Section head text.
How loyal are you to your bike shop? Do you venture anywhere else? Do you fastidiously avoid the mail order catalogs and web sites? Or do you shop around shamelessly?
My ebay account has become a clearing house for the flotsam and jetsam that springs off of my bike with every new component upgrade. I’ve come to think of it as my own little cycling slush fund, where my gains can be turned into even more superfluous junk in an unending cycle of swapping that will hopefully one day end up in an Orange Krate.
Do you ebay your old parts? What make you think anyone wants to buy your used shorts?
I’m a shameless shop arounder. I don’t buy the "support your LBS" crap – why would I pay what usually turns out to be a sizeable margin over items available on the internet and ebay in general. This is a free market economy, after all.
Last season I ebayed 29 old jerseys/ shorts…yeah I said it..SHORTS…and people went crazy for it…everything sold…that pile of old used up cycling clothing paid for my power tap
it is a global economy and it’s getting harder to pay full retail at a local shop. but i do use the local shop as much as possible…who will fix your bike if they all go out of business? I have a dream…that every local shop wil install a plasma screen, a couch, a few chairs and an expresso machine…loop bike racing videos all day…I have a dream.
get people in he door and they will buy. if you build it they will come.
i absolutely ebay my old stuff. and aside from major purchases (bikes) i’ll also shop online.
i dont purchase on ebay much, only when i’m looking for something that’s hard to find. otherwise, its online bargain hunting
best turn around yet: bought some old Dura ace track pedals for $26 and turned around and sold them for $62.
Chris: Altheus Downtown does that…oh, what’s that?…forget it.
Too bad too, ‘cuz I heard they were giving that shit away.
I would pay full suggested retail and support my local bike shop, but I know I can get my stuff cheaper online and off eBay. It also helps if you know you can do a lot of repairs yourself.
I like my LBS but I rely on the fact a tri-life mankini wearing dork will come along and pay full retail. I just wish my shop carried Cervelos and Treks – then they could really make a killing off triathletes.
I always give my shop the courtesy of asking if they carry or can order something I want at the price I’ve seen. If they can get it, they can; if they can’t, they tell me I’m free to obtain however I want.
I’m pretty sure they’re happier having me pay for maintenance anyway — yeah, I confess, I’m all thumbs. They fix my bike better than I ever could.
(New!) clothes or accessories are kind of a no-brainer — online/ebay all the way. Textiles are too globalized; unlike frames — or albeit now rarely, wheels — there’s no kindly custom shortsmaker sewing away in the hills.
Lock Box
I try to spread my business out. Yeah, I order stuff online, but also buy at the shop as much as possible. How many times has the shop dropped everything to make repairs on short notice because I have a race or some such? I value that beyond saving a couple of bucks here and there shopping at the soulless equivalent to Wallmart. Ever try to get technical advice from Pricepoint? I’m certain it come from a call center in Bangalore. The neighborhood shop is a refuge from every new chain drugstore or bank that opens in my neighborhood. Maybe I’m just a curmudgeon, but I’m shopping less and less online these days.
new team cup rules on crca.net
7 man rule. Nice. A needed change. Great work everyone.
And 12 man rule for the B’s. Better than the 9 man rule
I ride my shit to death. My wheels er square and I cover up scraches with tape and markers. I sell them on ebay as "lightly used" and "only 200 miles, never crashed." HAHAHAHA. Newark mafia style you fools.
JP…
NYVelocity – please set up a page for triathletes ONLY. We can tell each other how AWESOME we are and trade useful tips about aero bars, Sat. afternoon interval training in Central Park and bento boxes
it drives me nuts when people come into my shop and say "i can get that for 1/2 the price on ebay. whay are you guys so expensize?!?" well, you have to pay the distributor, you have to pay to get it shipped to your shop which you pay rent and utilities every month to keep open, then you have to pay some guy who doesn’t like his job to sell the part. Every part you have that sits around is money tied up and money you could be spending on stuuf you CAN sell. Thats why most shops don’t carry obscure parts that only 1 guy wants AND wants for $10 above cost. Mailorder junkies that stroll into shops and complain about selection and price have NO CLASS! As for ‘sizable margins’ do you know any bike shop owners that drive fancy sport cars?
