New Product Of The Day- King Cages

Let’s start today off with a little pop quiz.  How many of you are running a set of those ultra light, super sexy, and expensive carbon bottle cages?  If you are, then raise your hands.  Now, if you’ve launched a bottle at an inopportune time because of those cages, keep your hands up.  Wow!  Almost everyone still has their hands raised.  Is anyone else seeing the connection?  (By the way internet, you can put your hands down now.)

We loved those carbon cages when they came out.  They were light, looked sexy, and were probably the cheapest and easiest way to bolt a little Euro PRO carbon bling to your bike.  The problem is that they don’t hang onto a bottle all that well once the pavement gets a little rough or the trails start in with the bumps and washboard. 

Andrews King Cages are the solution to the problem.  They absolutely will not eject a bottle.  Because they are made from either tubular titanium for you weight weenies or stainless steel they hold a bottle tightly and yet allow you to pull it free for a drink without herniating yourself.  The other benefit that the titanium or stainless steel construction offers is that they don’t mark up your bottles like aluminum cages do.  No more black scuff marks on all of your bottles. 

The Ti cages weigh in at a scant 28.3 grams.  There aren’t many, if any carbon cages that weigh that little, let alone any that grip a bottle like the King.  Sure, they are a little more expensive than the cheap alloy cage that came for free with your new bike, but they are about the same price as all those fancy “plastic fantastic” cages you’ve been looking to “upgrade” to.  The stainless steel cages weigh less than most alloy cages and are about a third the cost of the Ti ones if you are on a bit more of a budget.   Both types are made here in the US of A.  Swing on in and check them out. 

King Ti Cage

New Product Of The Day-Bern Helmets

We’ve picked up a new helmet line here at ABW.  For the last year or so, we’ve been on the hunt for a line of skid lids that are protective, light, well ventilated and don’t look like someone chopped a bowling ball in half and plunked it on top of your melon.  It’s especially tough finding a helmet that meets those requirements and be able to fit kids noggins as well.  Most of the youth “skate style” helmets out there are pretty aweful.  They use old technology, are heavy, and are the last holdouts requiring a aprent to stuff a helmet full of foam to get it to “fit”.  Well, after our long search, we managed to find a helmet that meets our needs and desires in Bern Helmets.

Bern Nino Youth Helmet

Bern makes a great line of helmets for adults and kids looking to have a great styled helmet that fits well and looks good.  Another plus is that the helmets are designed to be used for both snowsports and biking.  Parents, wouldn’t it be nice to keep junior’s grey matter as protected up on the slopes as it is on the trails and in the skate park?  With a Bern helmet, you can snap in a winter liner and it’s ready to drop in the smow halfpipe.  If you want to, yo ucan even get the audio upgrade for your grommet that has to be plugged into their MP3 player all the time. 

Bern Nina Youth Helmet

Don’t think that the little ones get all the good stuff though.  Bern makes helmets for the adults as well in both women’s and men’s models with all of the afore mentioned optional goodies available for Mom and Dad.  Swing on by and check them out.

Like A One Legged Man In A Butt Kicking Contest

Ever since the move, the weather has changed and everybody who has ever thought about biking has managed to stop by and check out the new digs.  We’ve been super busy, but it’s the good kind of busy.  Days fly by and there have been an appropriate number of beer bribes (it’s the stuff that greases the bike industry skids).  On top of the weather bringing out the usual suspects, our annual mtb classic, The Spring thaw is coming up and we’ve been charging getting our buddie’s and friend’s rigs ready to rip a new personal best.  A few lucky souls have decided to upgrade their bikes and we decided that documenting all the sexy new rides wouldn’t be a half bad idea.  So not only can you check out the new goodies on the site, we’ve started a customer bikes photo section on the Facebook page.

Here’s the linky-dinky.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Ashland-OR/Ashland-Bicycle-Works/151476486947?ref=ts

Swing on by at the Thaw on Saturday.  We’ll be there turning a few wrenches and sending out folks on our Kona Demo bikes.

