Bike Shops blogs from BikeBlogCollection.com

Happiness - It's What We're About

Ashley — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Happiness – It’s What We’re All About!

Of course those of us here at Bicyclinghub.com are happy. We ride our bikes, we talk about riding our bikes, we dream about riding our bikes, and we have been known to occasionally eat Voodoo Donuts while doing all three. (Not all at once, of course). What could make us happier? Well, the answer is quite clear: making sure you, our customers, are happy!

So many of us go through life on auto-pilot, trapped in our own little worlds, not really thinking about anything other than the immediate task at hand. Perhaps we walk around throughout the day with blinders on, navigating only within the small little scope of what we are allowing ourselves to see. We may get the job done, but this also means that we miss what’s really important in life. Certainly matters of importance in life are ranked individually, but positive human interaction really is what makes us all tick. How much better is the day when you meet up with your best friend on your ride home, bump into a favored office-mate while buying a Kombucha (or your favorite beverage) on your lunch break, or even just sharing a smile with the cashier ringing up your groceries? Not too long ago I was walking into a local market and noticed the employee bringing in the grocery carts from outside. He had the most amazing circus-style mustache I had ever seen! It was incredible. I just had to tell him. “Your mustache is great! I love it,” I uttered, as I smiled his way. In responding, he said to me, “that’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day.” Honestly? That was the nicest thing he had heard all day? Astounding. I am certainly a glass half-full kind of gal, but at that moment I decided that I was going to make a VERY conscious effort to make as many people smile in a day as I possibly could. In fact, both my husband and I wake up on some weekend days and create a competition, or a challenge, of sorts – EVERYONE we see, we MUST make them smile! With some folks it’s a no-brainer, but others can present a challenge. In either case, it makes for a great day! Making others smile, really, really makes us smile. In fact, watching others feel happy makes my heart smile. I feel happy!

Since those of us at Bicyclinghub.com are happy, that must mean we make others happy, right? Well, that IS right. We are in the business of spreading happiness. We just recently introduced a new position here. The title is yet to be determined: Customer Happiness Specialist, Customer Happiness Expert, Customer Happiness Superstar…These are just some of the options. One Face Book fan even suggested Customer Happiness Fairy Godmother. We’ll see about that one. Even without an official decision on the title, you all get the picture. We want to make you happy – that’s what makes us happy. Positive interaction is the key. So, let’s do this together! Give us a call, send us an email, or even smile at the person sitting next to you. Let’s spread happiness together!

Ashley

Customer Happiness….Specialist, Expert, Superstar, Fairy Godmother….

customerservice@bicyclinghub.com

888-817-8060

Mosaic Road Bike Turned Up To 11!

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:49:16 +0000

Custom Ti Mosaic

Wow! Just wow.

This bike is the concept of Kevin. He wanted to make sure that this was the nicest riding bicycle he could purchase. He outdid himself, in our opinion.
That is the 2013 SRAM Red with Enve Components where we can place them. Enjoy the gallery.

We Are Moving, It’s True

Mon, 14 May 2012 22:57:40 +0000

SO LONG, PLATTE STREET

We are moving off of Platte Street in July of 2012 to 3800 Irving Street.

View Larger Map

We knew that Platte was a good location when we saw it. It was right off the bike path and just the right size to do some great things. Then we started to get busier and busier. The great things we intended to do got moved to the back burner, then disappeared. We had great ideas that we simply didn’t have room to do.

AND NOW WE WILL HAVE THE ROOM

We are moving to a place that will allow us to hold workshops, host parties and get you all around inspired. Our customers have told us ideas they have had about what we could do to make your bike life better. And now, we are moving forward on many of these suggestions.

TIMING

We are moving in the middle end of July of 2012 to reopen soon after. We’ll try to keep you posted as to any changes or help we may need. Most of these posts will be on our Facebook page and through Twitter.

HELP US OUT

The best thing you can do to help us out right now is to tell someone you know that Salvagetti is moving to a better location. Some suggestions:

1. If you get on the news for any reason, yell that Salvagetti is moving!
2. When the waiter asks if you need anything else, tell them that Salvagetti is moving!
3. Change your email signature to say that Salvagetti is moving.

