Gran Fondo

Nashville, Tennessee, is the country music capital of the world. Step off a plane in the Nashville International Airport and you are immediately greeted by cowboy boots, cowboy hats, guitar cases, and the warmth of southern hospitality. But something less obvious about Nashville is the seriousness of the cycling scene. Nashville has some top-notch bike shops with each bringing something special to the road scene, but there's one shop that really stands out; it's a shop that focuses on the enthusiast and delivers the service and attention to detail that passionate cyclists deserve and demand from their local shops: Gran Fondo. This unparalleled shop is located in beautiful Belle Meade, just down the road from Vanderbilt University.

I've been to Gran Fondo a number of times and, with each visit, I was treated to an array of PRO bikes that would make even the most spoiled cyclist stare in awe. Like many great shops, Gran Fondo hits you the moment you walk in the door. It's both a retail space and a celebration of the objects and people that make cycling so wonderful. Colorful jerseys from era's past are neatly arranged against the soft yellow color of the walls, while hanging along the front of the shop are large PMU and Champion banners serving as reminders of a 2001 trip to Le Tour. In a zen-like moment you feel the "clubhouse effect" taking hold of you, inviting you to let down your guard, come in, and enjoy the scenery.

I've visited hundreds of shops over the years and it seems that any shop worth its salt has at least one signed PRO jersey hanging on the wall. All signed jerseys are cool, but some are more impressive than others. At Gran Fondo, I saw the jersey of all jerseys...a jersey that sent my jaw southward and had me scrambling to find out some additional information.

There it was in all its glory, in Tennessee, VDB's 1999 World's jersey plucked straight from his shoulders, complete with race numbers remaining on the pockets. The jersey, now owned by one of the shop mechanics, was a gift from VDB's longtime mechanic and friend. I'm not a person who collects cycling memorabilia, and there are very few cycling pieces that I honestly wished I owned. This jersey, however, sits at the top of my short list. - (Stay tuned for a post dedicated entirely to this jersey.)

At this point, Gran Fondo had won me over; I was hooked. This shop is PRO. Gran Fondo's dedication to the cyclist is evident. All members of the staff took the time to seek me out. They approached me with open-ended questions that would facilitate a conversation and their warmth and friendliness was a welcomed relief from the common retail experience.

Gran Fondo's love of the sport is not limited to the confines of the shop, Gran Fondo makes it a point to reach out to the cycling community and to do their part to help bring cyclists together. From beginners to seasoned racers, Gran Fondo offers something for every cyclist. For example, in the summer the shop offers a beginners' ride to help make the transition from beginner to full-on cyclist an easier one. The ride serves as a feeder for the local scene and this type of effort is critical for creating cyclists who understand what it really means to ride or race in a group. If you happen to be in Nashville on a Saturday, drop by the shop at closing for discussions of all things bikes while kicking back with some delicious wine and cheese. In 2005, Gran Fondo's owners spearheaded a women's 29, 62 and 100-mile ride to help raise awareness and resources to fight breast cancer, the Hope on Wheels event attracted 400 female cyclists each year and, in the two year history of this event, the HOW100 raised over $160k for cancer research.

Gran Fondo's commitment to the enthusiast is evidenced by the $1,000 starting price for a road bike and driven home by the focused product selection and knowledgeable staff. In both 2005 and 2006, Gran Fondo was the #1 Bianchi dealer in the U.S., bringing the Celeste style into full swing to the cyclists of Tennessee. The road scene is alive and kicking in Nashville and the sheer number of cyclists on choice rides is staggering. Gran Fondo has done an excellent job of carving out a niche and focusing on a smaller segment of the cycling community. When you walk in the doors, there is no doubt that Gran Fondo knows what they do and they do it very, very well.

Gran Fondo
5205 Harding Road
Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: 615.354.1090

Sheldon Brown Memorial Ride and Service

If you are in the area, please consider participating in Sheldon's memorial ride.
Information can be found here: www.sheldonbrown.com

Sunday, March 2: Meet at 10:45 AM in the parking lot behind Harris Cyclery for an informal memorial ride before the service. Departure will be at 11:00. Distance: approximately 25 miles, pace slow to moderate. The ride will go by way of Weston to Water Row in Sudbury (water level permitting!), one of Sheldon's favorite places to ride, and will return by way of Lincoln.

Fixed gears, hub gears, whatever you've got, are all welcome.

Please pass the word.

Memorial Service
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. March 2, at the First Unitarian Society in Newton,
at 1326 Washington St.(across the street from Harris Cyclery) West Newton.



Photo Courtesy: Sheldon Brown

Above Category

Nestled tightly on a small side street in Mill Valley, CA resides a bike shop that is as impressive as Marin County's mountain bike history. If you blink, you'll pass it, and if you're seeking a big shop with a huge selection you might as well pass it. But if you're seeking best-in-category products, an intimate setting, and great advice about rides, products, or training techniques, then this is your shop.

Above Category is our latest installment on the movement of smaller, more focused bike shops; it's a movement that reflects a shift in the industry and showcases passion and product in equal measure.

If it were not for the luscious Pinerello Prince shod in Lightweights, I would have driven right past the shop for a second time. Instead, I almost rear-ended the car in front of me while trying to take in the insane level of utter PROness.

As you walk into the shop it's tough to not be bowled over by the pure volume of exquisite Italian road products: Pinarello, Campagnolo, and Pegoretti adorn all vertical surfaces in the room. If the Italian flavor doesn't whet your appetite, then surely the Swiss style will. Apart from the Competitive Cyclist Web site, I don't think I've ever seen this much Assos gear in one place, let alone laid out with this much care. An element that makes these focused shops so cool is how condensed the inventories are. With less stuff to clutter up the space, the products themselves become artlike. Case in point: I found myself admiring pieces of the Assos line that I already own!


Like CBS, Above Category is staffed by a team of one. Owner Chad Nordwall is solely responsible your experience and, in the end, Chad has the most at stake. It is safe to say that your experience will be second to none. It also means you may want to call and arrange an appointment for your visit in order to insure your needs are met quickly and completely without interruption.