I think it’s about etsbalishing a good relationship with a bike shop and maintaining balance. We need the local bike shop, and most us want the best deals. But the best deals is not always about the savings in $$$. I look thru the catalogues, ebay and web shops, a lot. When I find something I want, for the big $$$ stuff I do extend the courtesy to ask my local bike shop if they can price match. In the long run, I find that, considering the labor cost of installing, establishing a good relationship and warranty issues, it’s worth spending the $$ at your local shop – I once bought an expensive rain jacket — 6 month later I brought it back b/c the fabric started to fall apart, the bike shop exchanged it w/brand new update model for free. Obviously, ebay or probikekit would have not done that…
I find that the key is to find a balance. I speak to the bike shop at length re: what they make most of their profit on, and which brand/product they can easily price match, etc.
When I make an expensive purchase somewhere else, I make it point to tell them, but I make sure I buy certain things from them as well. They have fixed problems with things that I have bought outside of their shop b/c of the relationship.
And what’s not to love, when they call you up and tell you of a new product that so-and-so is coming out with(ie. Mavic new Cosmic carbone) and ask that I have to come and try it out.
Yeah, I am sucker, may be, but I feel good about knowing that I am a good customer b/c I support the bike shop, and that I also bring some savings when I buy things cheap on ebay.
Bike shops are dumb.
RKelly, I’m the one who bought all your old shorts. Just contact me directly next time.
To anonymous who thinks bike shops are dumb – I hope you know how to fix all your bike problems. And I certainly hope you have enough extra tubes, tires, chains, chamois creams, bar-end, lights, in your apartment so that you won’t ever have to go to a bike shop for any assistance or before your race.
Which NYC shops do you guys actually trust with your racing bike?
Conrad’s is very good
Hey ET,
In my opinion every cyclist should know their machine and how to fix it. We all know that bikes breakdown, and more then likely it will be the day before a race. So yes everyone should know how to fix everything short of a rear derailleur or shifter on the their own machine.
Also, anyone worth their salt should have plenty of spare tubes, tires, a chain, brakes, tape, and be able to fixe their ride with a rock, two chopsticks, and multitool.
P.S. Not every town in the Northeast has 20+ bike shops full of guys who will bend over backwards for you at 9pm on a Friday.
Hmmm
At my LBS it feels like I’m the one getting bent over.
My bike shop doesn’t give my team enough discount so I go to the team’s old sponsored shop and bring them beer and herb and we all have a jollygood time of it… Buying online brings you bad karma
marco at sids is a good mech
Sounds like someone shops at Larry & Jeff’s.
in terms of wrenches, I like carlos at metro on 88th and lex. i dont shop there much, but he’s a good mechanic and a nice guy, and you can always count on him to true your wheels on the spot (it also helps to throw the guy a couple of bucks, he remembers you and you build a good relationship that way)
bicycle renaissance does a good job too, although the can get pretty busy
If you can’t do all that crap and you don’t keep basic-level supplies at home, then you not only have a stupid alias, but you are a big dumb idiot.
Nice clothes that they wear in that shop.. Presentation skills are out of the door you losers. I walked in, and walked out… Was not even greeted while eveybody was hanging out at the back of the shop. Wonder if the owner would approve of that..
And the other shop around the conner had a chick that looked like she got hit by a train. The place was so dirty I was afraid of catching something…
You must have caught something: you can’t spell nor understand the rules of grammar.
You’re also an asshole.
used to be on 14th st, now on 22nd (?) are good.
Also Mike Rodriguez of Bicycle Station in Brooklyn. doesn’t stock much stuff but he’s a pretty good mechanic and good guy – well worth supporting. He’ll also build up a track bike or 2nd bike from parts for a reasonable price.
Stay away from R & A though. Lots of cool stuff to look at but they’re kind of A-holes.
gear is niiiceeee, tho.
I’ve had bad experiences at every local shop. Wish I could do more than very basic stuff. Anyone know any mechanics that do individual sessions teaching basic bike repair?
I have enough supplies at home to cover 10 years worth of riding and I can do the basic repair also…but unfortunately I don’t have the skill set to do all my intricate repairs on my bike(nor do I intend to), I would much rather be riding my bike. There are always those moments that you need a bike mechanic or shops help.
Just b/c one may know how to do everything with a bike or have all the supplies, it does not mean that bike shops are "dumb".
