Oregon Scientific Video Camera Demo Footage

Footage from camera mounted on helmet, and ridden up and down stairs. The camera sound quality is poor, but putting your own choice of music always kicks the quality up. Editing was thru Microsoft Movie Maker, and really wasn't that hard. Background music: "Wide Side" instrumental by Motley Crue

Affordable Helmet Camera!

Have you had those issues with telling your friends and family about how fun your off-road activities are? I've struggled with this too, but we have an option for sharing your fun. It's made for Oregon Scientific, and it's a solid state camera. SKU # 186071, our price is $119.99. It's easy to see which stores know about it, as they're sold out. Almost all of our stores got two at the start.

How does it work?
Like a standard digital camera, it saves the compact movie files on a Secure Digital card. You can find the big size (2GB, enough for an hour!) at Fry's for ~$30, or a little more at Staples/Office Depot etc. It runs on two AA size batteries, and since your storage time is not huge you'll be able to check the batteries when downloading video.

It comes with plenty of attachment parts, enough to fit most applications. If you connect to a TV to review your video, the view will be a little pixellated/fuzzy as most TV's are larger than the resolution it records. The camera records at a max size of 680x 480, which is way above what Youtube seems to play at. In other words, plenty of resolution for most uses.

Mounting to things
I tried the handlebar mount first on a XC ride, and got a lot of jittery turning left/right/left as I was climbing. The good news is that any thing you climb looks much steeper, due to the lower perspective of your handlebars. The DH stuff wasn't bad, but seemed to have some weird distortion. When I knew I'd been cookin' a corner, it sure didn't look like it. Maybe it was the lighting? I rode/recorded past dusk, and the video still looked pretty good in the lower-light situations. Better than I'd expected, in fact. Due to the microphone's proximity to the tire, I also got a constant roar. Turning off the mic would've been best here.

When mounting to a bicycle helmet, I had to experiment. It weighs 6.3oz/177 grams so the weight is definitely noticeable if it's hanging off the side of your brain bucket. I tried many other options, and finally realized that the clip did not have to face f-to-rr. The third picture shows the strap running front to back, which was a very solid mount. The camera also needs to be mounted much further back than you might figure, as pictured it may be a little too far forward. I rode around a little today, and you could hear my uh, comment as I smacked the rear rim as I rode up some stairs.

I'll try again when it's not raining. It is very well sealed, but one raindrop on the lens and the video's gonna look nutty. I'd recommend it to anyone who can keep the idea clear that it's a BASIC video-cam.

Hayes Brakes adds Manitou and Answer= Hayes Bicycle Group

Hayes Bicycle Group, a division of HB Performance Systems Inc., acquired the assets of Answer Products Inc., in November. Answer Products has been renamed HB Suspension Products and is now a part of the Hayes Bicycle Group division. Under this new business arrangement the company will continue to produce Answer™ and Manitou™ brand bicycle suspension forks, shocks, bars and stems.

“I offer my personal assurance that there will be no disruption in company operations,” said Rhonda Kirkwood, vice president and general manager of Hayes Bicycle Group. “We will continue to be responsive and remain dedicated to delivering the highest quality products on time and at competitive prices.” The excellent customer service and support systems that Answer Products’ customers have come to know also will continue, Kirkwood added.

Hayes Bicycle Group products, including Answer™, Manitou™, Hayes™ Disc Brakes and Sun Ringlé™ wheels, rims and hubs, are distributed through 120 worldwide distributors to customers in more than 50 countries. More than 200 worldwide bicycle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are supplied by Hayes Bicycle Group. Its products are well known and respected in the mountain bike market. Hayes Bicycle Group provides products for all segments, especially freeride, gravity and recreational.

Kids bikes incoming!

We have done a great job of selling thru our 12" to 20" bike range, and some stores may feel low-on-stock. We have a good amount of Diamondback Vipers coming in, which should be in your stores today and tomorrow.

Please build and floor them as soon as possible.

Link: http://www.diamondbackbmx.com/items.asp?deptid=1&itemid=232

2007 Iron Horse Owner's Manuals

You say you don't want an Owner's Manual written in the Russian language?
Jonathan Urata @ Corporate and Harry @ Iron Horse are getting replacement manuals today, which will be distributed out to all affected locations.

Every bike sold must go out with an Owner's Manual, and it must be written in English. Never let a new bike buyer leave without one!

Marin Pioneer Trail and Bobcat Trail

If your shop has been having ANY issues with the rear wheels on these bikes, please call Pete Black.

Parts Inventory- What's Happening?

No one's asked, but I know the question is out there. The Small Parts Inventory has two effects on our business, one of them Inventory Management and the other Business Management.

Inventory Management-
We now know exactly what all of our stores have in stock for repair and upgrade parts. We did not know the details before as much of it has accumulated over the last few years under a miscellaneous SKU. Under that SKU, we only knew retail dollar value and an item count, but nothing else.
The Inventory has been reviewed, with most of the items assigned to get a specific SKU and price. The other items have been "Get Rid of It" priced. The items that get specific SKU's will go into our E3 replenishment program, and will facilitate the growth of our repair/upgrade business.

