New Year's Day Reminder

Just a reminder... bikes@vienna will be CLOSED New Year's Day! We will re-open at noon on Sunday, January 2nd, and will have hot beverages and maybe some treats for folks.

Winter Time is Project Bike Time!

Did Santa or someone who thinks you're special bring you a super-cool bike or frameset for Christmas? Or a pile of new parts or accessories to spruce up your current bike? Or maybe you just want to splurge and "make" yourself a bike that's just right for you?

Well, winter is the perfect season to bring such projects in to your local friendly bike shop! With fewer folks riding, the service area is running at a more sane pace, so we can take the extra time it takes to help you create your dream ride. Tim will gladly talk with you about what you want and need, and work with you to figure out how to best get there. Itching for some shiny new metal fenders to lend some extra class to that old steel road bike? Or maybe it's time for a new set of wheels, perhaps with that dynamo hub you've been thinking of. Even if it's simply getting a full overhaul of your bike, right down to fresh grease in all the bearings... whatever the project, now's the best time to get it going. So come on in and talk to us!

A Good Christmas Eve...

... for us and for our customers!

In addition to the evening Luminaria Ride, we had a nice little flurry of activity during the day. Three new happy Brompton owners were introduced to their bikes, and one happy fella went off with a shiny, new, black Optima Baron!

Here's one of our new Brompton riders, with her brand new P6R in our parking lot. Many happy miles ahead!

Hours for New Year's

Hey Gang!

Just wanted to let folks know our plans for the next holiday weekend.

We will be open regular hours Wednesday through Friday, 10 - 6, and CLOSED New Year's Day. We will be open from 12 to 5 on Sunday, January 2nd, and will have hot beverages and some cookies and other treats as well. Come on by!

Christmas Eve Ride Was Fun!

Just a quick post to say that tonight's Luminaria Ride was a very good time for all. We had six riders in all, including my friend Steven from NYC who organizes the Brommie Yummie rides for Brompton owners. He and his father-in-law joined us for the ride, along with a few other loyal customers. We were out about an hour, looping around the local neighborhoods where folks had put out luminaria for the evening. If you've never seen such a display, you should try to find one near you... small bags with lighted candles inside give a lovely glow to the evening.

It was a very mellow ride, fueled with cookies and snacks people brought beforehand. We sang a few Christmas carols, lead by Ed, Steven's father-in-law (a former minister). All in all a very nice time, and a great way to end the week leading up to Christmas. Mark your calendars for next year!

Now we're closing up shop and heading home. All of us here at bikes@vienna wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and wonderful holiday season! Remember, we'll be here on Sunday if you'd like to stop by!

bikes@vienna for the Holidays!

Hey Gang!

Just want to let folks know our plans here for the Christmas holiday.

First, we WILL be having the Christmas Eve Luminaria ride! We'll start riding at about 7:00 pm, but come by the shop a little early and we'll have hot cider, coffee, tea, and some other goodies, starting at 5:30.

Second, we will be CLOSED Christmas Day. We wish you all a wonderful holiday!

Finally... if you find you didn't quite get what you wanted from Santa this year, we are open on Sunday, the day after Christmas. Come on by and test ride a bike or trike! Or buy yourself that spiffy accessory you've been wanting, that Santa somehow overlooked. We'll have hot beverages and maybe some other treats, so come on by.

Christmas Eve Ride

In years past, bikes@vienna has organized a Christmas Eve ride around a local neighborhood that sets out luminaria. Last year we had to cancel due to snow, but it's been a nice event other years. We'd like to get a feel for how many folks would be up for it, figuring a start time around 7pm on Christmas Eve. Anyone up for it? Drop us an email at tim@bikesatvienna.com, come by the shop, or call!

Sale on Mezzo Folding Bikes!