During my years in the bike world, it was always seen as foolish to build insanely expensive stock machines because it created a level of exclusivity that drove customers away. Today though, these smaller shops embrace it and, as a result, have created a niche experience. Let's face it: business in the road bike segment continues to stay strong. Business dipped following LA's retirement, but roadies are a loyal bunch and even more so at the high-end. A shop with less overhead can be profitable by catering to an exclusively road, or for that matter, high-end road clientele.

It's easy to feel that a shop filled with expensive bikes would do little for the cycling community as a whole. However, shops like Above Category provide a service to the entire cycling community. These shops and their owners are bitten by the cycling bug and their commitment to the game helps us to grow as cyclists by expanding our knowledge and exposing us the entire sport.

You don't need to buy an SRM or a set of Lightweights to benefit from Above Category. Hell, buy a tube and just enjoy the experience. The amazing thing about the shops featured on BKW is that not a single one of them had a "too cool for school" attitude. All were very welcoming and eager to be a part of the cycling experience, no matter where you are on the continuum.

Above Category has close ties to a number of PROs who are out there living the dream, which, of course, is great exposure for the shop but I was most impressed by Above Category's dedication to a local junior team ranging in age from 12-14.

All too often the junior programs are overlooked and, in my humble opinion, there's no program more important to the future of our sport than the junior programs. Chad's coaching advice to the team is some of the best coaching advice I've ever heard. In fact, they are words I still live by: Ride when you want and have fun. If you feel good, go fast, if you don't, go slow. Chad's coaching and support is providing the next cycling generation with a great introduction.

Whether your plans for the season include a bike purchase or some rancho relaxo time in California's wine country, bring a bike, drop into Above Category, and ask Chad for some routes he would suggest. You will not be disappointed.

Above Category
38 Millwood St.
Mill Valley, CA 94941
P: 415.389.5461
W: www.abovecategory.net

Jose Alcala - Neutral Race Support

They say a rolling stone gathers no moss. In this case, a road-hardened, neutral support mechanic is tough to catch at idle.

We have seen Jose at the races, exchanged greetings with him, and even passed his caravan on remote stretches of America's highways, but we've never had the chance to actually sit and have a conversation with him. If Jose wasn't setting up or tearing down at an event, he was bustling to switch a wheel, pulling Gs on a race course in the NRS Volvo, or making last minute tweaks to a competitor's ailing machine. BKW cornered race mechanic Jose Alcala a few weeks ago while he prepared the neutral race support (NRS) machines for the 2008 season. Although his hands never stopped turning wrenches, we managed to talk for a bit with Jose and learn more about what life on the road is like for he and the team at Specialized Event Management, LLC.

Jose has made his living in the bike world for the past 16 years. Beginning his tenure working for Competition Bike and Sport in Larchmont, New York (a shop that no longer exists). It was here that the fire was kindled and, like many of us, Jose was unable to shake the habit. Jose's years as a mechanic range from long hours in a shop to long hours on the road. During the years on the road, Jose has worked with the best of the best: 7 years with Campagnolo/Saeco, 2 with Lampre/Caffita, and 1 year with Saunier/Duval.

Jose's career didn't always center on the mechanical aspects. He was head coach for New York's Century Road Club, and during his years on the East Coast, Jose met fellow NRS mechanics, Hank Williams and Butch Balzano. Jose credits Hank with providing him with an early introduction to the ways of PRO wrenching and Butch with getting him out of the shops and on to the road.

Jose continues to work with Butch as part of Specialized Event Management, LLC, a company hired to provide rider support at races and to groups and industry events. Specialized Event Management relies on key sponsors to bring their resources to over 200 events annually. Sponsorship for 2008 comes in the form of vehicles from Volvo Motor Cars, frames and forks from Orbea, and rubber from the folks at Michelin.

A side note on Butch: Butch has been a neutral support mechanic for 20+ years and, to his credit, 20 of those years were spent delivering reliable service on race day to the competitors at Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic. Butch has really poured himself into these events as a true labor of love. In the early years, resources were thinner than they are today, Butch drove his own car, lent his own wheels and bikes and, got by with a little love from Campy in the form of a discount. Despite the high hurdles, Butch kept at it. The cycling world is truly blessed to have people like Butch who keep the flame lit.

Jose and company spend a lot of time on the road, roughly 290 days per year. Like all professions, work becomes a stream of familiar faces and Jose is careful to also keep in mind that his profession is unique in that he sees his clients when they are highly stressed and many are facing the day for which they have spent months training. With this consideration, Jose is careful to treat his clients with respect, remembering to simply be nice and do his job well. Jose laid it out very succinctly: he says his job is "a marketing job with a small dose of mechanics thrown in." For Jose, his presentations aren't done in a board room but rather in parking lots, expos, and road courses.

BKW: What items make life on the road tolerable, what can you not be without?

Jose: The Volvo, wheel sets, SRAM components, coffee, and good music.

BKW: What gear will be packed into each of the 5 Volvo NRS vehicles for the 2008 season?

Jose: 5 Orbeas built with SRAM components, 25-30 pairs of Zipp wheels, a mix of 404s, 303s, CSCs, and 808s, tools, spares, 3 Silca pumps, 2 Ultimate work stands, an A-Frame Ultimate display rack, a smattering of components, 4 boxes of SRAM parts, 2 Force and Rival, 2 Red, chains, spokes, saddles and Michelin Tires.

BKW: What gear/tools are most critical to your day?

Jose: Yellow Snap-On #2 flathead screwdriver and my Chicago Case Tool Box in limited edition white.



BKW: What is the best part of your job?

Jose: Seeing familiar faces far from home and the ability to continue playing a key role in racing. Without question, I have the best seat in the house!

BKW: And the worst part of your job?

Jose: Sometimes the travel, there is an element of danger we always have to be aware of.

If your summer plans take you out to the races, make sure you drop by and say hello to Jose and his team. And if your plans include pinning a number on your jersey, then it is a must that you drop by and say hello to Jose and Co. Who knows, it may be you who needs the lightning quick wheel change.