Business Management-
Let's use one item as an example, a Shimano LX (High-Normal) SGS Rear Derailleur. Sales of this item per location is an indicator of the quality of the associates and manager team. As more of an "indicator item" are sold, the overall volume of repair work goes up, and the range of customers expand. The indicator item, and sales of others similar will be used to determine "How" we are doing and "What"we should be changing.

From an in-store perspective, it can be very tough to see the big picture. Heck, it's tough from even knowing all of our stores like our Trainers do. But clearing out the old items and gathering critical new things will place us in a position to have the business, the vendors and the customers that will keep us in the place that will enrich us all.

And that is when we help the customer...

Diamondback Takes 'Voluntary Action' with Mission Bikes

DECEMBER 06, 2006 -- KENT, WA (BRAIN)--Diamondback has taken a "voluntary action" with nearly 100 of its Mission six-inch travel mountain bikes due to a potential flaw in the bike's top tube.

According to Diamondback marketing coordinator Trevor Knesal, the problem occurred when a customer rode a test bike off a loading dock. The result was a crinkled top tube.“This only occurred because of the tight tolerance the Mission is built with,” Knesal said. “The top tube is triple butted, so if someone were to sand the top of it too much—like the one confirmed frame—the center of the top tube would become very thin and would crinkle after an unknown number of drops.” Knesal wanted to stress that Diamondback took a “voluntary action” regarding this situation, and that this isn’t a recall. “It may seem like nit-picking, but there is a very big difference between a recall and what we’ve done with the Mission,” Knesal said. “A recall takes place when the CPSC [Consumer Product Safety Commission] deems a product unsafe. We have brought all Missions back in to replace their front triangles, the CPSC didn’t force us to.”

Knesal said there is a very good chance that what occurred was an isolated incident involving one frame. “But we didn’t want to take any chances with our customer’s safety nor the bike,” he added. Since Diamondback discovered the potential frame flaw so early, less than 100 were shipped, and less than 10 were sold at retail. “All who bought them are now riding loaner bikes we provided them and anxiously awaiting the return of their Missions in January,” Knesal said.

Have you been on a Mission?

To someone that's been around the bike industry for a while, when you hear the name Diamondback you think a couple of things. Great value and solid design execution. It's nice, but it's only "nice".

That is the past. Add performance to DB's resume.

I've been able to put some miles on a DB Mission in different environments, and I wholeheartedly love it. (If it was bad, I wouldn't do this. Ask me in person for bikes I think are bad and I'll be happy to tell you.)
Regardless of the published weights, the one I've ridden weighs 33.2lbs w/Mallet pedals, WTB Tires, Lock-on grips, some Lizard Skin covers and a simple bottle cage for night rides. It hides it's weight well, as it's centered low between the axles.
I've ridden it in Bootleg Canyon, on Fullerton Loop and a big loop in Chino Hills park so I have some experience with it. It is truly an All-Mountain bike, but different from most others out there it goes exactly where you point it. Usually when you have six inches of travel the ride gets floppy on side-to-side flex; not here. I have been exactly "railing" thru corners on it, and loving that!
Climbing with a 33lb bike is guaranteed to help you see the sights, as you'll be doing it longer. Due to the platform options on the suspension, you can ascend without the bike going all "Sewing Machine" on you- READ THE MANUALS! For most folks I'd suggest setting all the headset spacers to the top of the stem, and adjusting it up from there. If you'll be doing zero XC rides, you might want to go with a shorter stem. The Medium comes with a 100mm, which is pretty lengthy for about anything now-a-days. I like it though.
According to Rock Shox recommendations, I should be running no less than 120lbs o' air in the fork. In order to get the right amount of sag (~25% when I'm on it) I'm down to 100lbs. I'm sure it's a "wear-in" thing. The rear shock set up very easy, body weight= air pressure. The rear shock manual is on a CD-ROM, so a rapid assembly/tuning step will be slowed for the mechanic a little.
Ride Summary- Under hard braking it does not stink-bug. When I'm landing off stuff it it sucks 'em up. On uphills it's a stable horse, and corners accurately. When I've spun it thru the gears on a Fire Road it's not jittery. If you have not ridden one yet, I'd strongly suggest it.
BTW- If you're looking for a Mission 2 on the west coast, you must come to Sport Chalet! We snagged all of 'em!

