The Hase Pino is Here!

We've had a number of calls this past spring asking about the Hase Pino tandem. It's a remarkable design in that the "captain" sits in back, on a conventional bike seat, while the "stoker" sits in front in a recumbent position. If you look at the picture, you can see that both riders get a good view ahead, instead of one rider staring at the other person's back. Also, communication between the two riders is easier than on a conventional tandem. It's a fun bike to ride. Come on in and give it a try!

Dahon Model Availability

A number of folks have come in or called, asking about the Dahon Ios models. The bike was introduced at Interbike (the big industry trade show) back in September, and received a very good review in Bicycle Times magazine a few months ago. So we have been waiting patiently for news of their arrival in the US, and periodically pestering our friends at Dahon USA. Up til now, the only news was "not yet, and we're not sure when".



Well, now we have more news... unfortunately, not good news. We've just been informed by Dahon USA that the Ios models will not be available in the US market in 2011 at all. The same is also true of the new Vector series, the Dash, and the Boost... none of those are expected in the US this year.


The good news is we continue to have a steady supply of the "bread and butter" models... in 20" wheels, the Eco C6, Speed D7, Mariner D7, Speed P8 (shown above), among others, as well as the Espresso and Jack 26" wheel models.

No Repair Class in July

Due to lack of enrollment, the Basic Maintenance and Repair class for July will not be held this weekend. The next regularly scheduled class will be Sunday, August 7th, at 7:00pm.  Watch this space for updates.

A nice visit from John, Ces, and Java

John Brunow, former owner of bikes@vienna, was in town this past Monday, and a bunch of us went to Sunflower, his favorite local restaurant, for lunch.  A great time was had by all.

From left: John Brunow, Luann F, Keith O, Kerie H, Bruce W., Susan S, Ces B, Sarah B, Tim F, Reed H, Beryl B.

Aside from lunch, John and I spent most of the day clearing a few more things out of the shop that he'd planned to take earlier but couldn't. There's one rather obvious item now no longer here, but I'm curious to see how many people actually notice that it's gone. Perhaps I should make a game out of it?

Anyway, it was great to see John and Ces and Java. I'm very happy for them that they are really enjoying their new home, and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to continue on with the shop. But I have to admit, they are all missed. Guess I'm going to make a trip to Iowa soon!

For those who didn't catch the earlier post... John is opening a new shop, All Ability Cycles, Jefferson, Iowa. Right now he's preparing bikes and trikes for the 4th of July parade! Sounds like John, huh?

A happy Fourth of July to everyone!

More pics from John's visit are here:  John Brunow's Visit, June 27, 2011

Bromptons come in many colors!

Fourteen, to be exact, and you can mix and match any two. And then there's the "raw lacquer" option, which you can see on our demo bike.

Today we got this bike ready for a customer who ordered a very striking paint scheme... Hot Pink main frame with Cobalt Blue Extremities. Pretty sharp looking, huh? Lots of other fun combinations to try... and we have the sample chips here so you can see what works for you.

John Brunow Visits bikes@vienna!

The old gang together again - Tim, John, Al, Bruce and Java

Yesterday afternoon, we had some very special guests - John Brunow, founder of bikes@vienna, his wife Ces, their daughter Sarah (who still lives locally) and Java, everybody's favorite chocolate labrador!

For those of you who don't know, John moved back to Iowa in December to be closer to his parents. He and Ces now make their home in Jefferson, IA, where Ces grew up, and are living in a house built by her grandfather. In a few weeks, John will be opening All Ability Cycles, his new shop right in the heart of Jefferson, convenient to the Raccoon River Valley Trail .

It was great to see everyone. John and Ces both look very happy and healthy, and Java was her usual happy, wiggly, playful self. Show that dog a tennis ball and she's in heaven. After a short visit to the shop they drove on down to Richmond to visit their son and grandson. They'll return Monday, when John and I will work to pack up a few more things he's taking with him. You might stop by to say hi if you're in the area.

A few more photos are here: The Brunows Visit b@v June 24, 2011

I should be able to post more after Monday.  Watch this space!

