Continental Bike Shop Presents The Spoken Wrench, vol5 no1

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol5 no1
January, is winter over yet? Edition.

This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the Torque Wrench. Crank bolts, bottom bracket bolts, any bolt that has contact or clamps around a carbon surface, your wheel nuts… etc, use a torque wrench to tighten the bolt to spec, so nothing gets over tightened and cracks or some other such unpleasantness.

Advanced Repair Classes
If you’ve ever wanted to get down and dirty with your bike, in a much more detailed way than in the Basic Repair Class, we offer Advanced Repair Classes. The differences break down to the difference between a tune up and an overhaul, well, and you have to take the Basic Repair Class before you take the Advanced Repair class.

You’ll overhaul your bottom bracket, headset, hubs, replace a couple spokes, and a drive train clean. There’s not a whole lot you won’t be removing from your bike this time around.

Classes will run Thursday nights at 7PM, February 19th, 26th, March 5th, and 12th. Cost is $150 for 4 classes, and that covers the class and shop supplies, and us holding on to the pieces and parts that will rejoin your frame at a latter date. Like usual, a $50 deposit holds your spot. We’ve got room for 4-6 people… so if this is your cup of tea, or ball of wax, or… the bike related analogy fails me right now… let us know, and quick.

If you have any questions, please email us, liz@continentalbikeshop.com, or give us a call.

Closed February 9th.
We’ll be closed February 9th, its a Monday. Time for some shop bonding, a little training and general shop-ness. We’ll see you back on Tuesday February 10th.

‘Wrench ONLY Specials
Cannondale has a limited number of 2008 bikes left, and they’re on sale. Prices for 2009 have gone up substantially. And there’s a few bikes they’re not making any more. Ever wanted a Six-13, now’s the last time to get one. If any of these Cannondale’s look like something you’d be interested in, let us know.

The not so fine print: These are closeouts bikes, so they’re limited in number. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Call to check availability. First come first serve. Must be paid for in full at the time of order. The full list of what they have is available.  It’s current as of Thursday January 29th.

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no7

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no7
June-time and the Summer Sometimes Swelter Edition

This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “T,” Tubes, Tires, Tune-ups, Tandems, Tubus Racks, Townies, Torkers, Trikes, and plenty of Time to ride. Summer is here, despite what the temperature and calendar may say, and so are longer days, hence the plenty of Time to ride. The beginning of summer also means the charity ride season is in full swing. If you need a Tune-up before your charity ride, come see us today, not three days before you’re supposed to leave for the WAM, MS150, DALMAC or other charity ride. We don’t like short notice like that, and we certainly don’t like telling you that we can’t get to your bike before you need it.

Tubes and tires are ever important, without them, your bike isn’t going to get very far. Tandems are a great way to ride together if the person you want to ride with has a different skill level than you. As I mentioned in the last edition, that was, by the way improperly numbered, gas prices are a constant concern for every one. Torker makes cruisers for the more budget minded folks. (remember, we love ‘em, or we wouldn’t have ‘em in the store.) A nice reliable 3 speed is a great way to commute, that internally geared hub will withstand just about anything you can throw at it, short of a dip in a lake or river.

Giant’s Team High RoadNews You Can Use

There’s beer in them thar glasses! And Coffee too.

The 2008 Tour de France

Rising Prices of, well, everything

Charity Ride Season is (still) Here!

Giant’s Team High Road
Team High Road, formerly the T-Moblie/Deutche Telekom team, has a new sponsor, Columbia Sportswear. That’s all well and good, but thats actually not why I’m mentioning them. High Road/Columbia also has the most successful mens and womens squads this season. Congratulations are in order for them, and good luck at the Tour!

News You Can Use

There comes a time in everyone’s life, when they forget what they were typing and suddenly the newsletter article sounds funny. Hmm. Ah yes. News you can use, and we best share otherwise someone will be very unhappy with us. We will be closed for Independence Day. We will also be closed for July 5. That’s right, the shop’s taking a long weekend, like we anticipate everyone else in the state/country might be doing.

So I think it bears repeating. We will be closed July 4th and 5th, for the holiday. We will also be closed July 6th because we’re never open on Sundays, and we’ll see you all again on Monday, July 7th. Yep. We’ll be enjoying a real weekend too. So, Happy independence Day. Enjoy your barbeques, fireworks, and other festivities.

Also, Happy Canada Day to everyone on the other side of the border!