The Specialized Event Management L.L.C team

Chad Contreras
Merlyn Townly
Chris Kreidl
Jeff "Jasper" Mattson
Butch Balzano
Jose Alcala


Jose Alcala by the numbers:

Years in industry: 16

Number of songs in iTunes: 4,000

Miles driven annually: 60,000

Total dollar value of bikes handled annually: $1.5 million

Number of events attended by NRS in 2008: 120 (200 when you count stage races)

Homage to Sheldon Brown

In the annals of single name stars, cycling has had nearly as many as rock ‘n’ roll. We’ve had Eddy, Greg, Lance, Mario and Eki. But for those of us who have cared about the operation of the bicycle itself we’ve had our own star: Sheldon.

His contribution to cycling cannot be overstated. From his glossary of bicycle terminology to his articles on fixed gear cycling and do-it-yourselfing, Sheldon was the consummate cycling geek. He was in and of himself a compendium. I can think of no higher compliment to pay someone’s intelligence than to say it was encyclopedic. His site was and is the Encyclopedia Britannica of cycling; I can't recall how many times I said, "I'm sure it's on Sheldon's site."

To the IRS, Sheldon was a bike shop employee. From my limited understanding, the folks at Harris Cyclery thought of him as much more; his value would be best described as treasure.

His career at Harris Cyclery was an unassuming backdrop to his contribution to the cycling community. Reading through the links to the volumes of articles he wrote for beginner cyclists, one cannot help but remark, “I wish I had been able to read that when I was starting out.”

That Sheldon compiled all of this information so devoid of desire for personal glory, so stubbornly without remuneration was far more than modest, it was selfless. That he didn't make his living as a bike magazine editor bears an ironic twist--he deserved to make his living as a writer, but had he done so, his thousands of pages of text would be buried deep within magazine back issues rather than searchable on the Internet. His sacrifice was our gain.

It is unsurprising that such an original thinker would credit the works of Robert A. Heinlein, Martin Luther King and Bertrand Russell as sources of inspiration.

Sheldon leaves behind a wife, Harriet, and two children: a daughter, Tova, and a son, George, both of whom are Ph.D. candidates in mathematics.

For my part, I met Sheldon only once, at Interbike. I told him it was a pleasure to meet him and how important a resource his work has been to me. He seemed genuinely delighted to be paid the compliment and I was pleased to think I might have brightened his day.

Sheldon, your passing is a loss to a community larger than you know.

Picture of Sheldon from his site was pilfered without his family's permission. We hope they won't mind.

Cascade Bicycle Studio

As most readers know, we here at BKW are intrigued by shops that focus on the passionate cyclist. We have noticed a trend that's forming in the bicycle industry. There is a push for bike shops which are smaller in size and narrower in focus. A shop specific to tandem riders, one aimed at the hucking crowd and of course, shops aimed at road cyclists. This specific approach offers cyclists a concentrated dose of their passion, free from both the physical and mental distractions of a traditional bike shop.

Our latest shop visit lands BKW in the Pacific Northwest with a visit to Cascade Bicycle Studio (CBS), a one man, one-on-one bicycle studio that operates by "appointment only". Given the nature of the studio and the individualistic approach, we'd fall short if we didn't mention its proprietor and founder, long-time bike industry guy, cyclocross fanatic, and Hup United founder, Zac Daab.

Zac's background is very similar to most bike industry folks: he began working at a bike shop at a very early age, sweeping the floors, building bikes for inventory, and picking up lunch for the mechanics and sales team. It was during these years that Zac became hooked on cycling and it became his full-time obsession and, in one form or another, his vocation for the next 12 years. Prior to his launch of CBS, Zac worked at Seven Cycles as Senior Fit Expert, recommending more than 7,000 frame specifications for a variety of clients, including olympians, professional athletes, weekend warriors, and cycling enthusiasts. Zac's broad industry experience equips him to offer an expert opinion as it relates to bicycle fitting, custom bicycle design and geometry, and material selection based on the rider's intended use of the bike and previous riding experience. Zac's education at Seven and his years of retail experience provided him with a perfect segue to the "studio" approach to bicycle retail.

CBS is located in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood. The studio space is set just off the main street, resting literally below the hustle of North 36th Street. Stepping through the doorway and into the Studio was a sensory experience. The warm glow of the wood floors paired with the beautiful, neatly aligned machines created a sensation that was part awakening and part flash bulb memory. Much in the same way that small shop in Redding, California did when I visited it after more than 22 years: the smell and feel of the space marked a first. For CBS, it was the first time I entered a "studio" bike shop, and for the latter shop, the first time I walked into an honest-to-goodness California bike shop. The first impressions of CBS remains etched into my mind's eye.

My initial thoughts were "where is all the stuff?" The streamlined nature of the shop and simple lack of the superfluous was, at first, disorienting. I mean, where are the boxes? the bright colors? the racks of clothes? the kids bikes? the tire inventories? the big service area? Where is all the stuff? Ahhh..., but this is the essence of CBS...streamlined and clutter-free. With these components missing, CBS is free to focus on the aspects that a passionate cyclist is seeking. Great advice, empowerment and top-level service.

The atmosphere at the studio is relaxed, professional, and rich in bicycle culture. Clients of all abilities and goals are welcome at the studio and a strong emphasis is placed on uncovering client needs and goals, rather than quizzing client’s knowledge, skill set, and accolades. At CBS, one does not need to “earn” the right to be a part of the studio culture. - CBS website

To some, CBS's product and service offerings may seem too narrow, too single-minded, but for others who seek their dream bike or relief from pain on the bicycle, CBS provides the right blend of offerings and non-exclusivity. A comparison could be drawn between cycling and motorsports. If you own an older model BMW, a car dedicated for use at the track, and you are seeking advice and mechanical expertise to make your car faster on track days, the dealer is probably the last place you would seek info. The focus of the dealer is different than a small shop who specializes in track cars (maybe even your generation BMW). Add a mechanic whose former experience was building BMW's race engines and now you have a shop whose focus aligns with your very specific needs and has the background to offer a level of support that few others do.

When you break down the Studio approach into its simplest form, it becomes apparent why it appeals to cyclists seeking top-level service and advice on the purchase of their next machine. Today's bikes are more technical and more expensive than ever before. CBS distills all components of a traditional shop leaving the services and products that are of interest and benefit to the serious cyclist. CBS aims not to sell a cyclist their first bike, but rather to sell them their second or third bike or fourth.