As the year winds down and the holidays approach, it's time to have a sale! So we're marking down all of our Mezzo D-9, D-10, and I-4 folding bikes. Buy before the new year and get $100 off any of these fun folding bikes. The D-9 and I-4 share the same frame, shown above, while the D-10 has its own unique frame design, which you can see at the link below. The D-9 and D-10 have derailleur drive trains, 9 and 10 speed, respectively, while the I-4 uses a 4 speed Shimano Nexus internally geared hub.

Regular price for the D-9 is $1035, but during this limited time offer, you can have one for $935.
I-4s normally sell for $965, now $865, and D-10s are now $1250, down from $1350.

Come on in for a test ride!

Mezzo Folding Bikes Home Page

Ineresting piece from BBC News

Thanks to Google Alerts, I ran across this story online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11958903

Now, as a bike shop owner, you'd think I wouldn't post a link to a story that basically says your commute won't be any faster if you buy a spiffy, new, light, "fast" bike. But honestly, my philosophy is that a lot of folks agonize over a gram here and a gram there, and "which tire is faster", etc, when what they should focus on instead is having fun and getting exercise and getting around.

To put it another way... when someone comes to me talking about how many grams lighter something is, I suggest they go to an office supply store and heft a box of paperclips. That's 100 grams right there, in the palm of your hand. Now how much does that matter? Really?

That's not to say a "nicer" bike isn't going to be a more enjoyable bike to ride. It almost certainly will be... there are reasons for the price differences between bikes. Just don't start thinking that it's going to miraculously increase your speed.

Now where DID this soapbox come from? Hmmmm... (stepping down)

Gift Certificates!

Hey gang!

The holiday season is here, so now is the perfect time to come in and get a bikes@vienna gift certificate for those folks on your "nice" list!

We offer general-purpose certificates, made out to any denomination, personalized for the recipient, and valid for any purchase at the store.

Now we are also offering "Tuneup Certificates", good for the LABOR charges only, for a "standard tuneup" here at bikes@vienna. A standard tuneup covers a wipe-down and inspection of the frame and wheels, adjustment of the brake and gear systems, wheel truing, and adjustment of any bearing assemblies that require adjustment. Any parts needed would be at additional cost. These certificates sell for $70, the current charge for a standard tuneup. We anticipate having to raise our labor charges after the first of the year, but the certificate will still cover the full labor charge of a tuneup, regardless. The only catch is that the bearer of the certificate must use it by April 1st, 2011. This will hopefully reduce the mad rush we typically get in April, and make it more likely the gift recipient will get their bike back quickly!

So come on in and take care of your holiday shopping today!

NEW HOURS!

We apologize for yet another revision to our hours, but we've decided to try something different. Starting December 12th, our new hours will be:

Sunday: Noon to 5:00pm
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday - Saturday: 10:00am to 6:00pm

Please make a note of the new hours.

Thanks!

In Preparation for the Holidays...

... Daniel here is one of several folks fixing up bikes for the annual holiday bike event organized by the Committee Helping Others, a local charitable group. We've helped them out for a number of years, by both collecting and fixing up bikes. Here's Daniel, "test-riding" one that he's just worked on. Ordinarily I'd have scolded him for not wearing a helmet, but honestly he wasn't going anywhere on such a small bike. But it was fun to see him "scootering" along on it.

I'd also like to remind folks that we still have a food collection box in the shop, also provided by CHO. Please bring in any non-perishable foods you'd like to donate for those less well off than you.

Thanks! And may the holiday season be good to all of you.

New Sunday Hours (reminder)!

Hey folks!

Just a reminder, starting Sunday, December 5th, we will be open from noon until 5:00pm on Sundays.

Thanks!

Farewell to John

Monday night's party was a great success. Lots of folks came to bid farewell to John, Ces, and Java (CJ, their cat, was unable to attend... cats in crowds just don't do well). The folks from Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling turned out to present John with the first ever Friend of FABB Award, a really great photo collage of John in his many roles. You can see their coverage of the event on the FABB blog: http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/ .