May be you go to a bike shop secretly so you have to be anonymous. Year, that’s very smart.
yeah I even got sized up at a LBS for my bike but then went and bought it online instead so got the sizing for free. thats indefensible, probably
yeah I even got sized up at a LBS for my bike but then went and bought it online instead so got the sizing for free. thats indefensible, probably
that just makes you a dick
My 2c on bike shops (Ive been to most…)
NY VELO – Andrew Crooks is very cool, rides with CRCA sometimes and is a top MTB racer, and bends over backwards for his good customers to do on the spot repairs, esp if you need it for a race etc. Its the ONLY shop where Ive had that kind of service in NYC on a regular basis, and most won’t even think of that. Prices are normal but team discount helps. They don’t carry everything, but happily order anything and its 2-3 days, so no probs. I don’t do all repairs, so need some service, and it pays back in spades to show some loyalty at any shop. This shop is good, they have great service, solid bike options, and overall always a happy experience. Do I really need to be greeted at the door like Barneys? Nah…
Embert: Whats his shop called? Upper West Side in 70s…
This guy is a damn bike genius – best mechanic in town bar none. An amazing talent for any tough repairs, and actually did my last minute fix in 2 hours, and get this, even lent me HIS bike to get home since I had bike shoes on and would have hobbled into the subway. What a guy. Id go to him for anything, even though shop is spare with not much inventory. USE THIS NICE AND TALENTED GUY!
A Bicycle Shop (14th st) – All the guys except the owner are very cool, knowledgeable and helpful – Edlin esp. is really great. Owner is an a-hole, but I think thats his thing, so maybe its OK? You get no privs as a regular though for service – wait in line with the $10 beaters. Not much discount either. I buy odds and ends there mostly, but Edlin also does a solid bike fit and gives sound advice.
Renaissance (UWS) – Great product, excellent service overall – It would be my regular shop if I lived up there. Bot my Orbea from them and totally happy experience. Lifetime free service pays back much of the retail px too – gotta consider this folks!
Metro (14th st) – Basic beater work only – they have so-so mechanics, and personnel who dont even ride bikes! Inventory is weak too… Sad really. Not how I’d run a shop.
Sids: Great inventory, but high px too. Not all that personal a service – shop is big and busy (good for them, not so much for me…). Gotta love Zoltan though and they do good fits…
I’ll agree R&A is like going to Santa’s house yet they’re staff (except Phil) are like prison guard know-it-alls and they’re mechanics are hidden behind walls so they could be taking a blow torch to your scoot. Sids has the best Mech.’s in town. That dude @ Masterbuilder is no slouch either.
NY-Velo – they’re good folks but honestly, can one really be labled a bike shop when ya cant get a simple jar of Assos or chamois buttr? I think they cater to the fixie set more than the racer just cause of the hood.
Yes, umberto…I’d trust that dude with anything. Small shop and Yoda like with the wrench.
"can one really be labled a bike shop when ya cant get a simple jar of Assos or chamois buttr"
Waste of money that stuff is. Assos? My ass don’t need no $tinkin A$$os
i don’t think they’re selling those Ridleys to the fixie kids. Super nice guys, great service. They’re a little expensive on consumables like tires and bar tape and so forth, but good prices — or at least not out of line for this town — on parts, bigger-ticket items, and clothing.
Lee3 knows the names of several bike shop owners…except he doesn’t: it is not Umberto. That sounds "Latino" to you though, huh? I found the "Yoda" a bit pejorative. Call him Skywalker with a wrench.
Also, if I sold you a ton of parts whose price exceeded your ability as a rider I’d tell you my name too.
And did you really just call somebody a know it all?
Just sayin’ is all.
Agreed, A+ with a wrench. I think he’s on 77th between Broadway and Amsterdam.
>>Embert: Whats his shop called? Upper West Side in 70s…
This guy is a damn bike genius – best mechanic in town bar none. An amazing talent for any tough repairs, and actually did my last minute fix in 2 hours, and get this,
Bicycle Renaissance is my shop. Ok, not a super pro shop like the one in the village. What’s called??? Is only 5 minutes walk from where I work. Shane is a nice guy and so as Gus (depending the time and date). Good selections of mid range to highend road bikes. I am probably not one of their super rich clients smacking down some serious dope on a Specialized Tarmac or Orca 2007 model. I at least spend $300 a month there. I don’t go over there and ask for some super highend equipements that they probably don’t sell or plan to have any in stock. I probably would not go there and ask for a pair of 2006 Zipp wheels and expecting them to have them in stock at a reasonable price. Or a power meter like the SL or SRM power crank.