Review- Santa Cruz Chameleon

I've been trying to get one of these for years, and finally found it locally.
Q- What do you normally want in a Hardtail bike?
A- Reasonable Weight, Versatile set up, responsive under power, etc. I 've owned a few FR-HT's (Kona Scab, Kona Stuff, etc) and had forgotten how they rode. The Chameleon reminded me of how all bikes should handle. I messed around with my fork during today's ride, and it took it all in stride. Most bikes get squirrely or slow when you wind a fork from 90 to 130mm travel, not this one. The handling was great, and it is reasonably light weight. However- it is not a frame that is built for comfort. No my friend, comfort is ignored. If you've ever sat on a skateboard and felt the sidewalk clack underneath as you rolled (Maybe even with the old-school steel wheels?), you know exactly how directly this frame communicates to you. There is absolutely zero flex, and no dead-weight so this thing just leaps when you're dancing on the pedals. Due to the wide chainstays, I had to build it with a 118mm Isis spindle to clear the cranks vs. c-stays. This messed up my chainline, so I used a 2-chainring set up. I plan on hopping around with this, so that works out fine with the bash ring.

The rear facing dropouts will easily take any amount of torque that I can muster, but do complicate wheel removal. I got used to that with a Klein, I'm used to it today. They must be really handy to those that use this frame for single-speeding. Single-speed bikes are supposed to take five years off your life, as they're challenging to ride UP hills; I'm not interested in that.

I like it a lot, honestly. We sell very similar bikes from Marin and other companies, I'll remember easier to recommend this class of bike to a customer. The stiff ride will kick the snot out of me on a big XC ride, but I'll deal with that when it comes.

You see the nicest people at Interbike

You may know him. This is Tom Piszkin from store 6. I was pretty proud when we came out with these shirts, but to see Tom walking the show in one was a very nice moment. This is one of the ones from three years ago, and it still looks sharp. He's out there "Representin' ", makes me wish I'd brought mine and worn it.

BTW- Tom is THE guy behind the triathlon bike company Titanflex. He has his own bike company, is a renowned Coach and he works with us. He's a busy guy, and cares for this uniform shirt enough to wear it at the show.

Tom inspires me to work even harder. He sets a fine example for us all.

Conf Call = Success

We just wrapped it up, and things went well. This format is different from an on-site meeting in that your thoughts and energy go out to a group that sits quietly. So if you are hitting home runs or clockin' strikes the feedback is almost the same.

What we're getting via email and calls is all good, with requests for more of these. That's the true response we'll focus on.

Department Head Conference Call

Due to recent business updates, we are working on scheduling a Conference Call for all Dept Heads (Or delegates). Projected date and time will be Thursday Oct 12 at 10am, and is likely to run as long as two hours.

Definitely speakerphone stuff! It will be a paid event for one person per store, do not dial in on a cell phone due to the time factor.

Tell about new vendors?

Until we have signed contracts, I don't know "Nothing about nothin".
However, if you like word-scrambles maybe you'll figure something out...

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Interbike On Dirt Demo Sept 25 and 26

This event is held by the vendors so anyone can test any vendors bikes. Road Bikes, BMX bikes, Recumbents, they had it all. The event expo area had over 57,000 sq. ft. of display space filled, so there was a lot to do. I liked to hear people come back from rides and talk about how good or how bad the bike was. The reviews did often not match the reputation of the manufacturer, it was very interesting.
They had a free shuttle service from the Sands Convention Center to Bootleg Canyon. We waited in line an hour and a half to get on the bus the first day, and just drove ourselves out on day two. There were numerous "Show Specials", so you own the product for a great price. When nature called the Desert Heat really worked you over in the porta-potties, maybe you can tell from RJ's expression.

On Dirt Demo Ride Pictures

There are XC loops and a DH shuttle. The shuttle is a long Stake bed truck with an open back, so if you stop paying attention it's easy to get dropped out over the bumps. We rode with Brian Rinkenberger and Mike from Diamondback, and picked up a lot of good info from 'em.
Picture #1- waiting for shuttle. #2- off shuttle with DH trail head in background. Jim's looking at someone with a freaky sense of style, click on pic and zoom to see. #3- RJ on See Saw. #4- BR on See Saw. #5- Jim on See Saw.

"Different" Stuff at On Dirt Demo- Las Vegas

There was a few items at the event that were clearly uncommon.

This device is propelled through an eight-speed rear cluster, and instead of pedals it has a set of treads you step on alternately. Featured at the Fuji booth. Most riders fell, probably as it was not designed for gravelly paths.

Kid Tandem- designed to have a child sit up front for a parent to keep an eye on 'em. The child can pedal but not steer or brake. I'm pretty sure Elmo had been drinking, so that was a good design plan. This thing was ridden all the time around the expo area and up and down the entry road. It has the turning radius of a Crew Cab Dually. Bad to wheelie too.

Yep. A Honda Goldwing motorcycle with a bike rack. What makes it even better is that the rider brought a bicycle to an event that is based on you riding one of ~250 demo bikes that are already there. A person in the next car back told me they had brought a bicycle, and that it looked really unstable on the freeway getting there.

Sometimes the path well worn is more popular for a reason...

Thanksgiving Day 1998?