All in all, it was a good time, though it's hard to see John go. I'm glad people had a chance to say goodbye though, and that he got a chance to get some sense of how many lives he has touched. He's a good man, and will be sorely missed.

(Photo above is John receiving FABB award from Bruce Wright, president of FABB. Photo below is John with Drew and Adam, who worked for John in the beginning.)


If anyone has more photos, please feel free to share. A few of mine are here:

Farewell to John Brunow Nov 29, 2010

Great Sendoff Party!

I'd like to thank everyone who turned out last night to bid farewell to John. We had lots of people, and a really great time. Well, as great as it can be to say goodbye to a dear friend. We will all miss John, Ces and Java terribly, but wish them well in their next adventure.

Photos to come. Watch this space!

Time to wish John farewell!

Hey folks! Don't forget... Monday night, November 29th, from 6 - 9, during the Vienna Holiday Stroll, we're saying goodbye to John Brunow, our "founding father". Please join us!

Guilt Reduction Ride Cancelled

Woke to a steady, cold drizzle, so we won't be riding this morning. Take the extra time to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day Guilt Reduction Ride

It's that time of year again! Time for our annual Guilt Reduction Ride on Thanksgiving Day. Come and join us for a casual ride out to Herndon and back. We'll leave the shop about 9:00 am, so we can be back by 11:00, for those of you that have to prepare for dinner.

We'll have hot beverages ready before the ride, starting about 8:30. Please bring some canned goods or other non-perishable food for the CHO Food Drive. Reduce those feelings of guilt by burning off some calories and contributing to a good cause.

Here's a photo from a past Guilt Reduction Ride, with all of us posing at the Herndon Depot.

Send an email to tim@bikesatvienna.com if you think you'll be joining us, just so we have some idea of how many folks to expect.

New Sunday Hours!

Hey gang!

Starting Sunday, December 5th, our Sunday hours are changing. We will open at noon, and close at 5:00pm, beginning that day.

Mark your calendars!

Time to say farewell...

It's hard to imagine bikes@vienna without John Brunow, who started this shop over 12 years ago, but that day is approaching quickly. John and his wife Ces decided earlier this year to head back to Iowa to be closer to family. They expect to depart sometime after Thanksgiving, so time is growing short to bid them farewell. We're making plans to give them both a sendoff during the Vienna Holiday Stroll on Monday, November 29th, 6 to 9 pm., so please come by the shop during that time to wish them well. John and Ces will both be sorely missed, both here at the shop and in the greater community, so let's show them our appreciation by turning out for this.

The shop will carry on, with me, Tim Fricker, head mechanic, taking over ownership of the business as John leaves. I look forward to continuing and building on the many positive relationships we've had with our customers and the community over the years.

Oh, and yes, Java is Iowa-bound as well. The shop won't be the same without her, either. I tried to negotiate that, but no such luck.

Catrike Special Offer!

The folks at Catrike have just announced their 10th Anniversary "Snow Cat" Offer! In short, all Catrikes and Catbikes in White, Blue, or Candy Blue are $200 off regular price! This offer is good until the end of 2010.

http://www.catrike.com/news.html

More from Brompton

And today there's a poll on their Facebook page... vote for your favorite 2011 Brompton color!

2011 Brompton Color Poll

Any guesses which one Tim voted for?

(And apparently the new pink is called Hot Pink.)

News from Brompton

We just received word from Brompton that the last week they will be building "2010" models before switching over to "2011" is the week of December 6th. What's that mean to you? Well, if you've had a hankering for a bike in Flamingo Pink, Purple Haze, or Baby Pink, you'd better get your order in NOW, because those colors are going away for 2011. New colors will be Sage Green, Claret (wine), and a brighter pink, the name of which escapes me right now.

Prices will also be changing for 2011, but we don't yet know the specifics.

Class this Sunday!