Worst shop I have been to is the one near where I live. Sheepshead Bay Bicycle or Roy’s Bicycle. I guess where I was younger riding some POS road bike the owner made some common about my setup which I didn’t like. Their road bike selections are secluded from the rest of their inventory as if they don’t want people to see their road bikes. Loads of MTB on the main floor. Every time I go there I felt I am not welcome and feeling very uncomfortable afterward. Like an after taste of some fast food I ate. RA is probably the worst shop in the East Coast. The owner tried to pass an Ultegra Chain ring as Dura Ace. I had to go back the second time to exchange it. Worst, I got the OEM model (not packaged and been installed before). Sure, this guy sells Colonago and Lightweight Wheels and the owner couldn’t tell an Ultegra chain ring from the Dura Ace one.
10 years of supplies is too much. You should sell some of that sh&t on Ebay.
I’ll admit to being not good with names of folks I dont see on a daily basis. I do know that the shop is called MasterBuilder hence the yoda reference. Skywalker was a whiny snot nose chump that almost humped his sister. Read the papers!
I didnt give any thought to his ethnicity cause I dont think like that but since you do, couldnt the mistaken name also be Italian, or Greek?
If you spend most of your off time on your bike then getting to know shops in the city just happens. You have to test them all to see who’s gonna be cool to you and earn your biz and who’s gonna treat ya like a 5 year old everytime one steps in the door. (the know it all types), who’s gonna make you pay for a shop water bottle after you dump a load for a new groupset. There are shops that dont separate the racers from the rec. riders despite what you spend. You dont know my ability so I dont get that. My potential has yet to show itself, but 07′ will be a good season for me I think. I’m calling it the "year of stability". Besides, dont hate the rider that wants to play game with the best equipment. There’s no such thing as bike parts exceeding ability – if I can peddle and it goes then I think fun can be had GAYlord (jus respondin is all).
I had heard good things too when I took my bike in for new Record shifters. I paid for new Record shifters and a Campy cable kit. First set of shifters did not appear to be Record (didn’t say Ultra 10) and I asked for different shifters. Went back and had different shifters, but my nongeneric bar plugs had been replaced with generic plugs from tape kit. Had to ask for my special bar plugs back which they had (perhaps keeping?). Drivetrain was still not working correctly and had Bicycle Workshop in Tenafly recable it. I watched David do it and watched him pull out cables that he showed me were not Campy cables.
Since David has left Bicycle Workshop I’ve had multiple problems there and no longer use that shop either.
"There are shops that dont separate the racers from the rec. riders despite what you spend."
What does this mean?
Roy’s? Funny place. Way, way back in the day the owner was trying to get me to buy some stuff by pointing out that one of his salemen was the "winningest rider in CRCA races that year." OK. Sure. Dang, that’s awesome I guess. I bought a frame anyway because it was good and the price was right.
Best NYC shops for mechanics and service- Sid’s and NY Velo
Worst NYC shop- R&A
Best shop I’ve ever visited, anywhere- River City Bikes in Portland, OR
JT, you seriously trying to decode lee?
In NYC
IMBERT:
Believe his shop is called Master Bike. Haven’t used him since I moved out of the city but the makers of "support you LBS" gear probably had shops like his in mind. He is incredibly accommodating and can fix ANYTHING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
TOGA:
Toga has a great selection of clothing, shoes and helmets (the type of stuff you may need to try on). I still go to them for things like that.
In NJ
I have only used 2 shops in NJ since I moved there
Ridgewood Bicycle Shop:
Not terribly friendly and I have felt uncomfortable almost every time I’ve gone to the shop. I’m not sure why but I don’t get the sense that they really want to cater to roadies or triathletes. They seem to focus more on recreational cyclists but they have most things you might need in a pinch.
CYCLESPORT:
Located in Park Ridge, NJ (worth making the trip from the city!). Family owned bike shop (was the first Serotta dealer in the US). Truly a customer service oriented business. The staff has years of experience in road, track and mountain biking. They also cater to every level of cyclist (from little kids to serious pros – they sponsor the GS Park Ridge cycling race every year which draws an impressive pro field). I happily make the 20 min drive from my house for all of my cycling needs.
