Open Road Bicycles Blog

Jamis Bicycle Demo

2013-01-15T14:59:41Z

Join us on January 25th at our Hendricks Avenue location and January 26th at Hanna Park (9am-2PM) to test 2013 Jamis Mountain Bikes. Featuring dual suspension and hardtail 650B Dakar XCT and Dragon, and Dakota Team and Dakar XCR 29's and the 26" wheel Nemesis. This is a great opportunity to ride side by side and compare the 650B vs 29'r wheel options. Also test ride attendees recieve special pricing on these selected models and more.

3 Day Sale!

2012-11-19T19:53:38Z

This Weekend (Nov. 23-25) - Beat the shopping mall Blues and pedal over to Open Road Bicycles for Black Friday, Small buisness Saturday and Sunday (12-5), great savings for the Holiday. Get your bike fix at 20% off all 2012 bikes in stock including kids and adult, along with 20% off all lights, electronics, shoe/pedal combos and summer clothing. Also weather permitting we'll have our tent out with 50% + savings.

Colnago Demos

2012-10-23T13:22:20Z

For a limited time come in to our San Marco location and Demo a new Colnago C59 or M10. Sizes available are 48/50/52 and 56 sloping. for more info 904-636-7772

20% Off Sale

2012-10-12T16:16:02Z

Scary Savings at all Open Road Bicycles locations. Come in now through November 3rd and pickup any in stock 2011 or 2012 bike for 20% off MSRP.

First Fridays at the Beach

2012-10-05T15:40:49Z

Come join us for First Friday celebration every month at our beaches location. Food, beverage and more.

1017 South third street

Jacksonville Beach, Fl (904)853-6014

2012 Scott Bicycle Sale

2012-10-05T15:16:43Z

2012 Scott closeout deals now at Open Road Bicycles!

CR1 Team road carbon bike reg. $2260 now $1700

Cr1 Comp carbon road bike reg. $1840 now $1400

Foil 40 carbon TT bike reg. $2625 now $2000

Spark 60 26" mountain bike reg. $1890 now $1400

Scale Team 29" Mountain bike reg. $1250 now $850

Scale Pro 29" Mountain bike reg. $3400 now $2500

Addict CX cyclocross bike reg. $3260 now $2300

Sizes are limited so call or come in today. Thanks.

Celebrate the New Jacksonville Beach Location

2012-03-10T00:22:55Z

We are very excited to announce the Grand Opening of our newest location of Open Road Bicycles in Jacksonville Beach next FRIDAY, March 16th! Doors open at 10 AM and the real celebration begins at 7 PM that night. Please come out and support the fifth addition to the Open Road family. Let's all have a good time and set these guys off on a great start!

The new location is located at 1017 S. 3rd Street in Jacksonville Beach. Their number is 853-6014.

Specialized bicycle demo

2012-03-02T00:48:01Z

Specialized Bicycles DEMO DAY at HANNA PARK will be on Saturday March 3rd through Sunday March 4th. This is your chance to test ride the baddest rides from Specialized, for free. Mountain or road bikes for all the guys AND gals, including the S-WORKS line.

30% Off Winter Wear

2012-02-11T02:36:48Z

This weekend looks to be a cold one so get in the San Marco location this weekend for the best selection of reduced priced winter clothing. 30% off gear from Gore, Specialized and more.

San Felasco ATB ride

2012-01-05T18:49:29Z

This Sunday (Jan 8th) join us for a ride at San Felasco Hammock State Park located in Alachua Florida. Terrain for those who have not been before is mixed forest with a few technical trails and pine glades.

Roots are to be expected as are rabbits, deer and other forest creatures. Total loop distance is around 30 plus miles and you can do any or all, it's totally up to you. Ride time is 9am, gate fee is $4 per car and the weather should be great. See you there.

Ho Hum Friday/ Small buisness Saturday

2011-11-23T19:11:31Z

Come in this weekend at our San Marco location for our two day Tent/Store Event. Everything under the tent will be 50% off or more. Also get great savings in the store of 20% off suggested retail pricing on all your parts and accessories (code word: Santa's got a brand new bag).

No code word no discount!!! This Sale is for our Web site/Facebook friends only and of course all your friends if you choose to pass it on (which we hope you will). So come by this weekend for some great holiday savings. Thanks.