That's right folks! It's time once again for our Basic Maintenance and Repair class, this coming Sunday at 7pm. Call 703-938-8900 or email tim@bikesatvienna.com to reserve your space.

The fee is $45 and includes a simple tool kit for you to take home. The class covers how to fix a flat tire and how to perform a basic gear and brake tuneup.

Sign up now!

Get ready for the shorter daylight hours!

We're running a special on dynamo wheels and lights! Get a Shimano NX-20 hub, Alex rim (26" or 700C), DT stainless steel spokes, and a Busch & Muller DLumotec Oval N Plus lamp, all for $160! Ordinarily this setup would cost over $200, so get them while they're here!

We also have a variety of battery powered lighting systems, both rechargeable and non-rechargeable, as well as higher-end dynamo hub options. So come on by!

Join Us in the Vienna Halloween Parade

We will be riding in the Halloween Parade for the 13th time.  You are invited to ride with us on Wednesday, October 27.

The Vienna Halloween Parade begins at 7 PM.  We are parade entry 84 so we will not step off until  between 8 PM and 8:30 PM.  Our escort vehicle will be in place at 6 PM.  Our plan is to leave the store between 7:15 and 7:30 to travel the back streets to reach our parade position.  The challenge is how to get anywhere in the downtown area after 6 PM.  We would suggest that you park away from the downtown and ride to the store.

Following the parade we'll return to the store for Walking Tacos,  Pumpkin Ale, and good conversation about cycling.  To participate you must wear a helmet.  You should have lights for your bike ot trike (the more lights the better).   Our position on Branch Road for the organization of the parade is dark so lights are important.   A costume is a nice touch, but not necessary.

We are involved in two efforts this parade.  John is trying to connect delta trikes in an attempt to hook together 25.  Tim is putting together a Brompton Brigade which will ride, fold, walk, unfold, and ride again.

Send us an email to John@bikesatvienna.com if you plan to participate.

Halloween Parade Challenge

Well, John has been working at getting a band of folks out on a Trike Train for the Vienna Halloween Parade, so I figure it's time to launch a campaign of my own...

Calling all Brompton owners! Let's form a Brompton Brigade for Halloween! Two years ago, I was a solitary Bromptoneer, riding and folding my bike along ...the route. This year, let's see how many we can get! Mark your calendars for October 27th and come prepared to ride n' fold!

That's me, two years ago, riding along, then folding and unfolding the bike. Make sure you practice this in the dark, folks!

Columbus Day Weekend: Red EZ-3 Classics for $800

If you follow this blog you know bikes@vienna is not sale driven.  It is once in a while that we have a special item or try to attract your interest with some type of discount.  The planets checked into place on Tuesday for us to have one of our most popular recumbent trikes on sale this weekend.

We will have four red EZ-3 Classic trikes offered for $800.  You can find more details by clicking on Sun EX-3 Classic  This trike at this price provides you with a new product with a warranty and our Continuing Care for the price that we have received for used EZ-3 or X-3 models.  We have the connectors in stock so that you could create a trike tandem.  Oh, the possibilities!  Remember we have four, red EZ-3s at this price.

We are open 10-6 Thursday through Monday.  Yes, we are open on Columbus Day.

More from the Brompton World Championship!

Here's Charmaine's report on the race itself... Sounds like she had a great time!

Hi there! I just got back to the hotel after a full day at the races... It was a fun and exciting day!

But before details...I want to let you know that in the category of women over 50 (there were 28 ladies in this category), I placed 9th! :) :) Not bad, eh??! :) :) My overall time was 35 min., which isn't great (the winner did it in 24 min.), but for my category, I'm pleased. :)

There were a lot more hills than I expected....some rollers, one good downhill, but more uphills than down. So I was huffing and puffing, believe me. Fortunately, it was only spitting rain (yea!) - but the road around the palace that we rode on, was wet and there were wet leaves all over. This made things a bit scary going downhill and around tight curves! I only heard of one person falling, so that's good, and hopefully he was okay. A couple other people had some mechanical difficulties (chain breaking, pedal breaking off, flat tire!). That would be VERY disappointing to have come all the way to the race and have something like that happen! My bike did fine - though sometimes the shifting didn't work when I needed it to, but maybe that's because of all the wet conditions I've been riding in the past number of days.