There’s beer in them thar glasses! And Coffee too.
A number of us are beer drinkers, and probably an equal, but not identical number of us a coffee drinkers. Why does that matter? Well, since the addition of a coffee machine last fall, we’ve noticed a large number of our customers are also coffee drinkers. So, Continental is proud to present new (and improved?) coffee mugs. We understand that not everyone likes coffee. I generally fall into that category, since what I drink is usually best described as ‘overpriced’ and ‘frou-frou’; is slightly coffee and mostly milk and sugar; and frequently takes way too long. (Just because we call them ‘coffee mugs’ doesn’t mean you can’t make tea or hot coccoa in them. We do that too.)

For the beer drinkers, and the pint glass collectors, we’ve also got new Continental Bike Shop pint and Pilsner glasses. They are spiffy and sport the Continental logo on them in black. We’re more than happy to drink out of them, and I think everyone else should be, too.

The 2008 Tour de France
Beginning on 5 July, (secretly, part of the reason we’re taking the day off, even if we don’t know it yet…) the 2008 Tour de France promises some surprises. If for no other reason, than the 2007 1st and 3rd place finishers, Alberto Contador and Levi Leipenheimer, respectively, won’t be riding. Their team, Astana, has been barred from racing in the tour, (actually they’d been barred from the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta, but Astana was invited to the Giro at the last minute and Contador won) due to Astana’s involvement in doping scandals in 2006 and 2007.This year’s teams are, in alphabetical order (now with links to the team websites, or in a couple of cases, the only thing available in English…):

Ag2r-La Mondiale
Agritubel
Barloworld
Bouygues Télécom
Caisse d’Epargne
Cofidis, le Crédit par téléphone
Crédit Agricole
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Française des Jeux
Gerolsteiner
Lampre
Liquigas
Quick Step
Rabobank
Saunier Duval-Scott
Silence-Lotto
Team Columbia (Formerly Team High Road)
Team CSC Saxo Bank
Team Garmin-Chipotle (formerly Slipstream-Chipotle)
Team MilramHigh Road and Slipstream-Chipotle both changed names and title sponsors this month, and this is Gerolsteiner’s last year as a pro team. While I may not have mastered the intricacies of UCI pro racing, I think that about covers the basic things to note for the Tour de France. I’m hoping for an exciting, yet scandal free Tour, though based on recent years and no Astana, I’m not going to hold my breath.

Rising Prices of, well, everything
Its not often that we get a lot of advance notice about price increases, and changes. Most of the time we order something, and magically its more expensive this time. Gas prices are the prime example of rising prices, but so is food. And any and all rubber products.Thankfully? Maybe, this time we have warning. Now is a really good time to buy a bike. Not that now is ever a bad time to buy a bike, but now is a really good time to buy a bike. Just about every bike company has notified us that prices for 2009 will be going up in the neighborhood of 20%.

I am, unfortunately, completely aware of what I’ve just said. Its not something we’re looking forward to, nor is it something we really have any control over. So if a bike is in your future you might want to look at making it the very near future.

Speaking of the previously mentioned rubber products, its likely that in the near future tires and tubes will be seeing a significant price increase.

Charity Ride Season is Here
And that means its time to bring your bike in NOW, while there’s still a while, you know, more than a week, between now and your charity ride date. Its not like the rides have had a major date change, so possibly its time to bring your bike in now, and have lots of time to train and get ready for ride after its been tuned up and working like a dream. Yes? Please? Thanks.

And another friendly reminder, that if we’ve got your bike and your repair’s finished, we’d really rather you had your bike and we had a little more room to maneuver around the back room.

There’s nothing worse than that sinking feeling that you waited too long to get your bike repaired and now everyone’s scrambling to get ready for the ride. So please, please, please, give yourself some time between when you bring the bike in and when your ride it. Everyone involved will thank you.

Once again, Happy Independence Day!

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no6

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no5
May-Day and other Summer things, Edition

This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “S,” for Spring, Summer, SUN! and Saving Gas! Spring is here, summer’s on the way, and one day, we’ll see the sun again. Since gas prices are approaching what most people consider astronomical, perhaps its time to think about alternate means of transportation. Bikes are a great way to get around, and an even better way to get around and save money. Not only do you get to save money on gas, you also get to do something good for the environment. So, if you see one of us tooling down the road on a large, slightly longer than normal brownish green Surly Big Dummy, we’re doing our part to not pay those stupid high gas prices, and most times, it takes less time for us to get places by bike in Hazel Park than it does by car.