Must’ve been like 1998, maybe 1999. I got a bunch of guys together for a ride on Thanksgiving Day. Riding T-day morning has always been a good thing for me, as I get to skip all the meal-prep tension and do something safer. We had a pretty wide range of personalities going, but one rider was really talking a lot of smack. I’ll just identify him as “Russ”. Russ was a little shallow on some types of MTB experience and some basic social skills, but could push your buttons anyway.
We were out in Chino Hills Park, riding Telegraph to Four Corners, going up Bovine Delight single track and down South Ridge to Telegraph and out. Total of 11 miles and maybe 1200 feet ascended. It’s a nice loop for a bunch of working dudes, some very fit some less. About a dozen of ‘em, including me. “We’ll be back in time to eat with noooo problem.” (Famous last words, as usual.)
We roll out Telegraph and after a break we climb Bovine. At the re-group on South ridge, Russ gets me thinking it’s time to school this sucker on how_to_go_down_hills.

“Class is in session, fool.”

If there’s no hikers, South Ridge can put 40+mph numbers on your bike computer. I’m getting a solid case of testosterone-poisoning. We push off, and Russ swears I can’t drop him. We go through the first roller-section, and break left for the next section. I’m big-ringing it and feeling some pain. As we roll the next crest, and start the next descent I'm pounding it through the tricky left at the bottom, and coast to the next peak. I’m alone, but not in a good way.
Russ is stacked up, in the middle of a dust cloud. Other riders catch up to him, and they’re yelling at me to come back.

Dang it.

I roll back, and they tell me he’s broken his left collarbone. Others have his basic med needs covered, he’s being shaded and is taking some water. He has a small sense of humor now, but had landed pretty hard. After a few minutes questions of how to get him out come up. “Should we try and get him life-flighted out of here? Can we get the Ranger to drive him out?” His pupils are equal with no dizziness, so we will walk. Two guys were sent to fetch their SUV to pick him up at the next road crossing. We work up a brace for his shoulder using a spare inner tube in a figure-8, with a pump and duct tape holding it tight. He was then walked out three miles, which is an hour in those conditions. I felt a little guilty over the whole thing, so I walked his bike and mine to the pick up. The drivers were a little anxious on the way to ER, and had to tell him to “play it up” when the Motorcycle cop stopped them for going a little too fast. Another truck load of riders shouted something as they drove by, so the cop broke off with Russ's group and ticketed the others.

Post-action Review:
Negatives. A. I should not have let him get under my skin. I went through that sand-over-hardpack corner too fast, but my experience let me “float” the slippery section better. B. He blamed it on me, so his wife was “Mad-dogging” me a little. If I haven't made someone's wife mad lately I feel like I'm not selling enough bikes. It's what I do, hey! C. Walking three miles in new cycling shoes is not good.
Positives. A. I remembered how to loop a tube over his shoulders, and carried the equipment to get a brace fixed up to help him get out. B. We all stayed calm, and did the right things. C. I got a lot of credit for good cornering, and got no further static from him. D. More people wanted to go riding next year. Someone else led the downhill portion. We all ate that meal with both hands.

Radius vs Speed may = G Forces

While riding over the years I had sensed G-forces, but had always dismissed it. I've been studying a book we'll be adding "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" by Brian Lopes, and it turns out to be a real thing. Doubling your speed quadruples your side force. As the side forces increase, more stress is put upon your tires and wheels. A powerful side force on a low-pressure tire can cause it to be "shoved" over, and debris can be picked up. I had wondered how I was collecting some small twigs and grit inside my tires, now I know. Pretty cool!

“Man, Brake set-up is hard”

Setting up a rim brake correctly can be challenging, especially when you’ve been working without any standards. Sometimes you get ‘em to work awesome, some you shouldn’t have even touched. What makes the difference?

Factors.
Frame quality- a more flexible frame reduces your braking power.
Caliper and lever quality- lower quality parts will be less stiff and have looser bushings.
Cable quality- stiffer outer housing and smoother inner wires give a better response.
Pad quality- generally a softer or more abrasive pad will stop better.
Any of these factors can be argued to death, but let's use these as a starting point.

Set-up.
Would you prefer a trained Surgeon, or a 10 yr old child to set a broken arm? A mechanic that has gone through any of our training will be able to understand how to set a brake up to stop to it’s best performance. We need to set the pad to caliper arm positioning so that the pad has the most compression force to the rim. Because there is frame flex and bushing play in almost every caliper arm, we must set the pad so the front edge contacts the rim first. If set this way, the rider will experience a steadily increasing response to greater lever pressure. The “toe-in” amount is suggested to be at a minimum, to reduce brake drag and give a better feel to the rider. Everyone has a different shaped hand, but some things are constant. The human hand can generate the most power when it is almost closed. Brake wires may stretch a bit, and pads will wear. To compensate for both factors we set the cable tension so that on a new bike, lever squeezed firmly, the lever does not come closer than parallel to the grip. This usually allows for a one to two millimeter gap between the rim and pad when the brake is released, for quiet coasting.