Specialized Mountain Bikes 2012

2011-11-02T00:05:14Z

It's fall in Florida and that means mountain bike season is upon us, come in today and try a new 2012 29'r Epic or 29'r Stumpjumper and get your knobbies on. Lets ride!

specialized Mountain Bikes 2012

2011-07-12T23:01:55Z

Specialized's latest redesign of the 30-year-old Stumpjumper is the biggest news for 2012, but they also have new carbon Camber and alloy Carve 29ers, as well as a new entry-level downhill rig, the Status, which is a replacement for the stalwart Big Hit model. At their global mountain bike launch in Monterey, California the 'big S' also unveiled some key upgrades to the Epic full-suspension range and carbon Stumpjumper hardtails – the most significant change being a crown-mounted Fade adjuster for the SID Brain fork found on the S-Works, Expert and EVO R models.

Stumpjumper FSR

At its launch 30 years ago, the Stumpjumper was one of the first bikes ready to hit the trail right out of the box, at a time when many 'mountain bikes' were still cobbled together from 'clunker', road bike and motorcycle parts. Fast forward to the coming season, the 2012 model year, and Specialized are again making Stumpjumpers to fit many different riders and styles of riding right out of the box. There's an M5 alloy hardtail – more on that below – along with both alloy and carbon FSR full-suspension bikes.

The new Stumpjumper FSR will undoubtedly be Specialized’s most versatile model. It’s built with their ‘trail geometry’, which is defined by a lower bottom bracket, slacker head angle and shorter chainstays than their cross-country race bikes, and available in carbon or M5 alloy, with 26in or 29in wheels. There are also heavier-duty Stumpjumper FSR EVO models in both wheel sizes and frame materials.

Sure to be a shop guy favorite, the Stumpjumper FSR EVO M5 alloy frameset with AutoSag Fox RP23 Adaptive Logic Kashima damper

With their latest redesign, Specialized are asking riders to think again about the Stumpjumper. The new bikes all sport contemporary features including tapered head tubes, PressFit 30 bottom bracket shells with ISCG05 chain guide tabs, 142+ rear through-axles, sealed cartridge bearing pivots with captured hardware, internal dropper seatpost cable routing and direct post mount 160mm brake tabs.

All of the standard Stumpjumper FSR models will also come with a new chain retention device called the Dangler – a low-friction, 30g chainstay slide glide built using composite plastic technology borrowed from KTM motorcycles. While the Dangler looks low-tech, during our rides at the launch it did an admirable job keeping the chain on and goes unnoticed while riding; it’s quiet and doesn’t add any perceivable friction to the system.

The proprietary Dangler chain device is so quiet you don't notice it when riding

While there are 10 models in the new Stumpjumper FSR line we’ll look at two to give a frame of reference: a standard Stumpjumper FSR and an FSR EVO.

S-Works Stumpjumper FSR Carbon

The S-Works Stumpjumper FSR Carbon is available with 26in wheels and 140mm of travel, or 29in wheels and 130mm. We took a ride on the 29er version. This top-of-the-line, break-the-bank bike rides as a machine nearing the US$10,000 mark should – extremely well. It's light, and the components have been well thought out – 720mm wide low-rise bar, Specialized Command Post BlackLite dropper seatpost, Fox Racing Shox Kashima suspension (with Brain inertia AutoSag damper for the rear) and new Roval Control Trail SL carbon wheels with 28mm OD rims.

This is all icing on the cake, as the bike’s well sorted geometry (69˚ head tube angle, 450mm chainstays, 338mm bottom bracket height/34mm drop) was the star of our brief test ride, during which it handled beautifully. While the S-Works bike is attention grabbing, there are few who can afford to drop that type of cash on a mountain bike, which is where the M5 alloy models come in – these start in the mid-$2,000 range. Carbon bikes with a decent but more subdued spec start at around $4,000.

The antitheses of the S-Works bikes are the EVO models. Specialized will offer three complete EVO bikes for 2012: one with 29in wheels and two with 26in wheels. The EVO trail bikes are defined by their slacker angles (for example the head angles are 67˚ versus 68˚ for the 26in bikes, and 68˚ versus 69˚ for the 29ers), additional travel (150mm front and rear for the 26in bike; 140mm front, 135mm rear for the 29er) and gravity focused suspension and build.

Stumpjumper FSR Comp EVO

The FSR Comp EVO is the most economical bike in the EVO line and will sell in the mid-$2,000 price range. It comes with a hydroformed M5 alloy frame, which has a claimed weight of 2,415g without the RP2 AutoSag damper. A RockShox Revelation fork with 20mm axle and Motion Control RL DNA damper complements the 150mm FSR rear suspension system. With a flick of the lockout levers the bike climbs respectably and it's a hoot on the descents; the extra 10mm of travel, bigger tires and slacker angles are immediately noticeable. The bike also sports a Command Post BlackLite dropper post – a real bonus considering the price.

Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp EVO

AutoSag rear shocks

All of the Stumpjumper FSR models use a new shock setup design that automatically adjusts the rider’s sag to 20 percent in four easy steps: open the compression adjustment; overfill the shock by 30-50psi; sit on the bike and press the auto sag button, emptying the negative chamber; cycle the shock to automatically refill the negative chamber and you’re ready to ride.

AutoSag uses an existing transfer port found on the outer air can of Fox’s Float shocks but adds an additional ring type chamber with a second valve. This allows for the negative chamber to be bled, and under a rider's full weight the bleed sets a fixed sag – in this case 20 percent – based on its engineered location.

The AutoSag valve on the Fox-made FutureShock

Once sag is set and the shock is cycled the valve can be used to release air to fine-tune the shock, without fear of emptying the shock, as you would if you were bleeding from the main chamber without a pump. The AutoSag shock can also be set conventionally using a shock pump and O-ring. The point of the technology is to make sure all Stumpjumper FSR riders get the most from their bike’s suspension.

Stumpjumper hardtail

While the Stumpjumper carbon hardtail frame carries over from 2011, the M5 alloy model – aimed at performance-minded riders on a budget – has been completely redesigned. It's inherited many of the features found on the carbon bike: a tapered head tube, direct post mount 140mm brake tabs and PressFit30 bottom bracket shell, plus thin seatstays and a 27.2mm seatpost for a softer ride when seated. The Stumpjumper M5 will be offered in Comp 29 and EVO 29 trail dress, as well as a single Comp 26in model.

Specialized Stumpjumper M5 alloy EVO trail hardtail

Carve 29er

The all-new Carve takes the economical purpose of the M5 Stumpjumper yet a step further. There are three M4 alloy models in the line, all with 29in wheels, with prices ranging from $1,300 to $1,700. Designed to slot in between the Stumpjumper and Rockhopper ranges, the bikes offer tapered head tubes, tapered seat tubes and a bridgeless ‘vertical flex stay system’ paired with a 27.2mm seatpost to better their comfort.

Specialized' Carve Pro 29er

Camber carbon 29er

Specialized launched the Camber full-suspension bike last year. The big news for 2012 is three new carbon 29er models. The seven-model Camber range splits the difference between the Stumpjumper and Epic lines in regards to both travel and geometry, with 110mm of travel and a 70˚ head angle for the 29in models and 120mm and 68.5˚ for the 26in bikes.

The Camber sports all of the features found on the Stumpjumper FSR, including a tapered head tube, internal dropper post cable routing, PressFit30 bottom bracket, 142+ rear through axle and direct post mount 160mm rear brake mount. M4 alloy Camber models will be available in both 29in and 26in wheeled models, starting at $1,700.

Specialized Camber Expert Carbon 29

Status DH

The Status is a replacement for the venerable Big Hit downhill/freeride bike, with an all-new, 200mm-travel M4 alloy frame built with geometry adopted (and adapted) from the Demo; it sports a lower bottom bracket and slacker head angle than the Big Hit. The FSR suspension is also newly modified, with a linear shock rate which, combined with the geometry, is said to make it a much more capable downhill race bike. The Status is aimed at new gravity riders, whether they're kids or senior riders and looking to race or just run laps in the bikepark.

It uses a 1-1/2in head tube and runs bearings in all of its pivots (save for the forward shock mount). It'll be offered in two models: Status 2 and Status 1. The former runs just over $3,000 with a RockShox Domain dual crown fork and Fox DHX RC damper. The Status shares forgings with the SX Trail, and while both models come with a single ring and chainguide, it'll accept an E-Type front derailleur. Out back the bike has 135mm spacing with simple open quick-release dropouts, though both models come with bolt-on hubs.

Specialized Status II downhill bike

Specialized 2012

2011-07-12T22:54:59Z

With the new Venge, Tarmac SL4 and Amira already unveiled, Specialized's 2012 road launch was always going to be a little light on surprises. This was certainly the case on day one of the annual event, held this year in Monterey, California, down the road from the company's Morgan Hill headquarters.

The Shiv time trial bike has a new look, the Langster singlespeed has gone 'aero' and the women's Dolce has had some tweaks. Specialized also have some new touchscreen-responsive gloves and triathlon shoes. However, the focus was very much on the Venge and Tarmac SL4. Colour options were confirmed for the former – just red/black/white for the UK but a choice of white/grey, orange/black/white or black/blue for the US – and we were able to take the latter out for a spin

Riding the Tarmac SL4

Now in its fourth incarnation since its debut in 2004, we covered the details of the new Tarmac at its launch in St Mortiz last month. The S-Works version will be available from August, with the frameset costing £2,500 in the UK. Three colour options will be available: HTC-Highroad team issue, carbon/red/white and red/white. The SL3 will live on as the Expert model, while the SL2 is now the Comp.