Because Old Man Winter Just Won’t Leave

Maybe you’ve noticed how we can’t quite seem to shake of the icy grip of winter.  Sure we’ve had a few tantalizing days of sun and warmth, but those have been more teases than anything else.  We’ve decided we’re going to try and do something about the weather and see if we can karmically tempt some of the sun’s rays to spend a little more time in our neck of the woods.  In the same way that washing your car or planning a picnic pretty much guarantees rain and bragging about how long you’ve been flat free insures you’re bucking for at least two flats on your next ride, we’re hoping that putting all the winter clothing on a closeout sale will bring sunny skies and warm weather.  All of our winter clothing in the shop is 30% off for as long as it takes to get consistent warm weather.  Swing by, check out the hot deals from Endura, Kona, Swiftwick and others and help us give Mother Nature a swift kick in the backside.

We’ve Moved!

Ashland Bicycle Works has moved to a bigger and better shop.  We’re still in the same shopping center on Ashland Street, but we  have the traded smells of Senior Sam’s burritos wafting through our store for the sawdust and hampster scents of the pet store.   We’re now at 1662 Ashland St. sandwiched between the Pet Store and Fun Again Games and just a few doors down from DJ’s video and The Dollar Tree.

Our Awesome Saggy Temporary Sign

It took a couple of weeks of long hours and more manual labor than we really wanted to do, but we got all of stuff moved over and set up.  Even though we’ve doubled our square footage, we’re amazed at how quickly it fills up.  Starting with an empty shell and having it ren0vated to our specs sure helps though when it comes to figuring out where you want everything to go.  Plus we’ll have more room for clothing and shoes that will be coming later this spring.

So.Much.Room.

Echo, echo, echo.........

The repair area grew from about 175 square feet to almost 800.  It’s been pretty awesome having room for two work stands and benches, plus the room to move around and work on the bikes.  Plus, we have room to keep all the repair bikes and unbuilt bikes inside instead of lugging them in and out every morning and night.

Two, count them, two full workbenches. Crazy!

Pretty soon we’ll be announcing an open house and grand opening party, but feel free to come on by and checkout the space, kick some tires, and hang out.  Cheers!

Full Suspension Bikes 25% Off!!

The other week, dirt biker/longboarder/our Kona sales rep and all around good guy, Jimmy James stopped by with some good news for us.  Because we always keep on the fine folks at Kona’s sunny side, we were able to take advantage of a special sale on their remaining 2009 full suspension bikes.  For a limited time (because all good things must eventially come to an end), all remaining 2009 full suspension bikes are on sale at a jaw dropping 25% off!!  You still get 100% of every single bouncy bike that Kona offers in their ‘09 catalog, but now for 75% of the MSRP.  Pretty cool, huh?  At the risk of sounding like a late night infomercial, you want to hear the best part?  The sale is for not just the bikes we have at the store, but also every single 2009 full suspension bike at the Kona HQ in Ferndale, WA.  So even if we don’t have the exact size or model on our showroom floor, it’s only a day or so away and the same sweet price!

A few examples of what the savings look like:

Stinky.  Kona’s original, full on freeride bike.  Plush suspension, tough as nails frame and wheels, and durable components add up to the classic freeride experience Kona is famous for.  Originally $2399.  Now $1799. 

2009 Kona Stinky

Stinky Six.  The classic North Shore freeride bike, built by the company that was riding there when it all started.  Kona builds a pared version of the lengendary Stinky for the folks who are tough as nails and insist on climbing up what they intend to huck down later.  Originally $1799.  Now $1399.

2009 Kona Stinky Six

 Dawgma.  Epic backcountry machine.  Kona builds the Dawgma tough and light, so you can travel deep into the wilds.  6″ of travel keeps things plush, while Scandium frames keep the bike light.  Go out, get gone, and still make it back home in time for dinner.  Originally $1799.  Now $1299.

2009 Dawgma

One20.  Five is the new four.  Kona added an inch of travel to their cross country bikes.  Race some XC, ride with your buddies, knock out a 24hr. epic, or just cover some sweet trails.  It’s all good on the One20.  This is the perfect choice for someone who just wants a “mountain bike”.  Originally $1299.  Now $999.

2009 One20

Hei Hei 2-9.  Roll over anything.  The Hei Hei 2-9 is the ultimate washboard and braking bump eraser.  The Scandium frame keeps it light and the Kona race geometry makes it quick and agile.  This is Barry Wicks mountain bike of choice.  ‘Nuff said.  Originally $2599.  Now $1899.

