Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no13
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no13
Repair classes and one last Interbike moment, and things, edition.
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter ‘Y,’ for Yellow Jersey, young, youthful, yucky drive trains, snow yetis, and possibly others, but I’m almost to the end of the alphabet and you can bet we’ll find some other thing to start the newsletter with. These last few letters have been difficult to come up with.
Is your drive train yucky? Making noise? Grinding, or making other noises that make your riding buddies grimace and laugh behind your back? Perhaps its time for a drive train clean. They really do make everything better.
Repair Classes!
Randy’s take on Interbike
Call for slide shows!
Lights!
Women’s Clothing
Holidays and Stocking Stuffers.
Repair Classes
Right now we have two sessions scheduled, and if we get enough interest, we can always add more.
The first session runs November 11, 18, 25, and December 2.
The second session runs January 13, 20, 27, and February 3.
Classes are $125 and include 4 weeks and the Park Tool School Manual. They’re on Tuesdays at 7PM, and are approximately 2 to 3 hours long depending on how much everyone talks.
If you’d like to RSVP for a class, you can email me back, and I’ll put you on the list, or give us a call and we’ll put you on the list. Either way, in the fairly near future, we’ll be needing (at least) a $50 deposit to hold your spot. Which you can call in a credit card number for, or mail us a check. We’ll happily accept either.
If you have any further questions, let us know!
Randy’s take on Interbike
I can’t leave our fearless leader out of this, so the one thing that Randy wanted to bring home, followed by the things he really did bring home.
One thing: Randy’s all for the Bianchi Dolomiti. Why? Did you look at those beautiful lugs last time? It doesn’t hurt that Bianchi is known as a road bike company, celeste is their traditional colour, and its steel. As Randy put it, the bike is gorgeous, and he appreciates classic workmanship and unique design. He’s not big on the cookie cutter look a lot of bikes have. Nor, is he big on ipods.
Things he really did bring home:
Sometime in the middle of the summer, early summer maybe, earlier this year at least, we got new repair stand clamps. They’re yellow. We really like ‘em. They were custom painted for us by Bret Flemming of Efficient Velo Tools. Bret’s the service manager at Bike Gallery in Portland, OR. We see a lot of bikes come through here. They are in a league of their own, with six stores in the number one bike commuting city in the country. Bret makes tools because he got tired of crappy tools.
They’re designed with mechanics in mind, well thought out, and as Jason said, ‘shop tools for shop guys.’ We’re expecting a new head set press, because the one we have, well,.we’ve met some frames lately that have too tall of a head tube to use it, a new wheel dishing gage, and new presta valve core removers. We’ve also got replacement Silca washers that never need to be replaced.
Call for Slide Shows
Every winter we try to have one or two, and sometimes three or more slide shows featuring some of the super cool places people ride. Frequently these are populated by whatever epic ride Dave did this past year. We’d like to get more slide shows, more rides, just more great bike things to do in the winter. So, if you’ve got photos and you’d like to tell us all about your ride, give us a call and talk to Randy, or email me back and we’ll set something up. I suppose, if you’ve got video, we can probably figure that one out too, we just need a little extra advance warning.
Slide shows around here usually involve slides, some talking, some eating, and some drinking, and make for a fun time all around.
Lights!
Try as I might to ignore the onset of fall, and the rapidly approaching end of Daylight Savings Time, it seems unavoidable that its getting darker earlier and faster and for longer amounts of time. To best combat this, you need a head light. (tail light too.) Light ‘N Motion is still our favorite with their Stella, Seca, and Vega lights. Vega’s are one piece, battery and light all in one. Stella’s range from the Double ‘EH’ which uses AA batteries, to the 200n with a long lasting rechargeable battery. Seca’s range from the very bright and long lasting to the less bright and long lasting. All of these are lights you can see by, not just to be seen and street legal, but especially in the fall and winter, being street legal means that cars can see you more than when their headlights hit your reflectors.
Women’s Clothing!
Women’s clothing is still 40% off, basically till its outta here. And there are signs now, and every one knows what’s going on. Shoes aren’t included. Gloves, jerseys, jackets, shorts, those are all included.
Holidays and Stocking Stuffers.
We at the shop, individually and collectively, collect pint glasses. We’re certain there must be others around who also collect pint glasses, or pilsners, or coffee mugs. If you know someone who likes bikes, collects or uses glasses and mugs and might like one, they make great presents. Also, before the holiday’s roll around, we will be entering the 20th century and getting gift cards. Actual plastic cards. We’ll let you know when they get here!!
That’s all for this edition of the Spoken Wrench. Here follows the legal mumbo Jumbo.
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no12
Post Interbike, in which I remove my foot from my mouth, edition.