CBS's offerings are not limited to solely bikes. While visiting, Zac was wrapping up the installation of two SRMs for different customers. Having spent a season riding the SRM, I see the benefit of purchasing such a complex instrument from a retailer who has the time to explain the functions of the training tool and to address the enivitable flood of questions I will have in the future.

The cycling population at large is slowly adjusting to the new kid on the block, and for those who have a "studio" in their community, the acceptance of this approach to bicycle retail has already begun. In the same way the "corporate store" has rewritten the retail landscape, the studio approach is next. Bicycle retail is undergoing another transition in an effort to keep up with its customers and their needs.

If you find yourself in the Pacific Northwest, schedule a visit with Zac and drop by CBS. You won't be disappointed.

Cascade Bicycle Studio
473 North 36th Street #C
Seattle, WA 98103
206.547.4900

Vecchio's Bicicletteria

Boulder, Colorado has long been a hotbed for cycling: it remains a challenge to swing a spoke ruler without hitting a PRO or two in the process. Boulder was one of the first towns I ever visited where the bike shop competition was fierce. It was akin to that of gas stations in Los Angeles. Literally, there were bike shops on almost every corner and the abundance of shops makes perfect sense. Boulder is a college town and there are countless students riding bikes to and fro, and with each student there is an opportunity to sell at least 2.3 bikes per students if you figure each college student will have at least 1 bike stolen during their pursuit of higher education. For each bike stolen, there are u-locks to be sold, flat tires to be fixed, and the steady stream of stolen seat/seat post and front wheel replacements. So naturally, Boulder would be a boomtown for bike shops. When the soup is good...


But Boulder is more than a college town selling $200 beaters. Boulder is home to PROs seeking elevation training, those who are in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and, of course, those who seek as many powder days as possible. Boulder's cycling community has thrived over the years, and many great shops call it home. The famous Morgal Bismark put its stamp on the cycling world back in the late 80s and early 90s and served as a training center for those lucky enough to punch a time card.

One such employee was Sean Bragstad who spent his formative years in the Bay Area and was then drawn to the mountains. Sean and his partner Peter Chisholm spent a number of years working side-by-side at other Boulder institutions and both have a passion and viewpoint that is euro-road-centric. Not since Ernie's on San Vicente in Santa Monica has a shop embodied such a roadie feel before you even enter the front door. I remember the first time I heard about Vecchio's and I recall thinking it sounds like my kind of shop.


Vecchio's name is indicative of their approach to cycling: vecchio is Italian for "old man" or "old way". The shop has a profound respect for the history of the bicycle and their dedication to the sport is matched by their level of customer service. The shop, like a great Italian pasta sauce, is made up of Sean and Peter's life-long cycling experiences, which are collected, cooked and reduced leaving an essence that is the shop. If you are passionate about cycling, its history and high-end road machines this is the place. There is nothing extraneous inside Vecchio's that will take away from your experience. No "corporate concept" shop, no endless rows of $400 bikes. Just Peter, Sean, and the gear you and I seek. Simple.

The moment you walk into the shop you are greeted by cycling's history, old bikes, old posters, and showcases filled with the items you wish you had in your collection. The last shop that spoke to me like this was Wheelsmith in Palo Alto. Vecchio's amazing machines, parts, and accessories actually take a backseat to the memorabilia and "cycling stuff" that fills the belly of the shop. Once you're familiar with your surroundings, strike up a conversation with Sean and Peter and it may be a while before you even notice the bikes.




As I travel along my journey through cycling, it's rare that I come across a shop that speaks to me from both the future and the past. From one vantage point, Vecchio's represents the future of bicycle shops, catering to a select group of cyclists. Knowing that they can not compete in a commodity-driven market, a market where price is the single concern. Alternatively, Vecchio's chooses to focus on service, namely, providing their customers with an experience that no big box shop can offer: a service that passionate cyclists value. From the other perspective, Vecchio's resembles the shops I fell in love with back in the 80s and 90s; those that I would travel out of my way to see and experience. Like Vecchio's today, those shops were catering to the passionate cyclist and I received their beacon loud and clear.

Vecchio's provides a one-of-a-kind experience, and a passion that is equal to your own.

Pack your bags and get yourself to Boulder. When you get to Vecchio's, tell them BKW sent you.

Vecchio's
1833 Pearl Street
Republic of Boulder, CO 80302
USA
303.440.3535

Broadway Bicycle School

Another city and another visit to a unique bicycle shop. This time my travels take me to Broadway Bicycle School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside Beantown. There are few U.S. cities more bike-centric than Boston. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was lucky enough to blindly stumble into this scene back in '98. In the early days, I was out exploring the local bike shops; trying to settle into a groove when I was awestruck by a one-of-a-kind Raleigh hitched to a signpost in Harvard Square. The bike was a traditional Raleigh Green with an immaculate Sturmy Archer internal 3-speed and an eclectic mix of old and new components. The crank set and BB had been upgraded and so had the fenders and chain guard, but this bike was everything vintage with the exception of a few new and improved critical components. I marveled at this work of art and not long after the first spotting I saw another, different in color and size but similar in build. Then throughout the summer I saw another, and yet another. I followed the breadcrumb trail and it led me to the Broadway Bicycle School.

Broadway is everything a bicycle shop should be: it's rich in history, has knowledgeable staff, and when you first open the creaky screen door and lay down a foot on the wooden floors, the passion is so thick you have to wade through it. Undoubtedly, Broadway's charm lies in how it's operated. First, Broadway is established as a Co-op, with multiple partners who jointly decide the direction of the shop. Staff is welcome to vote as well, weighing in on all products that are sold there.

When you initially set foot in Broadway, you are greeted by all the wonderful sights and sounds of a great shop. There is no shortage of interesting bikes to look at; many are perfectly suited to meet the Boston area's dependency on bicycles. Every bike shop has an area where they choose to focus, for some it is custom frames, for others it may be the triathlete crowd or new parents. Broadway focuses on the crowd who rely on their machine for transportation, recreation, and the therapy only a bicycle can provide. Much of the pure function that has been designed out over the past decades is available in spades at Broadway. Fenders, chain guards, and baskets are all commonplace, providing some respite for weary commuters from heavy loads and the wet streets of Cambridge. When the bicycle is your method of travel, the demands can be great.

