Old Man Winter is coming; be ready.

Well it has been a whirl wind summer, with lots of ups and very few downs. Our dear friend Joel is in another country climbing a mountain that has never been climbed with our local superhero Mark Jenkins. Pedar and I are holding down the fort....okay so Pedar is holding down the fort and I am trying not to get in his way. 

Speaking of Pedar, I had one of the best night rides of my entire life with him and Dan the Man from Cross Country Connection the other night.  It was an Giant Anthem ride, no offense to those of you who ride other bikes, we just prefer the superior suspension of the Maestro rear suspension.  (I learned product placement from the Biggest Loser.)  On the ride I had the pleasure of following Pedar's track.  I was moving out, thinking to myself, "Wow self, you are keeping up with Pedar."  Then, he turned to me and smiled, and like the moment in Christmas Vacation when Clark takes off down the ski hill on the sled with the new non caloric silicon kitchen lube,....poof, he was gone.  It is always awesome to see someone who is the master of his craft at work.  Thanks for that Pedar.

Which leads me to the purpose of this post....riding your bike in the winter.  We are about to be hit by a huge snowstorm.  Epic.  Ski people rejoice, it is your season.  For the rest of us, we will have to find ways to keep our bicycles functional in and on the road. 

This is not the way.  BUT, if you have to keep your bicycle outside in the winter, by all means, keep it lubed.  I recommend two very solid types of lubrication, both available at the Pedal House.  1. Tri-Flo.  It kicks booty and is highly effective.  2. Finish Line wet lube.  It is a little thicker but it is a fantastic lubrication that I use on my personal bicycles.  Either way you have a winner.  If these options are not for you, just make sure that you have a Teflon based lubrication in the winter to help keep the rust away, and for goodness sake, don't use WD-40.  It isn't a lube, it is a cleaner.  It will actually do the opposite for your bicycle.

When lubing your chain, start by adding small amounts of lubrication to each link on your chain.  Lube doesn't need to be on the outside plates, just the bushings.  After it sits for 15 or 20 minutes, wipe it down so that it doesn't collect dirt and grime. 

Also, keeping your bicycle clean helps it run better in tough conditions.  Use dish soap and water; scrub it down with soft brushes, (available at the Pedal House) and hose it down.  Don't use high pressure wands from the car wash as they can mess with pivots and bearings.  Be patient and clean it like you would a five month old baby. 

For more maintenance tips come to the clinics hosted by the Pedal House.  November 3rd, there is a free Tire Changing Clinic, and on November 17th, we have a Basic Maintenance Clinic for those of you who need a nice, comfortable environment to learn the basics about bicycle care and maintenance.  This two hour clinic is $35, and includes a question and answer section to help new riders get personalized instruction on his/her bicycles. 

Summer is here, and for me that can only mean one thing; the Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throwing Contest!  That is right, but since it doesn't start until September, well after our summer is off and running, I guess we will have to find something to do around here.  Well, here are a couple of things we have going on locally.

First off, this weekend there is the Dead Dog Classic road race.  Below is a video I found on Youtube highlighting the 2010 race.  This weekend you can see riders blasting through our Wyoming scenery like the long ago buffalo our ancestors chased....kind of.



And don't forget about the Tuesday night race series, the Laramie Mountain Bike Series, held in the most beautiful place in the world, Happy Jack recreation area. 

We also have the Laramie Enduro coming up.  Another video I found from the Youtubers gives us an inside look at the race.

 

The Tour de Wyoming is also on the horizon.  It is going to be supported by the Pedal House this year, so all you riders will finally have Joel's mechanical expertise to keep you on the road. 

So get out there and support your favorite local races and tours.  And thanks to all the Youtube people who put together these videos. 

Big Brothers & Big Sisters

I was originally an Elementary Education teacher.  That was my degree.  I couldn't get in the door of any of the local elementary schools in our community so I dragged my feet out to the Cathedral Home with wild ideas about how abnormal the kids were.  I thought that I would see kids who were crazy, drooling, spitting, incoherent psychopaths with missing teeth, and instead I found out that my dream job was actually working with treatment kids...and here is the kicker...they are all so eerily normal.  Granted I did find the toothless psychopaths, but we are not talking about the people it takes to work with treatment kids...(joking of course.)

I started as an English Teacher, but quickly grew bored of the curriculum filled with rules that aren't followed anywhere but the classroom.  I did, however, fall in love with the kids because they were so real.  They wouldn't accept anything but the truth from a teacher, and they even challenged the facts found in the truth.  It was fantastic because it made me focus in on the things I love about life, and I wanted to share that love for life with the kids.  My love for life has always, as long as I can remember, been most intense when in the saddle of a bicycle.  So, we started working on bikes, and to make sure it looked somewhat like English, we started writing about our process.  Now, some nine years later, and thanks to a plethora of people, there is a Vocational Education Program based entirely on the concept of fixing bicycles.  It is a dream job.

Well this past Saturday I was able to share the fruits of the Vocational labor (of too many people to mention) with the local community.  The Cathedral Home Advanced Bicycle Mechanics class, in conjunction with the Pedal House, held a 2 Hour Basic Maintenance class for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization here in Laramie.

As you can see, the snow cut back on our participation, but the kids and Bigs that did show up were AWESOME!  Not to mention how fantastic my advanced kids were in helping assist with the instruction.

Overall, I think it was a big success.  David, Michael, Dezarae, and Katie learned how to service a couple of parts on their bicycles.  My advance class was able to demonstrate their knowledge in a real world setting while meeting Wyoming and California Vocational State Learning Standards, and I was able to enjoy the company of both groups.  It was a pretty good day.





