Tim's Tours Today: Brompton Factory and London by Brompton

The Saturday Morning Tim Report

Tim is getting more comfortable with his environment.  He reports he is on his way to the "Tube" to go to the Brompton Factory Tour..

As an aside ...... I got notice yesterday that Brompton's production line is fully sold out until January.  Humorously this was an hour after I had mailed in a check and order for Bromptons.  So they'll come in January.

Yesterday Tim encountered a rating activity that you don't see much in this country.  The British recognize the importance of clean facilities.

The Afternoon Tim Report

Tim is working his way through London to see the sites.  Here are photos of the White Tower at the Tower of London and of London Bridge (didn't that get moved to Arizona?).

At this moment Tim is at the Tower of London

Tim Fricker is out being a tourist in London today.  Right this moment he is at the Tower of London and he promises photos later.  We do get to see the view out his hotel window from his photos.  We also now know that his number for the Brompton World Championship will be #0722, he thinks.

No, he has sent no more information about his wardrobe malfunction.  As soon as we know the story it will be shared.

Here's the view in London today.

Oh my, is this a wardrobe malfunction?

It is not entirely clear from Tim's tweets, but it seems that he must have left part of his riding outfit out of his packing.  He's asking about a London second hand clothing alternative.  This should be a good story.

In the meantime, he seems to have had a good day in Falmouth.  He had photos of Neil and Hero in front of their cottage.  We saw the roads of Cornwall as he took a spin on an ICE trike.  There was also an opportunity to see the inside of the ICE work area.  Here's that photo for your inspection.

Tim is in Cornwall visiting ICE/Trice

And about to go to bed.  Tired!  Long day after a long night's flight, but fun anyway.  Neil and Hero are great.  I see the factory tomorrow, and get back on the train to London.  Cornwall is gorgeous... if I had it to do again, I might have planned another night here.

So far I haven't found a wifi zone that will let me in.  I'm using Neil's computer right now.  Hopefully when I get to my hotel tomrrow it will work fine there.  Otherwise I have to set data roaming on, and that might cost a lot if I'm not careful.

Hope all is well there.  Say hi to folks for me.

Tim is visiting http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/ 

There Goes Tim Fricker!

I took Tim and his Brompton to Dulles for his 6:30 flight on Virgin Atlantic. Why did he fly on Virgin Atlantic? They don't charge for checking a bicycle and that is a big deal these days in the world of traveling with a bike.

He will get into Heathrow early in the morning and make his way to the train station. He'll use the train for his trip to Inspired Cycle Engineering. He'll spend Wednesday and part of Thursday at ICE/Trice and then return to London.

He'll be sharing information from his iPhone. He'll be looking for wifi opportunities because the cost of data transfer in England is pricey. Without a prepurchased plan the cost of a one meg data transfer (about the download of this page) is said to cost $20 ($.02 per kilobyte). Tim has 50 megabytes prepurchased and then additional megabytes will cost $5. So we'll find out how he can report on his progress.

The news is ......... he's off.  Please note that Tim's Brompton in the bag (left) is about the same size as his suitcase.  Also note the Twitter information at the top left of this page that Tim has send.

Not quite the same as it ever was

This morning's Washington Post carries a review of a new book by David Byrne called "Bicycle Diaries". The Post says this is no travel diary, but muses by Byrne on a wide range of subjects.  It sounds like a book reflecting the old Albert Einstein quote of "I thought of that while riding my bicycle".  It is the feeling of freedom that stimulates the mind, I think.

According to the review Byrne has "taken on bicycle promotion as a pet project".  Wonderful.  We need all the help we can get.

"Bicycles Diaries" by David Byrne is published by Viking and sells for $25.95.  I would hope there is a Kindle edition.

Isn't life interesting?

This evening I checked my email and let out a hoot when I got a message from Facebook telling me that my father had asked me to be his friend.  So I confirmed that I was in fact friends with Philsy.

Now I didn't call my father to ask him about his venturing into the Facebook world because the Iowa - Penn State game was starting.  Phone conversations during Iowa games are best avoided although in the past I have called home and asked to have the phone set near the television so I could listen to the end of a game.

I called Ces who went to Seattle today to report this expansion of my Facebook friends and then I called youngest daughter Sara and giggled at the prospect of her Facebook activity being influenced by having both her parents and her grandparents seeing her Facebook posts.  Then I called Tim to share the smile and both of us got laughing when he told me that his 82 year old mother had friended him on Facebook two days ago.

Life is interesting.  A social network that began with university aged participants has expanded to 87 year old dads and 82 year old moms reaching out to their sons.

So I found this photo from RAGBRAI this summer when my folks met us at Moravia for lunch.  I posted it on Facebook with the message;

"Let's see for all the times I snagged you with fish hooks, allowed the ladder to fold up and drop you to the ground, backed out of the driveway and left you in mid project, got the Chevelle beaten by hail and let's not forget the couple of times I peppered you with buckshot....... sure Dad, I'll be your friend on Facebook. It will make me proud. And while I'm at it, Happy 87th Birthday coming up next Friday. I'm going to get your present mailed."


