Sunday, May 31, 2009

How to manage a recall --- Dahon Stem Replacement

You may have received a phone message from us on Saturday. We are trying to build an email list so we can communicate more effectively about this 2008 Dahon Stem Recall and Replacement (see the prior entry in the blog). I asked our new employee, Jessica, to build a list of phone numbers and email addresses. Then I had her start calling the individuals for whom we do not have an email address. So you may have received a phone message about us trying to reach you.

Dahon has now shipped us replacement stems for many of their 2008 models involved in this recall and replacement. We are scheduling times for people to bring in their 2008 Dahons for the stem swap. We want to do the swap when you bring the bike in so it requires just one trip to the store. To achieve a "while you wait" swap I'm setting hours specifically for the swap. The first event is Tuesday, June 9th from 6:30 PM to 9 PM. The second event will be Saturday, June 13th from 6 PM to 8 PM. These are times that the store is not usually open. I want us to be able to focus on this replacement without the distractions of our typical day.

I would encourage you to STOP riding your Dahon until the stem is swapped. If you absolutely need your bike before our first scheduled event then call and I'll make an appointment for you to visit us at the end of normal hours to do the swap.

I am sorry that you are being inconvenienced by this recall.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

2008 Dahon Stem Recall and Cookout



Dahon is recalling stems on a number of their 16" and 20" wheel models from 2008. I received a supply of replacement stems today. We will begin contacting customers tomorrow to bring in their bikes and allow us to replace the stem. There is no monetary charge to the customer. It is an inconvenience and for that I apologize on behalf of Dahon.

bikes@vienna has about 100 of these stems to replace. To make it easier and perhaps a little bit fun.........we're having a series of special events when the bikes can be brought to the store and we'll switch the stem on your bike while you wait. As you may know, bikes@vienna is not typically open on Tuesday evening. On Tuesday, June 9th we will be open from 6:30 to 9 PM for a stem swap. We'll be serving hot dogs, burgers, chips, and soda so you can enjoy a cookout while we switch your stem. We'll have some folding bike accessories on sale so you can shop a little. Yes, we can check over your bike and do a light tweek here and there.

June 9th will be the first of several special hours events. I'm doing this because we may be able to make it more convenient for you and because I fear we may get bogged down in recall/warranty work if we wait for the work to come to us. I can see a sunny Saturday when I can't sell people bikes because we have people standing in line to have their stem switched. We may have to tag bikes on a Saturday or Sunday to swap the stem later. I know this recall is an inconvenience so I'm looking for proactive ways to make it less inconvenient. My goal is to have special times on Tuesdays and Saturdays during June to get much of this switches done.

I will be posting Frequently Asked Questions on this site soon. I used to work with a woman that had two statements that she used often ....."into every life a little rain must fall" and "this too will pass". This recall seems like more than a little rain. I look forward to when we switch the 100th stem and have 99 happy customers. I am conscious of the statement that you can't make all of the people happy, but I'd like 99 of 100.

Bike and Roll Alexandria Grand Opening



My friend, Stephen Marks sent me this invitation to the Grand Opening of the new Bike and Roll rental facility in Alexandria. I won't be able to go, but perhaps you will. Stephen has continue to grow his cycling business since assuming Bike The Sites six or seven years ago. The business has moved to the name Bike and Roll with outlets in Chicago, New York, Washington, Miami, and now Alexandria.

The Marks family operated a printing business here in Vienna for many years. I am pleased to see the grown of Bike and Roll. Rentals are an important way of getting people interested in cycling. If you go to the Grand Opening, please tell Stephen that I suggested that you attend.

Monday, May 25, 2009




John wears bandanas under his helmet and on his "pirate" days he wears them in the store. Now he has this idea that other people might like to have a bikes@vienna bandana. (Pretty presumptive of him don't you think?).

In early June you'll be able to buy bikes@vienna's bandanas and bikes@vienna t-shirts featuring the new recumbent logo. These green shirts and green, orange, or blue bandanas will be fun conversation starters when you are out on a ride, drinking coffee someplace, or attending formal dinner parties. We said fun......we did not say appropriate.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Valet Cycle Parking During ViVA! Vienna!



Memorial Day is here early this year. ViVa! Vienna! starts today and on Sunday and Monday we are providing Valet Cycle Parking so you can ride your bike or trike to the festival and leave it with us for safekeeping. The service will be available from 10 AM to 6 PM on both Sunday and Monday.

This may be the best ViVa! ever if the weather cooperates. The Rotary Club of Vienna will host twenty-three amusement rides, more than a dozen food vendors, hours of entertainment, and fill over 300 vendor slots on Church, Dominion, and Mill Streets.

Perfect enjoyment on the Memorial Day weekend could be a bike ride to Vienna to explore the joys of ViVa! Vienna!

Friday, May 08, 2009

Rans Fusion ST


Rans Fusion ST
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna
The ST stands for "Step Through". This is the easiest boarding of Rans Crank Forward bikes which have been big sellers for bikes@vienna for the last two years.

These are light and comfortable bikes. The seats are very generous (large). People appreciate that the Crank Forward style allows them to stay seated when they come to a stop and to be able to place their feet flat on the ground.

This combination of comfort and feeling of enhanced control has made the Fusion popular with individuals returning to cycling. This easy to step through model should have further appeal for returning cyclists. For more information go to
http://www.ransbikes.com/FusionST09.htm. For a test ride, I invite you to come to bikes@vienna located at 128A Church Street, NW in Vienna, VA 22180

Thursday, May 07, 2009

We're Riding in Rain


OnTheSIFerry
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna
The headline needs to be sung to the tune of "Singing in the Rain".

Sunday we rode with 30,000 other cyclists to tour the five boroughs of New York. It rained much of the day. We still had a good time.

We drove to Staten Island after closing the store on Saturday. We left the hotel at 5:20 AM to go to the ferry. We arrived at Battery Park and then as close as we could get to the starting line at 7:45 AM. We crossed the starting line at 9:30 AM. I'm a bit perplexed by the fact that Al Tyre rode his trike across the starting line at 8:03 AM. Maybe I should do the math and calculate the number of riders passing the starting line each minute. Perhaps then it will make more sense.

Ces and I rode a Barcroft Columbia. We had lots of comments and people taking photos of the tandem. Lauren and Luann Fulbright rode their new Rans Crank Forward bikes and they were constantly getting questions about their bikes. I was proud of them because they rode every hill and completed the ride smiling.

For me, much of the fun of this ride is cycling where 364 days a year it would be impossible. With the rain the views were not as spectacular. We had a little clearing so the Queensboro Bridge view was terrific, but the Verrazano Narrows was fogged in.

This event got me out riding in preparation. I looked forward to it for months. Now it is time to starting working towards RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) in July. You can learn about RAGBRAI at www.ragbrai.org.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Tim's 5 Boro Ride Tale

Hey gang! If you want to see my take on our adventures in the NY 5 Boro Ride this past Sunday, take a look here:

http://spokesofawheel.blogspot.com/2009/05/ny-5-boro-tour.html

Here's a picture of the rest our intrepid group: