Arts Cyclery Blog

We have always been big fans of Light and Motion products, so we were very excited to attend their 2010 dealer meeting, held at their factory/headquarters on Monterey, California’s historic Cannery Row.

After an amazing lunch of homemade tamales, quesadillas, and horchata, (thanks, Salsa!) we broke into small groups for a tour of the facilities. Light and Motion is housed in an old cannery building—tall ceilings, brick walls, four levels, and it’s right on the water. The ocean-side location is fitting since Light and Motion began by designing and building premium underwater lights and housings for video cameras, and they are still leaders in that industry.

The first stop was the assembly line, where we were put to work building Stella 200’s. There is a  lot of skill required to create a high-end light, and you don’t pick it up quickly. Luckily, the guys who work the line were generous with their knowledge and walked us through the process, making sure we were able to complete a working light system, albeit they could’ve built ten in the time it took me to make one. Don’t worry, we got to keep the lights we built, Light and Motion’s customers deserve a product built by the best—their assemblers—not by me.

Next up was an overview of the history of Light and Motion products. Everything they’ve built from the very first bike light and water housing  up until the yet-to-be-released 2010 stuff was on display. Most impressive to me was observing how the batteries shrunk every year, even as the light got more powerful. As an aside, Light and Motion underwater engineers are chasing down a two-thousand lumen video light—which would only light an object about ten feet away, since so much of the light’s energy is absorbed by water.

Finally we were taken through the lower levels of the cannery building. This is where the Light and Motion Skunkworks is housed. Almost every part of their lights are built and designed here. Molds for the rubber and plastic bits are designed and machined in-house, a state-of-the-art three-dimensional printer creates models of developing product for testing and refinement, and vigorous tests are carried out on custom-built machines.

What’s most impressive about Light and Motion, besides their amazing lights, is the company itself. Everyone who works there is committed to building the best product possible, and their pride in their work is evident. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the folks who monitor quality control, take care of warranties and repairs, solder the circuit boards, and make sure every box that leaves the factory has all the parts it should have, and they all work as they should. Light and Motion’s dedication to sustainability is evident in every step of the building process—aluminum scraps from tooling is recycled, excess molded rubber is re-used, and they generously support environmental awareness programs in their community. Light and Motion uses a Kanban system to maximize efficiency. A smooth-running factory  results, in which problems are recognized and solved quickly by the people who actually have their hands in the process.

After touring the Light and Motion headquarters, I’m more impressed than ever with the bike lights company that supports it’s community, which includes cyclists everywhere, not just in Monterey. Light and Motion goes the extra step in everything they do, whether it’s hand-tapping reflectors to get the absolute perfect beam pattern for mountain biking, to creating new and better manufacturing techniques to protect our planet.

Luke General, Industry

We here at Art’s Cyclery are exited that the Pro Road season is finally underway. There was a lot of deck-shuffling and surprise moves made over the off-season, and the trash-talking has already begun for the new year—it all means more excitement for us, the race fans. Team HTC-Columbia is back to their old tricks—winning races—with Andre Greipel riding to victory in the Tour Down Under. Looking forward, will Tom Boonen become only the second man in history to win Paris-Roubaix four times? Will Levi and Lance dominate the greatest Tour of California yet? Of course the race we’re all looking forward to is in July. This year’s Tour de France could be one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. Cadel Evans’ move to BMC puts him on a team that can provide real support, and he’s got to be hungry for a Tour win. Will Cavendish go all-out for the Green Jersey that so many people think should be his? How about the Schleck Brothers? Are they for real? We’ll find out soon.

Lance. Contador. Who will win… Last years display of dominance by the Spaniard seems to have left little doubt, but Lance seems to have the stronger, more disciplined team, and even though he’s another year older, he’s had another year to train himself back into race shape—just look at all those FRS advertisements. For Contador, the question is whether or not Vinokurov and Pereiro will truly lay themselves on their swords for their leader. If Contador has their unyielding support, he could be untouchable. And those new yellow pedals he’s got might help him out, too.

July is a long way off, however, and there will be a lot of great racing to watch before then. Let Art’s Cyclery get you all kitted-up by visiting one of our Pro Team stores; Liquigas, Quick Step, and of course, HTC-Columbia, so you’ll be ready to go when your favorite race kicks off this 2010. Until then, keep riding.

Luke General, Racing and Races, Road, Uncategorized

In case you didn’t think Marin’s were cool, or their suspension design was anything but hokey, here’s a sweet video we found of Matt Butterworth shredding on his Marin. We’re stoked on the bikes and it seems he is too. One thing’s for certain, it doesn’t seem to be slowing him down. Enjoy!

Postill Vid 2009 from Eric Marciniak on Vimeo.

