2011 Dahons

The new Dahons are starting to arrive. The first to get unpacked and ready to ride is this Speed D7, in a new "limited edition" color, Tangerine. The standard color is Baltic Blue, a nice dark blue. Price is $489. Come on by for a test ride!

More news on the 2011 Dahons - we also got in the Speed D7 in Baltic Blue, the Eco 6 in Brick Red, and a Curve D3 (16" wheel) in Fire Red.  Coming soon, a fresh batch of Speed P8s, in the standard Fire Red as well as the "limited edition" Obsidian.

2011 Brompton US Championship!

It's that time of year... time to register for the second annual Brompton US Championship!  For those of you who don't know, this is a race exclusively for Brompton Folding Bikes.  It's held in Philadelphia, PA, on Saturday, March 19th this year.  The course is about 6 miles long, with a couple of pretty good hills that will test your strength in the early season. 

The thing that sets this race (and the Brompton World Championship on which it is modeled) is the rules regarding attire. Due to the nature of the bike, and the somewhat quirky personality of the maker, all riders are required to wear "business attire", as if you were riding to work.  That means a shirt with a collar, jacket, and tie!  Don't worry, that doesn't mean boring and staid... last year's "best dressed male" award winners sported silver mylar pants and top hat, while the "best dressed female" was dressed in a 60s era stewardess uniform, complete with BOAC patch!

The prize for first place male and female is a free ticket to London for the Brompton World Championship, which is to be held in August this year.  Watch this space for news on that.

As those of you who know Tim have probably guessed, he's already registered to ride.  Look here on the day of the event for blog postings.  We've already heard from one customer who is signed up, so let's get others involved.  It's a lot of fun, and a good chance to meet other Brompton enthusiasts.

More information and a link to registration is here:

http://www.bromptonbicycle.com/busc/2011/

Some info on last year's race and photos can be found at:


http://www.brompton.co.uk/news/item.asp?n=8993

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43828356@N00/sets/72157623667655222/

And a series of blog entries here from last year:

http://bikesatvienna.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Clever Customer

Now and then a customer comes in with a way of doing something that I just find amazing. Well, today was one of those days.

Mike rides his high end handcycle competitively, and rides in events all over the place. He keeps us posted on the events in which he races, and we also keep an eye on him on Facebook.

Today he showed me how he manages to cram both his handcycle and his wheelchair into a medium sized sedan. Now, that may not seem like such a big deal if you've never seen a bike like this up close, but trust me, it's quite a feat. So much so I just had to take a few pictures.

First, here's Mike in his car:


And here's the cycle and wheelchair inside:
















And finally, here's the cycle ready to roll:


It's pretty amazing to see it all inside, honestly. Even more impressive is that he manages to pack the car by himself!

Pre-Season Sale!

You read that right! We're having a sale!

It's February, and things are slow, and we have some bikes that have been around a bit longer than we like, so it's time to cut some prices and find them a good home. Most are one of a kind, but there are a few models we just have too many of and need to thin the herd. Sale prices are limited to stock on hand.

Here are some of what we have:

Folding bikes on sale:

Mezzo Folding Bikes

The D-9 and I-4 share the same frame, shown here, 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 $899.
I-4s normally sell for $965, now $825, and D-10s are now $1150, down from $1350.

http://www.mezzobikes.com/US/index.php

Rans Crank Forward bikes on sale:

Zenetik - originally $1475, now $1200
Sequoia - originally $ 1300, now $1100
Citi - originally $1375, now $1150


Recumbents on sale:

Rans Stratus 700 - originally $1770, now $1500

Easy Racers Javelin - originally $1400, now $850

Sun X-2 AX - originally $1400, now $900

Trice Q recumbent trike - originally $3000, now $2500

Keep an eye here to see if more specials come up!

All sales are for stock on hand only!

Pre-Season Tuneup Special!

Well, it's that time of the year when the service area is slow, so now is the perfect time to bring your bike in for service! And to add an incentive, we're running a special!

Bring your bike in for a tuneup during February, and get the special rate of $60 for the labor AND free shift and brake cables (regular length only, and not including cable housing)! That's $10 off the 2010 labor prices, and $20 off our 2011 prices! That's right, as of March 1st, we're raising the labor cost of a standard tuneup to $80, so take advantage of this deal while it lasts!

Just print out and bring in the certificate below, or simply say you saw it on the blog or Facebook!

