In Vienna.....Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

T-3existingwalkway
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

I'm serving on the Town of Vienna Sidewalk Committee. We have been taking the information gathered from a questionairre in the Town newsletter and prioritizing projects to recommend to the Town Council.

Three of us have been working on the prioritization for the south side of town which has sixty projects. A stated philosophy has been to give priority to areas without sidewalks before areas with sidewalks on one side of the street. Which means that it will be necessary to cross the street in some places to continue to use the sidewalk.

After several hours of looking at maps and listings during last week I became blurry eyed on Friday. Comparing the listings to the map we'd find that a project already had an existing sidewalk on one side of the street.

Which led me to think......in Vienna, why did the chicken cross the road? The chicken wanted to continue to walk on the sidewalk. When that thought came to mind, I knew it was time to take a break.

bikes@vienna Used

EZSportAX
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

I have just completed adding several bikes to our bikes@vienna Used blog. You will find the link to that information below the weather.com information on the left of our home page. If you look through our offerings you'll find a wide range of recumbents, tandems, recumbent tandems, folding bikes, mountain bikes, children's bikes, and even an occasional cruiser. It's difficult to know what will be traded in or brought to us to sell on consignment.

We don't make much money on trade-ins. Our method is to estimate what price the bike will bring and deduct any repairs, parts, and cleaning that we believe are necessary to make it safe and saleable. Providing the option of accepting trade-ins does bring us customers. There are times when the value of the bike and what is necessary to make it saleable pass each other. In those cases we have to decline the trade offer and suggest that Bikes For The World would be a wonderful place to donate the bike and received a tax deduction.

We also provide the service of selling bikes on consignment. We estimate the value of the bike and what needs to be done to make it saleable. We post the bike on bikes@vienna Used and find the bike a good home. We charge 17.5% for the service. Again this is not a big money maker, but it brings customers to us.

We are almost three weeks into the new year. What do you dream of doing this year on a bicycle? Can you park that car and ride your bike on errands and to work? Can you create an adventure riding to explore an area and share that adventure with someone else? A bicycle, new or used, can enable us. Keep your eye on bikes@vienna Used because a bike may appear which sparks your imagination and helps you to pursue your dreams.

Sleeping Santa

IMG_0619
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

Did you have a good holiday? Yes, yes, we did have a wonderful holiday. My folks came from Iowa. The Seattle daughter and family, the Richmond son and family, and the recently moved out daughter were all here at our house. We enjoyed the two grandchildren of 15 and 18 months old. For extra excitement there were three good sized dogs and a paranoid cat. There was lots going on.

Obviously, there was more going on than I had the energy to handle. Ces snapped this photo on Christmas Eve. It was a quick nap before we went cycling to see the luminaries in northeast Vienna.

I hope you had a good holiday. I hope your 2007 is filled with enjoyable activities which include cycling.

Recumbent Cyclist News

The Jan/Feb Recumbent Cyclist News (RCN) just arrived. It contains the 2007 Season Preview, an overview of recent recumbent, trike and crank forward trends. It also contains reviews of the 2007 Rans Dynamik crank forward bike, the 2007 WizWheelz Zoomer, and the front wheel drive Rans Cruzbike Freerider. RCN sells for $5.

First Ride may be a bit wet

us_dca_closeradar_medium_usen
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

We are just on the edge of this band of rain. I think there is a chance that it will move east by 9 AM. I'd like to ride my bike this morning so let's try to get a ride in. Join me at bikes@vienna at 9AM and be prepared for some rain drops.

Welcome 2007.

Closed December 25-27/Join us for First Ride on New Year Day

We are an hour from closing for Christmas (3 PM on Sunday). The store will be closed on Christmas Day and then Tuesday and Wednesday which is our winter tradition. We'll be back on Thursday at 10 AM. We wish you a Merry Christmas.

On New Years Day we invite you to ride from bikes@vienna to Herndon on what we call First Ride. We'll leave the store at 9 AM. The 8 plus miles to Herndon will take about 45 minutes. Many of us will stop at Anitas for breakfast and then ride back to Vienna. Some members of our group will simply turn around and go home. Check here for more information as the time for the ride nears.