Click here to see Artscyclery.com’s selection of Marin bicycles.
Hammer On

Bradstone General, Pleasures of Riding Marin, Mountain Biking

Everyone wants to live in an area with lots of riding opportunities, and lots of people to ride with, right? We at Art’s Cyclery know how lucky we are to have both—it’s not Whistler or the hills of Tuscany, but we can pedal from our front door into hours of climbing, plummeting, rolling, twisting, scenic asphalt or singletrack, and almost always run into someone we know along the way. 

San Luis Obispo’s cycling scene has been pretty strong for a long time, and we love hearing tales of the old days when adventurous guys like Ron Cox rode dirtbikes up on the Ridge to blaze the trails we now ride by pedal power only. Even though there is a rich history of riding bikes in this town, there is always an opportunity to strengthen the community, and thankfully, that’s just what is happening. 

Local races are a great way to bring the cycling enthusiasts in your area together, both on the pavement and on the dirt. San Luis Obispo’s premier race promoter, cencalcycling.com, puts on races both large and small, from crits to cyclocross, and the turnout gets better every time. For 26″ wheeled racers, there is an under-the-radar “Black Market” race series put on by the racers themselves complete with times, photographers, and sometimes prizes. (Disclaimer: the Black Market Series is held on remote trails, where hikers, equestrians, or other trail users never go.)

Finally, San Luis Obispo’s “Bike Happening” attracts both hardcore and strictly-casual cyclists alike, and is a great way to have fun, ride bikes, and catch up with friends you haven’t seen in a while. The Bike Happening is a Critical-Courteous-Mass-style event, held on the first Thursday of the month, in which participants dress-up according to a theme, pedal around downtown SLO a few times, and have a great time, all while increasing the profile of responsible cycling in the community.

So there you go. Get some friends together and start a race series, or meet up after work one night and ride in circles for a while. Whatever you do, tell other cyclists about it, and make sure they spread the word as well. Before you know it you’ll be spinning right in the middle of a growing bike scene, which will lead to more trails, more bike lanes, and more friends!

Luke General

As if you needed another reason to shop at artscyclery.com this holiday season, we are now offering free 2nd day air shipping on most orders over $150. Of course, we always provide free ground shipping on all orders over $50 as well, because we like you. Check out our great selection of gifts for the cyclists on your list, even if they happen to be you!

Luke General, Sales

This is an encouraging little editorial by Evan, our resident Triathlete. Before you read it, please understand that Evan is quite the triathlete, placing 3rd in his age group at the International Triathlon Union World Championships in Australia for the Sprint distance. No small feat. When he talks triathlon, we listen. Enjoy.

I need to make a request to my fellow triathletes. Please work on your cycling skills this off-season. This is for your own safety, but most importantly, my own. It’s no secret that triathletes are not the best cyclists in the world (this is called an understatement), and because of this, I encourage every triathlete to set a goal to improve your cycling skills as you train through the winter months.

I am an avid triathlete and cyclist. I’ve been racing competitively for over 10 years, but I wasn’t always a good rider. I got better because I sought the help of experienced cyclists, and I gradually improved over time until I was comfortable riding in any pack.  I want to dispel the stereotype that triathletes are horrible cyclists by sticking up for my multi-sport brethren at group rides when I hear the hard-core roadies snicker at the guy with aero bars who doesn’t wear socks with his tri-specific shoes to simulate race conditions.

But a few incidents lately have made me embarrassed for my own kind. I would rather keep it a secret that I’m a triathlete when riding in a pack of road racers.

Sometimes being well informed is better than having all the right gear

Every roadie will agree with me on this one. You would think that as the sport of triathlon has grown tremendously over the last few years, the collective level of cycling ability amongst triathletes would increase accordingly. I have seen little evidence of this.

I raced for the Cal Poly Triathlon Team back when I was in school, and I decided I would re-unite with them for a Saturday morning group ride. I love the Tri Team, and racing for Cal Poly was the best part of my collegiate experience. But this ride was sketchy at best, and flat-out dangerous at worst.

The pace was inconsistent while the pace line was choppy and disorganized. The coaches of this team must have made a very bold point of telling everyone to shout out objects in the road. Every single spec of dust on the road was loudly pronounced by whoever was pulling at the time.

I found this absolutely hilarious. I was riding at the front toward the end of the ride when the guy riding next to me shouted, “Gravel!” He took his hand off the bars to point out a few small pebbles in the road that posed no serious threat, almost swerving into me while unnecessarily startling the entire group.

I calmly explained that shouting out everything in the road is not a good idea, and if you used this tactic on a real group ride, you would get laughed at, mocked, and ridiculed while continuing to contribute to the negative stereotype that triathletes are clueless when it comes to pack riding.