I asked for a stem in a certain size (14 cm) and rather than look for it the guy says "well, that’s pretty long" and makes no effort to check if he has one for me. After repeating what I wanted he said he would look, acting like he was doing me a _big_ favor (the shop was not busy and I was ready to buy) and they didn’t have one (I don’t begrudge them that) after which he says to me again — "that’s pretty long." Dick.
That’s not so bad. I had two truly bad experiences there and I’ll describe one. A friend of mine had some Sidi shoes that looked really well built and I decided to buy a pair. R & A tends to have good prices so I went in. I wanted a pair in black and green and asked for my size in that color. The salesperson told me they weren’t made in that color but they had them in blue and yellow. I said I believed they were made in black and green but he insisted that did not exist. There’s nothing wrong with not having everything in stock, but I was annoyed about the guy telling me the product I wanted did not exist. Either he was lying in hopes I would buy what he had or he was simply mistaken, in which case he shouldn’t have been so firm — saying something like "I haven’t seen that color, let me check about it." But he was so firm about what he was saying that I think it was a lie.
In any case, this pissed me off so much I did what I swore I would never do — I tried on the blue and yellow’s in the shop and then mail ordered the black and greens. Yeah, I don’t like people who browse in LBSs and then mail order the stuff, but I think R & A deserved it.
brought a Mavic Ksyrium in to be trued, cost me 25 bucks and it took 3 days and it went out again in less than a week.
brought it to Bike Hampton, the mechanic (miles) trued it in less than 5 min and then added locktite to thee spokes. when I asked about the loctite he told me that sometimes wheels leave Mavic without it and they loosen up causing thhe wheel to go out. Now if he knew this R&A knew it as well or should have. BTW, that was 3 years ago and wheel hasn’t been touch since.
I think this site should set up something like craig’s list for riders to sell their stuffs
It shouldn’t be too hard to improve.
Just finish, really.
Also, keep your homophobia to yourself.
Lay off of Lee3!
Yay year of stability!
Maybe ’08 can be ‘upright year!’
Be adequite!
stability is hot
That was a good story JT – I would have done the same. I use R&A for their deep bench when it comes to stocked items – meaning I go in knowing what I need, I knowing they’ll have it (probably pretty cheap) and not having to deal with their sales staff. One thing I noticed that they do is if you go in there looking for current 06 or 07 gear, they’ll try and sell ya stuff from 3 or 4 years back. I was looking for a the Corima disc wheel and Phil’s pointing to a disc that is clearly atleast 5 years old and he’ll insist on that its the new model. I know a disc is a disc but I just dont want to be lied to.
In response to JFT…Good business is repeat business and so I think that good shops should know that nurturing the relationship of racers will pay off much more than the recreational rider. Racers buy mucho stuff, hang out with others dudes that buy mucho stuff (word of mouth) and will do so for years. Special treatment? -maybe not but a good shop should RECOGNIZE this difference.
Will agree that Sids has the best staff in NYC – they’re the only bikeshop whose staff I’d actually hang out with. There’s a reason why they are always busy! Piermont is ok as well.
From Lee3
"I was looking for a the Corima disc wheel and Phil’s pointing to a disc that is clearly atleast 5 years old and he’ll insist on that its the new model."
Ouch. Lies are bad. Very bad.
Clearly the second shop did a better job at fixing that Ksyrium, but its worth mentioning that a properly built wheel shouldn’t need loctite. There should be no torsion on the spokes at all. Loctite is insurance for mistakes, or a way to deal with a wheel that has other problems. If every Ksyrium needs loctite, that’s a bad thing — don’t buy them.
I think every racer should at some point get an understanding of the entire bike and be able to fix everything that doesn’t involve very specialized tools (like frame cutting tools or certain frame prep tools). Then, once you have that knowledge, use a shop for service if fixing the thing yourself isn’t worth your time.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com and http://www.parktool.com are great.
Or you could spend $2,500 on a spelling & grammar tutor…
your funny. why does everybody have to be so mean on here all the time?
The negative stuff really kills the nature of this site, which I’m sure wasnt the intention upon its inception.
I’m done.