I hope it makes him laugh when he sees it on Facebook.  Although last summer I asked him if he'd forgiven me for the 1968 damage to the Chevelle and he said "not yet".

Adam and Jen Ward

Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Allow me to introduce you to Jen and Adam Ward. They were married last Sunday on the beach at Oak Island, NC.

Long time bikes@vienna customers will remember Adam's years in the store and his skill as a mechanic. Although Adam has moved on to use his formal education for Spot Image, bicycles still are an important part of his life. In fact so significant that Jen noted his joy of cycling in her wedding vow.

The Wards live in Fairfax. Adam generously comes in to help in the store when I get in trouble.

Coming soon: Brompton World Championships

Tim Fricker is packing his bags and his Brompton for a trip to England, his first. Tim will be competing in the Brompton World Championships at Blenheim Palace on Sunday, October 4th. The day is dedicated to a day of British cycling and the details of the overall event can be viewed at http://www.bikeblenheimpalace.com

The details of the Brompton World Championship can be viewed at http://www.brompton.co.uk/bwc/2009/ . If you have a bit more time there is a delightful bit of video from the 2008 event which can be viewed at http://www.brompton.co.uk/video/bwc08.asp Now don't laugh too loud when you watch the Le Man style start of the race and when you see the participants in suitcoat, dress shirt, tie, and shorts with wild colors and patterns. This is a wacky, fun event which get Brompton folders in front of a larger audience. It should be a fun filled occasion.

You may have noticed the new Twitter box in the top left of this blog. We are planning to use Twitter for Tim to report on his activities. He'll be sending Tweets and Twitter Pix to let us know the details of his adventure.

News about Adam

Adam Ward is a terrific bike mechanic and for over six years I was fortunate to have him working at bikes@vienna. He is a kind person and he comes in when we need help to get through me being off riding across Iowa or some other scheduling issue.

This Sunday Adam will be married to his love, Jenny on a beach on Oak Island, NC. Ces and I will be there to celebrate the event.

So many people like Adam and ask about what he is doing that I thought an update was appropriate. The newly weds will live in Fairfax.

Mezzo Folding Bikes are arriving at bikes@vienna

I'm going to be like a kid looking out the window today waiting for the delivery trucks to come into view. Today is the first possible day for the Mezzo Folding bikes to arrive, but as I said I'll be acting like a kid with eternal optimism. Where am I going to put another line of folding bikes in an already overcrowded store? I'll figure it out.

The Mezzos are coming to the US from England. The bikes are manufactured in Taiwan based on an English design. They are a sixteen inch wheel folder. The bikes look upscale and feature conventional drivetrains with the D10 and D9 featuring rapid fire shifters which is not common in the world of folders. Mezzos have anodized finishes which also is not common in folders. The bikes come with racks and fenders. The bikes are distributed in the US by Marin with which bikes@vienna has had a relationship almost since the store opened. This passed year there have not been any of the Marin uprights in the store, but this new folder renews the relationship.

The reviews of the Mezzos in English cycling publications have been positive. Here are links for a few reviews:

http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/mike/mikesmezzo/mezzod9-2.html#11._Conclusions

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/folding/product/d10-09-33775

http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/mezzod9b.html

If you've visited the store you know how I stress test rides. Come visit and test ride a Mezzo.

Brompton World Championship on Sunday, October 4

Coming soon is the Brompton World Championship held on Sunday, October 4. It is a bike race for folding bikes (specifically Bromptons) with rules for attire that result in a wacky look and leads to a "Best Dressed" award. It is a hoot.

You can find details on the Brompton website http://www.brompton.co.uk/

There is a charming video clip of last year's event at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZcHRv0mJLg&feature=player_embedded

Slowly, but surely, we are expanding our stock of Bromptons. bikes@vienna will be having an event on October 4th to celebrate the Brompton World Championships. Watch here for details.

"I'm just going around the parking lot..."

That's a phrase we hear a lot at bikes@vienna, typically when we tell folks they need to wear a helmet on a test ride. Well, today I demonstrated why, even "just around the parking lot" a helmet is a GOOD IDEA!

I was testing out a customer's bike, trying to see if I could make it slip out of gear under a variety of circumstances, and all seemed to be going well. It appeared I had managed to adjust things so that the problem didn't occur. That's probably why I was unprepared when, while pedalling hard up the slope of the parking lot, the gear hub abruptly failed, causing me to pitch forward, striking the handlebars with my chest, with enough force to knock the vertical bars into a horizontal position. The next thing I knew I was flat on my back on the pavement, having apparently done a somersault in the process. I ended up with some nasty scrapes on my right hand and knee, and more minor ones on my other hand and shin.





But the thing that I heard, in the midst of my acrobatic feat, was the distinct sound of plastic hitting pavement... and afterwards, I discovered some obvious dents in my helmet, which you can see here below.