When the day started, the skies were partly cloudy, but at least it wasn't raining, which I was happy about - I didn't want to get wet on riding to the shuttle pick-up spot (at the Brompton factory). There were 3 large tour buses waiting to load everyone's bikes. Brompton provided cardboard boxes for everyone to fold and put their bikes in, and their names on the boxes. So this kept things orderly coming & going. About halfway to the palace, it started to rain, but then stopped when we got to the palace. We picked up our registration packets, applied the race number to our bikes and the "timing chip" (which was just a label!) to the side of our helmets. The label had a radio frequency in it (don't know how!) and once you passed under the Starting Line, it would time you. We folded our bikes in a field that was sectioned off according to your race number. We had an hour or so before the race start, so we got something to eat/drink and walked around. They had some guys who were showing their jumping expertise on their mountain bikes, jumping up and down stairs, and other items. There were also some antique bikes to see, and some interesting road bikes that had 3 full-size wheels (2 in the back)! That was interesting and I heard they are popular over here. It was fun to see all the different people's creative costumes. :) There was a TV crew interviewing various people also. :) (No, I didn't get filmed!). ha.

At 11:45, we all were told to gather near the field where our bikes were, and we were given racing/safety instructions. The guy giving the instructions was funny and telling various jokes along the way. :) So everyone was in a jovial mood. My group was the last in the lined up groups, so we got to watch the other groups set off every 2 minutes, as they raced out to the field area and unfolded their bikes and ran out to the road and took off. There was a long line of spectators next to the road (at the start and finish) as they cheered people on. :) Yeehaw! The race was on! :) :)

Two laps around the palace grounds turned out to be about 8 1/2 miles each lap...so a little longer than I expected also. There was a couple of semi-long hills, so everyone was huffing. There were some photographers posed at the top of the hills to take your picture - - NOT a nice time to take your picture, in my opinion! (as you're tired and out of breath!). Some people even were WALKING up the hills, which surprised me. At first I thought they were having mechanical problems, but then I realized they weren't used to riding hills. I had my business attire on, but also wore rain pants and rain jacket, and had the hood up under my helmet. After the first lap, I was starting to heat up and wish I could stop to slip the hood off, but of course, I didn't stop. My legs seemed to have the energy to do the hills, but my lungs weren't keeping up and I was out of air. I was glad I had brought my Camelback water pack to have a sip of water from time to time!

I poured on the power right near the finish line - but I was pooped when I got off my bike and could barely walk and was SO hot under my jacket and stuff! Everyone was given race medals (saying they participated) and a goodie bag with a cheese & egg sandwich, and scones with butter and jam, and then you could go in a Brompton tent and get free coffee or tea. I definitely didn't want anything hot! Whew! :) They also gave you a bottle of Gatorade, which hit the spot. There were some other vendors there for food, which I got later. There was another tent where there was a computer you could put in your race number and see how you did....but they were having technical difficulties, so I didn't find out my information til hours later, but glad I finally did. :) You're just so curious as to how you placed, you know?!

Afterwards, we walked over to the palace to walk the grounds, but we didn't go in the palace (it cost 7 pounds - which isn't much, but by the time we thought of going in, we didn't feel we'd have enough time to do the palace justice). But in another exhibit room off to the side, they had a film about the palace, so they showed the inside of it, so I got to "see" it that way. Then we took a SLOW lap on the race course again, to stop and take pictures, since we couldn't do that during the race. There were sheep in the field, and pheasants running around like chickens. :) It's a pretty place. Evidently Winston Churchill was born there and spent a lot of his spare time there, and is also buried there.