Well, yeah but…
Your first experiences at this may be difficult, but so are most first experiences. It takes work and determination to become a proficient mechanic; you must decide to do it until you are great. Evaluate your work, and when it does not meet the standards fix it. Some brakes will require more attention, but your instructors have the confidence that they can improve the braking performance of any bike on the planet. You should too, so come to class and keep at it!

What's the business profile of all the Euro-velo-not cleanness?

Does all this really affect the local riders in our area? Cycling was on the path to eminence, as can be seen by all the past stories on Lance Armstrong's sportmanship. With all of the recent scandals, we may need to think of the effect in our area. Our average rider does not know much about the racing side of the sport, and usually does not care. They are riding not for competition, but for just the love of the sport and being with friends. Will they ride less just because the French are passionate to fry any American race winner? Definitely not, the casual rider is more affected by weather than the Pro-circuit. So our business is unlikely to feel any effect.

I think it is terrible that Landis is stained by this, regardless of his level of innocence. Alexi Grewal, a rider from the famous 7-11 team of the eighties has been recently quoted that during any race you have moments of excellence and failure day after day. Some times in the same day. Floyd's performance from stage 16 to 17 to 18 does not convict him of anything beyond being a competitor.

Does this mean they'll be fewer people on my favorite trails? Probably won't affect that either...

"B" test, what ever. Ullrich implicated to be out of control in other stories.

From Velonews, more info on the test.


Lab chief calls for new testosterone strategy By AFP This report filed August 1, 2006

The head of a leading international anti-doping laboratory on Tuesday called for a complete change in the strategy used to fight illicit testosterone use in sport, warning that current detection methods were inadequate.
Martial Saugy, the head of the Swiss anti-doping laboratory in Lausanne, said the science of detection had fallen behind because of fears of legal wrangling, while testosterone doping methods had become more sophisticated.
Doses used when the approved testing methods were set up in 1982 were "massive", he explained in interviews with Swiss radio RSR.
"We are no longer in that situation now and so the whole anti-doping strategy against testosterone must be changed," he added.
The current controversies surrounding positive tests for Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin showed that testosterone is still a problem, Saugy said.
"This is not biotechnology, highbrow genetic doping. We simply need to be able to refine the testing system to go and find these products."
However, Saugy cautioned that anti-doping laboratories were exposed to far more intense legal challenges than before. Laboratories should be supported in their bid to pursue testing methods that are tailored to each individual athlete, exploring a broader range of markers than currently available, he added.
Research undertaken by the WADA-accredited Lausanne laboratory indicated that there were major differences in the way the human body absorbs additional doses of the male sex hormone and reacts to it.
"There is a very big variation between individuals, as much in the effects as in the ability to detect the product," Saugy said. "The study does not conclude that dozens or hundreds of athletes are doped with testosterone, but that athletes are not all equal before testosterone doping."

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10625.0.html

So, uh... yeah. Floyd?

As we all know, Mr Landis has failed a wildly inaccurate testosterone test. The testing organization has been quoted in the past that it should no longer be run due to it's interpretation issues. In past years, you were "out of range" if the ratio was 100 to 1, and now it's down to 4 to 1.
From Velonews "Anabolic steroids, of which testosterone is the granddaddy, can have a central nervous system effect," he said. "But anabolic steroids largely work by increasing the capacity for training and increasing the bulk and tolerance of muscles. That isn't going to happen in a few hours." Floyd has been tested many times, and this steroid is not something that you take for a an immediate issue.
His first TV interview on Larry King Live came across as a little weak. The next day he made his innocence statement much more vigorously. If he has cheated, it hurts the sport for all of us. I cannot believe he'd do something so dumb as this. In any case, he should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

Other Mammoth Pictures

DG dropping the ramp on Velocity!


















Gearing up before we blast "Velocity"!

SC Riders "Tour de Mammoth"

The trip went well, in spite of only about 25% of the trails being open. There were no major injuries beyond a few crushed egos. I'll just post pictures, as they really tell the story.

Jim in the dirt. We all had a serving of dirt at some point.

Mike- "Jim, let's go! I hope Pret is careful today."

This is what Pret looks like "just" before he hits a stump and endoes. No external injuries observed.

This is Jim in "Rubber-side" down mode. He is flying out of this corner! Notice his suspension is compressed; the article on Brian Lopes's book above tells you why.

We are on the Shuttle, but definitely talkin' trouble for the next run.

Do we have Tour de France-related clothing in?

Whether you say it “Tour de France” or “Tour DAY France”, the answer is “Heck yes”!
From Becky Childs, Asst Bike Clothing Buyer “I think it will be important for you to mention that we are in the top 5 retailers in the country that sell 10//2, TDF, Discovery apparel.” We do a fine job with this merchandise.