A Very Nice Visit From a Happy Customer

Josh here came by just to say hi today... and to tell us how much he has enjoyed owning his Batavus Personal Delivery Bike. That sort of thing is always nice to hear, but what made this visit even better was hearing how Josh has used this bike... it just might surprise you!

Most folks see these bikes and think purely of "utilitarian" uses for it... shopping at the grocery store, or a trip to the farmer's market, maybe even hauling some hardware and materials home from the hardware store. But looking at the bike that way is really limiting... for example, many of you may recall seeing John Brunow carrying his chocolate labrador, Java, around in a big basket on the front of an orange Batavus.

Well, Josh here has done even more wonderful and unexpected things with his PDB. He's ridden it on the C&O Canal, all the way up to Cumberland, MD, 185 miles away... AND back again in the same trip! He said it was perfect for the trip, with its comfortable ride and stability... plus the ability to carry all of his gear securely. It reminded me that years ago, when "10-speeds" were just becoming all the rage, the Washington Post carried an article about cycling the Canal, and recommended a lowly 3-speed over the fancier 10-speeds, because of their comfort and stability over rough surfaces. Josh here has shown that it's still a great option today.

But he didn't stop there... he's even ridden the Batavus on RAGRAI... the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa! Many of you know from John Brunow's tales that this is a week long party on wheels, where thousands of cyclists on all manner of bikes pedal across the great state of Iowa. Well, Josh took his Batavus on that trek, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

And yet that's not really the best part... Josh has found the bike fits into his family life as well. This past weekend, he took his kids on their first overnight bike camping trip, on the C&O Canal and W&OD, including a Potomac crossing at White's Ferry, carrying all of their gear on his trusty Batavus. And today he when he stopped by, he'd just helped his daughter carry gear to a softball game before he came to see us.

It's always fun to hear how folks find ways to make the bikes they have fit into their lives, enriching their lives. It brings a smile to my face when I see how such a simple machine can make such a difference. So come on by and tell us your story when you get a chance.

Viva Vienna is coming!

I went for a short ride on the W&OD this morning, and preparations for Viva! Vienna! are well underway. If you've never been, it's quite an event... carnival rides, a wide variety of vendor booths, and an amazing array of food options, all rolled up in a street fair.  It runs for the duration of the three day Memorial Day weekend... check the website for more details:

http://www.vivaviennava.org/

The event blocks off Church Street from Mill Street to Lawyers road to all but foot traffic all three days, so it makes getting to us a bit trickier than usual. You might consider parking away from the event and walking or riding to see us.  We will be here for our regular hours, meaning 10 - 6 on Saturday, 12 - 5 Sunday, and CLOSED on Monday.

Carrying on another tradition

Once again we are dabbling in gardening here at bikes@vienna. Thanks to a certain special someone, we've got an assortment of lovely flowers and a number of tomato plants growing in front of the shop. There's even a pot of cat grass growing for Tim's cat, Tybalt.


There's also an element of suspense involved, as we don't really know exactly what sort of tomatoes these plants will yield!

Come on by in about a month and we might have some tomatoes to sample!

Bike to Work Day, cont'd

Well, we had a very good morning at the Vienna Pit Stop, right at the Town Green, where the W&OD Trail crosses Maple Avenue. Lots of riders turned out to ride, and lots came by to sign in and get their t-shirt (a deep purple this year!) and pick up other fun free stuff. We pitched in and provided some freebies, such as cycle computers, tire levers, locks, etc. A good time was had by all, and a fun variety of bikes and trikes rolled through.

More photos are here:  2011 Bike To Work Day, Vienna, VA

Bike to Work Day

At the Vienna Pit Stop we've got great weather and excellent turnout!

Brompton Colors

This Brompton just arrived from England today, and it sure turned out to be a pretty color combination! That's a Racing Green main frame with Sage Green "extremities" (fork, stem, rear frame). Racing Green has been in the Brompton lineup for a while now, but the Sage Green is new for 2011. The combination of the two is very sharp, and shows what can be done with tasteful mixing and matching.

