodeos. If it involves cycling, we try to be involved with it."

Thanks to some family ties, Santoscoy has enjoyed the benefit of his own support system in his father, as well as his oldest brother, Rudy Santoscoy, who owns Potranco Automotive. He has been able to confide in these "mentors" about everything from dealing with employees to managing the daily routine.

Family is very important to Santoscoy. Despite the demands associated with business ownership, he finds plenty of time to spend fishing, playing softball and of course, bicycling, with his wife, Cheryl Clarkson, and children, Jacob Miguel, 8, and Olivia Gabrielle, 3.

His regard for family doesn't stop there, as he makes his clients feel like family at the shop. As far as he's concerned, each client should "get a better experience of cycling and leave with a feeling of satisfaction. They come in here with certain expectations about what to expect when they purchase a bike, and we guide that customer and give them something beyond their expectations."

For many cyclists, the sport provides a sense of fulfillment, enjoyment or both. And when it comes to a truly customer-oriented business owner like Santoscoy, what could be better than selling fun?

For more information about Ride Away Bicycles, visit http://rideawaybicycles.com.