So PLEASE.. wear a helmet, even "just around the parking lot."

Reston Century on August 23 and looking for "ride ambassadors"

Hello,

I returned from RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa see www.ragbrai.org) convinced that I need to reach out to people participating in rides like the Reston Century. On RAGBRAI I saw an increase in recumbents, trikes, and crank forward bikes from last year. As usual I encountered lots of questions from other riders about the Barcroft Columbia I rode with my wife, Ces, and the Rans Dynamik that I rode a couple of days.

So I've decided to make an offer to our customers who have purchased recumbents, trikes, or crank forward bikes from bikes@vienna. Register and ride in the Reston Century (routes of 34, 65, and 103 miles) as an ambassador for bikes@vienna and I'll reimburse you $20 towards your registration for the Century, supply a bikes@vienna shirt for you to wear on the Century and keep, and provide promotional materials for you to distribute. Your job is to enjoy the ride, smile as you ride in comfort, and tell other riders about your bike or trike.

Interested? Go to http://www.restonbikeclub.org/restoncentury/ You'll find information on the event and how to register. If you register before August 12th the cost is $35. Let me know by email that you have registered for the Century and what size shirt you wear. On Sunday, August 23rd I'll be in the bikes@vienna booth at Reston Town Center waiting to hand you a packet that will include $20, a bikes@vienna shirt, and promotional materials.

This offer is to the first 20 customers with a recumbent, trike, or crank forward purchased at bikes@vienna who register and inform me of their interest to serve as a "ride ambassador". I look forward to hearing from you.

A New Class!

Building Bicycle Wheels

When: Sunday, July 19th and July 26th,
6:00pm - 9:00pm (the 26th might run a little longer, depending on student progress)
Fee: $75, plus cost of whatever parts you choose to use for your own wheel.

Learn how to build and true a traditional, spoked bicycle wheel from scratch. In the first session we will cover parts selection based on intended use, then discuss several methods of determining spoke lengths. I will demonstrate these steps and then the process of lacing, tensioning, and truing a wheel at that time. In the second class (a week later, so you can gather parts), you will build your own wheel. It may also be necessary to offer some follow up time, in case folks don't get as much done as I hope. $75, plus cost of parts. You can either track those down yourself, or we are happy to order them for you. Please come prepared with at least a general idea of what use you intend for your new wheels.

If interested, please email tim@bikesatvienna.com, call, or come by. We ask that folks pay in advance, so we know you'll be there. Class size is limited to the first four people who register and pay!

Closed Saturday, July 4th

bikes@vienna will be closed on Saturday, July 4th. We will observe our normal hours on Friday, July 3 (10-7) and Sunday, July 5 (10-5).

Cross Training for RAGBRAI

We are getting closer to RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). I need to ride some serious miles. I need to get the trailer, van, camping gear, and bikes ready. I joked yesterday that I also needed to increase my intake of pie as a method of training. Daughter-in-law Katie and grandson Cyrus came to visit yesterday with this wonderful strawberry-rhubarb pie that Katie baked. It was superb.

Several years ago oldest daughter, Jessica, named our group of RAGBRAI participants "Pedaling for Pie". It reflects our interest in the art of pie baking plus it reflects the Iowa tradition of events, carry in dinners, and bake sales all featuring outstanding pies. We have the habit of stopping once or twice a day on RAGBRAI to have pie. When you are riding 60-90 miles a day you can rationalize the calories. Ces designed signs that we use to find our encampment in each overnight town featuring a slice of pie.

This year RAGBRAI has recognized the significance of pie by using a slice in the logo. If you want to learn more about the event you can go to http://www.ragbrai.org We are 18 days from beginning serious pie eating when we get to my folks home in Centerville. My mom greets us with Dutch Apple Pie, Rhubarb Pie, and sometimes Blackberry Pie. On Sunday, July 19, we will begin pedaling for pie.

Concert on the Town Green

Marque
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

bikes@vienna sponsored the Concert on the Town Green last evening. The performance was by the Kingsley Winter Group. The crowd numbered just over 400 on a pleasant evening.

I had serious doubts that the weather was going to cooperate. Early in the afternoon the radar showed significant storms which then went to the south leaving us with a beautiful evening. The music was good, the crowd was appreciative, and the evening had a nice feel of community. It was worth every penny.

The Bandanas Are Here

SeriousBandana
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Yeah, I know.......I look so serious. Well it had been raining for days and we were not selling much when this photo was taken.

Our new bikes@vienna bandanas have arrived. They came in green, light blue, and orange. They provide protection against the sun when you are wearing your helmet. I've tried caps and bandanas work better for me.

Come in and let me try to sell you a bandana. I will look happier if I can get that done.

