The December Newsletter is Here!

Feeling a little demotivated to ride in this cold rainy weather? Don't have the right gear? Looking for a unique gift for the cycling fanatics in your family? Check out our December newsletter for our answers to those very common questions. Also, let us know what you think and send your feedback to info@bikestationaptos.com, or leave a comment here.



Check out the December Newsletter sponsored by Bike Station Aptos Here!

Post T-Day Detox Ride Route Announced!

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are as excited as we are about the ride coming up this Friday. We'll be there a bit before 9 am, and plan on leaving the shop at 9:15 sharp. Please try to arrive as close to 9 am as you can.

There will be a couple bail out options, for those short on time. So please take a look at the map, and plan accordingly.

Can't wait!

The Bike Station Team

Come Join us for a Post Turkey Day Ride on November 27th!

Hi Friends of Bike Station,

Just wanted to spread the word about our plans for a post Thanksgiving bike ride from the shop Nov. 27th. Plan is to do an easyish 2-3 hours up and around the hills of Aptos and Watsonville. Check out our Newsletter for more information and details on the who, what, when and where. Also, if you haven't already - go ahead and sign up for our newsletter to be "in the know" on Bike Station happenings.

Thanks!
The Bike Station Team

Bike Station Aptos Newsletter

Bike Station Aptos Newsletter November 1 Issue

Inside this Issue:

• Message from Hank, the Shop Dog
• Schwalbe Ultremo Recall information
• Article: Have you Checked out a Cyclecross Race Yet?
• Article: Come Study with the Bike Dojo, Ride leaves from the shop Nov. 14!
• Review: Bike Glow and Knog
• Review: Cannondale 29er. You know you want one!
• Bike Jokes, and More!

Check it out, and feel free to email us with feedback, requests, etc. Also, if you'd like to be added to our list, please do so by entering your information in the field featured on the right hand side of our blog that reads "Join Our Mailing List"

Thanks for reading!

~ Joanne, Kristen, Trey and of course, Hank

Team Bike Station Aptos

This past Sunday was the first showing for Team Bike Station Aptos. We are a grassroots, off-road racing team. This time of year brings about the CCCX Cyclo-cross races and all of our racers did a fantastic job. A big congrats goes out to Courtney Shipman for her first win of the series.

See Courtney's take on the day below:

Race:　 CCCX #1

Venue: Manzanita Park
Category:　 Women's B's

To give you a glimpse of the mindset I was in before I began turning the cranks out there on the course, I woke up 5 min before the alarm went off at 5:45 am.　 The word that can best describe how I felt yesterday: 　Anticipation.　 Why?　 Well, as most of you don’t know I had a pretty rough season last year.　 It started, just as this did, with some fabulous base training, improved fitness, healthy mental state etc. But, took a sudden turn in August with a severe back injury.　 So, I spent a good half of the season rehabilitating and getting my butt back in the saddle.　 That said, the results of the 2008/2009 season were not satisfactory.

And that’s why yesterday was big for me. 　As Scott can attest to, I’m very process oriented.　 A+B = C.　 I love training, perfecting technique, being prepared, and then when race day comes, pulling the imaginary trigger.　 There is really no feeling like "putting on a show" in the ring, and knowing you have done everything you can to ready yourself for game day.　 That’s really what it’s all about. Yesterday 　wasn’t about the medal, it was affirmation that I should be out there with the B’s and for the first time gave me a peek of what it might be like racing with the big girls.

Scott and I arrived at the course around 8:45.　 The fog was still hovering nicely over the course, hanging its head like it to was just waking up on a lazy Sunday morning.　 I kitted up, and hopped on the bike to check out the course before the Men’s C race.　 When I pre ride courses, I typically just ride the first lap, to see where the course goes, and then begin to choose all my lines on the subsequent laps.
All in all I’d say I do at least 5 or 6 in prep.　 Then I’ll re-do sections that I feel require more technical skill, and perhaps even watch others perform their technique.　 I find this helpful, and sometimes eye opening.

