What's New?
Independent Fabrication!!!
by Chris Antonovics ▫ Jun 7 ▫
One thing I have always wanted bring into the store is a company who can make Steel, Titanium, Carbon, and Ti-Carbon bikes in custom geometries for anyone.. We have done one or two of these bikes on super-special orders from Independent Fabrication for a couple of people who have done some serious favors for us.. Independent Fabrication is a small company based out of Somerville, MA, they are able to fabricate just about any bicycle out of any of the popular materials available on the market today, these bikes are true full custom, you pick everything from the geometry, to the style of the bike, components, and even down to the paint! Not only are these custom bikes phenominal for people looking for something unique, they are also some of the prettiest bikes out there, they won Best Carbon bike at the 2009 North American Hand Made Bike Show, and in 2007 they won Best Track Bike at NAHBS, and Bicycling Magazine voted their XS the Best Dream Road Bike for 2005 and 2006. Visit their website at http://ifbikes.com/ and check them out and let us know if you want to get started on their custom fit process…
Friday Evening Gravel Rides!!!
by Chris Antonovics ▫ May 12 ▫
Last summer we attempted to organize a Friday evening Gravel ride leaving from the shop. It worked great for a few weeks, but then we decided to stay open till 8 which nixed the riding pretty quickly. This summer, we are only open until 7pm on Fridays and we have organized our schedules so at least one of us will be off before 6:00. This means we can do our favorite week-end wind down ride. The ride is a 20 mile loop which includes about 8 miles of gravel on the amazingly scenic Ridge Road, this ride is designed to be for all ability levels, and will be a “No Drop Ride.” Personally I like to do this ride on my cyclocross bike which is ideal, but road bikes are totally appropriate as well. Mountain bikes will work as well, but may be a little slower on the road sections. The ride leaves the shop at 6pm sharp so get here a 15 minutes early to get organized and dressed. If you have any questions please contact anyone here at the shop. Hope to see everyone on Friday!!
Some Amazing 29ers!
by Chris Antonovics ▫ May 12 ▫
29er Mountain Bikes from both Giant and Specialized have hit the shop! Both companies put some serious research and development into their all new 2010 29er lineups. And Everyone At the shop got ridiculously excited when they came through the back door!
Giant has never done a 29er before the 2010 model year, and let me tell you, they sure hit the nail on the head for their first try. The XTC 29er 1 is a phenomenal bike that will turn the skeptics into 29er fanatics. The Frame just looks cool first off, beautiful Hydro-formed tubing with amazingly short chain stays tuck the rear wheel right under your butt. Equipped with an 80mm Fox F-29 Fork with a tapered steerer tube and through axle, some very beefy yet lightweight Giant wheels and a mix of Shimano SLX/XT components with Avid hydraulics make this bike a speed machine right out of the box. 
Now Specialized has been doing both Hard tail and Full Suspension 29ers for a year or so, but for 2010 they redesigned the Stumpjumper line completely. The Stumpjumper Comp 29er HT grew into a lighter frame with super short chain stays instead of last years adjustable ones and the fork also gained 10mm of travel to 90mm. The parts spec on this bike is super solid tried and true, Sram X7/X9 shifters and derailleurs with the Reba Sl out front providing all the squish you need, and when things get too fast, the Avid Elixr R brakes will stop you on a dime. 
So, when O-Hill and Sherando are your favorite trails and a Hard tail just wont cut it, but youve still got the 29er itch… what do you do? Add 130mm of travel out back and 120mm in the front with a through axle and tapered Steerer to stiffen things up of course! The Stumpjumper FSR 29er is the beast of all 29ers, For 2010 they increased travel, lightened the frame and boosted pedaling efficiency with a new shock placement! This is a bike that you could roll down the switchback trail at Lake Sherando and believe you were on the dam loop at Walnut Creek, the combination of 5” of travel and 29” wheels make for a killer bike! The parts on this bike mirror the hard tail except with bigger rotors for the ridiculous speed you will build up on the down hills. 
We got what we could of these bikes, but there is a limited quantity from both companies, so get to the shop soon to check them out!
P. Bikes
by Chris Antonovics ▫ Mar 4 ▫
Everyone loves to have the lightest fastest, stiffest, most efficient bike possible, fully equipped with the best components, wheels and latest in electronics. A 14 lb road bike with 1100 gram wheels will help allow you to beat your friend up Afton Mountain. However here at the shop we have fallen in love with the opposite type of bike. Meet “The P Bikes.” Timbly, our resident bike breaker and mechanic has owned A P3 for about six years now and it has intrigued us since day one. Specialized had a Pair of P2 cro-mo bikes on sale because they were “paint samples.” After a quick call to our inside rep, where he inquired about our health insurance, they were on the way.
These bikes will never allow us to achieve proper seat height, will never weigh under 30lbs, and you must be psycho to attempt to climb Afton. However, my P bike is the BEST bike I have ever owned. Instead of wearing lycra and carbon soled shoes. The preferred riding apparel looks much like a storm-trooper. Knee/shin guards, elbow guards, carbon knuckled gloves, and skate shoes.
You may ask why, when we have access to Di2, Zipp wheels, and the latest and greatest S-Works and Giant team bikes would we choose to spend our hard earned cash on these 30+ pound steel bikes.. And the answer is.. because its cooler. I get nervous riding Zipps on gravel roads, and yet with my P-bike, I have jumped many stair sets, both up and down without even a thought. The snow is the only reason construction of jumps and stunts in both Tim and My backyards has not begun. Also, on the subject of where to ride, a pump track has been approved for Azalea Park and construction should be starting sometime this summer and dirt jump bikes will be perfect for it.
So if you are looking for the coolest bike on the block, or you’re just tired of doing intervals and looking at guys in spandex every time you ride, then a P series bike from Specialized or an STP from Giant is perfect for you.
Oh, and action shots are coming soon, just haven’t gotten any yet with the snow and all….