Bikes left when we were closed

Hey Gang!

Just checking to see if anyone knows anything about these three bikes that were left in front of the store when we were closed, either Monday or Tuesday. They are an older road bike and two older mountain bikes. I THINK they were meant for donation to Bikes For The World, but I'd like to find out for sure before I pass them on to BFTW. They were left in our racks out front, unlocked, with no note or phone call. If you know anything about them, please let us know.

For future reference, if anyone else drops a bike off in front of the store when we're closed, locked or otherwise, please stick a note in our mail box or call and leave a voice mail. Our number is on the door.

2011 Demo Brompton Is Here!

The Brompton folks require us to keep a demonstrator bike in the store at all times, so anyone who is interested can see and ride a Brompton. This year, when given the opportunity to order a new demo bike, I decided to bring in a bike that I consider pretty special... it's a S2LX, in Raw Lacquer.

What's that mean?




S = the straight, flat handlebars, which put the rider in a more aggressive, aerodynamic position than the other Brompton bars. As a bonus, they are the lightest of the three choices.

2 = two speed drivetrain. The rear hub has two sprockets on it, and there's a simple derailleur mechanism that moves the chain from one to the other. (The same mechanism is used on the six speed Bromptons, coupled with a 3 speed internally geared hub.)

L = Fenders only, no rack

X = "Superlight" upgrade. This means the front fork and rear frame are made from titanium instead of steel, along with the fender stays and folding pedal bolt, the seat post and headset are aluminum alloy, and the front wheel is lighter as well.

The resulting bike ends up around 21 pounds, a weight savings that is quite noticeable while carrying the bike, not as much while riding.

To cap it all off, I ordered the Raw Lacquer, a clear finish that shows off the construction details of the Brompton frame. You can see how each joint is brazed together, largely by hand. It's a really nice touch.






So what does a Brompton like this cost? Well, I'm not allowed to sell the demo bike until it's replaced by another one, but I can order one just like it for you for $2120. The same bike, in one or two of the "stock" colors (black, white, turkish green, hot pink), without the "Superlight" bits, would cost $1280, weigh a little over 2 pounds more, and not look as eye-catching. But it would still be a great bike!

Check out Vienna Patch

For those of you that don't know, I'm now writing a column every couple of weeks for Vienna Patch, an online publication with a local focus. My latest piece appears here:

http://vienna.patch.com/articles/getting-out-on-your-bike-in-the-winter

Let me know what you think, and please add your comments on the site.

Tim

Winter Studded Tires

We don't often post links to other people's blogs, but this one caught my eye, because I have been riding studded tires in winter for about 5 years now. The writer, a local recumbent rider (anyone we know?) shares his experiences with using studs on a recumbent bike here in the DC area. Check it out:

http://washingtonwheelman.blogspot.com/2011/01/schwalbe-winter-tires.html

First 2011 Bromptons Have Arrived!

Yesterday I unpacked and prepared four new Bromptons, the first of the 2011 bikes we've received. Two are waiting to be picked up by their future owners, but these two are here for you to come see and test ride! The bike on the left is an M6R, in the new Sage Green color, and the bike on the right is a P6R, in the new Claret color. Both are really great colors, I think. There's one more new color for 2011, Hot Pink, but I opted to order these two at this time.

Project Bikes, again...

Following up on my earlier post, I'd like to show an example or two of the kinds of "project bikes" I was referring to.

As a starting point, for those that want to dig back into the past, you can check some of the blog posts from my personal blog "Spokes of a Wheel" that deal with customizing your bike. You'll find information on how I've "personalized" many of my own bikes and other folks' bikes as well.

In addition, follow along as I work with my girlfriend to put together a hopefully wonderful new bike for her. She has a great older Bridgestone mixte-framed bike and a Brompton folding bike, each of which are just fine as they are. Now I want to create for her the closest thing to a custom bike I can, short of building her a frame from scratch (which will come in time).


The foundation, based on her fondness (and mine) for the mixte frame, is a Velo Orange Mixte frame, purchased from Velo Orange in Annapolis, MD. It's a classically styled, beautifully built lugged steel frame in a very pretty shade of blue. The first step has been taken... the bike has been christened "Bullseye"!

Next comes selecting the various components and accessories to build the bike up. The goal is a bike that is both fun and practical, as well as beautiful. Keep your eyes on this page and follow along as we begin.

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)