drive-by?

Welcome to Bike to Work Week!  Did you get passed by lots of cyclists today while you were in your car?  Did you feel like you were missing out on something?  (okay, maybe don’t answer that if you are an all-car person…)  Were you a cyclist that whizzed past lots of cars today?  Bet that felt awesome, huh? (It probably felt awesome even if you DO normally ride.)  Riding your bike to work, if you don’t normally, can be daunting, and sometimes sweaty; but, hopefully, lots of you are will get the jist why so many chose to ride all year ’round (or, at least in the non-rainy season)!

Chances are, you cyclists reached your destination more quickly.  There was a study done (when, by whom?) that tested cars, buses and bikes starting off at the same point and having the same destination, and I recall that the results were more favorable for bikes over buses and cars.  One of many great advantages to be a two-wheelin’ demon.  Another one is that this week, lots of you will probably be winning some great prizes for committing to riding to work.  Way to go!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHave fun, keep riding… and pray for our summer back!

got bike sense?

As a driver, do you think you have what it takes to be cyclist savvy?  As a cyclist, do you know what your obligations are?  Sometimes, we’re just one (a driver OR a cyclist), sometimes we’re both, but the lines can be hazy (especially if you have bad eyes or were drinking Cono Sur wine before you went out!).

You think you know what’s right when you’re on a bike, but do you?  And, most certainly, drivers assume they think they’re doing what they’re supposed to, but we’ve heard of and seen way too many damaged bikes and damaged people to realise there is quite a bit of uncertainty.

So, to help make it more Black & White, check out Bike Sense.  Especially with Bike To Work Week coming up soon, it might be time to brush up on your knowledge, as a cyclist AND a driver.

The biggest thing that I’ve always got excited about, when reading it, is that: cyclists aren’t supposed to ride up on the inside.  If you’re on the road, yes, you are a bike, but you should act like a car in this regard, and cars aren’t supposed to nip up on the inside are they?  Be wise and be safe, whether on two or four wheels.

If you would like a paper copy, the local libraries have ‘em.  But, try and save a tree and enjoy the PDF version!  That makes sense, too.

loooong weekend

Just to let y’all know – we’ll be closed on the Sunday/Monday this coming weekend, May 23rd & 24th!

window dressing

With Bike to Work Week 2010 approaching at the end of this month (May 31 – June 6), cyclists are starting to get their bikes tuned up and teams are getting ready.  They offer lots of amazing prizes as incentive to ride those two rickety wheels to work for a week.  And, heck, with all this gorgeous weather and our beautiful city, why wouldn’t you want to ride just for the pleasure of it??

Our BTWW offering as a prize this year is an Electra Townie Holiday 3i in khaki (which looks a lot like beige to me), and we were recently invited to lend it to the Hotel Rialto’s Vintage Liquor Store on Pandora Street.  They have a window display of Cono Sur wines well apppointed by our lovely bike!  Go check out their web page, as they have a nice bicycle influence.  Also, go check out the Vintage Liquor Store!

Please note, while we love biking and we love drinking wine, we do not condone drinking wine whilst riding your bike.  It is highly irresponsible… you could spill a glass of a particularly good vintage.

ohyes!

our excitement runneth over!  Where to start?

The supremely perfect and sublime Pashley Guv’nor Plus Four had the good fortune to pass through our door last week.  Only 50 made for the entirety of the universe…. we own #26.  Yes, we are extremely grateful and know just how darn lucky we are!!!

The Guv’nor Plus Four features brass plated lugs, a Sachs Duomatic rear hub and Speed Drive front chain wheel (providing the four gears the title alludes to).

You can guess it went straight from the bike stand where it was built to the ceiling where it now resides and is coveted daily.  In fact, I think I’ve seen a few staff and customers murmuring reverently at it whilst on their knees, gazing up at the brass lugs glimmering in the afternoon sunlight…

Also from the swell folks at Fourth Floor Distribution, our BuBs arrived today!!  And, there you thought the Dutch were only good for the De Dutch Pannekoek House!   BuBs can be test ridden freely (unlike the +Four), so come on by and take a whirl.

Not really mountain biking

Brrmm

Brrmm Brrmm

Singletrack Flora

Surly Buster

Buster on his way home tonight with Joe on the Surly Big Dummy…

surly dog (first attempt at throwing a vid on here, so…not sure why no cute little photo shows up here!)

An anomaly occurred today as I was about to leave work to go get our girls from school.  Normally, when I put my coat on and get my things to leave, Buster starts doing the crazy dance in anticipation of leaving the shop into The Unknown (which usually means: going home and eventually having supper).  However, today, when I went into the back to get him, he was sitting in the his chair while Joe was fixing bikes.

When I approached him with his leash (at which point he nearly pees himself in excitement), he still sat in his chair looking dubiously up at me.  I hooked in his leash and coaxed him down, which he did regretfully.  Just as we were about to walk out the back door, he jumped back up into his chair.  So, ’nuff said… guess he thought he had better opportunities at the shop (admittedly, there was some remnants of a Pig BBQ sandwich on the bench, which he was probably figuring he could steal or grovel for).

thoughtful gremlins…

This goes out to the really thoughtful, kind individual who sent us an anonymous bicycle license plate that arrived in the mail today: THANK YOU!!!!  We were really thrilled to receive such a cool envelope with an amazing surprise inside.

hey BuB!

Soon (very, very soon!!) to join our collection is the Batavus BuB (Batavus Utility Bike)!  Looking curiously like a paperclip is the women’s model, both are rugged, simple and inexpensive for a great Dutch ride.  It’s been the usual price tag of around a thousand dollars to get a solid Dutch bicycle that has more than one gear; they are expected to come in a few hundred dollars cheaper (exact price not yet known).  It is also lighter, which is novel for a Dutch bike.

BuB was designed as a concept Dutch bicycle by Batavus – it’s a fun bicycle that gives a superb, comfortable ride.  Designed around an office doddle featuring a paperclip (so, no, you weren’t imagining things!)….BuB’s frame evolved from a design to production and so far has won the attention of the media in the Netherlands and US and the hearts of those who’ve bought a BuB.

Best reviewed here or here!

Schwalbe Protection

This bike came in today with a completely worn out Schwalbe Marathon tyre. The nail has gone into the tread and out of the sidewall without touching the inner tube. The Kevlar really did it’s job.