As the name implies, Broadway is a school, offering one-on-one tutelage for customers interested in learning the inner workings of their machines. For those who have the mechanical knowledge but lack the space or tools to complete repairs on their own, Broadway offers everything a mechanic needs to chase and face a frame to building wheels. Tools, work stands, and instruction are all available in hourly segments or 5-minute blocks for the quick repairs. For those who prefer to repair rather than replace, there is an option to purchase used components or salvage small parts from the many drawers containing forgotten gems from the past.



One look at the Broadway frame decal and it is evident just how much style this shop and its employees have. The decal is reminiscent of the old Reynolds tubing decals of the 60s and 70s, a time when a frame was partially measured by the tubing decals they wore. The decal sums things up nicely, this shop is staying true to the cyclist in every aspect. There's no fancy computer to align your purchasing habits to other products you may enjoy, there is no fitting area for maximizing your power output. This, of course, gives Broadway the classic "bike shop" feel, that of an old shop, where the machine itself is the centerpiece and the concept of the shop rests on getting the rider back out onto the street where they belong. In all honesty, this is the highest honor I can give to any shop. Simply put, there is no bullshit at Broadway. Raw, pure functionality is the name of the game here.



Broadway Bicycle School
351 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone - 617-868-3392

One on One Studio

Inevitably, when the cycling discussion turns to which shops "do it right," One on One Studio is always mentioned. For years, I've heard about the magic going down in Minnesota and often the buzz is hitched to One on One (OoO). If you were a mountain biker in the late 80s or early 90s, then you have heard of the shop's founder, Gene Oberpriller. Gene is as much a part of early mountain bikes as Tioga's tension disk and Suntour XC PRO. Through his years in the sport, the industry, and the city of Minneapolis, Gene understands his clientele and the local cycling scene. In a word, Gene gets the importance of creating a community environment. With so much talk about the bike scene in Minneapolis, it was time for BKW to hit the road again, this time in an effort to get some One on One time.

As I stepped foot into the shop, I was greeted by the creak of the worn wooden floors and the growl of an espresso machine's milk steamer. To my right sat a row of tables and a couple sharing a bowl of soup. Upon first glance, I had to wonder: Where are the bikes?

The shop is divided into three distinct areas: the coffee and sandwich bar, the studio, and the service area. Each section acts as a stand-alone space. As I passed through the sweet aroma of the daily brew and then through the bike inventory, I landed in the service area that buzzed with activity. To my right, running the full length of the space, rested every incarnation of Bianchi's single speed MTB and to my left, was a wall of printed memorabilia and current events. Upon my arrival in the service area, new inventory was being diligently entered into the database and repairs were underway.


One on One is a curious mix of coffee shop, bike shop, ecelctic art gallery, and junkyard; a bit of a museum of useful things, if you will. In many ways, One on One is the bike room that you dream of and, to a cyclist who loves Bridgestone and its history, this shop just can't be missed. Herein lies the evidence that Gene knows a thing or two about what makes a cyclist tick: sweet machines, all the tools you could imagine, never-a-bad-cuppa espresso machine, cool art, and all the keepsakes from your years of racing. What more could a cyclist want?

A walk through OoO:

When I first entered the door, I turned around and resting above the front door is Gene's orange X0-1 from '93, the very bike Gene rode to victory at the famous Chequamegon 40. This piece of history remains outfitted with all the bells and whistles from the era: a Softride suspension stem, Shimano 737 SPDs, moustache bars, and even an orange Silca frame pump. For a rainy October day, the shop was alive with the sights and sounds of a traditional bike shop.

Light Fare
The first third of the shop is a fully functioning coffee house, complete with artwork and a menu of delicious items. The coffee is excellent, the treats fresh, and the soup is good enough that you'd be proud to call it your own. Sandwiches round out the menu and prove that One on One is good for more than replacing a broken spoke.


The Studio
Gene's studio portion of the shop displays bicycles as the works of art that they are. Featured on waterfall type racks, each model is represented only once. Here, there's no "big box" approach where the inventory is spilling out of every nook. Whenever I visit a shop where the bike display emphasizes the bicycle itself, I'm reminded of how beautifully simple the bicycle is, and how it's certainly worthy of the prime space above your fireplace. The "studio" feel of Gene's shop is the idyllic backdrop for the aesthetic beauty of a Bianchi, and whether it's the pedigree of their high-end road machines or the smooth swoop of the Bergamo's handle bars, One on One provides the right canvas for these masterpieces.


Service
The service area is located in the rear of the building, which provides those seeking service with a direct alley entrance. This area was the gem of my entire experience and I spent the majority of my time closely eyeing it's very facets: cabinets housing both old and new bike components and frames, CD collections, historic machines, and a selection of handlebars that would make a stem rattle with excitement. Among the treasures I uncovered was an old velvet lamp, a fallback to the edifice's previous life as a sizzling "massage parlor".


The Basement
Words can not do justice to describe Gene's basement. Floor to ceiling. Wall to wall. Get yourself to Minneapolis and see it for yourself.


One on One Studio is an unparalleled and unprecedented shop for the cyclist who relies on his machine for transportation, livelihood, or just plain 'ol mental wellness. With all the cycling-centric activities offered in Minneapolis, it would be easy to time your visit to catch a handful of memorable cycling events both on and off the bike, year 'round.