We are sure you can be creative and find a new and different way to tell everyone in Denver, and we would love for you to do it.

Triumph Over Tragedy

BicyclingHub.com — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:01:00 +0000

Triumph Over Tragedy

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 was the seven month anniversary of a day I wish I could forget… a day I wish never had happened. But it did happen, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life.

On September 18, 2011, I was riding my bicycle with friends on Mount Evans, the highest paved road in North America. I had ridden this mountain many times before. It was a place where one had to expect the unexpected, especially when it came to Mother Nature. I had encountered high winds, rain, hail, and snow. Once, lightning struck so close that the thunder nearly knocked me off my bicycle. I could feel the surge of energy as it hit beside me. I could smell the acrid odor of ozone in the ionized air. The road was riddled with potholes and ruts, but I knew every one of them. I always adjusted to conditions. As such, it seemed my biggest hazards were motorists on the mountain, or perhaps an angry mountain goat.

I was wrong.

On this day, I encountered fierce winds on the mountain. This was no different than what I had encountered on many other occasions. However, I wasn’t feeling my best that day, so my boyfriend and I decided to turn back a little early, as our other friends continued up the mountain (although snow would prevent them from summiting either). We began our descent.

I was taking things relatively easy compared to the aggressive descents I usually rode in the mountains. However, I was frustrated at having to constantly battle strong headwinds, unable to exceed 30 MPH (on the straight sections, I usually would reach speeds of 45 MPH or more). I saw a turn coming up, but had little concern. I knew it to be an easy maneuver. On this one section, however, something was different that day. Maybe it was a thermal eddy. Maybe something else. On the straightaway, I was battling the headwind, and suddenly as I approached the turn, I wasn’t. I remember sensing that to be odd… winds on straight sections usually were constant and didn’t reverse… but didn’t have time to dwell on the feeling. I applied my brakes, and began to skid. How fast was I going?? I hadn’t remembered getting over 30 mph, but a sudden tailwind had pushed me to 52 MPH, according to my GPS cyclocomputer (which I checked later on). I reduced pressure and pulled out of the skid, beginning to make my turn. I was going too fast. I wouldn’t make it. I attempted to fall on the incline, but suddenly those tail winds were cross winds. I left the road and shouted in terror. Then… nothing.

I opened my eyes to find myself on my back, on hard boulders. As my head cleared, I recognized the terrain to be Mount Evans, and realized what must have happened. I couldn’t see the road above me, so I knew I was as invisible to it as it was to me. I had no idea how far down I was. I shouted out for my boyfriend. No answer. I realized I must have gotten away from him. He hadn’t seen me go over and had continued down the mountain.

My other friends would be heading down eventually, but I knew the wind in their ears would drown out my cries for help. I could hear an occasional car above, but it was cold. Their windows would be closed. My single hope was if another cyclist was heading up the mountain and could hear me.

I tried to roll over, and couldn’t. I tried to reach my cell phone in my back jersey pocket, but my arms wouldn’t work right. I kept shouting. I grew cold. Tired. At times, I stopped shouting, almost giving up. Then I’d draw strength from those I loved and start shouting again. I almost gave up hope. I knew I would likely die on the mountain.

Eventually, a cyclist from Switzerland heard my cries and responded, sending for help. In the meantime my boyfriend, Steve, was waiting at the base, worried and wondering where I was. When he saw the paramedics heading up the mountain, he knew, and had one of the park rangers give him a ride to where I’d gone off the road. By then, my other friends had also arrived on the scene, and were told by Mary (the lady from Switzerland) that their friend was “down there.” They watched as the paramedics cut my clothes away, stripping me naked. They watched as a Flight for Life helicopter made the difficult landing on that narrow road in those windy conditions. They watched as I was brought back up the mountain- I’d fallen 30 feet- and loaded onto the helicopter, before flying away to the nearest trauma center.

My injuries were severe. I had nine spinal fractures, six of them relatively major. My rib cage and right scapula were shattered. Both lungs were punctured, with air and blood threatening to collapse them. My left kidney had a grade IV laceration, and my spleen had a grade III one, resulting in massive internal bleeding and a likelihood of losing those organs. My helmet, however, saved my life- not only in preventing injury greater than a severe concussion, but by allowing me to regain consciousness to shout for help.