But before you come rushing in to buy it, I have to tell you it's a special order for a customer... in fact it's his second Brompton in three years, so obviously he's a big fan. But if you want one for yourself, we'd be happy to order it for you. Or check out the bikes we have in stock, you might just find one perfect for you!

This one is a P6R, with SON dynamo hub and B&M Cyo headlight. A very nice lighting system indeed. The customer also requested the special "12% reduced" gear range on the six speed drive train, handy for steep hills and carrying loads.

Brompton World Championship - Time To Register!

That's right folks, as of this morning, registration is now open for the Brompton World Championship! This 13.1 mile race around the grounds of Blenheim Palace (birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill) is not to be missed. As you can see by my photo from 2009, all riders are required to wear "business attire" - dress shirt, tie, and jacket! The race is open to 750 riders, and rumor has it that it might fill up fast, so register now! It's a fun day at a beautiful location, and it's part of the larger Bike Blenheim Palace event, with various sorts of competitive rides, and all manner of cyclists and cycles around.


More of my photos from the 2009 event can be seen here:

BWC 2009

One of the stranger packages...

We've received here! We were all scratching our heads and speculating on just what Brompton had sent us, when I remembered they were sending us one of those rollup banners for display.

I liked Daniel's thought that it was a house for a squirrel, with a chimney!

The Bicycle Wins!

Yesterday was a big day... the Bike/Car/Bus Challenge out in Reston! An event where folks "raced" to get from A to B by each of three different modes of transportation. Our own Bruce Wright, longtime b@v employee and chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, was triumphant! Check it out at the links below.


http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2011/05/fabb-chairman-arrives-first-in.html


http://reston.patch.com/articles/wright-on-a-bike-wins-commute-challenge

Brompton Meetup Ride a Success!

I didn't get the chance to join them, but the Brompton Bicycle Club meetup group had a great time this past Saturday.  The ride started and finished at our shop, and it was fun to meet some new faces in the local Brompton crowd.

Here they all are, posed with their bikes, after their ride out to Reston and back. They're all smiling, so they must have had fun.  Watch this spot for news of future rides, or join up here:

http://www.meetup.com/Brompton-Bicycle-Club/

Brompton Ride This Saturday!

This Saturday - a Brompton Bicycle Club Meetup group ride, starting at 11am at bikes@vienna! Bring your Brompton (or buy one!) and join the fun!


http://www.meetup.com/Brompton-Bicycle-Club/events/16704420/


The photo to the left is from the first BBC ride in March.

Bike Maintenance Class on Sunday

There are still slots open for our Basic Bicycle Maintenance and Repair class this Sunday. Topics covered include flat repair, brake and gear adjustments, basic lubrication, and performing a safety check on your bicycle. The cost of the class is $45, which includes a simple tool kit worth $16. Held in the shop work area. Bikes are not needed as there is not time for hands-on in the 2 hour class. Bruce will be teaching this class. Contact Tim at tim@bikesatvienna.com or call 703-938-8900 or stop by the store and sign up.

The Smooth Hound has arrived!

Well, in response to some inquiries from customers, and the generally favorable reaction folks had to the Soma Mini Velo, we decided to order a Dahon Smooth Hound, a bike based on the whole "mini velo" concept, but with the added feature of folding!  Dahon uses their "Lockjaw" system on this bike, which requires the use of an allen wrench to fold the bike. This results in a fold that  isn't as quick or convenient as their more typical latch systems. On the other hand, it does give you a bike that feels like it has a normal, solid frame. It's not the most compact fold out there, but it's certainly more compact than other "mini velos."



It's a nice riding bike. We all took turns giving it a spin, and everyone was impressed. And it's a fine looking bike as well, with the rather classy paint scheme, Brooks saddle and brown bar wrap on the moustache handlebars.

Come on in and give it a whirl!

At the Vienna Green Expo

Lots of vendors, contractors, and advocacy groups gathered to extoll the virtues of going green. We are here showing folding bikes tonight.