Bicycling’s Editor’s Choice Awards
Commuter Bikes Oh My
May is Bike Month!
The Ride of Silence
Charity Ride Season is Here
Speaking of Repairs
Fittings, Fittings, And More Fittings.
The Giro d’Italia
News and Notes

Bicycling’s Editor’s Choice Awards
Every year, Bicycling Magazine chooses their favorite products from the year’s latest and greatest in both bikes and stuff. This years bikes were announced at Sea Otter in Monterey California, back in April. Sometimes we agree with the folks over at bicycling, sometimes we don’t. This year, it seems we’ve got a lot in common. In four categories, the bikes we would have picked are indeed the ones Bicycling chose.

In the “Best Recreational Road Bike” category Bicycling selected the Cannondale Six13 5, saying that “Its hard to go wrong with a bike like this.” We have to agree.

In the “Best Women’s Road Bike” category is the Synapse Feminine 3.

In the “Best Trail Bike” is the Giant Trance X1, which feature’s Giant’s Maestro suspension platform and Fox front and Rear Shocks.

Finally, in a category they probably could have invented, Breezer took home the “Best Commuter Bike” with the Villager, their 7 speed fully outfitted commuter bike.

Congratulations are in order to the winners, though I don’t think I’d want to ride the exact bikes the editors of Bicycling have been testing, it sounds a little like they beat ‘em up before awarding any prizes. The complete list of bikes is in the June 2008 edition of Bicycling Magazine, which should be available now.

Commuter Bikes Oh My!

With the gas prices we’re been seeing, and $4.00 a gallon hovering in the near-to-already-happened-future, bikes are continuing to look like a really good option for commuting. Anything with two wheels could be a commuter, but in general, you want to look for smooth, high pressure tires, fenders to keep away the mud and other road muck, lights for safety and a rear rack so you can haul a change of clothes, your lunch and maybe a laptop computer with you somewhere else than on your back. Breezer makes a number of commuters designed to be efficient and simple, with internal gearing so that you never have to worry that the mud on your chain is going to stop you from shifting. Bianchi makes hybrids designed to get you places, as does Kona. Giant opts for the cushier option of getting there, and, well Electra’s Townies and cruisers are meant to get you places while looking cool. So go ahead, look cool, and be cool while you commute in a gas free way.

Bike Month!
Who would have thought that there’d be a whole month dedicated to bikes? Well, actually, it should be bike month all year long, but I didn’t make the rules. If I had made the rules, well, it would always be bike month, and we’d have more bike friendly streets (heck more car friendly too when we get rid of the potholes that can eat whole cars) to name a few things. But, since I’ve got to be content with one month dedicated to bikes, and so does every one else, we’ll celebrate however we can. Bike to work day is Friday, 16 May, and we encourage everyone to look into biking to work.

The Ride of Silence
Honoring cyclist who have been killed or injured, this year’s Ride of Silence will take place on 21 May at 7PM on Belle Isle at the Fountain. The ride will be approximately 10 miles, at no faster than 12 miles per hour. Helmets are required. For more information about the Ride of Silence, go to www.rideofsilence.org.

Charity Ride Season is Here
And that means its time to bring your bike in NOW, while there’s still a while, you know, more than a week, between now and your charity ride date. Its not like the rides have had a major date change, so possibly its time to bring your bike in now, and have lots of time to train and get ready for ride after its been tuned up and working like a dream. Yes? Please? Thanks.

Speaking of Repairs
The Bicycle Doctor’s on call. And if you need a repair but can’t seem to make it when we’re open, or maybe you’ve got a garage full of bikes and its next to impossible to get them all in at once, calling the Bicycle doctor might just be the answer to life’s many bike questions. There is a $25 house call fee, and then labor is billed at a rate of $75/hr in ¼ hour increments. If that’s more math than you want to think about, give us a call and talk to the Bicycle Doctor himself.

And another friendly reminder, that if we’ve got your bike and your repair’s finished, we’d really rather you had your bike and we had a little more room to maneuver around the back room.

Fittings, Fittings, And More Fittings.
It is somewhere between remarkably and ridiculously important for a rider to be comfortable on their bike. Better comfort = better efficiency. So, we wanted to let you know, that as of June 1 we’re going to increase our fitting prices. So if you’ve been thinking about getting a fitting, now is probably the time to do it.