Stores with regular TdF Apparel- 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 33, 35, 36, 39, 62

Stores with Team Phonak Apparel- The following Phonak Team cycling apparel will be hitting the floors within the next 10 days to stores 2, 7, 10, 11:

182497 Mns Phonak Team Jersey Retail: $99.99
182498 Mns Phonak Team Bib Retail: $139.99
182500 Mns Phonak Team Sock Retail: $14.99
182502 Mns Phonak Headband Retail: $29.99

Go Floyd, go!

BTW- dates and host cities for the 2007 Amgen Tour of California have been announced. www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Bicycle Tubeless Tire Overview

Tubeless tires have been used on cars since "ancient" times. This tire technology has recently been applied to Mountain bikes, and is being tested for road bikes,

What are the benefits?
The main benefit of a tubeless system is ride quality. By having a thinner tire body (Or just reduced air pressure vs. Tube) against the ground, the tire can deform to the surface easier which results in better traction. In my experience, which was earned by swapping between two bikes/same tread/ tubed vs. tubeless, the tubeless tires gave an easily felt difference in traction. I would definitely recommend it, but only to the right customer as there are some issues. A secondary benefit is the elimination of pinch flats at lower tire pressures. A tubeless tire is rarely lighter than the comparable version. Usually the French mfr rims/tires have the best sealing and function, but not all tread styles are good.

What’s the expense?
The tubeless tire cost jumps by ~50%. This can be a harsh difference, but the tubeless compatible rim is also sold at a premium cost. All of this can be difficult to pay for, especially for such a vague benefit (Before you experience it, that is.).
The alternative to the official “Tubeless” system is a Stan’s Conversion Kit. This system converts many different tires and rims to be tubeless via a latex liquid sealant. Not all rims and not all tires will work in all applications, so new tires may be needed. Retail pricing for the Stan’s kit is approx $50. (There is a DIY system out there, but I coated my garage, car and self when it exploded off the rim. Oh, the rim was also bent, so I cannot recommend it.)

Who is the right customer?
A customer that actively trains to race, or wants something to add to his $3000+ bike. Regardless of the system, they require a higher mechanical knowledge so it limits the pool of possible customers.

What Maintenance is needed?
MTB Tubeless tires must be mounted and removed without tools, or the special bead-sealing layer can be harmed. The Stan’s System latex sealant does dry out over time, and must be renewed approximately every three weeks. If a Tubeless tire gets a puncture, the patching process can be more difficult due to coatings inside the casing. In use, a regular tube can be placed in a Tubeless/Stan’s tire if a sealing failure occurs.

Recommendations-
I really have enjoyed the performance of Tubeless and Stan’s equipped tires. I would definitely recommend it to the right person. An official Tubeless tire with a sealant is a very good product if durability is the goal. You must keep up on the air pressure issues, and make sure the sealant does not dry out. DO NOT attempt to make a “tubeless” system without the Stan’s Rim Strips, but at that point you may want to just go for the whole kit. A home-brewed sealant worked nice for me, but I would likely have had better results if I’d used the Stan’s Sealant.
Use the "good" stuff, it's worth it!

Mammoth Mountain Ride Update

Good news, it's still on!
The weather looks good, although I have a little allergy to biking in snow. http://www.mammothmountain.com/cams/index.cfm?cam=main
The rumor is that the trails will be very good in the time we'll be there. I'm definitely bringing some fleece, I wonder if my crash armor will fit over it.
It sounds like everyone's got their bikes ready to go. We'll still be available by phone up there, but may avoid work-related things a bit. It's a vacation!

See you there!

Perspective

The definition I have is “The appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer”. It means that as you get closer or farther from something, your vision of it may change. Some of our associates have a problem with the idea of selling a bike from the lower end of our price spectrum. Usually they are comfortable on bikes that are honestly among the best that mankind has designed and built, and well above the price of a basic bike. But let’s look closer at the customer that might want a basic bike.
He may have not ridden a bike in the last ten years, or more. He really just needs something to putter around the neighborhood, not to win races. Possibly he also just walked over to us after looking at one of those place that sell bikes for less than $100. By walking in, we have the opportunity to help him understand the value present in a bike that has a full set of bearings, brakes and gears that work, and it’s all put together by a Certified Mechanic.
Now that we are closer to his needs, and further from what WE want, our view of the situation changes. In the price range he’s working with, he can get a “bike” from there, or a safe bike from us. With a guarantee, and factory warranty. With an Owner’s Manual, and all the reflectors. With good accessories that’ll help him to enjoy that valuable time with his family.
The more you try to see something from “the other perspective”, the more you see. When this person next walks into your department say Hello, ask when, how and where he’s gonna ride, and help get the right bike and accessories. If you do this daily for all our customers, I think you earn the title of “Expert”. You can do it. I know you can do it.

But that’s just my perspective…

There's a new Sheriff in town!

In our corporate history, I do not recall anyone having the specific position as "Store Auditor". One of our former store assistant managers has taken this position, Martin Rumpf. Our man Martin has a focus for details that will amaze you, and if you hear rumors about him don't doubt them.