Event Bike Racks available for community events

RackandSign
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

We have been taking our Dero Event Racks to community events for the last several months. This week I got these signs to get us a bit of recognition for providing the cycle parking. I took the racks to the Vienna Farmers' Market this morning. You see the racks at the Tour de Cure, the Vienna Fourth of July Celebration, the Freeman House Book Sale and weekly at the Vienna Farmers' Market.

I believe that people will ride their bikes or trikes to community events if they feel comfortable that they have a secure and convenient place to park. I'm trying to promote cycling in every way that I can.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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:

CLOSED Sunday, May 3

We're riding the New York Five Boro next Sunday. By we, I mean Tim, Al, Robert, Ces, and I. Yup, most of the workforce. So the store will be closed on Sunday and we'll shut down about 3 PM on Saturday so we can drive to Staten Island to spend the night.

What is the New York Five Boro Ride. It's 30,000 people riding 42 miles through the heart of Manhattan, touching on all five New York Boroughs, and doing a big finish over the Verrazano Narrows Bridge with its classic view of the New York skyline.

Ces and I have done this ride a couple of times. It is heady stuff to be riding in New York City where a cyclist can only ride about this one day a year. Riding on the FDR and crossing on the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge are examples of being places that cyclists done normally get to ride.

I hope we do not create an inconvenience for you. This kind of experience is why we work so hard so we can have a day like this one.

Information about Cycling Improvements to Gallows Road

We received this message today about improvements being planned for Gallows Road

As part of Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Bicycle Initiative, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin modifying the pavement markings on Gallows Road in summer 2009 to better accommodate bicycles. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation and VDOT will host a meeting for residents to learn more about this project at Joyce Kilmer Middle School, 8100 Wolftrap Road, on April 14, 2009, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A combination of striped, on-road bike lanes and wide curb lanes will be added this summer when the segment between Stenhouse Place (near the I-66 overpass) and Idylwood Road will be repaved. A second segment will extend these lanes north to Old Courthouse Road in 2010.

Fairfax County has identified Gallows Road as a critical link in its bicycle network. The proposed improvements will enhance bicycle access between Tyson’s Corner, the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) trail, and Dunn Loring/Merrifield Metro Station. These lanes will ultimately be extended south to the Springfield area.

For more information about this project or to learn more about bicycling in Fairfax County, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/.

For questions about this news item, contact Ellen Kamilakis in the Department of Transportation at 703-877-5606, TTY 711.

Rick and Maggie with the new Trice

Rick and Maggie with the new Trice
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

This message was received this morning from Rick, who picked up his Trice T last Monday.

I just thought you would like to see a picture of my dog Maggie and I on My new Trice T. I absolutely love the Trice. It is perfect for me. Maggie is a little unsure of her trailer, but she will be fine once she gets used to it. My wife and I took the "maiden voyage" this past Sunday on the Northern Central Trail. Thanks again for outstanding service on ordering and setting up the trike. I will wholeheartedly recommend your shop for anyone interested in a recumbent. I am trying to talk my wife Sue into getting a Trice. If you happen to come across a used one let me know.

E-Waste recycling at ViVa! Vienna!

E-Waste flyer
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Last year was the first E-Waste recycling effort held in conjunction with ViVa! Vienna! It was a big success. So many of us have old computers and monitors sitting around. This year I am going to get rid of several computers, but I need to get started early because other things get in the way.

So I'm posting this flyer about the E-Waste recycling early in hopes that you too can take advantage of this program. Navy Federal Credit Union sponsors this E-Waste effort and is a primary sponsor of ViVa! along with the Town of Vienna and the Rotary Club of Vienna.

National Bike Summit Congressional Office Visits

BruceJohn
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

During the National Bike Summit one day was spent visiting Congressional office to promote cycling friendly legislation such as Complete Streets and Safe Routes To Schools. During a visit to Representative Connelly's office Dennis Frew snapped this photo to record the event of Bruce Wright and I wearing ties.

I was struck by the fact that when Bruce and I wear ties we seem to interlace our hands and look very serious; another good reason not to wear a tie.

Vienna's Green Expo on April 16th

Vienna's Green Expo on April 16th
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Here's an exciting opportunity for you! Vienna is having a Green Expo on April 16th at the Community Center. The event is from 7-9 PM. We are providing Event Parking Racks so you can ride your bike to the Expo (what could be more environmentally friendly than riding your bike to a Green Expo?).

I plan on taking folding bikes, workcycles, and trikes to the Green Expo, cycling equipment that will provide transportation and allow you to transport cargo like groceries.

Although the event is produced by the Town of Vienna, I am certain that wherever you live you will be welcome to attend the expo. The Community Center is right on the W&OD Trail and our Event Racks will be on both ends of the building. Pleas remember to bring a lock so you can secure your cycling equipment while you explore the Expo.

I hope to see you Thursday, April 16th.

Denney Triple Loaded

DenneyTripleLoaded
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

I posted the text below with a photo of Charlie Denney and his new Triple without his twins. This is a much better photo with the twins.