The SL4 frame module, including cranks, is said to tip the scales at 1,995g, and it certainly felt light as we took it for a casual (at first) two-hour spin down the coastal roads of Monterey. Our Shimano Dura-Ace equipped bike felt silky-smooth from the outset, with top-notch power transfer from the pedals in a gusty seaside crosswind.

Rides with bike journalists and industry folk never stay calm for long, and once we hit the undulating main roads, the pace – foolishly instigated by BikeRadar – was ramped up, and we finally got a chance to see what the bike could do. Short, sharp climbs were negotiated with ease, and the handling in sharp corners was extremely reassuring, allowing us to confidently get low into bends at high speeds.

Shiv gets a new look for 2012

The Shiv time trial bike is UCI-legal now that it's lost its nose cone, and a matt black frameset with white Specialized logos gives it a new look this year. Available in the UK as a module only – frame, fork, stem, bar, brakes, cranks and chainring – for £5,000, a limited number will be for sale almost immediately.

The updated Shiv time trial bike is UCI and triathlon legal for 2012

Langster goes aero

Echoing the frame designs of both the Shiv and Transition, there's a new aero version of the Langster Pro track bike, with a tapered top tube and Shiv-like down tube. Specialized say it's also lost a little weight, without sacrificing any stiffness. A steel version will also be on offer, along with a standard alloy Langster.

The Langster Pro has had an overhaul for 2012, with a new aero teardrop down tube and tapered top tube

Women's range

For 2012, Specialized have their biggest ever women’s range, 12 models, reflecting a surge in cycling among women in the US. We covered the top-end Amira S-Works SL4, the bike of choice for the HTC team, at its launch last month. The 11r carbon frame shares some of the technology of the new Tarmac (Cobra head tube, one piece bottom bracket) and is said to weigh 60g less than its predecessor (down to 881g for a 51cm), while being stiffer, too. The S-Works model will only be available in the US, with a red/white paintjob; the UK will have Pro (with Shimano Ultegra Di2), Comp and Elite models. Prices TBC.

The top-end S-Works version of the Amira will only be available in the US

The carbon Ruby, essentially the women’s version of the Roubaix, is, save for a few new colours, identical to last year’s model, while the aluminium Dolce gains the Cobra head tube of the Amira and Tarmac, and an oversized down tube similar to the latter's. The Comp and Elite models have Zertz shock dampening inserts in the fork and seatstays, and all models come with Specialized's female-specific Riva saddle and Comp handlebar. UK and US readers won’t have to wait too long; all models will be available from August.

The women's Dolce Comp and Elite have Zertz inserts in the fork and seatstays for added comfort, as well as "In-Zertz" within the frame tubing

Clothing

We’ll have a comprehensive round-up of Specialized’s ever-expanding equipment range in day two’s report, but for now here are a couple of products that caught our eye. First up is new WireTap technology that enables you to use touchscreen phones and GPS units without having to take your gloves off. We tried a pair of Specialized's BG Gel WireTap gloves on our ride yesterday and were impressed. It’s a simple idea, executed well.

Triathletes among you may be interested in the new S-Works Trivent shoe, which uses a patent-pending Boa closure system in order to decrease the time taken between transitions. Check out our image gallery for a round-up of day one, and come back tomorrow for all the action from day two.

The Boa closure system on the new Trivent triathlon shoe makes it easier to get your foot in in a hurry

Ride for Fred Norman

2011-06-17T00:12:16Z

We will (by the request of the family) have a controlled ride through San Marco prior to the service for Fred Norman. The ride will be Police controlled by a rolling enclosure, speed estimate 15-17mph. I would like everyone to cooperate with the Police officers as they are being quite accommodating by doing this. Distance estimate is 5-8 miles and will take approximately 30min.

All current JRC members and former JRC members are encouraged to wear team jerseys of any vintage in Tribute to Fred. Leading the ride will be Fred's Daughters, Allie and Jessie. Assembly is at Hardage Giddons from 6pm and 6:15 pm ride start is at 6:30pm, finish estimated at 7pm.. Service to follow at 7:30pm at Hardage Giddons. Address as follows,

Hardage Giddons Funeral Home, 4115 Hendricks Ave. Jacksonville, Florida 32207

ride time: 6:30pm on time departure, ride finish: 7:00pm, Service: 7:30pm

For more info 636-7772 Open Road Bicycles