Existing Bike fittings are going up to $175 from $125. Size Cycle fittings will be $200, from $150. We’re adding a new category for Time Trail and Aero bar fittings, at $250. Tandem clinics will also be going up to $175.

The Giro d’Italia
There are three big tours in cycling, the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Following the Northern Classics, the Giro is the first big stage race, running from 10 May to 1 June, (stage 6 has already finished for today, but I wont go spoiling the results). It’s also one of the Triple Crown Races, and part of the World Cycling Championship. You’ll find each of us rooting for a different rider this season, John and I are Magnus Backstedt fans (riding for Team Slipstream), while Jason’s rooting for Danilo Di Luca (riding for LPR), Randy’s not rooting for anyone, Dave’s not here for me to ask, and Chris is rooting for Paulo “the cricket” Bettini of Quick Step.

Cannondale is once again sponsoring Liquigas, Bianchi has taken over sponsorship of Barloworld and Giant is sponsoring Team High Road (formerly T-mobile/Deutsche Telekom). Hopefully with a promising start to the season, we can all enjoy a slightly more drama/doping/scandal free pro season. Well, we can hope, at least.

News and Notes

• Randy’s son Kevin Martin has earned his EMT certification while working as a hospital corpsman in Japan.
• We’ve got new counters, and if you haven’t seen them, come on in and take a look, and if your so inclined sample some of our complimentary coffee or tea.
• Fridays at 6:15/6:30ish PM is the Fix Detroit ride. Starts at the shop, anywhere between 15 and 20 miles, on single speeds, preferably fixed gears, and possibly the promise not to shift. Most Fridays when the weather’s nicer. If you’ve got any questions, give us a call and talk to Dave or Jason. (you can also email Jason@continentalbikeshop.com)
• This Month’s Tip will return at an as yet unannounced and unplanned later date this summer. As always, if you’ve got a question or a suggestion, drop us a line.

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no9

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no9
November, I don’t even eat turkey Edition

This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “N.” This time of year the letter ‘N’ is usually accompanied by something that goes along the lines of ‘night riding’ or one of the many light companies whose names begin with ‘N.’ Since Nite Hawk was in the last issue, this time the spotlight is on Nitto. For very nicely made vintage looking parts, Nitto is the way to go. Need a mustache bar? They make it. Need a quill stem of a length other than the one on your bike? They’ve got that too. They also make some nifty other parts and whatnot, but if you want to know more, you’ll have to come in and ask.

Bianchi’s Day at the Races
It’s strange to see a pro peloton devoid of celeste, especially considering Bianchi’s long race heritage. But for the 2007 pro tours, there was no Bianchi team. Liquigas had become the Cannondale pro team. In 2007, Cannondale sponsored two pro teams, both of which made it to the Tour de France. For 2008, Liquigas will continue to race on Cannondales. Barloworld, on the other hand, will be racing for Bianchi. Now that’s cycling irony if I’ve ever seen it. To read more about Bianchi’s partnership with Barloworld, check out this article on Bianchi.com. I wonder how much red and celeste can possibly clash.

A Tandem for Town
Or a Townie Tandem? Well, not exactly Townie per se, but a tandem with the cranks out in front of the bottom bracket. (The thing that makes a Townie and all its knock-offs a Townie and all its knock-offs.) Yes, right, back to the tandem. For 2008, Sun has introduced the Brickell, a super low stand over tandem with easy to adjust stems, handlebars and seat heights, its great for new tandem riders. If you’re looking for a fun, leisurely ride, the Sun Brickell has definitely got it.

Get ‘em While They’re Hot!
Arguably, the nicest child trailer out is the Burley d’lite, its lightweight, easy to attach to a bike, features that nifty little helmet pocket, and is generally a niiiice trailer. Well, we certainly think so, and obviously they’ve never been inexpensive trailers. But for 2008, they’ve gotten a little more expensive, to the tune of $90 over what they were in 2007, for a whopping $550 price tag. Now, since we’re not to crazy about that price hike, and Burley’s got a number of 2007 trailers still floating around, we think now might be the perfect time to get one. All 2007 d’lite trailers will be $430, (save $120 if you get it now, instead of in May), and layaways are our friend this time of year. If you’d like to reserve your Burley d’lite, drop us a line, and a little deposit so we know how many to get. They’ll be arriving sometime in early December, just in time to wrap and put under the tree.