EBay is a good thing and helps me get rid of my mistakes. Once bought a Dahon Folding bike for commuting to work and for travel. Was the Elios SL version and was the worst buy I ever made. Could not handle my weight even though I was well within the weight limits. Sold it on eBay for more than I paid for it after riding the shit out of that thing. I like Piermont and Andrew, the young and tall sales/maintenance guy is probably the nicest bike shop guy I’ve ever come across. Glen is a great guy too but be careful buying stuff from him on eBay. He sold a Specialized for me that had 10,000 abusive miles on and advertised it as having 1500 miles on and that after I told him how many miles it had on. Strictly bicycles in Fort Lee is a great shop for TT stuff and they buy used bikes if they have a market for it.
I hope the comment on wind-tunnel camp was a joke. I’m not sure what is more surprising, that someone would start a wind tunnel camp or that someone would pay $2,500 of their own money to go. I bet only a small fraction of pros that specifically focus on TT
I go to wind tunnel camp every year. its a great opportunity to shave both your time on the tri bike and your mankini line.
Space Camp.
Huntsville, Alabama. Space Camp.
Did anyone go to the CRCA party?
wind tunnel…you’d be better of doing laps in the pool. Most tri guys are lame swimmers.
Are there wind tunnels for swimming?
Maybe JP could could give a how to fix a bike lesson he is such a know it all.
victor the same as Kissena victor, if so rock on!
Maybe JP could could give a how to fix a bike lesson he is such a know it all.
Hey JT – Id seriously like to be a better mechanic, but just dont have the skillz for the nuanced stuff. I gather it takes an apprenticeship and I don’t have free days to hang around bike shops – how did you learn? Im not sure I have the patience to plod through books…
HHate and Hate too,
You should start a gang. You could call yourselves the flamingos.
does that mean he’s taking up tri?
No wind tunnels for swimming that I know of. There is the endless lap mini pool, kind of like a trainer, only 15 grand more.
Working on the bike in NYC apt is tough. If I lived in the burbs and had a garage, I’d be my own wrench. Hell, it’s hard enough just to wash your bike.
The washing is definitely a pain (sponge and a little degreaser, and spread out some newspapers). but if you have room for rollers, you probably have room for one of the portable workstands. if anyone ever worked on cars as a kid, bikes are MUCH easier. and if you have carbon components, you now have a new use for your old torque wrench.
If you don’t like books, a good way to learn might be to take a gander at Sheldon Brown’s website, which has most of the stuff you need to know, including a pretty complete wheelbuilding/truing manual. The Park Tools site is helpful too. Both have lots of good illustrations.
That said, the Barnett’s manual is expensive, but worth it if you have pricey stuff you need to know the specs on if you don’t want to destroy. And the Schraner and Brandt wheelbuilding books are nice if you don’t want to get your computer keyboard greasy while working.
Not so fun when it’s cold like today though….
Assos are doing a range of winter bike washing apparel for those occasions.
Good flame, dumbass.
i second the cyclesport in park ridge, nj recommendation. i was staying out there a lot 2 summers ago and those guys were great. good selection, excellent service and super friendly, to the point where i was freaked out since i was used to nyc shops. i like nycvelo also!
Assos are doing a range of winter bike washing apparel for those occasions.
if its in NJ its not local so you are not supporting your local bike shop. so its just as bad.
reading this puts riders to shame, whats the problem with winter. I mean we don’t see other sports making such a big deal out of it. So many lame excuses, I don’t see runners or footbal players complaining about the cold all the time. I mean bithcing about washing the bike in the cold…well thats really lame.
reading this puts riders to shame, whats the problem with winter. I mean we don’t see other sports making such a big deal out of it. So many lame excuses, I don’t see runners or footbal players complaining about the cold all the time. I mean bithcing about washing the bike in the cold…well thats really lame.
"Assos are doing a range of winter bike washing apparel for those occasions."
LOL. yeah, I saw that. $589 for exclusive "Wash-Tex" overalls by Assos.
Hey winter-lover:
There arent too many other sports where you sit on a platform and move through the air at 15-30 mph and suffer wind chill relentlessly for many hours on end.
Im a big skier, but in that sport you go very fast for only a couple of minutes at a time, if that, and then stop and warm your face/hands before continuing (and wear more clothing to begin with). Runners and football players etc dont run at 25 mph, and clearly not for 2-5+ hours at a time.