The return shuttle ride took a half hour longer due to traffic, but everyone was resting or chatting, so that was fine. :)

Charmaine

First BWC Weekend Report!

From Charmaine, our "customer in the field"... here she recounts the events of Saturday, October 2nd, the day before the actual race:

Just a brief note about the Brompton 100 bike ride on Saturday -

I got to the meet-up point pretty early for the Brompton 100 ride - I definitely didn't want to miss it. :) I took the Tube to a station not far from where I needed to meet up with 99 other Brompton bikers for a 10-mile ride from central London to the Brompton bike factory, for the awards ceremony. A number of the riders were "dressed up" in funny or business attire, and they were neat to see. :) As we gathered, the Changing of the Guards (horses) came down the street, so we got some pictures of that. :) We then got on the road and rode along safely, regrouping as needed and "bunching up" at lights to get as many of us through the lights as we could. The route was pretty convoluted - lots of turns, but everyone stuck together. We rode past Buckingham Palace and then past pretty city homes and areas. We rode through the Brompton Cemetary, which was pretty and peaceful (though in spots very weeded and overgrown). Then through the suburbs and along the Thames River and finally got to the Brompton factory, where they were being presented the "Queen's Award" for Enterprise in both Innovation and International Trade categories. This is the second Queen's Award they have received. Evidently only 16 other companies in the UK have received this award - so it is a big thing! A lieutenant who was dressed in his military uniform, presented the award. Andrew Ritchie was present as the Managing Director of Brompton, Will Butler-Adams graciously and humbly received the award. :)

We had a tasty lunch while a good jazz band played. Then we were given a tour of the Brompton factory, which was neat and made me appreciate all the parts to the bicycle (all of which are handmade and assembled). Only the painting of the bikes is outsourced.

So it was a fun afternoon and I'm glad I had the opportunity to attend! :)

Charmaine

Ride's End

Patterson Park

Halfway point!

Overlooking the Inner Harbor

Tour du Port

At the registration area, Tim and Christy are ready to ride!

It's Brompton World Championship Weekend!

And sadly, Tim isn't able to go this year. Instead, he'll be riding in Baltimore's Tour du Port, spreading the word about bikes@vienna, folding bikes, and Bromptons.

However, Charmaine Ruppolt, a customer and new Brompton owner, WILL be riding tomorrow, Sunday, October 3rd, at Blenheim Palace, with 749 other Bromptoneers! So please join us in wishing her a great ride (and perhaps a higher placing than mine of last year).

Today she's participating in a factory tour, a scenic ride in London, and witnessing an award ceremony where Brompton is being presented with the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both the Innovation and International Trade categories. Apparently there's a reception with food and jazz as well. Sounds like a really great time.

Watch this space for news of Charmaine's experiences, probably on her return to the US. We'll keep you posted!

Meanwhile, enjoy photos from last year's ride here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43828356@N00/sets/72157622417557021/

Pure Pasty Opens

The cars are driving up the alley and slowing to see if there is much activity at Pure Pasty. Here, you can see inside without making the trip.

Pure Pasty has opened and we hope they do very well.

Pure Pasty Opening on October 1

Our new neighbor on the alley, Pure Pasty, is opening in a few days. Mike has been baking test batches and as a good neighbor I've been taste testing. What is a Pasty? How do you take a traditional Cornwall food item and adapt it to be an organic, gourmet offering?

You can learn the answers to those questions and more by going to http://purepasty.blogspot.com

At the airport

Headed home. Watch for more posts in the next couple of days.

More from Interbike Folder Frolic

The ride was great fun! A short loop around downtown Las Vegas, culminating in a "parking garage hill climb", a new event to me. Basically you had about two dozen crazy people on folding bikes racing up the garage ramps to the top. I think the fellow here sums it up beautifully... thumbs up to us all for doing this early in the morning on what no doubt was a very full day for all of us.