One on One Studio
117 Washington Ave N. - Warehouse District
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 612.371.9565

Duncan

The bike shop has aways represented a club house of sorts. A refuge for those whose souls are fired by the bicycle. The view of the bicycle shop from an employee standpoint represents a hard life, one where the hours are long, and the dollars short, but one where the personal rewards are endless. I remember an employee from the 80s-90s named Duncan. Duncan was the perfect example of the bike shop employee and loved the bicycle for its simplicity and humility. The bicycle was a machine free of complexity and bureaucracy. A machine which operated on pennies a day and paid physical dividends to its rider. Duncan always wore jeans and they were stained with grease and dirt from years of commuting and service. Duncan was a photographer whose favorite subject was the bicycle. Not races, not PROs, just the bike and its mechanical workings. Duncan sported a thinker's mustache, not a creepy porn star stache, but an honest thinking man's stache. Something he could go to when in deep thought. Duncan's style was as functional and modest as he was, right down to wearing his belt buckle on the side of his hip as opposed to dead center. The idea was to keep the large brass buckle from digging into his abdomen while in a seated riding position. Duncan's simplicity was echoed in his dedication to the generator light, long past its useful home in the commuter's tool box.

Duncan was a whole wheat bread kind of guy long before whole wheat came into vogue. Simple, hardworking, creative, and passionate about the bicycle. Duncan represented the cyclist of the 80s. Whether you were were shopping for a new bike, dropping off a repair or trying to source obscure French replacement parts, you were lucky to stumble into Duncan.

The Art of the Bike Wash

I learned to wash bikes in 1990 from a journeyman mechanic who had just returned from a tour of duty with the 7-11 team. He was a master mechanic in every sense of the word. He carried a suitcase that looked all the spy novel to house his tools of the trade. It was a suitcase designed for electricians: an aluminum case with layers that had individual pockets for tools and small parts. I remember the first day he came to work at the shop he brought his case, a travel stand (in the days before travel stands), a 5-gallon paint bucket, a selection of specialty brushes, and a pair of honest to goodness firefighter boots (complete with steel toes). In the days of old, we simply wiped bikes down with a rag and washed the parts in a solvent tank. Those days were about to become a thing of the past.

I had no idea there were such specialized practices for bike washing. There were special brushes for specific tasks, a special type of soap, and a brush technique for drive trains, brakes, the frame, bar tape, and wheels. Over 3 years, I came to master the art of bike washing. I washed well over 1000 bikes in my day. In the summer, I washed them under the baking sun, in the winter I washed them in the small confines of a dark, dank basement. Below are some tricks I continue to employ today (in no particular order):

Brush Selection
Wheel brush - As in wire-spoked British car wheels (not bicycle wheel). This long, cone-shaped brush is ideal for areas that are tight and difficult-to-get-to, from the area between spokes and the hubs to the brake caliper, and below the BB area and the cassette. This brush will also do a number on bar tape, allowing the white to stay PRO white.

Wide brush - This brush is intended for the wheels and sides of the rims and tires. It covers large areas and works beautifully on all flat surfaces. I prefer this type of brush to have a long handle. When the temps are cool and your hands are wet, there is nothing more painful than slipping with the brush and slamming your knuckles into the brake caliper, or worse, the chain rings.

Large sponge or wash mitt - In the old days, brushes were too harsh to use on a sweet paint job because over time they would leave light scratches on the clear coat and create a fog. Today, the concern remains a frame's clear coat but now its carbon fiber's clear coat. Sponges have differing textures, use a softer option so the appearance of the frame is retained.

A note on brushes: Brush selection is a matter of personal preference. When selecting a brush, insure the bristles are made of natural fiber. The plastic bristle brushes have a tendency to hold grease, causing it to spread around rather than remove it. Drop a nasty, greasy natural bristle brush into a a solution of warm water and Dawn liquid soap and the grease literally falls off the bristles.

Cleaners
Avoid harsh chemicals at all costs - If your chain and cassette are so gunked up with spent grease and road grime, it's probably time to replace it rather than clean it. For the really dirty intervals, I use Simple Green, which is a natural de-greaser and all-round cleaner that is ideal for drive trains. Steer clear of harsh chemicals, especially on carbon bikes. Harsh chemicals are not good for clear coats, resins, bonded joints, and good 'ol Mother Earth.

Dawn dishwashing detergent - This blue liquid soap is magic on dirty, muddy, greasy bikes and, if you clean your machine frequently, it's all that is needed to produce a clean, PRO machine. I prefer the original formula and, when mixed with some hot water, there is very little 'ol blue can't tackle.

I opt for frequent washings, this helps to keep the drive train clean and, with the elimination of sand and road grime, the drive train components will not wear as quickly.

Be cautious when spraying water on the machine: avoid spraying water directly into the bearing areas. If your bike is equipped with electronics like an SRM, it's wise to avoid water and chemicals altogether in this area. I use a clean cloth for the SRM and, following a wet Spring, I pull it off and clean the individual components by hand.

In the dead of winter when the hose is in hibernation, I use an tea kettle to perform the rinse. I fill it with hot water and wait until I've washed the entire bike before rinsing. You have to work fast so the soap remains effective but it's key to removing the corrosive salts and oil/grease mixture that lays on top of the roads in winter.

After any wash, I apply a very light coating of lube on the chain and then hang the machine allowing it to air dry. Every mechanic's technique for washing bikes varies and over time everyone develops techniques that work best for them.

I was fortunate to have learned this PRO skill from a complete and utter PRO. A complete bike wash takes me less than 10 minutes and a quick wash takes less than 5. In the spring, I'll re-use the same bucket of soapy water for weeks at a time due to the frequency of washes. When I roll in from a soggy ride, the waiting bucket makes it easy to give the bike a quick wash.

A clean machine is a PRO machine and it allows for the components to work properly while reducing wear. Keep it PRO, keep it clean.

Jitensha Studio

I have visited hundreds of bike shops around the country. No matter where my travels take me, the smells and sounds inherent to bike shops bring me a sense of home and comfort. I aim to visit shops that are doing something unique, something different than the others. Often, these shops are focused on an aspect of the cycling world that is dear to them, something driven by their passion. One such shop is Jitensha Studio, located in Berkeley, California. (Jitensha is bicycle in Japanese.) This past May, I made a point to visit this gem of a shop.

Jitensha is centered around the mantra that the bicycle and the products that surround it need be merely simple and functional. Jitensha offers custom steel, lugged frames designed specifically for a rider's needs, and have purposeful names such as the All Around and the All Purpose Bike. Owner Hiroshi Iimura designs each bike for a specific function or rider and relies on a highly selective list of frame builders to produce his frames.