The rumor I heard today was that a store lost an audit point or two because their Restroom hand towel dispenser key was not labeled as such! True or not; keep up the good work Mr. Rumpf!

DiaTech Disc Brake Calipers

Way back in time, around the year 2002. Raleigh had a bike with DiaTech disc brakes. For the price, they were probably the best option available for the M-80. However, the first generation of these brakes had a little issue with the cam in them, and could lock up (Or not release) unexpectedly. That'd be a bad thing, with the net effect of riding on a leash, not knowing when someone was going to jerk it tight.

Why the history lesson? Because some of us still have them available in your parts backstock. Please strip off all the usable parts from them, and throw those calipers out. They are evil.

Video From Bike University

Today I was able to preview some of the video footage from our recent Bike University. Not all of the vendor video was ready, so if someone’s not mentioned it’s not a bad thing. The video will be edited and made available to all stores, on a DVD or off our intranet.

Things I learned in review:
Thule’s warranty as of Jan 2006 is “lifetime”. Kayakers oughta be chanting “Hull-a-Vator”!
Yakima has dramatically improved their cargo boxes. The Sprocket Rocket looks good too.
Camelbak- the Magic is the women’s specific version of the MULE.
Pearlizumi uses larger yarn fabric close to the skin, and finer toward the surface to help water to evaporate.
Bell uses a rounder inside shape than the Giro Helmets.
Niterider- HID lights generate four times the light per the same power draw as halogens.
BOB stollers can be adjusted to track straight when jogging on a slanted road surface. Fold up easy too.
Dektra bikes are made by the same mfr as Pacific and Magna. I don’t think that’ll get me any points on the sales floor…
Free Agent is using more Euro-size BB shells on their bikes to cut down on weight and chainline issues.
Diamondback counts themselves as one of the top four mfrs. We do have some great value bikes from them.
Camelbak bite valves that are cut open are not covered under their lifetime warranty.
Terry saddles have a very Freudian vibe going with the pink “Donna’s Butterfly” saddle, especially when held vertical.
Electra bikes do only two things- Look good and Ride good!
Diamondback is going to release a bike called the Mission. It sounds v-e-r-y nice!
Baby Jogger strollers fold up almost scary easy. Demonstrating this had better be a basic thing for us.

This was the first year for us to have an event like this. We got a lot of great feedback, and I know the event next year will be even better!

A man’s horse says a lot about him.

Your bike tells a story about you. Do you actually RIDE it, or it a product of an eBay addiction? When you take into account what several bikes say about someone, you get an even better picture. See if you can match the bikes to the three respective authors of this site…

1994 Gary Fisher Super Caliber, set up as a drop bar dirt commuter.
1998 Bianchi Peregrine, all-round XC HT.
2003 Santa Cruz V10, 50lbs of DH machinery.
2004 Marin Attack Trail, F/S trail bike.
2005 Supergo Access AL, dirt climbing tool.
2005 Cannondale R1000, road bike.
2005 Surly Long Haul Trucker, versatile touring bike.
2005 Ventana X-5, rideable bike porn. Light Freeride.
2006 DB XTS Moto, 36lbs of non-earth crushing machinery.

Taken as a group, these bikes show a diverse love of the sport and our commitment to it. In order to help others to know more about the sport, we’ve learned from every manufacturer out there. A few of ‘em aren’t sold by our company, that doesn’t mean anything negative. If you have any questions about the bikes listed above, ask us!

Yet another Quick-Release case...

It's a hot topic for personal injury lawyers. The bad thing is that most small shops still don't do waivers or Quick-Release demonstrations like we do. However, it is good to be aware of what happens in those cases. A small shop will likely need to pony up $50,000 minimum for a legal retainer, since they're on the defending side. Most can't, and their way of life is over. The community of riders that used the shop all get displaced regardless if the case is valid or frivolous. It's never good when people get hurt in an accident, and far worse if many others bear the weight of it without fault. (The previous comment exists without linkage to any of the cases shown in this blog.)
Certifying that the bike is safe to ride has always been the responsibility of the operator/rider, and is mentioned in any Owner's Manual several times.

From Bicycleretailer.com:

Rider Sues Bike Shop, GT Bicycles for Failed Quick Release
MAY 26, 2006 -- SANTA FE, NM (BRAIN)—Archibald Sproul, a Santa Fe contractor is suing Rob and Charlie's, a local bicycle shop, and GT Bicycles who made the bike he purchased more than 10 years ago, for injuries he sustained when his quick-release failed and his front wheel came off.The lawsuit, filed on May 18 at the First Judicial District Court Santa Fe, New Mexico, includes as defendants GT Bicycles, Pacific Cycle and frame maker Ishiwata. The damages sought by Sproul are unspecified and no court date has been set at this time.The suit claims that the defendants are at fault for manufacturing and selling Sproul a GT All-Terra mountain bike without warning him of the dangers of a quick-release hub and implying that the bike was safe for its intended use. Sproul claims the quick-release eventually failed, causing the front wheel to fall off and causing Sproul extensive injuries.