Of course, we didn't go unrewarded... or was it unpunished? At the top of the garage, we were treated, courtesy of our organizer, host, and general bicycle bon vivant Mike McGettigan (Trophy Bikes, Philadelphia) to Tastykake Krimpets (a Philly "delicacy"?) and a very small taste of whiskey! Trust me, this is NOT the breakfast of champions. But a fun and funny way to finish up a great little ride, the last to be held in Vegas.

Why is that? Well, it turns out that after many years, the organizers of Interbike have decided to move the even to Anaheim, CA, in early August next year. This decision got mixed reviews, with most shop folks dismayed at the timing. I suspect it's going to be a lot tougher for owners and managers to get away from their shops at that point in the season. We shall see.

Anyway, the Folder Frolic was a great time for all. And a chance to see a variety of folding bikes. At one point we had a sampling lined up for photos... you can see them below. Who can name all the brands?

More Frolic photos are here:

2010-09-23 Interbike Folder Frolic

And the collection of my photos from the whole Interbike event are here:

Interbike 2010

Then there are...

...these wooden bikes from Masterworks. Fascinating and eye catching, but I wonder how they ride.

And the "local" folks...

Velo Orange from Annapolis, MD are here, with their range of classically styled bikes, parts, and accessories. They are a strong force among the brands showing a distinct influence from classic French designs. Pretty stuff!

Catrike

One of the few recumbent makers present this year, Catrike was showing their two wheeled Musashi, as well as their "R" series... An upgrade package featuring the Rival 10'speed group from SRAM.

Whole lotta folders goin' on

Gathering for the Frolic

Off to the Folder Frolic!

It's a fun, early morning (7am) ride around Vegas on folding bikes, lead by Mike McGettigan of Trophy Bikes in Philly. I'll write more about it tonight!

Still more from Interbike

One more post before I call it a night...

First, there are more photos of various vendors bikes here:
2010-09-22 Interbike

Also, I wanted to mention that a number of makers showed bikes with "mixte" style frames. That's a design that dates back at least to the 70s, probably earlier, that was intended as a "unisex" frame. It never really took off in the US market back then, but seems to be making a comeback now. Pretty much all of the higher end "urban" makers have at least one mixte, and even the more mass-produced bike brands are starting to show them, such as the Torker line from Seattle Bike Supply:


The folks from Pashley of England were yet again showing their gorgeous bikes, from their classic "roadster" designs to their newer "clubman" bikes, inspired by the British club racing bikes of the 40s and 50s:


I was surprised to learn that there are no Pashley dealers in the DC area. I imagine the market for them throughout the US is pretty small, but I would think this region would have some demand for a high quality, high fashion, "classic" design. But maybe I'm wrong. They're still awfully nice to look at.

Finally, there was a wacky "urban cycling" fashion show, sponsored by the folks at Momentum magazine:



It was good fun, although I can't imagine people really riding around dressed as they were in the show. More pics from the fashion show are here:

2010-09-22 Interbike Fashion Show

More From Interbike

Today was a full day at the show. I spent some time in seminars, and walked around the show floor, checking out what vendors had to offer this year.
Brompton showed their three new colors... Claret, Sage Green, and Bright Pink:



There were also quite a few "urban" bikes on the show floor. In addition to the "Dutch style" bikes, there were also a number that seem to draw their inspiration from French city bikes. A good example of that was the Linus line of bikes:


... as well as the Globe brand, which made a point of displaying their bikes in sort of "lifestyle poses":


Some really pretty bikes, in very evocative settings. Good marketing from these folks. It will be interesting to see how these urban designs do in various markets.

And Dahon Is Here Too

Showing some new models, including the Vector series, that look like replacements for the SpeedPro models. More after I get a chance to talk to them.

Brompton at Interbike

A much bigger and nicer display from our friends from across the pond. On display were the three new colors and the long awaited B-Pod hard carrying case. The colors look great and the case is a winner.