Hiroshi has been designing bicycle frames for over thirty years and his style is one of simplicity and beauty. His designs are displayed throughout the shop and they invariably capture the essence of the bicycle, that is, each machine has clean lines, beautifully sculpted lugs, and is painted in crisp colors. The finished product is a purification─a reduction of the superfluous─and leaves only that which is neccessary for the task at hand. Hiroshi feels the lugs reflect the artistic nature of a bicycle frame and shuns the mass produciton of tig-welded frames.

My emotions are always stirred by this approach to the bicycle. In a world of over-engineered, over-hyped crap, Hiroshi's approach is warm and welcoming, a reminder of why the bicycle crosses cultures and needs no explanation or translation. I realize Hiroshi's creations are a world away from the high-tech machines ridden in the PRO Tour. however, I don't see these as two ends of the continuum, rather I look to both "worlds" often to find balance. Jitensha's approach is similar to that of Grant Peterson and rightfully so, Jitensha was Grant's local shop before and during the days of Bridgestone. Thus, it seems natural and safe to assume that Hiroshi's influence made its way to the bikes produced by Bridgestone.


In addition to offering frames and complete bikes, Jitensha also provides hand-selected components, such as Honjo-hammered fenders and a beautiful selection of Nitto products. Probably the most exciting element found in Jitensha is the departure from the standard bike shop. Hiroshi knows his products, understands his place in the bike world, and does it better than anyone else.

JITENSHA STUDIO
2250 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
510•540•6240
Winter Hours:
Tues - Sat: 11:00 - 5:00
www.jitensha.com

Jitensha was originally posted on 12-21-06.

The Ego

In the mid 90s, while working in a bike shop in Southern California, I had one of the funniest bike shop moments of my 20+ years in the industry.

It was a Monday and things were quiet. The staff is down to three: myself, a sales guy, and a mechanic. A customer came in whom I recognized from the past weekend. He had been in on Saturday and talked at length with one of the sales guys about a sweet Trek 5200. Today, he was prepared to test ride the bike he was after. After some small talk and and a change of clothes he realized he had forgotten his license. Test ride policy clearly stated that a license was a must and there was no way around this. Well, the sales guy working that day was also a roadie and a bit of a hammer so he thought it would be fun to tag along with the customer to talk with him about the bike, answer questions, and, ultimately, sneak in a ride on the clock.

In a short time, both riders were suited up and ready to go...it was time for a test ride. It was just before 11:00 AM when they rolled out of the shop. At 1:30 PM, our ego-maniac, hammer, sales guy came riding back into the shop, alone and looking troubled. The test rider and the new Trek 5200 were gone.

Dejected, sweaty, and embarrassed, our sales guy went on to tell us the story: They had ridden into some of the smaller hills just outside of town. There, the customer was doing some hill repeats to get an idea of how the bike would climb. First in the saddle, then out. Now our sales guy was quite the racer, fast and aggressive when on the bike, and fiercely competitive and after a few climbs, got in on the action, first keeping pace with the customer, then pushing it a bit, and eventually trying to out sprint the customer. Somewhere between the bottom and the top of the climb and probably just below our sales guy's lactic threshold the customer (and the 5200) had simply hung a left and disappeared. Our sales guy had spent the remaining time speeding around the area, up hills and down hills. Everywhere. There was no sign of the 5200 (or the customer). Evidently, Mr. Sales' ego had taken over, taking with it an expensive machine.

Who knew if the customer had originally set out to steal the bike or if the opportunity was simply to great to pass up. Either way, to me, it was so damn funny. Even though his ego got the best of him in this situation, he certainly wasn't an accomplice to the theft, and he was really sorry, and really embarrassed. The shop felt the cost of the bike was certainly worth the rights to tell the story repeatedly, and to never let him live this one down.

PRO is PROGRAM GO!

The Cupertino bus is a fixture in the Northern California cycling scene. So much in fact that it appears on Google Earth when you type in Cupertino's address.

Cupertino Bike Shop

Bicycle PRO Shop

When I travel to Washington, D.C., one of my favorite places is the Bicycle PRO Shop located at the foot of the Key Bridge in the heart of Georgetown. Besides being permeated by the government, D.C. is also home to a very hardcore road and messenger scene. A walk through DuPont Circle will yield a mass of amazing fixed gear machines, some Mad Max in style and others look like they have rolled out of a velodrome. Road cyclists are everywhere, mostly making their way out of town to hit some of the sweet rollers in Virginia and Maryland.

When you step foot into the Bicycle PRO Shop (BPS), you are blown away by the sheer amount of cool Euro gear. When visiting BPS, I advise beginning with a visit to Dean and Deluca, which is just up the street, for an espresso or coffee of the day. With cup in hand and the sweet taste of the bean, you can truly take the time needed to wade through all the eye candy. As you pass through the door, first stop is the showcase to the right. Inside you'll find relics from a simpler time, some cool, old Campy gear, and perhaps an odd French headset or BB. Littered about in the same case are all of the high-zoot, Gucci tweaks that you may have heard about but never thought you would see in-person: from a full ti cassette from a small Italian manufacturer to an all-carbon rear deraileur. Clearly, you can see that somebody has a passion for all things road and isn't afraid to offer customers products to make their machines unique.


Meander further into the shop and you'll find a selection of tires that would make any hard core cyclists drool (and I ain't talking about 50 pairs of Michelin PRO Race tires either). The selection is vast and BPS has a tire to fit your individual needs. Vittoria EVO Pave CG anyone? It was here that I first saw the original Campagnolo Carbon crank of 2002. You may remember the hype that accompanied this crankset: Campagnolo had machined down their existing Al crank and then applied a layer of carbon fiber to increase rigidity and decrease weight. The result is a crankset limited in numbers and completely handmade in Italy. The cost: well above retail ($1,000 was most common) and they were impossible to get a hold of. During that visit I saw not one, not two, but three pairs, a remarkable feat for any shop!

