Bill Wade, Post-Gazette Darell Rice, left, and Peggy Krall were hoping to turn their idea into a full-time business when they founded Golden Triangle Bike Rentals six years ago, but now they are looking for a buyer. Click photo for larger image.

Six years ago, two friends walking the Eliza Furnace trail at lunchtime had a dream of starting up a bike rental business that eventually would allow them to quit their day jobs.

The business, Golden Triangle Bike Rentals, came to fruition, and even made a small profit.

But it wasn't enough to live on exclusively.

So now the friends are looking to defer their dream onto a willing buyer.

"Truthfully, when we started off the business several years ago, we were looking into something that could blossom as a full-time job," said co-owner Darell Rice, 43. "Even though there's been growth every year, it's very time consuming. It's not turning into what we expected."

The business, located on the Eliza Furnace trail just behind Port Authority Transit's First Avenue garage, Downtown, rented bicycles and in-line skates and was open every day except Monday during the summer. All rentals cost $8 per hour or $28 for the day.

The business will be closed until they find a buyer, said Ms. Rice, who works full time Downtown for the U.S. Treasury Department. Her business partner, Peggy Krall, 59, works as a counselor and instructor at the Community College of Allegheny County. Both women live in Pleasant Hills.

Ms. Rice said the decision to sell had nothing to do with the level of traffic on the trail, which has increased steadily as the trail system has developed over the past 15 years.

"Our rentals have increased year-to-year," she said. "That's certainly not why we're closing."

Tom Baxter, executive director of Friends of the Riverfront, said that during the peak summer season, several thousand people per week use the trail system surrounding Downtown.

Ms. Rice said the company would rent about 35 bicycles per day on summer weekends, and that she and Ms. Krall employed about six part-time workers.

She sees the future growth on the trail -- construction is scheduled to start this summer on a pedestrian/bike portion of the Hot Metal Bridge, making it easier to connect the so-called jail trail path with new waterfront bike trails near the South Side shore -- as a business opportunity for prospective buyers.

"With the trails opening up, somebody may be able to come in and probably do much better than us," she said with a laugh.

"Someone that would come in and have a little more capital could do advertising."

Still, she said, selling the business that started as a kiosk outside the Hilton Pittsburgh, Downtown, will be bittersweet.

"We have mixed feelings," she said.

"It's hard to let go of something we've had and tried to nurture. But we had to make a decision, and I'm getting to the point where I'd like to have my weekends back."