By the time my race rolled around at 1pm I was so ready, it’s not funny.　 I had pre-road, warmed up, drank a monster shot, and talked way to much smack to Megan.　 And the kid’s race was still not finished.　 Thank God JT was there to keep me on track.　 "Sit down, put your feet up, and drink some water….did you pee yet?", she said from the tailgate of James’ truck.　 It didn’t even occur to me to get out of the hot sun, chill out, and save it for the race that was about to start.　 With 5 min till start, she told me to do a few sprints up the starting hill to fire the muscles back up.　 Brilliant!　 I was ready to go.

On the line, I quickly discovered I was in a crappy spot.　 Mistake number one.　 I should have been in front.　 I cursed myself for not being more pushy and making way to front and center.　 Instead, I was behind someone who I knew I’d quickly pass and who would most likely slow me down as I sprinted my brains out on the start.　 So, I quickly moved (totally last min decision) to the outside, bumping tires, 　so I had a bail out, if need be.

My start was just ok.　 I was probably sitting 6 back off the line.
But as we made the first set of turns, I made up two spots.　 Being good technically is the key to winning in cross.　 I also was pushing bigger gears on the entire course, which helped me gain on the field.

As we settled in and spread out on the course, I quietly whispered to myself "game on", and kept my eyes on the targets ahead, picking them off one by one.　 However, before I pick them off, I try to determine their weakness, so when I pass them I know which sections I can gain seconds. This is something that used to be hard, and requires a little more "in the moment" thinking.　 I think I’m starting to understand the saying "patients is a virtue."　 The only thing I would have changed is tire pressure.　 I think I was running a little too much, because around most of the baseball in field turns I was sliding out.　 It’s a tough call, because the rest of the course was pretty fast.

So, I raced.　 I sprinted. I mounted and dismounted. I never once looked back.　 And, I crossed the finish line first.　 That’s pretty much it.　 Simple right?　 Hardly…

A+B=C.

Thanks for reading.　 And thanks for cheering me on the sidelines.　 I’m looking forward to hitting it hard again next weekend.

This morning Joanne said, "I'm in the mood for something different." You know how it is -- the prospect of riding the same old route with the same old cars buzzing by. . . . .some days it just doesn't sound appealing. Some days it's time to explore new territory and just have FUN! So we loaded up the cross bikes, two water bottles apiece, and drove up to Henry Cowell State Park. After getting yelled at by the park ranger when we were trying to find Pipeline Road, we were redirected and off we went. Pipeline Road starts off nice enough, like those paved, flat trails my parents ride all over the midwest. It should have been a sign when the walkers kept looking at us like we were crazy. The little kickers start and then it basically just keeps going up. And up. We took off onto a dirt side road, explored the campground and the observation tower, and had a great time noodling around. The redwoods surrounded us and the sunlight streamed through the canopy. Felt great to get a little Vitamin D after weeks of fog in Aptos! We descended back down into the park and crossed the parking lot into Roaring Camp. We've ridden the train up there a few times and noticed trails all through there. But where to start? We went into the General Store, at the suggestion of the Town Marshall, who (suprisingly) didn't yell at us, and the lady in the General Store said "I don't know. I don't ride a bike." Sparkling customer service. Off we headed through the picnic area, and climbed a lovely fire road to the top of Bear Mountain, and wandered all around on single track, listening for the train whistle to tell us if we were getting too far afield. After two hours of riding around, we headed back to the van. I don't know how far it is, or how many feet we climbed, or how difficult or easy it would be on a ranking system. All I know is that it was the perfect antidote for the usual Sunday ride. Take your mountain bike, take your cross bike, and go have FUN!

Demo Day - August 29, 2009

It's that time of year when cool new bike parts start trickling into the marketplace and we're putting on a Demo Day for you to see, touch, feel, ride and generally play with some of those things.

Yeti Cycles will be joining us with their Demo Truck / Fleet of bikes. Try out the amazingly light ASR Carbon, their flagship cross country bike or throw a leg over the "go-anywhere" 575.

Cannondale will be here representing some of their 2010 new road and mountain bike products.

Representatives from Ellsworth will be joining us to show of the sexy curves of the new Epiphany.

Come by and check out the fun. Bike demo's will be going on all day, until 4:00 pm.