More from Interbike

It's no surprise that electric bikes are big again this year. I've lost count already of the number of vendors and I've only barely seen a fraction of the show.

On the Interbike Show Floor

Lots of fun stuff to see. This is an "urban lounge"... Actually a very large and clever display by Globe Bicycles, who make stylish "urban bikes", a category that has been growing the last few years.

Interbike 9/21/10

More photos of the Outdoor Demo can be seen at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43828356@N00/sets/72157625008626394/

Interbike Outdoor Demo

Well, it's windy, dusty and hot, but lots of folks are out here checking out the new stuff. This is a chance to get out and test ride some bikes. I've opted just to look due to the conditions, but the more hardcore MTB types are out in force.

I'd hate to be a mechanic here today. Whole lotta dust on everything.

More later!

Vegas and Interbike

I (Tim) am now in Las Vegas for the big annual trade show, Interbike. I only just arrived in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, after a flight delay that had me stuck at Chicago's Midway airport for a while. Not a total loss, as I found the Battle of Midway Memorial, complete with SBD dive bomber, fascinating.

Today I'll be heading out to the Outdoor Demo to check out products, then tomorrow is the start of the actual trade show in the convention center. Keep your eyes on this spot and on our Facebook page for updates and photos!

For now, just a shot of the Douglas SBD Dauntless at Midway Airport. This is the type of plane that was critical to what was probably THE decisive battle in the Pacific in WWII.

I actually never knew the airport was named for the battle, until John told me yesterday on the way to Dulles.

September 25th Blackwater Canyon Leaf Peepers Trail Ride

JMHS "Back To School" Event

We did bike safety checks at the JMHS back to school event. Charlie Strunk, Fairfax County Bicycle Coordinator, and Bruce Wright of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling help students find the best routes for biking to school.

Can You Say Pink?

This striking pink Catrike Villager arrived today and Al is ready to begin assembly. This custom paint job will certainly increase visibility.

We're working the Reston Century

It's early and Tim and John are at Reston Town Center for the Reston Century.

Something different from Brompton

The bike shown may look just like all the other Bromptons you've seen here or elsewhere, but this new M6R has a feature we haven't had in the store before - the new-for-2010 Brompton-specific Shimano Dynohub! This little beauty, show here to the left, generates power for the front and rear lights as you roll along.


Some of you may remember the old "bottle" style dynamos that had a little roller that rubbed on your tire, making an annoying noise and adding a fair amount of rolling resistance. Until this year, that was the most affordable dynamo option for a Brompton, and it left a lot to be desired.


Well, this new system is a vast improvement. The hub is silent, and the resistance caused by the dynamo action is remarkably low. The headlight is a halogen lamp in a large, bright reflector, and the tail light is a very bright LED unit. In addition, the tail light is equipped with a "standlight" feature, a capacitor that charges up as you ride, so when you stop, the tail light still glows. The stock Busch & Mueller Lumotec Oval headlight doesn't have this feature, but there are after market options that both have a standlight and are even brighter.

So how much does this setup add to the cost of a new Brompton? That's the really good news... it's only a $113 upgrade from a bike with no lights at all, and only $52 more than the battery powered lighting package offered by Brompton.



Now the real dynohub aficionados are no doubt thinking "but it can't possibly compare to the excellent German SON dynohub!" Well, you're in luck, because Brompton also offers that option, which also comes with a higher quality headlight to boot. The price? Well, that option adds $503 to the base cost of a Brompton!

So for now, I think this is probably the best "bang for the buck" lighting system available from Brompton. You get a good, solid, reliable system.. all the components have a proven track record (I've had several different bikes with Shimano dynohubs and B&M lights for a number of years, and have never had any problems with any of them), and the price is right.

Come on in and take a look... and take it for a test ride, to see if you can feel any significant drag with the light switched on. I think you'll be surprised.