This summer on the W&OD Trail and around Arlington you will see Charlie Denney riding with the twins. Their mother, Mary, ordered this Kidz Triple for a big family Christmas present. Cycling is important to the Denney family and now they have the Triple to enjoy.

The Kidz Tandem or Triple can start out for younger children with child seats. When the riders get older the child seats can be replaced with a standard bike seat so the children can participate in the pedaling. So the Tandem or Triple can be used for many years and hopefully for many miles.

Borja places first in biking competition

Cycling Expo 11
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

The photo shows Vienna Police Officers Bill Murray and Melissa Borja at our Cycling Info Expo in February. The story below tells of Melissa's recent accomplishments on a bike.

Master Police Officer Melissa Borja of the Vienna Police Department
recently competed in the 2008 International Police Mountain Bike
Association Competition in Indianapolis.

Officers from all around the nation gather each year to learn about
new policing strategies and techniques, and to share ideas about
policing on a bicycle.

Borja serves as the lead officer for the Vienna Police Bicycle Unit.
She ensures the bicycles are adequately maintained and instructs new riders from area departments during a rigorous two-week training course, officials said.

The competition consisted of riding down a flight of stairs, up
another set of stairs, making a tight left turn, a U-turn through a
cone course, and then sprinting into a tight S-turn.

From there, Borja wound through a serpentine cone course, hopped up on to a platform, negotiated a third very tight cone course, rode her
bike over three railroad ties and performed another sprint to the finish.

Of the 75 riders participating in the event, Borja placed first in her
class for women and finished well ahead of more than half the men
participating in the event.

In addition, a bikes@vienna customer, Skip Samuels participated in the same event riding a Rans Crank Forward model. Skip is a member of the University of Mary Washington Campus Police Department and a very good customer.

Appointment Tuesdays?

We have changed to our Spring Hours and I have set Tuesday aside for appointments. Appointments at a bike store? We have many customers coming to us to test equipment and the weekends are the busiest days; the store is busy, the W&OD Trail is busy, and people's schedules are busy. Some customers have the freedom to visit during the week and I'm suggesting Tuesday when I can give them additional attention.

When on Tuesday would you like to come to test ride recumbents, folders, trikes, or tandems? Give me a call or send an email. I'll set up an appointment. Otherwise you can visit us in our new Spring Hours.

Saturday and Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM
Mon, Thurs, Fri 10 MA - 7 PM
Tuesday By Appointment
Wednesday Closed

W&OD Trail Patrol Seeks New Members

The W&OD Trail runs through the communities of Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Ashburn, Leesburg, Hamilton, and Purcellville. The Trail Patrol is seeking new members to be on-scene ambassadors of safety, courtesy, information, and goodwill. All adult trail users--cyclists, walker, runners, skaters, carriage pushers, dog walkers, horse riders, or wheel chair users--are eligible to apply.

Orientation sessions are planned for this spring and summer. For further information and signup please go to http://www.wodfriends.org/ or call the trail office at 703-729-0596.

Thule Rack Sale on Sunday

Thule Rack Sale on Sunday
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

I have too many Thule racks for the rear of a vehicle. I've closed a storage unit so I need to get these racks sold because I do not have room for them.

On Sunday, March 8th from noon to 5 PM these trunk mount and hitch mount racks will be on sale for 1/3 off. It is our business practice to install the rack and teach you how to mount your bikes on the rack. It may not be practical to continue this practice on Sunday, but I promise you can bring the rack back in and I'll help you with the installation.

Let me stress an important point, I have no Thule roof mount racks or the components for roof mount installations.

For the trunk mount racks the model of vehicle and year of the vehicle can be important facts. Go to www.thuleracks.com/carrier_bike2.asp?location=2 and you will be able to enter in information about your vehicle and learn what rack Thule recommends for that vehicle. My price for the sale is 1/3 off the price listed by Thule.

The temperatures are wonderful, the birds are singing, and the prices are terrific. Sunday is the time to visit us for a vehicle rack.
Remember we are at 128A Church ST, NW in Vienna. Our website is www.bikesatvienna.com and there are good directions to our location on the website.

2009 Rich Rau Memorial Bike Tour and Pancake Breakfast

Saturday, May 16th is the fourth annual Rich Rau Memorial Bike Tour and Pancake Breakfast beginning in downtown Berryville. The registration is from 7:30 to 8:45 AM. The breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 10 AM. The tour begins at 9 AM.

The Tour has either a 15, 30 or 50 mile course. All courses start and end at the Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church located at 210 East Main Street in Berryville. The funds generated from the event will be used for the safety programs sponsored by the the Town of Berryville and the Berryville Police Department.

More details are available at http://www.berryvilleva.gov or call 540-955-4081. You can also email planner@berryvilleva.gov

Fantastic Friday Event

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Friday we packed the trailer and van with cycling equipment and drove to the Gum Springs Rec Center off US 1 in the southeastern section of Fairfax County to participate in a Fantastic Friday event organized by the Fairfax County Therapeutic Recreation Services for families with Autistic children.  The slide show that Ces has created does a better job of telling the story than I can with words.  Please notice the smiles.  