In ICU

I was in ICU for 10 days, and in hospital nearly a month. Eventually, I required surgery to remove bone fragments and damaged disks in my neck in order to preserve the diminishing function of my left arm and hand, and preferably to restore it.

I couldn’t work. My pain was constant and severe. For several months, I was unable to fully care for myself, which required me to give up my home of nearly 7 years. I could walk, but being up and about for anything more than an hour exacerbates the pain. I would spend most of the 7 months following my accident in bed. At present, I’m beginning treatments at the pain clinic that involve epidural anti-inflammatory injections (directly into the spine) and nerve blocks. I’m hoping for some relief. In the meantime…

I refuse to be a victim. Why merely survive, avoiding those things that increase the pain? I want to live, and if it has to hurt, so be it. I wish it didn’t hurt so much, but this is my lot, and it’s up to me to make the best of it… and I can. I may not have faced worse pain, but I did face worse odds 12 years ago when I was diagnosed with a disease I was told would most likely be terminal… yet I recovered, had a second chance to pursue my dream of being a physician, and eventually was riding challenge events in excess of 100 miles across the Colorado Rockies to prove that I had no limits. I beat the odds then. What are my limits now?

Seven months to the day after that catastrophic accident, I am back on my bicycle. Everyone suggested I do something easy, but I knew I had to TRY something else. It had to be a ride that meant something to me. I chose Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado. Not only was this the first major climb I did in 2009, it also feels like home to me. Ten minutes by bicycle from where I lived, it was a training ride I did more than any other.

I had doubts as to whether I’d actually manage it. I wondered if I’d even make it halfway. The distance isn’t extreme, but it’s unrelenting uphill, the major climb in the final stage of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. I should have relied on my determination rather than doubting. I succeeded in what to me felt like a monumental accomplishment, albeit painful. I pedaled to the top of Lookout Mountain.

Ready to Ride again!

SUCCESS!!

Knolly Chilcotins Are Here

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:43:16 +0000

After much anticipation. After many hurdles. After many hours of research, design and redesign.

The crazy sexy 6.3″ travel Knolly Chilcotin has finally arrived at Salvagetti. We are excited to get one of these out on the trail to see how great they really are.

Official Knolly Chilcotin page here.

Party Time at Salvagetti!

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:12:25 +0000

Thank you for being so supportive, Denver. We are excited that the season has started early, the trails are perfect and everyone is ready for some fun. We have a couple of announcements we think you may want to hear.

8 is GREAT

We are turning 8 years old this month. To celebrate, we are having a party. It will be fun, fast and furious.

The party is happening at 6pm on April 20th, which is a Friday. We will provide beer and prizes from the likes of Surly, Santa Cruz and Salvagetti. You will provide smiles, high fives and perhaps some surprises. Please bring a friend.

Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes are flying off the shelves at Salvagetti these days. We are excited to offer the best lineup of bikes we have ever offered. These bikes are perfect for the Front Range: Stable at high speeds and easy to climb. No matter what your price range, we have a great trail bike to suit your needs.
Some of our favorites are the Kona Honzo and the all new Santa Cruz Tallboy LT. We are also expecting a few Pivot bikes to show up here in the next few weeks (finally). Speaking of Pivot…

Pivot Demo

We have scheduled a demo with Pivot Bikes for June 30th. Details are still blurry, but if you are considering buying one of these trail bikes, we will help make everything very clear to you. The bikes we know you will love will be the Mach 429 and the Mach 5.7. Which one you buy is, of course, up to you.

Bicycling Magazine Names Castelli Perla Women's Glove Gear of the Day

BicyclingHub.com — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:54:00 +0000

Bicycling Magazine names Castelli's Perla gloves Gear of the Day in their March 2012 issue. The unnamed author claims "I love these new gloves for their simplicity and elegance." they continue "Silky lycra and mesh panels on the back breathe and wick away sweat."