New Bianchi’s
2008 brings a bit of change to the Bianchi line. Gone are a lot of their steel frames, with the noted exceptions of the Volpe, Pista, and San Jose, and in are the Nirone, with carbon fork and seat stays, and new T-Tube carbon frames. We’ve seen a few of the new Bianchis, both steel and aluminum frames, and we’re quite impressed. So, come out and test ride a few and let us know what you’ve got to say. We’ll have more on each of the new frames as we ride them. Look for a special edition of the Spoken Wrench full of reviews.

Repair classes
Its that time of year. It’s always some time of the year… but this time I’m specifically talking about that winter tradition around here, repair classes. We’re wondering if there’s enough interest to hold them again this winter, beginning mid to late January. If its something you’re interested in, please drop us a note, or leave a comment, and we’ll get you on the list. Repair classes cover everything in the Big Blue Book of Bike Repair from Park. Hubs, cones, tire changes, brake and derailleur adjustment are just some of the topics covered.

Shoes for Spinning
Lake makes some wonderful winter shoes (which we have in regular and wide widths for your cold weather perusal) but they also make spinning shoes, and we’re stocking the I/O-1. They’re light weight shoes with Vibram soles, and plenty of super-Velcro to make sure they stay the heck on. They come in white or grey, and they run a little small. Smallishness aside, they are quite comfy, and certainly walk-able enough to get you from the locker room to your spinning class, or from the couch to your trainer.

Speaking of Shoes…
We’ve got some Sidi Winter boots on sale for $199. We’re happy to say they’re quite warm and will certainly less expensive than their brand-spanking new counterparts, which go for $299. So, maybe there should be winter shoes in your future.

Holiday Layaways
A bike can be awfully hard to hide, especially in a small space. And bikes do make such popular presents… So we thought it was time to remind everyone that we do holiday layaways. And we will be open on Christmas Eve, if you need to wait until the last possible moment to pick your bike up, (or your trainer, Burley d’lite, rollers, Assos clothing… et cetera.) We’ve also got bikes starting at $250, that are really worth riding, and make the stuff you find at department stores look like pond-scum. So, if you know of someone who would really like a new bike, but doesn’t think they can afford one, point them towards us. We’re happy to work out layaway programs.

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no8

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no8
Post-Interbike! 6″ Crescent Wrench

There’s only one industry trade show left: Interbike. We’ve got a love hate relationship with it, in large part because it’s hosted in Las Vegas. And well, Vegas isn’t our idea of a good place to have a bike show, but it’s always been there, and at the rate we’re going it will always be there. The good thing is that we get to ride all the new bikes and try out the new stuff, and all that jazz before we order it. You know, to make sure we actually like what they’ve got to offer.

Tip of the Ice-Berg: Interbike Style!
In John’s Post-Vegas fuzziness, he’s only coming up with a few of the things he’s seen. The rest are momentarily lost to that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” thing. And we don’t want to ask. And the rest, well, I can’t read his notes, and neither can he. When the translation is done, we’ll let you know.

• Mobiky: So a few issues back, I mentioned that there was a new folding bike in town, and whet everyone’s whistle, and then told you nothing about it. Well, here it is: We’re now Mobiky dealers. You might have seen them at Sharper Image, you might not have, but they’re great folders. They told in seconds, feature a 3 speed internal hub, with a double/idler gear like the DaVinci tandems, so the small wheels aren’t a penalty. They roll when you’re done, and stand on their own. (great for leaning on if you’ve got a bad knee…) They unfold in another three seconds. If you dawdle.
• New DaVinci Tandem: DaVinci has a new tandem for 2008, the Grand Junction. At around $2850, it’s the least expensive tandem DaVinci has ever offered. John rode the prototype in Vegas, and it ROCKED. I mean ROCKED hard core. With Shimano equipment and the same tube set as her more expensive cousins, the Grand Junction is just that, grand, and IPS makes this one sweet deal. The bike comes in two colors, red or blue, and three sizes: small, medium and large/small. We’ve got six bikes on order. If you want to get in line, $500 covers your spot in line and tandem clinic. And while this is the ‘entry level’ DaVinci, there’s nothing entry level about it.
• Lake Shoes: We’re constantly in search of a better winter shoe, which means we’re constantly in search of the next winter shoe from Lake. No one does warm comfortable winter cycling shoes like them, and we’re happy to say they’ve gotten even better than before. With a segmented upper so it lays better and a Vibram sole so it lasts for near forever, the Lake MX Z302 is probably the best we’ve ever seen. And for those who prefer to do their winter riding indoors or at a spinning class. We have the Lake I/O (indoor/outdoor) 1. At just around $100, these shoes are great for recreational riding and spinning. The I/O1 features two Velcro straps, non-marking Vibram soles, and a super breathable mesh upper.