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by Interbike. No letters this time. There’s still plenty we haven’t talked about, and a few corrections to be made. And an assurance to Jason and Travis that, yes, I do plan on posting what they thought about the bikes….
So without further ado, I will begin with the corrections and continue onto the other important stuff.
Corrections:
1.Repair classes.
2.Schwinn.
All Women’s Clothing 40% off!!!
Interbike…
Jason’s Picks
Travis’ Picks
My Picks
What really happens in Vegas.
Correction #1: Repair Classes.
Last time, I stated that Repair Classes were 6 weeks long. No, they are not. Each session is 4 weeks long. I apologize for any confusion. Jason corrected me first this Tuesday morning, so I’m passing that on.
Correction #2: Schwinn.
Ok, first of all, Schwinn of Chicago fame, the great American bike company that everyone grew up with? Yeah, they don’t exist anymore. Somewhere in the quest for money and world domination, they sold more than their souls. So from a historical standpoint, this is a monumental year for the name. From a ‘should I buy one standpoint?’ no, no you shouldn’t buy a Schwinn, you should buy a bike made by Richard Schwinn. And that’d be a Waterford.
Schwinn is not celebrating its 75th anniversary. The Paramount however, is. And its the first American made frame in, uh, decades. Two and a half of them to be exact. That frame is the one made by Mr Richard Schwinn, who happens to run Waterford and Gunnar. Its pretty and a piece of history. But not a bike we need.
Women’s Clothes!
All of our women’s clothing is 40% off. Now’s a good time to get some new jerseys, shorts, gloves, jackets and the like. Socks and shoes not included. Obviously, in stock only. Come on in ans try em on. Sale stuff like this is final.
Interbike…
Some day, we will get tired of talking about Interbike, but not yet. I had promised more commentary and reviews of stuff we liked, and that may be all well and good, but Jason also pointed out that this needs to be timely, and if we don’t talk about it now, it’ll be January before we’re done talking about new bikes. So without further ado, everyone else’s picks and then maybe some of the stuff that missed the mark.
Feel free to disagree with that last part. Actually, feel free to disagree always, at least with the opinion part of stuff.
Jason says:
Best Road Bike: Cannondale SuperSix. It’s light, stiff through the bottom bracket, responsive, and yet, won’t beat you up over Michigan roads, unlike a lot of other manufacturers who are making bikes too stiff for our roads.
Best Mountain Bike: Giant Trance XO. It’s super efficient, fast, light and has lots of travel. The Trance XO also sports the new 15mm QR standard. Yes, we admit, we thought it was a ploy. But Jason swears it tracks far better, its stiffer and its not just another QR standard.
One thing to take home: Campagnolo Super Record 11. With redesigned levers that are even more comfortable than the already super friendly Campy levers, Super Record 11 is really the next great grouppo. Who needs electronic shifting when you have 11 gears that run like butter?
Travis’ Picks
So, I missed Demo Days. I didn’t get to ride anything while in Vegas. I’m ok with that. Heat and dry and me didn’t get along last time anyway. So this is all the stuff I thought looked cool. And the Minxy, I’d take home in a heartbeat. One thing to take home: Kona Minxy. I’ve never wanted a full suspension mountain bike. I have a Kona Lava Dome and I love it. But I’d take up mountain biking worthy of this bike if someone would give me a Minxy. Its a women’s specific frame. And I’m ok with that. Its not painted pink, purple, or any other unfortunate color. Its black with a nice angry looking tiger on the head and down tubes. It looks cool. I’m sure, since its a Kona and well, this is what they do, it would be perfect for the kind of riding I’m admittedly a little scared to try. But now, I really want to try it, and that’s probably the biggest hurdle to get over.
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| From Interbike 2008 |
Coolest Bike I didn’t pick to take home: That would be a tie between the Kona Kapu and the Bianchi Dolomiti. I have a soft spot for steel. I’ve never had the joy of owning a lugged steel road frame, but there is yet hope. Both the Kapu and the Dolomiti are lugged steel. And despite swearing I’d never own another yellow bike, the Kapu is growing on me. Celeste was also a color I’d really never planned on owning, but there’s something about a Campy equipped lugged steel frame that’s just perfect.
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| From Interbike 2008 |
| From Interbike 2008 |
What really happens in Vegas.
Vegas is not necessarily where we’d choose to hold Interbike, given the chance. But, no one can come up with a better idea, and the show signed another five year contract with the Sands, so for the foreseeable future, Interbike will be in Vegas. None of us really gamble, but there’s plenty of other things we can get into. And fortunately or unfortunately, there’s usually photographic evidence.
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| From What really happens in Vegas |
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| From What really happens in Vegas |
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| From What really happens in Vegas |
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| From What really happens in Vegas |
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no11
Post Interbike, Hot Hot Heat edition
Interbike in Review
Dave’s favorite
Cool Weather, Warm Clothes.
Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for life, or something…
Repairs. Again.
Interbike in Review
In case any one was wondering, it was freaking hot in Vegas while we were there. Hot and dry is completely different than hot and humid. And only better if you like it, and like feeling like the purpose of your existence is to give the air around you a little extra moisture.
The show however, was usually rather chilly. Better than not chilly in a giant convention center with thousands of your closest friends and associates. There was so much Interbike this year that none of us saw anywhere near all of it. But we’ve all got things we like best and think are cool, and then, the one thing we’d like to take home with us. Only one thing each makes us think. And wonder what exactly is the best thing we saw.
We’ll give a little of what we think was the best of Interbike in a couple of different categories in the next few Spoken Wrenches.
In addition to this year being the 75th anniversary of Schwinn, and a Schwinn actually making the 75th anniversary frame, Waterford, Richard Schwinn’s frame company, created, because when you see this thing, ‘made’ just doesn’t do it justice, one of the most beautiful frames we’ve ever seen. Not much can do this frame justice, and even the pictures don’t really give you the full effect.
So without further ado, we give you the Waterford frame. One of the coolest and most beautiful frames of Interbike. Or, you know, ever.
Oh, and all those musical notes are 3-d raised metal work. And freaking awesome.
| From Interbike 2008 |
| From Interbike 2008 |
| From Interbike 2008 |
Clothes make the rider. Well, maybe not entirely, but they will make the rider more comfortable, and warm enough to ride whatever the weather throws at you, and as we all know, in Michigan, what doesn’t it throw at us? So, arm warmers, tights, leg warmers, balaclavas (not reccomended for use while shopping at 7-11) and other goodies are here. Because riding’s great, frostbite’s not.
Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime… or something like that…(aka, profound thoughts on repair classes.)
I am aware that I’ve absconded with a fairly famous saying about fishing. But here’s how it works. If you can fish, you can feed yourself. If you learn to work on your bike, you can work on your bike. I know, the fish saying is more refined, but I’m not planning on being that profound right now.
Its beginning to look a lot like fall, and we’ve been thinking about repair classes. Specifically, how many of them we might need to run, whether we have enough interest to run a set of classes soon, and again in the new year. We’re pretty much open to any commentary you might have about repair classes.
Classes are $125 for six weeks and a Park Big Blue School Manual (or whatever they call it now). You work on your own bike, which we store for you during the class, since you’ll be pretty much tearing it down and putting it back together week by week.
If you’re interested in repair classes, email us and let us know these four things:
1.Your Name
2.Your phone number. The best one to reach you at to let you know more details.
3.Whether you’d prefer class now, in early 2009, or you don’t care?
4.How many people you’re RSVPing for? Just you, you and a friend? (its still $125 a person even if you RSVP for two.)
Repairs. For the record.
I know, this is by far the best riding season Michigan offers. Especially when Fall is actually Fall and not Indian Summer followed directly by WINTER. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to think about winter yet. For two reasons, one, as mentioned, clothes make the rider, and two, why not bring your bike in while we’re less busy, and get it back way faster than in the spring when everyone’s thinking about riding. All you have to do when the first nice day rolls around is put some air in those tires and ride! Pretty please? Some day, we might actually tire of reminding everyone that winter is the best repair season. But I kind of doubt it.
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no10
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no10
Pre-InerBike, what do you mean checked luggage costs $15?
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “W” for wheels, wind, wool, warm, whisper, winter and winning. Wheels seem pretty obvious right? Make them lighter and stiffer and your whole riding experience can change, because rotational weight is what really matters. Wind, well, its a good thing going one direction, and less of a good thing going the other direction, but it can add to the chilly feeling that mornings have had lately. Speaking of chilly mornings, this is the best time of year to ride, in our opinion. But that might mean enjoying the warmth while you can and investing in some clothes to keep you warmer before the sun comes out and long into the winter. Speaking of winter, get your drive train cleaned for a whisper quiet ride and avoid the rush. And winning, well we’re going to Vegas. Or as my uncle used to call it ‘Lost Wages,’ hopefully, we’ll hit it big at the casinos, but then, someone would actually have to gamble, and really, none of us do.
InterBike! Again, once more with feeling….
Whisper Quiet rides…
The Living with Cancer Bike Tour
Don’t forget the Tour de Troit!
InterBike! Again, once more with feeling….
The show starts on Monday September 22nd with Demo Days out in Bootleg Canyon. We’ll be there. Enjoying the warm weather, sunny days, and test riding as many bikes as humanly possible in the time we’re there. Which means, we’ll be closed. Starting on the 21st, (yes, I know its a Sunday, but better safe than sorry) and lasting through Thursday September 25th, we’ll be back and bright eyed and in some serious need for caffeine, but we’ll be here.