Bicycling's article is here.
http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderproductdetail?gfid=59854&cm_mmc=Twitter-_-Bicycling-_-Content-Gear-_-castelli-perla

To purchase Perla gloves go here
for black
http://www.bicyclinghub.com/castelli-perla-womens-glove-black.html

for white
http://www.bicyclinghub.com/castelli-perla-womens-glove-white.html

How to care for your cycling clothing.

BicyclingHub.com — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:05:00 +0000

Protect your investment and avoid saddle sores and rashes. It's best to clean bicycle shorts between each ride. Jon Knoll, Global Category Manager for Pearl Izumi tells the best way to care for cycling jerseys and cycling shorts.

Salvagetti Annex

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:37:47 +0000

We are have opened a store for the everyday rider.

WHY?
We realize getting all the way across town is sometimes really difficult, especially when your bike is your favorite (primary) mode of transport.
Let’s be honest: Riding with a flat tire is for jerks.

WHERE/WHEN?
So here we are at 8 W. Ellsworth in Baker (turn West at the corner of Broadway and Ellworth) to get your bike up and running again. We are open 5 days a week, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. We hope to be open 7 days a week as the summer hits.

WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Salvagetti Annex is supplying you with tubes, lights, locks, tires and on and on. The stuff you need to keep your bike, keep it running, not get tickets and to have a good time. We offer quick, preferably while you wait, service for your bike. And, of course, we are going to be nice to you.

The Thrillist covered our tiny story, here.

WE AREN’T CARRYING BIKES, JUST BIKE
We are carrying the All City Nature Boy. It is the middle finger of all bikes.

Kona Honzo Kona Honzo Kona Honzo

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:06:40 +0000

So this guy walks into the store.

He asks for this bike.

But he wants these bars.

And it ends up looking this hot.

Damn!

The Santa Cruz Aluminum vs Carbon Break Test

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:25:28 +0000

This is why we love Santa Cruz.
It is also why we aren’t scared of selling you some Carbon to rip on!

Crush it

Valentine’s Day Special (thru 2/19/12)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:43:51 +0000

Don’t Be Dirty

It isn’t hot outside right now, but it doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for those hotter times.

HERE IS THE DEAL
A spa day for your special partner – (a mighty seven tune)
A bottle of love lotion – (Rock N Roll Lube)
2 keep riding it Honey! enhancers – (Honey stinger waffles)
And a rag to clean up the sweat – (A Salvagetti t-shirt).
A $95 value. Yours for the next 5 days, (until close on 2/19/2012) if you ask nicely, for only $69 plus tax.

DIRECTIONS
Bring in your bike.
Tell the service writer you want the Valentine’s Special.
Leave.
Come back after you are called that your bike is “ready” for you.
Wear your shirt, ride your bike, tell your friends awesome stories about riding.

Showers Pass Club Convertible 2 Rain Pants have arrived!

Jennifer Clunie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:39:00 +0000

Once you try these rain pants, you'll soon be a convert to the club.

Showers Pass Women's
Club Convertible 2 Rain Pant

We were excited when the new Showers Pass Club Convertible 2 Pants arrived ahead of schedule to compare them side by side with the previous version. As promised, the new and improved rain pants were well worth the wait.

First and foremost was the VASTLY improved fit, especially the women's cut. Not content to coast on sales of their first edition, the Showers Pass design team took direct and honest feedback from their female customers and went back to the drawing board to find a way to more accurately reflect a woman's hourglass shape and proportions. The result? A tapered waist and more room at the hips for ease of movement; the rear of the waistband is elasticated to further enhance the fit, eliminate gaps between fabric and skin and prevent your pants from creeping down as you ride.

Showers Pass Club Convertible 2 Rain Pant (Men's)

Next up is the change in the FABRIC itself. Constructed with 3-ply Artex fabric offering lightweight, breathable and waterproof protection, the new Club Convertible 2s weighs in nearly 30% less than its predecessor (yes, bike nerds that we are, we had to pull out the scales to confirm). Just as important as the savings in weight is the enhanced freedom of movement and full range of motion offered by these rain pants. No longer will your thighs feel constricted or restrained by tight fabric, working against you as you move; the enhanced stretch of the new Artex fabric enables the rider to employ full articulation in the knee and thigh in every pedal stoke, whether you're wearing cycling shorts and street clothes underneath.