If you are traveling this holiday season we hope you will travel safely. If you are making resolutions for 2007 we hope you will include cycling and lots of visits to bikes@vienna.

Happy Holidays

Wannabe
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

Towards the end of our day yesterday I decided to get Java ready for a holiday photo. I ignored W.C.Fields caution about working with children and animals. Bill Perlman had brought in a set of antlers and I had a Santa hat so it should be a breeze......right?

Java was cooperative. The antlers were to be worn by young people so a bit large for her. She'd move her head and the antlers would fall forward or backwards. She'd turn towards me and give me a big lick.

Now in this photo she looks demonic with those eyes. I'm holding the antlers on....not choking her. We'll practice some more and see if we can do better.

Have a Happy Holiday.

The Recumbent Bicycle 3rd Edition

We recently received the latest edition of the excellent book The Recumbent Bicycle, 3rd edition, by Gunnar Fehlau and published by Out Your Backdoor Press. It makes a great stocking stuffer at $22. The 3rd edition contains "greatly improved text and hugely improved photos—many of them new. It also includes an updated info resources appendix. It has much nicer coated paper and thicker cover stock."

The book contains a good history of recumbents, explaining why recumbents did not become more mainstream after being banned from professional racing in the early 1900's. Check out the table of contents.

bikes@vienna receives Business Community Service Award

If you live in the Town of Vienna, there's a good chance that you receive the Town of Vienna Newsletter that is mailed out each month. This month bikes@vienna is featured:

When the Vienna Town/Business Liaison Committee requested nominations for the first Business Community Service Award last January, one of the first to respond was Jim Larson, chairman of CHO (Committee for Helping Others). The business he nominated was bikes@vienna on Church Street, owned by John Brunow.

John has been collecting bikes for CHO and for Bikes for the World for many years. It's one of the many community activities in which John participates. He doesn't say much about it, he just does it. It's nice to see that his good works haven't gone unnoticed. See the full article in the December 2006 newsletter.

Java Update

JavaNov
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

The little puppy that appeared at bikes@vienna in March has grown. Java has become a "big, brown dog". She has two basic speeds which are on and off. It would be fine if "on" was not so frenetic. "Off" is sweet with her lying down on your feet so she knows when you're moving.

Absent from this photo is a colorful Vienna Dogs handkerchief which Java wears to work. We get questions about the Vienna Dogs attire. It can be found at www.viennadogs.org. Perhaps a holiday gift idea? Proceeds help support the Vienna Dog Park on Old Courthouse Road.

Mary's Ride

Mary'sRide
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

This handsome group of riders went out on Saturday morning after Thanksgiving. Mary Buckwalter, shown in the center of the front row, invited friends and family to the Saturday morning ride. Mary is patron of bikes@vienna. She is energetic in promoting cycling, researching new products, and sharing her love of riding. We appreciate her.

This group includes many long time customers, riders on our Full Moon Rides, and riders in the Halloween Parade. They enjoy cycling and they have a good time.

"No Go" for the Guilt Reduction Ride

Happy Thanksgiving,

The Guilt Reduction Ride is a "No Go" for this morning.  Surfaces are wet and there is a mist falling with another weather front coming toward us.

The CHO Food Drive continues for several weeks.  The Holiday Stroll on Church Street which is this coming Monday evening would be a great time to bring by your contributions of foodstuff.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

The Bike Friday Family Tandem for the Holidays

FamilyTandem
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

I ordered this Family Tandem for the holiday season. This Bike Friday is very adjustable so it will accommodate a wide range of adults and adults riding with children. It has a basic 8 speed drivetrain which serves the needs of many riders.