So, for any triathletes still reading, here are a few tips to help your pack riding skills:
1.    If you come to a group ride, road bikes are preferred. Only elite-level triahletes have the competence to handle a tri bike on a group ride.
2.    Try to resist your triathlete instinct to be sketchy. Think about going straight, being calm and riding smoothly.
3.    If you don’t feel comfortable taking your hands off the bars, practice doing so.
4.    Observe what others are doing on group rides and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
5.    Put your helmet on the right way (See picture).

Hopefully I’ve raised some awareness and I’ll see some more competent triathletes out on the road. Post a comment if you have a question or would like to share your experiences. Good luck and happy training!

Just because we’ve talked about triathletes doesn’t mean we haven’t seen you Roadie-who-can’t-look-over-his-shoulder-without-swerving-into-the-road.  Has any one seen the Tour footage where Robbie McEwen bunny hopped a curb because the peloton had forced him onto the center divider?!  A little bike handling will get you out of most jams. Maybe do a Cyclocross race or some mountain biking this winter. Both these will force any rider to improve his/her handling skills and make them safer on the road.

Until next time,

Hammer On

Bradstone General, Road, Technique

Here’s a little advice from Evan, our clothing buyer and avid triathlete, on how to get through the down-time of winter. Don’t forget, one of the the best ways to stay in shape through the off-season is to put in some maintenance miles on a trainer. This year’s crop of trainer’s from Blackburn and Cycle Ops look great, and will keep you in shape, ready to go when the roads thaw out. 

 ”I used to have trouble enjoying the off-season. As soon as my last race ended marking the conclusion of my season, I would start thinking about my next race, which would be several months away. I used to have to force myself to take time off the bike.

One unfortunate season that ended in burn-out sparked a monumental shift in my psyche. Now-a-days, I cherish the off-season and embrace it as a period of rest, recovery and flat-out laziness. I usually take two weeks after my last race of the year for complete rest. Those two weeks usually fly by as I reflect on my season and map out some goals for next year. After those two weeks, I begin the gradual process of easing my way back into training mode.

I’ll ride slow with friends with no set route or destination. I try to ignore my watch and cyclometer and just enjoy being active. This is the phase I’m in right now, and it’s interesting to note the psychological and physiological changes that occur.

My appetite is about a fourth of what it was when I was training 15-20 hours a week. I used to bring grocery bags full of food to work with me because I would constantly graze and snack to appease my incessant appetite. Now, I occasionally skip lunch without even realizing it. The irony is that since I stopped training with the unwavering vigor necessary to race at an elite level, I have actually lost weight.

Eventually, I will gain it back. Right around Thanksgiving, I’ll start to notice a little belly forming where there used to be a chiseled six-pack. I will compete with my brother in our annual contest of who can gain the most weight on Thanksgiving Day. He’s won the last three years in a row, with an unbreakable record of over five pounds in a five-hour period. The most amazing part about it is that he’s a vegetarian!

My advice for anyone struggling with the off-season blues is to pick up a new sport. Whether it’s competitive eating with siblings, cyclo-cross, or adventure racing, having a sport to fuel your athletic ambitions is always positive. If you have already mastered the art of the off-season, I say congratulations. The rest you get now will help when you start piling on the miles to build a strong base for your season.

Don’t be so focused on racing that you lose sight of why you do it in the first place – to have fun. Enjoy some rest, gain some weight, and you’ll come back next year stronger and more focused than ever.”

-Evan

Luke General

One of the perks here at Art’s Cyclery is the opportunity to ride the latest and greatest, and I’ve recently been sampling a Crank Brothers Iodine wheelset. The Iodine is designated as Crank Brothers “all-mountain” wheelset, which means its should be able to handle everything from climbing relatively easily to railing through rock gardens to jumps and drops with decent transitions. All-mountain does not mean downhill-race style terrain, or freeride-huckfest-to-flat riding, but simply aggressive riding on aggressive terrain.

How do they ride? I was impressed with the Iodine’s all the way around. They’re fairly light for what they are, weighing 2040 grams (with skewers and dirt)—pretty close to CB’s claimed weight of 1903 grams, and are pretty stiff as well. In fact, I couldn’t tell much of a difference in stiffness between the Iodine’s and my usual wheelset—Mavic 823 32-hole rims on Chris King Hubs—and yet the Iodine’s weigh over a pound less. Plus, the Crank Brother’s hubs are right up there with the King’s in terms of near-instant engagement. I felt the weight loss on my first climb, finally keeping up with my fellow lunch-rider on our usual trail. One area the Iodine’s can’t keep up with the 823’s is in robustness—the Iodine’s are softer, and I collected a few dings in terrain that the 823’s eat for breakfast, but then, my 823 wheelset is a pound heavier. 

The real reason I liked these wheels is because… Well… They’re orange. Bright, beautiful, anodized orange. The Iodine’s make any bike look like a factory ride, and if you get your bike stolen, there’s no way your friends won’t notice those wheels rolling around the neighborhood!