Overheating? Pants quickly and easily
zip off to knickers (shown above).

Finally, I have to take a moment to admire the level of detail that went into the design and construction of these high-end rain pants. From its new mesh side pockets (further reducing weight while enhancing air flow) to the durable double-stitched and seam-taped zippers to prevent water driving in, the tailored look and feel of this garment is self-evident. Additional improvements to the zip-off pant cuffs (previous version had heavy reflective tape, now replaced by a more supple reflective trim) the Velcro attachments to the pant cuffs serves as re-assurance your pant leg won't come loose and get stuck in your chain. If you're looking to invest in some high-quality cycling rain pants intended to go the long haul, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Showers Pass Club Convertible 2 Rain Pant.

Attention to details like zippers and Velcro fasteners
at cuffs make these rain pants a stand-out.

When it comes to being prepared for the elements, I couldn't think of a better company than Portland-based Showers Pass to outfit cyclists accordingly. Rarely a day goes by we here at BicyclingHub.com don't spy bicyclists commuting over the Hawthorne Bridge in one of the products we sell, and Showers Pass remains a perennial favorite both here at home and across the country. Having ridden in their cycling apparel, the reason why becomes readily apparent. Showers Pass isn't just the best rain gear in Portland; it's the best cycling rain gear on the market. Period.

Want to learn more about Showers Pass, and the innovations they bring to high-performance technical cycling apparel? Read our feature profile story here.

Train in rain? Try the Showers Pass Elite Pro on for size

Jennifer Clunie — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:11:00 +0000

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at BicyclingHub.com is, "Is this [insert cycling product] really worth the money?" The old adage "you get what you pay for" is never more true when it comes to cycling rain gear. And with headquarters based in Portland, Oregon, we get to test out cycling rain jackets a LOT. One of our favorite high-performance rain jacket holds its value extremely well is the Showers Pass Elite Pro Jacket.

But don't just take OUR word for it; both Josh Liberles of Cyclocross Magazine and Scott Mares of Crossbikereview.com agree that when it comes to finding a lightweight, waterproof, packable rain jacket will keep you warm and dry when you're pounding out the miles in the cold and wet, the Shower Pass Elite Pro can be your best friend. Read on to find out why they've earned a full 5 out of 5 cowbells rating from Crossbikereview.

Scott Mares from Crossbikereview.com says:

We Liked:

Showers Pass Elite Pro Jacket is available in both black and goldenrod.
You know there is nothing like first-hand, real world experience when you are producing a product. The guys at Showers Pass do one thing and that is make rain gear. Anyone can make plastic clothing and you get what you pay for in that arena. The guys at Showers Pass live, work and race in Portland OR. And since I have moved here I can tell you it rains a lot here in this big cycling city. The Elite Pro is the next generation in the Showers Pass lineup. So what they did was take their most popular commuter rain jacket and put it on a diet and send it to the gym. The Elite Pro is a racer-cut, lightweight rain jacket for the serious cyclist. I liked the fact that this jacket did not flap around in the rain on our training rides.

Lightweight: the Elite Pro is a lightweight when you compare it to other rain jackets. We love how light it is and how little space it packs into. Usually the trade off when you get into this weight class is protection. However, the Showers Pass Elite Pro is made of three layers of fabric designed to be waterproof and breathable. So what we have here is a jacket that Mighty Mouse would approve of.

So you're inspired by the bad weather and you find yourself in the zone and you are hammering away and you find that you are starting to get a little hot. The Showers Pass Elite Pro jacket has 3 vents that you can open to keep form overheating. Two of them are located near the front of the jacket on the side about 3/4 the way forward. What? Why not on the sides like everyone else? Well good question. The reason why Showers Pass has placed these vents towards the front is because in this position they act like scoops and bring the air in and allow you to not overheat. The third one is located on the upper back just behind the collar. When you open this third vent the air form the lower two actually pushes air out this vent.