2009 Hei Hei 2-9

Swing on by and throw a leg over all of the full bounce bikes we have and see if one is right for you.  Allthough once again I risk sounding like an infomercial, these bikes really won’t last long at these prices.  Don’t worry, there are no free steak knives and you don’t have to call any 800 numbers.  Just pop in, say howdy, and ask about the 2009 Kona full suspension sale.

Winter Maintenance Classes

For the second year, Ashland Bicycle Works will be offering bicycle maintenance classes.  We’ll cover the wheels, front and rear derailleurs, both disc and rim brakes, and total drivertrain care.   The classes are a great learning tool for any rider.  From absolute beginnner to total pro, there is something for everyone to learn.  Whether you want to be able to work on your own bike or just be able to know what’s going on when you turn the shifter or pull on the brakes, the ABW Maintenance classes are an excellent source. 

Here’s a brief rundown on the classes we’ll be having.   Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

• Wheels-January 27th. Learn how to take care of your wheels in our Wheel Maintenance class. We’ll go over how to fix your flats and true your wheels so that you can spend more time riding and less time and money fixing your bike! A properly trued and inflated wheel makes the pedaling easier, faster, and your bike will last longer.
• Rim Brakes-February 10th. Have you ever wondered how to keep your brakes feeling good and working well? Come on out to our class on how to adjust and maintain rim brakes. We’ll go over how to adjust both road and mountain brakes. Whether you have V-brakes, side pull calipers, centerpull calipers, old fashioned cantilevers, U-brakes, or even …rollercams, we’ll be able to help you set up, maintain, and adjust your stoppers. If you have disc brakes you’ll need to wait until next week.
• Disc Brakes-February 17th. Take the mystery out of maintaining your disc brakes with our Disc Brake class. Cable actuated? No problem. Dot Fluid? No problem. Mineral Oil? No problem. Don’t know what any of those things are? Still no problem. We’ll teach you how to replace pads, adjust the brakes to eliminate rub, and how to compensate for pad wear.
• Rear Derailleur-February 24th. Gears are good, mmmmmmkay? And it doesn’t matter if you have 5,6,7,8,9,10, or even if yours goes all the way to 11, they all need to be adjusted from time to time. We can show you how to keep your rear derailleur indexing properly and help you understand what’s going on when you make the shift.
• Front Derailleur-March 3rd. The front derailleur is often the most overlooked and under performing component on the bike. It can also be the trickiest to adjust properly, unless you come on by for the front derailleur class we’re having.

• Drivetrain-March 10th. This is the class where we teach you how to clean, lube, and adjust your drivetrain. If you’re unclear on what constitutes a drivetrain, it’s all the parts that you shift and pedal that work together to move you along. You’ll learn how to keep all of those components playing together nicely and trouble free.

Our fearless leader, Tim will be teaching the classes and he’s hard at work dialing in the lessons.  Tim has over 25 years of bike shop mechanic experience and has taught professional bicycle repair at the United Bicycle Institute for 6 years before opening Ashland Bicycle Works.  On top of our local classes, Tim still teaches bike maintenance twice a year to the International Police Mountain Bike Association.

Yes folks, you'll be learning from this guy!

The class sizes are limited, so please reserve your spot soon. The cost is $25. To reserve a spot, call the shop at 541-482-3440, email us at AshlandBicycleWorks@gmail.com, or RSVP on Facebook.

Hot Deals, Cool Wheels, and Wool Feels (really nice!)

Even though summer is officially over and most of the leaves have fallen off the trees, it doesn’t mean it’s time to hang up the bike for the year. If you look out your window right now, you’ll see the sun is out and the sky is blue, so it’s time to ride! We’ve just received a bunch of goodies from the fine folks at Swiftwick and Endura that make the transition from short sleeves to long a little warmer, cozier and easier. Both companies are well versed in the amazing abilities of wool and are making garments that do away with the old perception that wool was itchy.  One of the nicest things about wool is it’s wide temperature range that it works in.  When you are wearing wool socks, caps, and arm warmers, you won’t be constantly stopping to add and remove layers to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Swiftwick socks are made right here in the US of A and feature the highest thread count of any wool blend sock available. The high thread count makes for a supremely soft and supportive sock. If you are plagued by blisters or hot spots, you need to check out the Swiftwicks. They are offered in multiple cuff lengths to meet any of your outdoor adventure needs from running to snowboarding.