Mammoth Mtn. July. Why not?

Want to ride with other SC people?
I'm definitely a "bike vacation" kind of person, and many of you are too. Last year's vacation went a little screwy, a normally rippin' 6-mile singletrack in Brianhead Utah was transformed into the worst hike with a bike I've ever had. We climbed over trees every 20 feet or so, which had been downed by the previous winter's 300% snowpack. The trail runs down the middle of the picture, and was exactly like this for 4 solid miles. The next day's ride was capped by sleet, low-level lightning/thunder and running out of food. It's funny now, almost a year later.

This year I'd like to get set up for something with a higher satisfaction index, and less exposure to a non-ride. I had earlier proposed doing the Telluride-to-Moab Hut trail (206 miles, 16,000 feet ascent, 21,000 descent), and since then 5 of the original 8 dropped out. Maybe they see something I'm missing. How about a group visit to Mammoth Mtn? Ride for five days, get shuttled a bunch, and generally have a great time with minimal pain? It's open invitation, and roughly scheduled between July 5 to 15, 2006. Bring your XC bike, and possibly camp in Rock Creek. Low bucks, high-mileage- how could it be bad? Leave a comment, and we'll get it figured out.

SRAM Road Group News

From VeloNews.com http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/9723.0.html

"A brave new world
It not only looks like the two-party system in road components may be over, but that the SRAM group is no Nader-like spoiler only thwarting the chances of one to the benefit of the other. SRAM looks poised to take market share from both Shimano and Campagnolo, selling to those looking for another option as well as those seeking the lightest weight and/or highest performance.
The commitment on SRAM's part to pull this off is enormous. The bike industry in general has a very low barrier to entry, but that is definitely not the case in the road drivetrain. There are large, tough competitors in place in that niche with long histories and great reluctance to cede any territory. But it looks like they will need to make way, whether they like it or not. "

Sounds very much like the road world now has three choices, please go to their site for the full details.

Wal Mart case denied appeal to higher court

The plaintiff's in the Wal Mart QR case tried to appeal the case, stating that the judge was prejudiced against their clients. Some of the judges decisions and ruling were given as examples of prejudice.

Denied. Case stands as ruled at this time; yippee!

It all starts to seem the same...

Today I visited a competitor of ours, one that I've worked for in my past. This was a group of stores that really set the status for MTB'ing in SoCal for decades, and made the competition cringe at what they'd do next. The techs of ours that they lured away could always say "Well, because it's Blahblahblah bikes, it's cool... AND they don't sell Snappyhoppers like us".

That was then. Business has changed. The way to keep paying your techs is to have bikes in stock that actually SELL, and not to be competing over a discount on every part. This makes your customers loyal to the next ad, not your service and associates. Your competitor that does not know how to run his business will cut his price, and his profit margin. Alan Goldsmith recognized this, and sold Supergo to Performance Bikes. Performance has re-labeled those former stores, and has remerchandised them. The brands I saw there today were Fuji, Mongoose, Schwinn, GT, Iron Horse, and Rocky Mountain. Those techs used some of those brands as motivation for leaving US, and now those brands have followed them. Such cruel irony! There were a few boutique brand bikes and frames, but mostly on a "close out" basis. I asked about a range of parts, from weird to common, and they were out of stock or low on many of them. "I can order that for you". The great have fallen; how times have changed.

We are changing also, stay tuned for good things in April...

Wal Mart escapes Quick-Release danger

From Bicycleretailer.com

FEBRUARY 13, 2006 -- SAN RAFAEL, CA (BRAIN)—After nearly nine weeks of trial and about a day and a half of deliberation, a Marin County jury of eight women and four men exonerated Wal-Mart, Dynacraft and Dynacraft’s claims adjuster Carl Warren & Co. of all charges. The plaintiffs alleged that the three companies conspired to conceal that the quick-release mechanisms on Next brand full-suspension bicycles imported by Dynacraft and sold by Wal-Mart were defective and allowed the front wheels to come off.The jury found no fault on the part of any of the defendants, and therefore offered no compensation to any of the nine plaintiffs. The decision is important to the industry because it confirms that a correctly adjusted and installed quick-release is not inherently dangerous.“We are pleased that the jury overwhelmingly agreed that every allegation in this case was unsubstantiated and reinforced that these bikes were safe and not defective,” Sarah Clark, a Wal-Mart spokesperson, said in a statement. “It is unfortunate when anyone is hurt in a bike accident, but these allegations simply had no merit.”

An additional allegation was that they were using untrained assemblers, and were not giving Owner's Manuals to new bike buyers. Not much of that is mentioned here. Rumors are that all future Wal-Mart bikes will have some sort of locking front quick-release lever, making them a slower-than-quick-release lever that will likely break easier due to the additional parts.