Whisper Quiet Rides
Have you ever noticed that derailleurs get noisy when they get dirty, mucky and nasty? Well, they do. And the only thing to get them clean and quiet is a nice hot bath in the Ultrasonic. I don’t recommend anyone try to accompany their parts into the Ultrasonic, no matter what, ever. Your parts however, derailleurs, chain, crankset, and anything else that could benefit from, and looks like it might need a cleaning, will thank you. With a good quiet ride and smooth shifting.
That goes for all the roadies and the mountain bike riders out there, the commuters, and anyone who likes to ride rail trails. Crushed limestone dust is not a pretty thing. And should be regularly removed from your bike, using something other than water.
The Living with Cancer Bike Tour
Long time customer and friend, Fred Synk was diagnosed with Melanoma earlier this year, which prevented him from participating in a ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC., along the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail and the C & O Canal Towpath that he had planned as a high adventure trip for the Boy Scouts. It’s 325 miles from city to city, and beginning October 26th through November 1st Fred, his fiancée Michelle Burns, his sister Margie, and her husband Tom, and his brother Mike, will spend five days riding to increase awareness and raise money for Melanoma Research at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information on Fred’s ride, or to donate, follow the link. We’d appreciate it, so would Fred, and everyone at the U of M Cancer Center. Thanks.
Don’t forget the Tour de Troit!
Even if you haven’t registered yet, you still can, and there is DOE registration avalible at Rosevelt Park. You don’t get a free t-shirt, but they might have some left after the ride, and will be selling them post-ride. Go, have fun, enjoy the city by bike!
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no9
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol4 no9
Its already September, Interbike and Fall is in the Air Edition.
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the letter “V” for Victory, Vigorelli, and Velox rim tape. Victory seems pretty self explanatory, and the parts of it that aren’t, well, this is not a political newsletter for a reason. Bianchi will welcome their much loved steel frames back for 2009, including a new version of the Vigorelli. And Velox rim tape may be the greatest thing to happen to a rim with spoke holes, ever.
Interbike!
Paddy Wagon rides anyone?
Bike Lights! And all that Fall stuff.
If you can spare your Monday…
Interbike!
The show is rapidly approaching, and we’re mostly ready, (though obviously not packed yet) for our annual trip out to Vegas. The shop will be closed September 21-24 for Interbike. Yes, we’re always closed on Sundays. But we just want to make sure everyone hears. We’ll be back Thursday 25 September, at 10:00 AM, no earlier. We’ll be sleepy, and probably in some serious need of caffeine, but we’ll be here with lots of new information on 2009 stuff.
Paddy Wagon rides anyone?
No, I’m not offering free rides in a police car, thats only for special people, the 2009 Kona Paddy Wagon’s are here. Now, the Paddy Wagon is a bit of a flasshy single speed, what with yellow wheels and all, but otherwise, the grey is good and understated. If you want understated. The yellow wheels do much for the not so understated look.
2009 Jakes are also in, just in time for cyclocross season. They’re red. And flashier than last year’s black. So if cyclocross, or the world’s greatest commuter bike, is in your future, stop by.
And remember, don’t get mad, get ‘cross.
Bike lights and all that Jazz.
It is September in Michigan, which, despite what the weather may do between now and the 21st, means that fall is definitely on the horizon. Which means that, well, riders are going to need some lights. (State law says, bikes must have a headlight and a taillight while riding between dusk and dawn.) So, that means, commuters, anyone who might believe that night is a perfectly good time to get ice cream, and anyone who might want to venture near Ferndale, needs a bike light. For everyone wanting to see where they’re going, as well as be seen, this year’s Light N’ Motion Stella lights have mostly arrived, as have the NiteRider MiNewt (which you can charge with a mini-USB cable). The MiNewts start at around $100, and the Stella’s we have in stock start around $130. There’s a $90 version that uses AA batteries, but those are due in October.
If you can spare some of your Monday….
Monday 8 September, the Public Health and Safety Committee for the Detroit City Council, will be discussing and hearing comments on the Detroit Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan, hopefully, (as shakeups in the Mayor’s office and city government could possibly push back the hearing). It is the first step in getting the Master plan recognized by MDOT and getting their help. There’s a lot of plan in that master plan, but it calls for 400 miles of bike lanes and other ways to connect cycling destinations in the City.
So, if you’ve got the opportunity on Monday, go out and tell the Council, we need a more bike friendly city. And this is one part of that goal.
When: Monday, September 8th at 11:15 AM
Where: City Council, 13th floor of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Jefferson at Woodward.
As I mentioned earlier, the meeting is supposed to be on Monday. But to be certain, please call the City Clerk for verification. 313.224.3266. Thanks to Todd Scott, the Detroit Greenways Coordinator for the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, for the heads up.
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.







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