I learned from our participation in this event.  The Kidz Tandem was perhaps the best cycling equipment for a high number of those families.  With the child in front the Kidz Tandem gives the adult better control of the riding situation.  I had a young rider bail off while I was riding with him on the Bike Friday Family Tandem.  The Kidz Tandem is easier to transport than our side by side or the trikes connected in tandem.  The only draw back is the cycling ability of the adult.  For some people it takes time to adjust to the balance and length of the Kidz Tandem.  With excited young participants we did not always have the time to work with the adult and settle their concerns.

It was a good event.  My thanks to the Fairfax County Therapeutic Services for the opportunity to participate.

Tim's Latest Bike

As many of you know, I've got a LOT of bikes! The latest count is nineteen and a half (the half is a unicycle that I still need to master), and to the left here is the latest.

What sets this bike apart is that I built the frame myself! Some of you may recall, quite some time ago, I went away to United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, OR, to learn how to build bicycle frames. Well, the bulk of the work was done there in class, but there was still a fair amount of clean up filing and basic frame prep, and then painting. For a variety of reasons, the process too a lot longer than I expected, and even ground to a halt a few times (motivational malaise). But finally, in the last few months I've gotten more energy and threw myself at several projects, assembling several bikes I hadn't gotten around to, and then finally getting this bike finished.

My basic intent was to design a bike for long distance, loaded touring, for both on road and mild off road use, such as the C&O Canal, one of my favorite places to ride. The design borrowed heavily from my 1986 Miyata 1000 touring bike, but I made a few changes. The most noticable was building in clearance for bigger tires with fenders... the Miyata takes 38mm wide tires, but this bike should handle 42mm with fenders. My idea with that was to get a little more cushion and traction for off road use. I've done the Canal with the Miyata twice now, and it was just dandy, but I wouldn't mind a little bigger tire.

The other major change from the Miyata was the use of slightly larger diameter tubing for the top and down tube, with thinner walls. I did this partly just to see how it affected the ride, but with the notion that it might produce a slightly lighter frame that is just as stiff as the Miyata. It's too early to tell about that yet, but we shall see.

Anyway, I'm really excited to finally have it up and running. Several folks have taken it for short spins, and the reviews have been favorable! I sure like it. And in time, I hope to be able to build some more frames, both for myself and others. I'll keep you posted.

To learn more about the bike, and to see more pictures, go to my personal blog:

http://spokesofawheel.blogspot.com/

Which has links to my Flickr album as well.

Or come on by the shop to take a look at it. And if you are fairly tall, you can even take it for a spin.

Chris Anderson Family Tandem from Bike Friday

Chris Anderson Family Tandem from Bike Friday
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

The Andersons ordered a Bike Friday Family Tandem for their planned ride on the C&O Canal this summer. The family purchased a Burley tandem from us a couple of years ago. They chose this Bike Friday because it is so adaptable to allow even the largest family member to ride with the smallest.

They have some training to do for this ride. You'll see them on the W&OD getting ready for their C&O Canal adventure this summer.

Tockwotton Twister

On Friday I delivered a Draisin Twister to the Tockwotton Home in Providence, Rhode Island. The photos show Judy Brown and Joe Trott on a test ride after we had reviewed the features of the Twister. They rode a little and then switched positions.

This Twister is going to get lots of use as Spring comes to Rhode Island. The Tockwotton Home is in an older section of Providence with streets that seem quiet. There is a bridge over a major highway to a trail which runs for miles. The Twister has independent pedaling and an electronic motor assist which will allow Tockwotton Home residents to enjoy as much or as little pedaling as they can manage. The seat on one side of the Twister has a five point seat belt and pedals which have a plate and velcro straps so an individual who could not use typical cycling equipment can go for a fun filled ride. Twisters come with hydraulic disc brakes in the rear and hydraulic rim brake on the front. The front can be used as a parking brake which comes in handy as riders get on and off.

With true German engineering the Draisin folks have thought of so many nice features. The electronic assist requires pedaling by a rider to be functional. You can't just turn on the throttle to have an electronic go-cart for two. There is a sensor that measures the pedaling and allows the assist motor to work. The independent pedaling can be turned off and on with the flip of a switch. So you can start out with both riders doing synchronized pedaling and then if one rider tires then the independent pedaling can be activated. The handlebars can be swung away from the seats to allow easier mounting and dismounting of the Twister.

Judy Brown is Program Direct at Tockwotton Home. I'm looking forward to hearing about the Twister's use by residents, staff, and families during this year. With the current location of the home and plans for development of a new location there will be many hours of riding pleasure for all. If you want to learn more about Tockwotton Home go to http://www.tockwotton.org/

The Denney Triple for the Denney Twins

DenneyTriple
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

This summer on the W&OD Trail and around Arlington you will see Charlie Denney riding with the twins. Their mother, Mary, ordered this Kidz Triple for a big family Christmas present. Cycling is important to the Denney family and now they have the Triple to enjoy.

