Blog Archives

Schwinn Suburban, Brown Brass, 50 cm frame, 5 speed, side pull brakes, kickstand, chain guard. $175 The sad fact is that bicycle frames made of brass are hard to find anymore* – we mostly see just the same old same old steel or aluminum or titanium frames**, with your occasional carbonite composite. Some early 19th century bikes were made of iron, making them even more suitable than modern bicycles for delivering the healthful benefits of vigorous exercise. But this ride has an all-too-rare color that at least nods toward brass, & is a perfect casual street bike. You shift...

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Murray Biotech, Gray, 18″, single speed, coaster brakes, new ape hanger handlebars, new grips, banana seat, new 26″ whitewall tires, kickstand, bottle holder. $250 Do you ever feel like your handlebars don’t express your larger-than-life personality, that your bike’s profile too easily lets you blend into the crowd, unnoticed & forgotten? Are you cramped by your saddle, confined to that tiny region above the seat tube by the suffocating dictates of political correctness, while your butt soul yearns to roam free & slide all the way back at will? This bike will set you free. This bike is the...

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Currently on our shop floor. More at Bikes of the Now. Schwinn Impact MOS, black with slightly greenish yellow, 57 cm, 21 speed, new 26″ Kenda Kwest High Pressure 100 PSI tires, Shimano V-brake, Shimano Tourney Tx SiS (rear), SunTour (front), WTB Pure 5 saddle, bottle mount. $300 A resourceful hybrid, graced with those magnificent aero bars & enough gears to get you across Asia, Northern Africa & Europe. The tires are directional (embossed arrows show you which way to mount them, unlike most tires which are agnostic about turn direction) &  take a lot of pressure, which is...

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The Medical Journal of Australia has released a report on the use of helmets by motorcyclists & bicyclists. Spoiler alert: they think helmets are a good idea. The risks of severe head injury were more than five times higher in cyclists not wearing a helmet compared to helmeted ones, and more than three times higher in motorcyclists not wearing a helmet at the time of injury. https://theconversation.com/bike-helmets-an-emergency-doctors-perspective-13935 Not that this settles the question forever: other studies have indicated a counterintuitive conclusion, that helmets (at least on bicyclists) make riders & the drivers hitting them more careless, & furthermore by...

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Question of the day: what bike model, more than any other, birthed today’s American bicycle culture? Check out some of our newly rebuilt bikes in Bikes of the Now.

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Starting this week, we’re having group rides every Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 starting at the Hub. These aren’t the leisurely rides that we sometimes enjoy – one of these rides is being led by Big Joe, who will be setting a pretty fast pace, something like 15 – 20 mph. The group will go from the Hub to the Depot, to Belle Isle, through New Center & back. The other ride will be a bit less strenuous, about 10 – 20 mph. Still not a leisurely pace, so bring your A game!   Update: in the event of...

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A lot of turnover in Bikes of the Now lately – many of the bikes recently featured are now cruising the streets with their new owners.  You can admire them in Bikes of the Then, or at the bottom of Bikes of the Now. But at the top you’ll see some new arrivals, like a certain mixte with contrasting lugs. Check it out!

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The latest Bikes of the Now features a particularly loaded Volkscycle & one of our first fresh powder coats. Check them out!

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You’ll find a link to a review of ThickSlick tyres (it’s a British review) in the new edition of Bikes of the Now, because they’re on  a Trek racer we just put on the floor. With its Reynolds 531 frame & some high-end components, chances are it won’t be there for long. We’re also featuring a rather large single speed Schwinn that looks as dependable & carefree as a Labrador Retriever. A lugged frame like that should last well into the second Malia Obama administration.                   Here’s a shot of Joel...

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