So to everyone at the Cathedral Home, and everyone at Big Brothers and Big Sisters, thanks for sharing your life with kids.  And to all the young people who have been in both programs, thank you for sharing your life with us.  Until next time, Happy Trails from the Pedal House. 

What to buy?

SO,...with the big Holiday just around the corner, I thought it might be a good idea to post a few gift ideas for that special cyclist in your life. The first thing you have to ask yourself is; "What type of cyclist am I buying for?" Sure you have Roadies, Mountain Bikers, Commuters, BMXers, Fixie Riders, Utility Riders, Touring Riders, Recumbent Riders, Or Cruiser Riders. It can be really intimidating when you start trying to figure all this out. But it isn't really all that hard if you break them down into the following three groups;


1. Emerging Cyclist. A person who fits into this category can ride any of the above styles of bikes. This type of rider is just getting into riding a bike, and to be honest, maybe they are trying it out but won't stick with it. The goal here should be to get them something that will make their lives easier to increase the chances of them becoming a full time cyclist. If you have a cyclist who has decided to start riding to work, even when it is cold and wet, the first gift that comes to my mind is Fenders. The likelihood of riding is increased greatly when you can stay dry. Planet Bike makes some great full coverage fenders for all types of bicycles that don't break the bank. Don't forget lights for the front and rear, or a good wind jacket.


For someone getting into mountain biking I would recommend a new bike! But if you don't have the funds for something that big, you can always get them a Big Air "CO2" contraption. (It is actually filled with Propane.) They are nice to have during mosquito season, and most Mountain bikers won't buy them for themselves for some reason.

A good gift for a begginer into any type of cycling is the good old fashioned cycling sock.
2. Intermediate Cyclist. This type of cyclist is usually a seasonal cyclist with many interests, like snowshoeing, climbing, backpacking, and/or rafting. They have a genuine desire to be outside, truly enjoy cycling, but aren't in the saddle every day. This is where it gets tricky. These guys and gals know good gear when they see it. And they probably have enough experience to know what they like. T-Shirts and Sweatshirts from your favorite local shop always hit home with this group. Consider it something to wear in the off season so they still feel connected to their bikes. A trail bell is also a creative way to spice up the handlebar, and help keep the cyclist in question safe. Simple tools are always nice, and so are helmets and water bottles.
3. Hard Core! This is by far the toughest group to shop for. They usually have everything they need. The key here is to look at their stuff, and try to find something that needs replaced. Tires on their favorite bicycle are usually a good place to start. Just copy down all of the information on the sidewall, (the side of the tire) and take it to your local bike shop. Inner tubes are another great item, because if you ride enough, you will go through them. The same sidewall information will be pertinent. And don't forget about the good old fashionedgift certificate for a Tune-Up. Even if they always care for their own bicycles, it is sometimes nice to let someone else do the dirty work. Cycling clothing is always a good idea, as long as you have access to the items they currently have and can check the size and styles they like. Roadies go through cycling hats like crazy, and they are always in need of a new hat to soak up their sweat.
No matter what type of cyclist you are buying for, it is always helpful to know a few things. Make sure you know what type of cyclist you are buying for. If you can take a picture of her/his bicycle to help with sizing and specifics for buying. It will help save time when talking to the trained professionals at your local bicycle shop. ...And yeah, he is one of the best mechanics I have ever worked with,...Happy Holidays from the Pedal House.

A Few More Changes

I was working in a kitchen once when a good friend of mine, and my boss at the time, Gabe Aragon told me that in any good restaurant, the cooks have to run the place. That is where the old saying comes from; if it is too hot, get out of the kitchen.

The same thing is true when you are working in a bike shop. Keep the cooks happy! And the only way we can help do that is by keeping the guys who work on their bicycles happy. At the Pedal House we wanted some room to move around, room to grow, room to blossom, room to....fix bikes. So Saturday we decided to jump into another project.

This is our shop area. Notice the familiar look of sawdust on the ground, however, it is not because there was another famous blowout Friday night closing "celebration." No, this time it was due to the cutting of particle board and 2x4's for new bench parts. Notice Joel on the right side of the photo installing a bench in our new and high tech "welding center." I wanted to name it "Big Al's Extravagant Table for All Things Metal", but I was outvoted.

Here we see the new Shock repair area. Our goal was to keep all of the machine work away from the areas where the mechanics do their magic. Grinder, welding, drill press, and all have been moved around the corner where the flakes can fly and you don't have to interrupt the Bike Whisperer.

So come and see our happy mechanics, a road race on the box, and let us help keep you in the saddle.

New T-Shirts Are Here!

Life is all about the little things. I have always been a fan of the little nuances of day to day living. For instance; I love the smell of the top of Jeff's head. (Jeff is my dog.)

I also love the smell of a brand new t-shirt. Especially when the back of the shirt says "We Still Hang Bike Thieves in Wyoming". When we were designing the backs we knew that we wanted our t's to have the same old Pedal House feel, but with a little bit of a twist. As you can see the new design is basically the view from the throne....after you have entered the outhouse.

If I were Phil Liggett, I might call them Cheeky. What keeps us grounded in tradition is that the front is the Pedal House logo, unchanged. We hope you like them.

In other news, you might have noticed a race or two being broadcast at the shop. It has been a pretty exciting road racing season, and we intend to enjoy it. So if you like road racing, come on down and see the latest races.