Unicycle.com
Unicycles are growing in popularity, who would have ever thought of downhill racing on a unicycle? Well, not me, but someone did, and we’ve been seeing more and more of them. So, in honor of the growing demand for a better selection of unicycles, we’ve become a Unicycle.com dealer. Anything they’ve got on their website, we can get. We aren’t going to stock anything right now, but we’re certainly hoping to connect more people with the perfect unicycle. And those strange parts they are sometimes in need of. So, if unicycles are your passion, or you’d like them to become your passion, check out unicycles.com and we’ll get you whatever it is you’re looking for. (They’ve got instructional videos and whatnot, for those of us who have never had the guts to actually try riding one.)

Nite Hawk is Here!
Its officially fall. And the weather is beautiful, if a little chilly. And its getting darker ever earlier. Just because its dark, doesn’t mean you’ve got to stop riding though. It does mean that you’ve got to be prepared. One great way to be ready is a Nite Hawk Phoenix Helmet Mount system. They feature a one touch power button, 4 hour charge time, helmet and handlebar mount, and it only weighs a pound. Most other lights like this weigh a lot more. The Nite Hawk battery fits nicely Velcroed on to the frame, or in a jersey/jacket pocket. They usually retail for $149 (139.00 + 10.00 shipping from the manufacturer) but we’ve got them for $100! We’ve got a bunch, but they won’t last long. If you’ve got to have one, give us a call and a deposit and we’ll put your name on one and set aside for you.

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no3

Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol3 no3
May 2007

This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “J” for Jaune, as in Maillot Jaune. The Yellow Jersey, awarded to the stage winner in the Tour de France. In 1919 the first Maillot Jaune was given at for the 11th stage, to Eugene Christophe. Yellow was supposedly chosen because the newspaper, l’Auto, which sponsored the tour, was printed on yellow paper. Can you tell I can’t wait for the Tour? I wonder if they award a Maillot Jaune to mountain bikers? (also brought to you by Altoids Dark Chocolate dipped Peppermints. All they need now are chocolate dipped caffeinated Penguin mints…)

Kona Midwest!
Someone conveniently forgot to mention to me that Even Leonard, long time Continental wrench, is on the Kona Midwest Team! This year the team is was spread pretty far, with members in England and Iraq, but Jon Cross is home form his 9 month tour with the Marines. A huge “Welcome home” is in order for him. While Jim Scholefield is living and working in London right now, he plans on being back for a few races, and proudly flying the Kona Midwest colors in the UK National race Series. Adam Raphael won the Pro class at the Duryea Downhill! The rest of the team, who I in no way want to slight by not mentioning, have also been performing well in their respective races. I’d post all of their respective finishes, but for that, it’s easier to just send you on to their website, http://konamidwestracing.com/, with pictures, results, and a link to the team blog, which I have to recommend as a source of great amusement. And news too…

Our Standards
Our standard is custom. So says John. We’re not talking about custom framesets and builds, (though I’ll get to those in a minute) we’re talking about fitting every stock bike that leaves the shop to the rider. Why ride a bike with handlebars that are too narrow, (you shouldn’t, because it can affect your ability to breathe deeply…) a stem that’s too long or too short, or a saddle and position that are just plain uncomfortable? We don’t think you should. Ever. When riding is painless, you do more of it, and who doesn’t want to ride more? There’s a range of changes we can make that can dramatically improve ride quality. For more information on fittings, give us a call.

And if its time for the bike, you know, the one, perhaps, a custom frame is the way to go? If so, we offer custom frames from Serotta, Independent Fabrication, Gunnar, and Waterford. If building your perfect parts kit is more your style, we can get you frames or framesets from Surly, Salsa, and Ellsworth. (don’t forget, your favorite Bianchis, Cannondales, and Konas are frequently available as framesets too…)

UBB Shop of the Month
What’s UBB you ask? Why it’s Used Bicycle Buyer (.com). They buy, as the name implies, used bikes and parts. Usually things that retailed in the +$800 range, and are in good condition. Well, it’s a great way to get some more mileage out of your bike if you’re looking to get a new one. A popular idea lately, and because of that, UBB named us the shop of the month. We’ve had the highest number of bikes, and the most accurate spec sheets! All that attention to detail has paid off! So, while we celebrate being shop of the month, if you’ve got a bike that needs a new friend, we can give UBB a try for you.