The Elite Pro has asymmetrical waterproof zipper. So this means that no more zipper on the front of your neck rubbing or scratching it. Nothing but soft flexible fabric on the front of your throat. This is a nice little feature for a jacket like that.

One thing that we hate is when the sleeves are too short and our wrist are exposed to the cold and wet. Not here! The Showers Pass Elite Pro has longer than normal sleeves so you can get full coverage up and over your gloves. Nicely done guys.

Big cuffs! Ok so they made some long sleeves on this jacket. Well they didn't stop there. They know that you will be wearing gloves as well, so they made the cuffs of the jacket larger than normal so you can get the jacket on easier. It sucks having to force your hand through the end of a sleeve while it's pouring on you. All you want is to get that jacket on ASAP because every second you are getting wetter and colder. And your still miles from a hot shower and dry clothes.

Reflective trim: OK, so the jacket fits, its waterproof and now you have to stay safe. The Elite Pro was designed so that there was reflective material all around so that you can be seen. The jacket is available in black and golden rod. This will help in being seen on those rainy days.

We Didn't Like
Showers Pass Elite Pro Jacket is available in both black and goldenrod.
There is a lot of things that we like about this jacket. Time and time again is has proven its worth to us. However, one of our missions here is to give constructive feedback so that manufactures can make a better product. With that in mind we gave the following suggestions to the masterminds at Showers Pass.

I would like to see silicon grippers on the inside of the cuffs and on the tips of the Velcro wrist straps. This would prevent the cuff from twisting when you are closing them off with the Velcro straps.

I think that having the jacket available in a couple of other colors would be nice as well. A light blue or pink or even a white would be my vote. As I think that those colors would appeal to women and aid in low light visibility. We get rain jackets in all of the time and we just feel invisible when they are black. So we don't feel safe in them and don't ride in them. I tried it once and I ended up turning right around and going back and getting a different jacket. Every time we get a black rain jacket in it reminds me of a skit in the 70's from Saturday night Live (season 3 episode 4) with Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin. They were spoofing dangerous Halloween costumes and one of them was a black plastic bag and it was called "Invisible Pedestrian."

The Final Say

Don't know what to get for a rain jacket? Well you need to ask yourself some questions. How often does it rain where you are at? And how often are you going to ride in it? If it rains on a regular basis then don't be a penny pincher and this is the jacket for you. Just like a great pair of shoes you get what you pay for and you get a lot of jacket here with the Elite Pro. Do you train in just about any weather? Then you will be happy with the performance that this jacket gives its owner. It's lightweight, waterproof, packable and won't be flapping around in the wind while you're riding. The guys at Showers Pass know what they are doing when it comes to rain gear. This jacket will keep you warm and dry so you can turn the screw out on the road while every one else is inside on the trainers.

Presto, Chango: Castelli's new bib shorts are MAGIC

Jennifer Clunie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Erik Solberg from Castelli USA demonstrates the Presto Bib short with Kiss 3 pad.

Castelli Presto bib shorts are available
in 4 color ways, including the new
Grey/Anthracite/Orange

Your dollar goes a long way with these great bibs from Castelli. Plenty of features are included that will help you to clock many miles on the bike, in both comfort and style. These include the ever popular Castelli Kiss 3 seatpad, great high-performance soft and supportive fabric and multi-panel construction providing a super fit and all day comfort.

Castelli Presto Bib Shorts Feature:

Affinity Lycra provides outstanding rebound and stretch.
8-Panel construction.
4-needle flat-lock stitched seams for added comfort and durability.
Mesh upper bib for breathability.
Castelli's Kiss 3 seat pad.
Durable Castelli heat transfer wordmark on the outside of the legs.
Classic silicone gel leg grippers.
Reflective piping, alongwith 2 rear reflective tabs at the bottoms of the legs, increase low-light visibility.

Castelli's century-worthy and race-proven KISS 3 Chamois

The Kiss 3 chamois has been engineered to eliminate seams that may cause abrasions and chaffing. The top layer provides a comfortable and soft interface with the rider. Most riders will not need chamois creme with the Kiss 3 seat pad. High density foam helps pad the short in places where you need it and have less foam around the edges of the pad.