it’s official! we have been voted 3rd best bike shop by the New Haven Advocate reader’s Poll… we would like to thank our 4 customers for voting, thanks Jeff, Mike, Enid, and of course, my mom.

all kidding aside, we are really psyched to have been voted 3rd place. clearly, 1st would be pretty cool, but 3rd is an honor. thanks to everyone that voted!

ah, yes… spring is just a few days away [at least on the calendar it is] and it is time to be getting ack on the road or trail if you took the winter off… like i did. there is no better time to eat cheesecake than the winter and i certainly subscribe to that statement. now it’s time to work off them winter lbs. and what better way than joining us on our monday night ride! thanks to daylight savings we can start our rides earlier this year. we will be leaving the shop as close to 5:30 as possible to give us as much riding time as possible. for those of you that have no been on this ride it is a purely recreational group ride to socialize and put on a few extra miles for the week. when it gets later on in the season we usually get about 30 miles for the ride so it will be a little shorter for now due to light restraints. if you’re looking for a hammerfest this isn’t it, there are more than a few choices for that in the area for you to abuse you legs and lungs!

as if we need to say this, but it bears repeating… bring your bike it before it gets wicked nice out for tune-ups and repairs! we want everyone to be able to ride on those warm weekends and it’s hard for us to get your bike back to you right away when fifty other people drop their bike off before you. get it in now to avoid delays!

oh, i almost forgot… we’re dealing with used bikes now. used is a great way to go if you’re looking for something to ride around with your kids while they’re learning, need an extra bike for when your relatives come to visit, or want something to chain up at the train station while you’re at work… or, if you just want to save a couple of bucks. every used bike that comes in to the store is tuned-up by our professional mechanics and made road-worthy before we even put a for-sale tag on it. keep an eye out, there are some real deals to be had here.

that, having been said, go ride a bike!

the holidays are upon us once again. in a week or so all the hubbub and 2008 will be behind us and spring will be but a few short bitterly cold, colourless, miserable months away. cabin fever, you will have it. bring your bike in for a tune-up or repair it gets nice out! you may not know, but we know what happens in the spring, everyone gets the same idea and drops their bike off hoping to get it back in a day and that’s not always possible. we like to get everyone out on the road or trail as fast as possible so beat the rush! bring your bike in between january first and march fifteenth for a pre-spring tune-up and get 25% off and a $10 gift certificate [with the online coupon... go here to print it out]. do us and you a favor and get your bike in before it gets nice out!

that, having been said, the dead of winter is… next week, i think. but that doesn’t mean you can’t ride your bike! get some fenders, reflective clothing, lights or studded tires and keep on riding. yeah, the winter can make for some miserable riding conditions but it also makes for some variety that you don’t normally get during the rest of the year. go ride in the snow! [we recommend doing this in the woods and not in the road]. in fact, it is store policy #1547 subparagraph b. that in heavy snowfalls all employees must go riding. fact.

enjoy the holidays. enjoy the winter. keep riding.

okay, it’s getting dark early, it’s getting colder, the leaves are changing. face it, winter is inevitable. well, that doesn’t mean you have to hang up your spandex and shinguards! get some blinky lights for commuting or a headlamp for those after-hours mountain bike adventures. you’d be surprised at what life a set of lights can breathe into the same trail you’ve ridden for the past X years. we’ve started carrying Danolite, a locally made headlight [which we like], that we can say from experience, is awesome. the lights are super lightweight, wicked bright and W-I-D-E, but i have to say, the best thing about them is the fact that they use four rechargeable AA batteries. when you eventually wear them out, go to the store and buy four more. there is no proprietary battery with an equally proprietary charger that are expensive to replace. score.

a lot of people have been asking, “will you have group rides leaving from the store?”

answer: yes.

last year we had a monday night “recovery ride” which was a good way to log some miles in for the week and not have to hammer to keep up with the group. the unofficial “no big ring” rule kept the pace more recreational but still covered some 30 miles and change, depending on the route.  be on the lookout for this one… leaving at 6pm from the parking lot, weather permitting.

new for this year, the group mountain bike ride in west woods.  this one looks like it will end up on sunday mornings [not too early though, ryan needs his coffee]. most likely this will be more of a XC ride than a huck-fest. for people that like to get on their bikes and ride for a couple of hours.

our very own sarah will be leading a women’s only ride some night during the week that has yet to be determined. don’t worry, this ride is on! 

i’ve placed a hefty order with jamis this year and i’ve also included a few demo bikes which will be available for customers to take out on serious rides to get a real world feel for the bikes and not a parking-lot ride. it’s the only way to truly know how a bike will feel like and handle when put through your normal riding routine. Read the rest of this entry »

well… that’s that. the broken spoke has finally been made a reality thanks to my family, friends… and the bank. it’s been a long time in the works and i appreciate all of the best wishes i have received from customers along the way. that, having been said, let’s get down to business…

i’ve had way too much time to think about what i want to change about the store and i’ve got some good ideas… but i have to pace myself, there simply isn’t enough time [or money] to get it all done right away. but, i can clue you in on a few of the changes in the near future:

- evening spinning a few nights a week in the winter. it’s too dark to ride on the road and too cold for most people so, set up on a trainer and spin for a while. dates and times to be anounced.

- group rides towards the spring. and yes, ladies, we’ll have a women’s only ride, though you are welcome on any group ride.

- i’ve been looking at some new lines. don’t worry, i’m sticking with what i have [for the most part] but there is a gap that needs filling and i’m on the case. stay tuned for confirmation.

come in a hang out for a while. chi-chat about bike and junk. or whatevs.