The Kidz Tandem or Triple can start out for younger children with child seats. When the riders get older the child seats can be replaced with a standard bike seat so the children can participate in the pedaling. So the Tandem or Triple can be used for many years and hopefully for many miles.

Harvey's New Ride

HarveyNewRide
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

bikes@vienna patron, Harvey Stackpole picked up his new Easy Racer Tour Easy last Saturday. Harvey truly is a patron given the number of bikes he has purchased from us. This Tour Easy is a beautiful recumbent which Harvey selected in orange. The design of the Tour Easy has not changed much in three decades, but it is a remarkable bike.

When you see Harvey give him a big wave and a smile.

Yvonne'sTrice

Yvonne'sTrice
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Yvonne is an avid cyclist who is trying to come back from an accident that forced her to find a solution other than a two wheel bike. She visited the store mutliple times test riding trikes. This last week she made her decision and I was pleased to get this note from her today.

"I want to thank you for your patience and help as I picked out a trike. Today we took a 24 mile ride from West Springfield, to South Run, to Burke Lake, down route 123, through Crosspointe and Lake Mercer, and back home. It was a great experience. I was able to clip in, which I wasn't doing on my upright bike. I had no trouble on ice or gravel, went faster down hills, and climbed smaller hills fine (will soon try bigger ones). I had faster starts at intersections, because I didn't have to worry about balance, so I didn't have to walk across them anymore."

Yvonne

From the photo it looks like Yvonne was able to ride where most of us can't in icy surroundings.

New Service Prices

We've held our service rates stable for a number of years, since some time before I (Tim) started working here in 2005. However, time marches on, and the cost of doing business does get higher every year. As a result, we have made some changes in our service prices, which are reflected here:

http://www.bikesatvienna.com/servicing

In addition, we have attempted to clarify and standardize some of the commonly requested services. You will see we have grouped the specific items into categories that hopefully will make it easier to understand our services and the costs involved.

There has been no change in our Continuing Care policy. If you bought your bike new from us, you still receive free service when the standard fees for the service total $20 or less. This is true for as long as you own the bicycle.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to remind folks that we get a major rush of service requests when the first warm weekend of spring arrives, and that usually means you have to wait longer to get your bike back. So why not take advantage of this "slow" season and bring your bike in before the end of March for servicing? We should be able to get it back to you quickly right now.

Shenandoah Valley Bike Festival --- July 25th

I received this information by email.

Experience the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley by bicycle: Come ride 100, 50, 25 or 5 miles of scenic roads in the 18th Annual Shenandoah Valley Bike Festival on July 25thand support Our Community Place. Your small donation includes the registration fee, a t-shirt, ride maps, ride support, rest stops, mechanical support, water and Gatorade, and shower facilities. Stay for a free homemade lunch afterward. An informational pizza dinner will be held in advance for those interested in volunteering instead of riding. For more information and registration, go to ourcommunityplace.org/bikefest/ or Active.com. Questions? Call (540) 442-7727 or (540) 433-7738.

Bikes at the Inauguration

They say 1.8 million people flocked to the Mall for the Inauguration. I left Vienna a little after 10 AM on a bike, explored the bike parking situation, and arrived near the Indian Museum for the Swearing In. From the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Monument, to FDR to Jefferson there were bikes locked to racks, fences, and trees. These photos capture the volume of the bicycles used that day.

Buses, Metro, walking and bicycles brought the crowd to the Mall that day. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could reduce the use of the automobile like that every day?

Visiting Colorful Ballard

Visiting Seattle is always fun, but this time was even better with visits to the Ballard neighborhood. The colorful flags were part of the street baracade for the Sunday Farmer's Market. The Dero Fish Bike Rack was out in front of Ray's Boathouse. I thought the porta-potty was transported to the Farmer's Market on the trailer and then set off for use, but nooooooo! They pulled out a step and it was ready for use while on the trailer. The comedy potential is just too great not to mention ....just image the possibilitties.

Bits and pieces

It is 8 AM and I am trying to guess what the weather is going to do this morning. My intention is to ride into Washington with a group and look over the preparation for the Inauguration. The weather looks iffy with snow chances increasing after 2 PM about when we would be starting back. This may not be a good idea.

In contrast I had good weather riding in Seattle last week. I sent a Dahon Speed P8 out and it was a good choice. Seattle has lots of concrete streets which have seams and bumps that the Big Apple tires on the Dahon smoothed out. The hills were easier with the 20" wheels. With all the recumbent riding I have done in recent years I did note that the seat became uncomfortable on my longest ride which was exploring the Burke-Gilman Trail (http://www.cityofseattle.net/Parks/BurkeGilman/bgtrail.htm)

The reason for the Seattle trip was to met my new granddaughter, Sadie Ruth. Oh, what a sweet baby she is. She is snuggly and a little hot water bottle who I loved to hold. I also brushed up on my book reading skills with her older sister, Mira. I like this grandparent role.