Swiftwick Merino 4" Cuff

Endura is a company based out of Scotland, so they understand a couple of things about wool.  We’ve picked up a few of their wool pieces to compliment the Swiftwick socks like their skull caps, winter cycling hats, and arm warmers.  All fit nicely, are extremely durable, and we promise won’t be itchy or scratchy.

Endura, being a Scottish company, also know about riding in the wet and the cold and how to stay comfy cozy while doing it.  Their rain jackets are simply the nicest we’ve ever come across.  The Deluge glove fits like, well, a glove.  But the fact that it’s ultra tough, wind and water proof, and at the same time comfortable for riding is especially nice.  Most of the time we recommend you bring a change of gloves for a ride, but not with the Deluge.

Endura Deluge Gloves

Endura has you covered from your fingers all the way to your toes.  They make hands down the best booties for your piggies.  They are available in a sleeker road version and a beefed up mtb model.  Fleecy, waterproof, and tough.  Between these and the Swiftwick socks, you won’t need to suffer frozen feet ever again.

Endura Road Booties

Let’s see.  Warm toes? Check. Warm head? Check. Warm hands? Check. Dry and warm riding clothes?  Check.  Well, what else could there be?  Oh, that’s right!  How about saving some of your hard earned money by taking advantage of the closeout prices on all of our remaining 2009 Kona’s?  Doesn’t that sound good?  Whatever type of riding you do, we’ve got you covered with a hot deal on the remaining Konas we have.  Taking us up on this offer  is being exactly the type of good little boy and girl Santa likes.  So set yourself straight with Kris Kringle and come on in and buy a Kona.

2009 Kona Stinky

There is a ton more stuff we have in stock.  From picking out a stocking stuffer for a loved one, to choosing just the right gift for yourself we have you covered.  We’re open 7 days a week and remember, it’s always riding season.

Change of the Season

In case you didn’t notice, the days are getting shorter, the air is picking up a chill, and the potential for wet weather has increased. In fact, if you looked out your window right now, you might find it more appropriate to build an arc instead of riding a bike. Thankfully, we’re fully prepared to do battle with the changes that are happening.

We have lots of cold and wet weather gear from the lads and lassies at Endura. If you didn’t know, Endura is a Scottish company, so they know a few things about riding in wet and chilly conditions, and that’s just their summer time!

Fender season is here and we have all types to fit whatever bike you have. From a little something to keep the dreaded mud stripe from happening up your backside to full coverage designed to keep you as dry as possible, we have it covered. (Yes, the pun was fully intended.)

If you think it’s getting darker a lot sooner, wait until next week when Daylight Savings time expires. Thankfully, we have a full selection of light that makes getting around in the dark easy, safe and enjoyable. Whether you just need to be seen or need to have oncoming traffic flash you because they think you have your brights on, we have a light that will work.

Stop on by anytime and if the wet weather is getting you down, just remember it could be worse. You could be in Portland where the rain lasts all year and you don’t tan, you rust.

2009 Fall Repair Classes Happening at Ashland Bicycle Works

The changing colors of the leaves and the shorter days mean it’s time for Ashland Bicycle Works to be offering our fall repair classes. The classes are an excellent opportunity to get a better handle on how your bike works. Teaching the workshops will be our fearless leader, Tim Schurr. Tim is a 20+ year veteran of the bike industry and a former instructor at United Bicycle Institute. Costs for the classes are $25 per person per class and there will be special discounts available on tools and shop supplies. The workshops all begin at the shop at 6:30pm and last for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Please RSVP to guarantee a spot in the workshop because space is limited. Call, stop by, or email us for more info.

October 20th- Wheel workshop. Changing tubes and tires, truing rims, and proper hub adjustment.

October 27th- Rim Brake workshop. Installation of new brake cables, proper pad set-up, and brake lever and caliper adjustment.

November 3rd- Disc Brake workshop. Mechanical and hydraulic differences, proper mechanical set-up, and disc brake bleed.

November 17th- Drivetrain workshop. Crank and bottom bracket differences, cleaning and evaluating of drivetrain for wear, and compatibility concerns.

December 1st- Rear Derailleur workshop. Cable replacement, derailleur set-up, and indexing adjustment.

December 8th- Front Derailleur workshop. Cable replacement, derailleur set-up, and indexing adjustment.