You get all this adjustability and because it is a Bike Friday it can be disassembled for packing and transport. This is a bike that you can ride near home or on the other side of the world. It opens doors to so many uses.........that's why it is a perfect holiday gift

Blue Sky Cycling Cart for Austin

Ruby's
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

The Ruby family came to visit us last weekend. They were looking at the Blue Sky Cycling Cart for son, Austin. Blue Sky builds a cart with a molded seat that has a five point strap system. The cart will accomodate up to 200 pounds. It has options that allow the individual to be enclosed or (as we did for this test ride) open to the world. The connection to the bike is at the seatpost.

Austin's little sister helped her father, Keith, do a test ride. The Ruby's ordered a cart for Austin. It should provide Austin and the whole family with lots of riding enjoyment.

Come talk to us about a Blue Sky Cycling Cart if you have a family member with special needs that you want to enjoy the experience of cycling.

Tim at UBI

As was mentioned earlier, our head mechanic, Tim Fricker, is attending a two week class at the United Bicycle Institute. The class is entitled Chromoly Brazing Frame Building. Tim is featured on the UBI class photo page. We're anxious to check out his work; with luck he'll return with a completed bike frame.

Guilt Reduction Ride at 8:30 AM on Thanksgiving morning

You are invited to join me for bikes@vienna's Guilt Reduction Ride on Thanksgiving morning. I start serving hot cider and oatmeal/raisin cookies at 8 AM. The ride starts at 8:30 AM going west on the W&OD Trail. The ride will go to the train station in Herndon and return to Vienna. You can go further or ride less depending on your schedule.

The ride is called the Guilt Reduction Ride because many of us will over consume during this day of feasting. If you've ridden twenty miles in the morning then you should be able to feel less guilty. The second reason is that you are asked to bring food stuffs for the Committee Helping Others (CHO) Food Drive. You will have acted to help others during the holiday season and that reduces guilt. Please invite friends and family to join you and bring lots of food stuffs for CHO.

If the weather is questionable you can call the bikes@vienna number (703.938.8900) after 7 AM to learn if we plan to ride.

Adaptive Cycling Equipment in 2007

bikes@vienna is known for recumbents, trikes, tandems, and folding bikes. We relish the opportunity to help people find a way to enjoy cycling.

We're working this fall and winter to identify, test, and then acquire equipment which will allow more people to experience the joy of cycling. This means that we're looking at trailers, trail-a-bikes, trikes, and tandems which meet special needs,

The Greenspeed GTH shown in the photo is an example of a high end trike developed for commuting and touring. The trike is a handcrank model outfitted with 54 speeds, drum brakes, rear fender, and rear view mirror. This model will appeal to an adult who is serious about cycling.

You'll see other examples here for kids and adults in the next couple of weeks. We've found that our customers give us great ideas, feedback. and contacts. Adaptive cycling equipment is expanding into new frontiers for us so we need your help. Please email us with your suggestions. Send your messages to john@bikesatvienna.

Back to school

Tim Fricker, our head mechanic, is attending a frame building class at United Bicycle Institute, affectionately known as “Bike School”. He has a passion for lug-framed steel bikes, and you can read about his current stable of bikes on our articles page. We're anxious to see the results of his classwork; if he is lucky and has the time, he should return with a complete bike frame.

Crash Dummies Ride in Halloween Parade

Romello
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna.

We had a number of creative costumes in our group that rode in the Halloween Parade. In the item below you can see a photo of Geoff and Sandi in their clown costumes. The Romellos came as Crash Dummies which were terrific. There was a bit of a chill in the air and I suspect they were warmer than most of us under those masks.

I was pleased with our turn out to ride in the parade. The crowd response was very positive to our riders.

Monster Mash on Maple

That's the title of the series of photos from the Vienna Halloween Parade in the Vienna Connection. As you know, bikes@vienna cyclists participate in the parade each year and gather at the shop afterwards for refreshments. We had a great time this year and there were some wonderful costumes on display.

Our own Geoff Steele and his wife are featured in their clown costumes, riding their recumbent tandem. For a photo of Al Tyre on his Catrike 700 slapping fives with the enthusiastic crowd, check out the printed version. Plan on joining us next year.