The Iodine’s work well for the trails we have in San Luis Obispo; climbclimbclimb, then a high-speed, rocky, and often loose descent. If you can pick lines well and don’t make your bike make up for too much of your inadequacies as a rider, these wheels will not disappoint you, and provide years of service. If, however, you are a wheel-killer, you’ll probably get a year or so out of these wheels if you ride challenging terrain and don’t hold back.

Luke Gear, General, Product Reviews

Former Art’s Cyclery employee and current World Cup DH racer Brad Benedict said it best, “A clean bike is a happy bike…” If your bike is happy, then you will be happy also. Keeping your bike clean has several benefits; your parts last longer, your bike runs better, you’re more motivated to ride if you have a clean, mean machine leaning against the wall, and you’re more likely to notice and replace worn out parts before they cause problems. Keeping your bike clean is easy and lets your bike know you love it and appreciate all it does for you. Cleaning your bike is easy and fun, and although all you need is water, soap and a couple of towels, you’ll get better results with a few key items and techniques.

To make cleaning your bike as easy and effective as possible, put your bike in some kind of holder, like an Ultimate repair stand, or this Park PRS-20 repair stand, which is what you’ll find most pro team mechanic’s using. Once your bike is in a repair stand, it’s time to clean the drive train. The easiest and fastest way to do this is by using a chain cleaning machine, like the Park CG-2 Cyclone Chain Cleaner  or the Pedro’s Chain Machine.  Simply remove the top of the chain cleaner, fill it with bio-degradable solvent (Park and Pedro’s both make excellent solvent’s), and close the chain machine (after shifting your bike to the small cog/big chainring) so that the chain runs through it. Turn your cranks backward for a couple of minutes and you’re left with a sparkling chain that will run smoother, quieter, shift better, and last longer. Be sure to properly dispose of the used solvent. After cleaning the chain, remove the bikes wheels and scrub down the cassette and crankset with a stiff-bristled brush. Using a spray-on metal cleaner like White Lightening Clean Streak or Simple Green Foaming Degreaser will make this immensely easier, but be careful about where the over-spray goes. 

Since the wheels are off the bike, you might as well clean those now. Spray them down with water and a gentle soap (dish-washing detergent is good) or a specific cleaner, like one of these. Scrub the tires, hubs and rims with a brush, and spray down with a very gentle stream of water—if your hose has a “mist” setting use that. Go back and clean the rims braking surface, (if you are using rim-brakes) or the disc rotor with rubbing alcohol or a cleaner that doesn’t leave a residue when it dries. It’s also not a bad idea to gently sand those surfaces down a few times per year. Leave the wheels off as it makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas on your bike easier.

Now move on to the frame. If your bike is exceptionally dirty, you might want to gently spray it down with water first (use the “mist” setting), and never aim the water directly at any bearings. So, start with a spray under the seat, and spray down the entire bike with the same cleaner you used on the wheels. Use a soft brush or large sponge to scrub the dirt off the frame and all the components. Make sure you get around the bottom bracket junction, behind brake calipers, and all suspension pivots. Once you’re satisfied you’ve scrubbed everything, gently rinse the bike down and dry it with a soft towel. If you really want to show your bike some love, spray it down with some Pedro’s Bike Lust. 

For all you stylists with white bar tape out there, use Windex and a clean rag to keep it looking new. 

Now it’s time for a little maintenance. It’s likely that soap or cleaner touch your brake pads, and since they probably need to be cleaned anyway, now is as good a time as any. If you’re cleaning a road bike or a mountain bike with rim brakes, this is easy; simply sand down the surface of each pad that contacts the rim until the “glaze” is gone and the surface looks new and sticky again. Usually just several seconds of sanding does the trick. Disc brakes are a little trickier, in that you must remove the brake pads to sand their surface down. Make sure you keep track of the pads orientation when you remove them, and watch for small parts that may fall out as well. I will put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and then rub the pad’s braking surface back and forth a few times until it looks clean. Replace the pads and you’re almost done.

Check your bike for damage, looking for cracks in the welds or carbon fiber, and contact your bike shop if you discover anything. Do Not ride a bike that has a cracked frame!  

That’s it. Put the wheels back on and go out and get that thing dirty!

Luke Gear, General, Technique

Further proof that Art’s Cyclery permeates the world of cycling can be found in 2010 Specialized bicycle catalogs. Art’s very own Matt Gutowski, who makes sure our products are responsibly accounted for so we can then ship them to you, is well-represented throughout Specialized’s bike guides. Matt’s photography appears in the Specialized shop catalog for the Allez line, and in a two-page spread in the mountain bike catalog showcasing the Rockhopper line. Art’s has talent. Art’s has influence. Art’s has it all. Art’s is here for you!

Shooters trail in SLO. Original image used for Rockhopper line in Specialized's 2010 MTB book. Photo Matt Gutowski

Luke General, Mountain