Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol5 no10
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol5 no10
November, Movies Movies! And more Parties!
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the Spoke Wrench. This is the tool, according to Randy, that can either make you a hero or a scape goat. Or, a little knowledge can kill you. Truing your wheels is important, very important. Doing it right is even more important. A little tension goes a long way. Too much tension, and your previously mostly true wheel can resemble a taco. And while a spoke wrench is the key to a true wheel, at least as important is knowing what to do with that spoke wrench. So watch for our classes in January, so you can learn to use this tool.
Movie Night and PARTY!
Repairs for Spring!
Trainers are In!
Road Bikes, Single Speeds and Cyclocross, Oh My!
Sugoi clothing
Electra offering a rebate!
Gift Cards!
Movie Night and PARTY!
Monday, November 30 7PM David, Art Bull and Trevor Smith will host a slide presentation on their Great Canadian Adventure to Montreal and Quebec this past summer. This is also David’s good-bye party, as he embarks on a new adventure to New York City. As usual, with movie nights, Hors d’œuvre and drinks will be served. RSVPs are a must, call the shop, or email Randy, bicycledoctor@continentalbikeshop.com
Repairs for Spring!
I know, its not spring yet. Its not even technically winter yet, but its been pretty cold, and then again, pretty warm this month. But, now is the perfect time to bring your bike in. You can get it back quickly, stock up on some cold weather riding gear, and most importantly, beat the spring rush. Or, instead of getting your bike back quickly, you can leave your bike for its own vacation, and we can upgrade your kit, do a drive train clean and tune up, and make your bike better than new for spring.
Trainers are in!
Cyclops trainers are here! We’ve got the Mag, Mag+, Magneto, Fluid2, and rollers in the store. Trainers are a great way to get a head start on spring, and keep riding. They’re also a great way to use up a mostly used tire that’s still got some life in it, because the last thing you want to do is put your brand new Vittoria tire on a trainer.
Road Bikes, Single Speeds and Cyclocross, Oh My!
700c go fast bikes are on sale! From 15% to 25% off, depending on the bike! Sale applies to in stock bikes only! Come in and test ride before the bikes are gone and the snow flies!
Sugoi Clothing
Need some cool weather gear? We’ve got it from Sugoi, the newest addition to our clothing line up. We’ve got arm and leg warmers, balaclavas, gloves, tights, and shoe covers for your cool weather riding pleasure.
Electra Rebate!
Electra has decided to reward cool weather cruisers. If you buy any Electra bike, with a retail price of $399 or more, between now and 12-31, you can get a $25 rebate right from Electra. We’re not sure why they decided to do it, we’re just happy they are. Every Electra you buy qualifies for the rebate, and if you buy two, then well, you get $50 back. If your chosen Electra retails for less than $399, don’t worry, they will still send you a rebate. This time for $10.
Gift Cards!
It is that time of year! Get your holiday shopping done right! Know someone who likes to shop at Continental? Want to convert your ridding buddies into Continental customers? There’s no better gift than a gift card then. They never expire, we’ve upgraded to real cards, no more paper gift certificates, and we don’t charge pesky fees like some credit card companies do if you don’t use your card. So stop in, or give us a call, and make your holidays a cheery yellow and black.
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol5 no3
Continental Bike Shop presents the Spoken Wrench vol5 no3
March, Spring Might really be here, Edition.
This edition of the Spoken Wrench is brought to you by the Spoke Wrench (haha, Probably should have started with the Spoke Wrench…). Sometimes we all need a little help with a wobbly wheel, and the best way to get it, is with a spoke wrench, in one of about 4 standard sizes if you’ve got pretty standard laced 3- or 4-cross wheels. If you’re wheels are sporting a bladed spoke, something even more exotic, or you’re running Mavic wheels, you might need a less standard spoke wrench. No matter what, if you\’d like to take a spoke wrench home with you, bring your wheel in, so we can see what size you need.