In addition to the amazing road bikes, BPS also dabbles in the sweet MTBs. Full-suspension or hard tails, you decide. At the time of my last visit, the selection of Santa Cruz bikes was second to none. With a look into the crevacies, the shop always yields a gem or two. In 2003, well before the recent interest in cross, a gander toward the ceiling at the front corner of the shop uncovered an amazing ALAN cross frame. As a side note, the staff at the shop are always welcoming and knowledgeable about the products.


A unique aspect of the BPS is the bike shop located next door. Yes, you read that right, one door down is home to Revolution Cycles, a rapidly expanding chain of Trek dealerships in the D.C. area. Revolution came about when, back in the late 90s, a few of the BPS employees decided to strike out on their own and open a shop. Whether it was their love for the neighborhood or habit, they decided to open it directly next door. A gutsy move if you ask me but also a testiment to the size of the cycling community in the area. Both shops seem to be doing well. My photos from Bicycle PRO Shop may be a bit dated but they convey the seriousness of the shop as well as just how much sweet gear is packed in this place (literally from floor to ceiling).


When in D.C., be sure to drop by and visit Coppi's, a wonderful organic restaurant, named after the one and only.

Photo courtesy: Bicycle PRO Shop

Bicycle PRO Shop
3403 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-337-0311
www.bicycleproshop.com

Bikes You're Sure to Like

Cycling as a lifestyle. That's how Bridgestone presented their bikes to the U.S. market. I heard it loud and clear. Pineapple Bob (pictured below) was the first cyclist in print to whom I could relate. He was just a guy, who rode his bike and happened to be featured in ads for a cool bike company. No endorsements, no multi-year, multi-million dollar racing sponsorship. Bridgestone was good like that because they featured real cyclists. Some I even knew: I recall one Bridgestone catalogue featured none other than our regional Bridgestone sales rep.


To this day, Pineapple Bob still represents the simple things in life: Shorts at work, wool jerseys, a functional bicycle, and a low maintenance haircut. Simple. I've never met Bob and I don't know if any of these attributes are even accurate as they relate to Bob (except maybe the haircut), but the image of Bob represents how I've always wanted to live my life. A lifestyle compass, if you will.

The bicycle industry at a retail level is filled with people who have put their passions and love before wealth. Let's face it: if your goal is to make serious cake, the bike industry in any form is not the place to be. There is an old saying among the heads of state: If you want to make a million dollars in the bicycle industry, start with two. Since I started writing this blog, I have tried to capture the look-and-feel of the bicycle shop as I see it through my experience and years of service. My perspective may be different than some because I literally grew up in a bicycle shop where my earliest kid memories involve bicycles and the feel and smell of it all. I can recall decades of bike shop employees, mechanics, part-time sales people, gophers as we used to affectionately refer to them, customers, both good and bad, and bicycle-related products (also, both good and bad).


Look at this cover from the 1994 Bridgestone catalog, specifically at Pineapple Bob, the wooden bench, and the specialty tools hanging in the background. This image captures the very essence of the bike shop and the people who make the retail world go 'round. When I see this image I can't help but think about the old days and pure enjoyment I would receive from simply arriving to face a day in the shop. Pineapple Bob has always been a reminder of my life direction and mantra. When I see Bob's image in any capacity I am reminded to keep it simple, keep it real, and keep it focused on my passion for cycling.

Below is an old piece called "Moustaches and Pineapples: Bridgestone's Grant Petersen Speaks Out" by Chris Kostman, which originally appeared in California Bicyclist in August 1992. This interview provides insight into Pineapple Bob's life and how his image became an icon for Bridgestone, and for me.

CK- Tell us about Pineapple Bob.

GP- In 1985 we had an advertising agency doing our ads and I didn't think they were doing a very good job of selling the bikes, so I and a few other people expressed our dissatisfaction with the ads. So the president at the time said "Do you think you could do any better?" I said "yeah" and he said "O.K., you be our advertising agency. So we needed a model and everyone looks fatter in pictures, so you need someone with just phenomenal legs for them to even look normal. Well, Robert has the best legs around and he looks like a six-day rider in Europe or something. His legs are just amazing and you start with something good like that and you've got the leg thing covered, anyway. He's also a good rider, he's easy to work with and he's a friendly guy that I get along with personally, too. He's a good friend, so we just use him for our ads.

CK- How did you know him and how did he get his name?

GP- I didn't know him then. We hung around the same bike shop, Hiroshi's Jitensha Studio in Berkeley, and I sort of made the connection there. Hiroshi's daughter, Natsumi, named him Pineapple Bob because there were two or three other Bobs that hung around the bike shop. Robert grew up in Hawaii and his hair shoots our like a pineapple so she called him Pineapple Bob just to differentiate him from the other Bobs. By the way, I don't call him Pineapple Bob. Mostly his friends call him Robert. I'd only call him Pineapple Bob if I were joking around. By the way, don't go a whole lot into this in your article, because we like to keep him a mystery and anonymous. He's going to be in a video that we're doing, but he's not going to have a speaking role.

Campagnolo Dust Covers

Back in January 2007, I visited NYC and had a chance to ride with an old friend who had relocated to the Big Apple. We enjoyed a couple of hours spinning around Central Park and catching up on old times, sprinting the climbs and enjoying the down hill sections.

As our ride came to a close and we rested in the warm January sun, I noticed a small but subtle detail on his machine.

This detail (above) could only come from one shop: Conrad's in NYC. If you have never been to this small shop in Tudor City, it's an absolute must. The crew at Conrad's has been building exquisite machines with the utmost attention to detail for decades and they have undeniably perfected the art of the finish. Whether it's the immaculate, tape-less finish of the handle bar tape (think bar tape on the tops without the traditional electrical tape) or this little gem, Conrad's does it right. The next time you make it to NYC, drop in and see for yourself the level of detail inside the shop.

After seeing this beautiful trick I had to emulate it. The rubber caps are provided with the brakes, and I think they are intended to keep the barrel adjuster connected to the brake in transit. I simply punched a small hole in it and threaded the cable through before attaching the cable at the anchor point. From the dust collected on the cap you can see that this trick provides some protection to the integrity of the cable and housing.

When in NYC, visit:

Conrad's
25 Tudor City Place
NY, NY 10017
212.697.6966

Dong Ngo 1955-2006

The glow that surrounds the cycling i