Actually, I think a reasonable comp here would be sailing, where you sit on a boat and get cold wind in the face for many hours with no-where to hide (and less exercise to warm up the body) – and surprise, they bitch loudly about the discomforts of winter sailing.
So in my POV, cycling in winter on truly cold days DOES suck, and it hurts, and there’s nothing wrong with pointing that out. Cleaning a bike in 25 deg outside also sucks, unless you shell out for special gloves etc.
I also note from personal experience that in places like CA (LA area at least…), the riders moan and groan about riding when it dips below about 55 deg, so the fact that we go out at all in the dead of winter inspires awe and befuddlement from other regions.
Why is Fuji sponsoring and providing bikes for the domestic pro team United? I mean, United is a bike company right, so what do they need a bike sponsor for?
I don’t think United is a bike company. I think that they just ordered Easton bikes and had them painted with the United logo. They thought they could sell them as a super cool pro bike for $6k. This was part of their idea that a bike team could support itself. But they quickly realized that people didn’t want to pay $6k for an aluminum bike. I would not be surprised if they scraped it next year and got a normal bike sponsor.
United is like Lemond, a Trek with different stickers.
I always thought that united had the ugliest looking bike in the peloton this year. The paint scheme was a train wreck. Not a big fan of Fuji either but the war paint on that puppy is smokin!
winter surfing is fun
reading this puts riders to shame, whats the problem with winter. I mean we don’t see other sports making such a big deal out of it. So many lame excuses, I don’t see runners or footbal players complaining about the cold all the time. I mean bithcing about washing the bike in the cold…well thats really lame.
Race report drom Slade or Slane or whatver it was called.
Yeah I know its harsh out there. Well sailing… is a middle class wingers sport too so they are simliar to us guys. And skiers well I have respect for those guys, if can respect anyone thats insane.
That’s why Fuji is sponsoring a squad. They haven’t been in the spotlight since they stopped sponsoring Mercury and I see less and less of them in Central Park as an effect since.
Riding in the winter sucks. Using football players or runners is a stupid argument. You don’t generate your own wind chill while running or playing football. But riding in the winter is still better than being at work.
amazingly enough, some people live in NJ. schmalz for instance.
I *am* a wuss *now* — haven’t done a 4hour ride in serious snow for several years. But I used to be a tough guy.
Stopped by Altheus after work today. Its gone! What happened?
i like to mountain bike in the winter. you’re out of the wind and you can ride in the snow. it can be quite beautiful
I’m with "winter surfer". Try duck-diving a few 40 degree bombs and you’ll realize how nice winter cycling really is.
Altheus is history. Glad I didn’t get a fit there that is "good for a year of adjustments" or buy a bike there to get the service of the LBS.
Altheus is history. Glad I didn’t get a fit there that is "good for a year of adjustments" or buy a bike there to get the service of the LBS.
who got rookie of the year?
LOL
My derailleur hanger was aligned via phone call to nashbar tech support. I held the earpiece up to the hanger, incantations were spoken, and presto! it got fixed automagically!
Anyone know the last name of Andy, the wrench at Altheus or have any contact info for him?
Thanks,
Jay
Sorry, found out the info on Andy. Andy Cicero, former wrench at Altheus, went to Elite Bicycles in Philadelphia. Not surprising since when he was fixing my bike and I mentioned I was looking to get a fit at either Altheus or Signature, he recomended going to Elite in Philly for a fit.
Nevermind
just to add to this thread:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZnyrockcity21
Who is this "Jay"?
Who is this Jay F.?
Do I need to be a known Cat 3 or 4 to post here? Sorry just an unknown Cat 5 here.
By the way, the "Who is Jay F." post was not me.
The "Who is Jay F" post was me. With the same intention as Jay (actual).
we’re mostly unknown cat 5s on here. but jay f. = fitzgerald. so if your name is jay use another initial or something so people don’t think you’re him.
Yeah I know its harsh out there. Well sailing… is a middle class wingers sport too so they are simliar to us guys. And skiers well I have respect for those guys, if can respect anyone thats insane.
Word on the street is that the real Jay F has put down the booze and is FAST.
word on the street is wrong
Yeah I know its harsh out there. Well sailing… is a middle class wingers sport too so they are simliar to us guys. And skiers well I have respect for those guys, if can respect anyone thats insane.