I also got to spent time with my wife's mother who is 90 I believe. Coming home on the plane I pondered these two lives. One beginning in the early years of the 20th century and the other which may reach the 22nd century. This is an incredible span of the human experience to consider, especially during this week.

ONE!

Years ago on a trip to Washington State to visit my wife's family, my family got involved in a game of counting VW buses. It was a week plus visit which had us traveling quite a bit. The VW bus game became a natural part of our activity started by the spying of the first bus. ONE! naturally started the game for that day. Fifteen or more years later it is still likely when a number of us are in the car and a VW bus is spotted that someone proclaims "ONE!"

I've decided to start a new game for myself in 2009. After yesterday I can exclaim ONE! because January 2 was a car free day. The question is how many days in 2009 can I make car free. My potential for a high number is good since I live within a half mile of the store. My rules for myself are simple ... it is a car free day if I do not travel more than a block in a car/truck/van. I rationalize that there may be days I need to move a vehicle in the parking lot at the store or move the car from the driveway at home. What I want to do is encourage myself to bike and walk to work.

One fabled day on that trip in Washington State we counted EIGHTY-THREE! VW buses. I'll be pleased if I can tell you that I reached that number of car free days in this year. We'll see, this morning I'm thinking about how today can be TWO!

Santa reads

Santa reads
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

Grandson Cyrus and I read a book yesterday, but my white beard, white hair, and typical red bikes@vienna sweatshirt made Cyrus wonder if he was interacting with Santa or Grandpa. It took him a little time to get comfortable with my appearance.

My habit of wearing a Santa hat this time of year has drawn second glances as Java and I walk to and from the store.

Ho, ho, ho.

Ten Days in January --- bikes@vienna CLOSED

For months I've planned to have the store closed for a eleven day period in January (6-16). Three things are going on here. Park Tools puts on educational seminars during this period and Tim is attending sessions during this time in Philadelphia. Second, I will be in Seattle meeting my new granddaughter who should arrive any day now. Third, very little happens during this period of January during cold winters and this looks like a colder winter.

We will close our doors the evening of Monday, January 5th and reopen Saturday, January 17. If you have a bike in our care we will make every effort to get it back in your hands before January 5th.

The wonder of the internet

TRICIA EXPLAING TO THE WORLD THE MAGIC OF FOLDABLE BIKE DAHON MARINER d7!
Originally uploaded by triciawang 王 圣 㨗

I do not know Tricia. In this era of the wonder of the internet I typed in "bike video" and there was Tricia being fun and excited about her Dahon folding bike. I share it with you because so many of our customers are like Tricia. They love how their bike goes easily into the trunk of their car. They are thrilled that they can easily fold, unfold, and ride their Dahon with just a bit of practice.

Tricia, I don't know you, but I want to thank you for showing the strengths of the Dahon folders.

Guilt Reduction Ride 2008

Twelve hearty cyclists turned out for this year's Guilt Reduction Ride from Vienna to Herndon. The thermometer registered around 28 degrees this morning as we bundled up for the ride to the shop. There was quite a collection of bikes on the ride; uprights, long and short wheelbase recumbents, a recumbent tandem, crank forward bikes, and a trike. The temperature steadily rose as we rode in the bright sun along the W&OD Trail to the Herndon station. We reduced our anticipated guilt from overeating later in the day by getting some exercise and donating several canned goods for the CHO Food Drive. It was a great way to start the day.

Guilt Reduction Ride on Thanksgiving

ReducedGuiltRide 004
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

A bikes@vienna tradition is a bike ride on Thanksgiving morning that we call the "Guilt Reduction Ride". We ride up to Herndon (or beyond if you're feeling energetic) and back to burn off calories. We ask people to bring in canned goods for the CHO Food Drive. We provide ways for you to reduce the guilt that you might feel eating the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

You will have exercised. You will have been charitable. You will have had fun. How can you possibly resist such an opportunity?

I will start serving hit cider at the store at 8:30 AM. We will ride from the store at 9 AM. Come join us.

The photo is of a Guilt Reduction Ride at the Herndon Depot.

Red Bike Fridays on SALE

PockRockRed
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

This holiday season we have something exciting for you. We've brought in eight Bike Fridays for your gift giving. These are Pocket Rockets and New World Tours (NWT) all in red. We have the bikes in small, medium, and large. These would be amazing gifts for the cyclist wanting a quality folding bike.

How good is the sale? A similar Pocket Rocket would cost you $1054 for the bike and the shipping. Our offer is $960 (you do have to pay sales tax which creates a total of $1008)

The New World Tour would typically cost you $955 for the bike and shipping. Our offer is for $875 (the sales tax brings that to $918.75)

There is limited choice of sizes so I'd suggest you come in early. How about this weekend?

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