- Michigan Bike Summit!
- News and Notes
- Burley Rain Gear’s Here!
- Procrastination, or the Doctor is in.
- Spring and Mountain Bike Trails
Michigan Bike Summit
The LMB(link) is hosting their annual Bike Summit in Lansing. Its a great way to get involved and make Michigan a bike friendly place. Its on Saturday March 28th, so we won’t be there, even though we’d kinda like to be. Here’s what Rich Moller, Executive Director of the LMB, has to say:
From: Rich Moeller
Subject: LMB Board: Michigan Bicycle Summit
Reply-To: Board@lmb.org
Time is running out to register for the 2009 Michigan Bicycle Summit. It will be on Saturday, March 28, 2009 in Lansing. Registration information is now online at: http://www.lmb.org/2009BikeSummit.pdf. This Summit is designed for you, the bicyclist. There is new momentum nationwide for bicycling with the new administration and the recognition that bicyclists are a legitimate road user. After the National Bicycle Summit last week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, posted the following on his blog: “I am committed to investing in programs that encourage bikes to coexist with other modes and to safely share our roads and bridges.” I hope you will plan to come and share this momentum with other bicyclists from across Michigan.
Our goal for this year is 100. I/we need your help. Please distribute the attached notice to any list serve or Google group you may be on.
Encourage your friends and folks from your club to attend.
Thank you
Rich Moeller
LMB
National Bike Summit
“They have no beer in Washington.”
But they do have legislatures, Congress, the Senate, and lots of staff. And no place to park the Bike Doctor van. (which Randy found out the hard way.)
Despite having a hard time parking the van, Randy made the most of the Bike Summit, meeting with Michigan representatives to talk about how to get more federal funding for fixing our existing roads, adding bike lanes, supporting mountain biking, and just about anything else bike and legislation related.
For more advocacy related stuff, you’ll find a whole new section of the website dedicated to advocacy and ways you can get involved. (It’s HERE, and a work in progress.)
Just in time for Spring
We’ve got limited, and I stress the LIMITED part of this, Burley Rain Gear, at 30% off! Not a lot, and in some pretty limited sizes, but we’ve got it. Come and get some new rain gear while the getting’s good.
Procrastination, or The Doctor is In.
Well, I think it’s safe to say we’ve spent every winter for at least the past three years trying to convince people to bring their bikes in while the weather is cold and no one’s thinking about riding. But, because no one’s thinking about riding, they never do. Right now, repairs are a week out. So if you bring it in today, Thursday 19 March, we’ll get it back to you next Thursday, 26 March. And it won’t be long until it will be a little longer than a week for repairs….
So, perhaps, this is our way of saying, you have procrastinated too long if you want to your bike back tomorrow, or by this weekend.
Never fear, we’ve got more than one way to do repairs. If you don’t want to be without your bike for a week, perhaps, you should call Randy, the Bicycle Doctor, and have him come out and take a look at your bike. For more information give him a call or email him, bicycledoctor@sbcglobal.net.
Mountain Bikes and Spring Thaw
While we think its spring, the mountain bike trails around aren’t quite thawed. The trails are mostly thawed, but until they’re totally thawed and the ground and rain water have no place to go and the trails are especially susceptible to erosion. Here’s what the MMBA has to say:
Don’t give yourself or other mountain bikers a bad name by riding on trails during the spring thaw.
The recent warm weather may have melted the snow, but the sub-surface layers of soil are still partially frozen. Trails are critically sensitive to erosion damage at this time.
Please ride on pavement or gravel roads for a few more weeks, until the trails have properly thawed and dried out. A good rule of thumb is that when the earthworms begin to emerge, the ground is suitably thawed for trail activities (usually by mid-April).
Help us keep trails open to mountain biking by riding in an environmentally sound manner.
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.
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| From Interbike 2008 |
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| From Interbike 2008 |
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| 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.
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