80 Years
I’d say we look pretty good for 80. (Please, no comments from the peanut gallery, I can anticipate most of them, but I choose not to go there.) Fresh paint, a shiny new awning, and, well us. The ‘us’ part being the most important part of the equation. Us and the Bikes. So come ride one, and help us celebrate! Unlike some stores that have been in business for a handful of years, we’ve really been here, and we’ve seen it all. In the next 80 years (we think) bikes should take over the world!

Back Alley Bikes Art Auction
Back Alley Bikes, Detroit’s free bike shop, is looking for submissions for their 5th Annual Bike Art Auction. Proceeds from the auction are used to fund the whole year’s projects. Any media is accepted as long as its bike related, and using bike parts isn’t required, but its encouraged. For inspiration, or for a little help, check out the BAB Art Room, every Wednesday from 5-9PM. Submissions for the auction will be accepted from Monday, July 16th through Wednesday, July 18th from 5-9PM, or by appointment. The auction itself will be on Saturday July 21st, from 6PM-Midnight. Large items will be sold at auction, while smaller jewelry and crafts will be sold at the craft table. Back Alley Bikes provides free bikes, education, repairs and education to Detroiters. If you have any parts or an old bike that mostly works, don’t throw them out! BAB can take almost anything and make it work. For more information, check out Back Alley Bike’s website, or email them.

29ers
They’re here to stay, and that’s a good thing. Bigger wheels mean its easier to roll over those roots, and stuff on the trail. Someone, who shall remain nameless, unless he figures out I’m talking about him, keeps telling me they’re the future of mountain biking. We’ve managed to find the 29er with the lowest stand over, no easy feat, it happens to be the Redline Moncog, in the small. They certainly aren’t the only future in mountain biking, but there’s no denying they’re here to stay. Multiple ideas exist about who invented the 29er, but I’m not going there. I’m telling you, you should come in and ride one. Or two, or even three. We have a growing selection of 29ers in the store, Cannondale, Kona, Redline, and Salsa to name a few… and while we can’t offer trails to test ride on, there will be 29ers to ride at Cannondale’s Demo Days… If you’re worried about parts, wheels, tires, forks, ect, to fit your new 29er, relax. We’ve got you covered.

Six-13 Team Special
I see a Six-13 in your future. A very affordable one at that. Weighing in at under $2000, with a 105 based components groupo, including crank, Shimano WH-550 wheels, and a great riding frame, what’s not to love? Available in limited sizes, and only what we have in stock, in black, black, or black, it may be the new bike for you. Or me. Or well, anyone who wants one, quickly like.
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Liquigas: Go Green, er, Pink!
So, I know what you’re thinking. (Am I good or what?) Or at least I know what its likely you’re thinking. Liquigas wasn’t Cannondale’s team last year? Nope, they weren’t. but they are now. And its shaping up to be a very pink spring for them. Danilo Di Luca took back the maglia rosa on the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia. Riding along the Alfani coast saw a number of crashed on the wet pavement, including Liquigas rider Enrico Gasparotto, who lost the pink jersey to Di Luca. For more, including the latest results for the Giro, check out VeloNews’ coverage.

Amsterdam, You say?
While Amsterdam is a beautiful place to visit, its an even better place to ride a bike. Just ask Electra, they found the inspiration for their latest cruiser on the streets of Amsterdam. With a lightweight frame and fork, an upright ride, and a slightly forward pedal position, the Amsterdam takes everything that is a classic street bike and makes it better. Available in two models, the Classic and the Sport, the Amsterdam is the perfect bike for riding to and from anywhere. There’s a reason why 80% of the Dutch ride their bikes for transportation, and with a bike like this, there’s no reason not to. Both bikes come with fenders, a Shimano 3 speed internal hub, coaster brakes, and a full chain guard. The Classic also includes a rear rack, a coat guard, and front and rear lights. We’ve all ridden the Amsterdam, and you should too. Its light, comfortable and just plain fun, there’s no reason not to.