Calendar of events (check back often for additional events):

Saturday, August 29, 2009

• 8:00 am - Road Ride - call for more details or just show up
• 10:00 am - Shop opens & bike demo's begin
• 11:30 am - Bike Sizing Demo / Instruction / Discussion
• 1:00 pm - Taco Lunch Begins
• 1:30 pm - Computerized Bike Fitting Demonstration using Retul Fitting System

Bike Station Aptos
8061 Aptos St.
Aptos, CA 95003
(831) 688-4169

Moto Goes to Utah - Day 1

After the Winter & Spring months here on the Santa Cruz coast a group of us got a wild hair recently and took off for a few days of warm weather and sunshine in Utah. Todd called me (James) up and made the suggestion, courtesy of his having been laid off recently, I then threw the idea around with the Mike and Matt and the plans were laid. Todd was going to an investment show in Vegas so he drove out with the bikes and gear. Mike, Matt and I flew in and met Todd there.

Friday morning we all met up and packed up to head out of town... After a food stop, we headed for CostCo for beer. Much to our surprise CostCo in Vegas does not sell beer. We were a litte worried about "Utah Beer" and our snobbish tastes for the fermented grain. After a lot of running around and stopping at the state line, suffice it to say, our worries were not justified. You can buy great micro brews at the grocery store in Moab. So, don't sweat it!

Saturday morning found us at the Moab Cyclery loading up for the 9:30 shuttle up to Hazard County Trail. 50 minutes in the van and we were at 9,300 feet up in the La Sal Mountains. With the weather forecast for Moab pushing 100 degrees, it was somewhat foreign to be chilled and be up near the snow line. The ride started with a short 200' climb up to 9,500 feet. Yes, the air was thin...

We then proceded down Hazard County, I'm guessing the terrain reminded someone of the historic TV show and the sharp rock gardens certainly provided a few hazards. Hazard was fun swoopy singletrack with plenty of hip jumps and small gap jumps (1-3 feet) to get us warmed up and having fun right off the bat. Hazard County descends down to hit the legendary Kokopelli Trail.

This is the first real "All-Mountain" trip with the new Cannondale Moto 1, with the exception of some trial runs in the Demonstration Forest, at home in Santa Cruz. As the shuttle driver handed down the bikes he said "I like this one, it's light and holds the current record for this trail." I guess I chose the right bike for the trip. On this terrain, the Moto sucked up the rock gardens with ease. I did have to slow down the rebound both front and rear to prevent the bike rebounding to quickly and pushing me onto a different line. But, that was simple enough. I've found, as the Hatchet Drive utilizes both sides of the shock, it creates a very supple and active compression stroke. On the rebound stroke the shock is pushing the swingarm down at an increased rate, again thanks to the utiliziation of both sides of the shock, so the rebound has to be slowed down to compensate. Not a negative, just a point...

As we crossed the pavement and bid farewell to Hazard County, Kokopelli presented us with a fast rolling double track / jeep trail. I hit the handlebar trigger, raised the Crank Brothers Joplin to full height and hammered through Kokopelli with ease. Honestly I don't remember much of Kokopelli, the trail was simple enough and we were going pretty quick, so my attention was glued to the 30 feet in front of me. We did stop for some gawking at the incredible scenery and a quick photo.

Notice the knee and elbow pads. If you ar not a regurlar Utah rider, wear them. Everything out in the desert will hurt you. One little tumble can leave you bloody and screw up a great trip. I think of them as cheap insurance.

After Kokopelli, we had the privilege of hanging a right onto the UPS (Upper Porcupine Singletrack) trail. This trail was just legalized for bikes 3 weeks before we arrived. Thank you US Forest Service. UPS took us out to the rim of the Porcupine Mesa and presented us with our first taste of slickrock. This area was tight and twisty, with short ups and downs through sections of slickrock connected by short hardpack with some sand in the corners. It reminded me of Gosseberry Mesa. The views from UPS were nothing short of spectacular. We felt like we were on top of the world and could see forever. In fact in the distance we could make out Arches National Park.

UPS led us to more of the same on LPS (Lower Porcupine Singletrack). Through this section of trail the Moto handled great. The suspension allowed me to flick the bike through the tight turns and the slackish head tube angle made short steep drops a piece of cake. Matt started calling my line the "Moto Line" and opted to find a somewhat safer route around / down some ledges and rock gardens.

LPS shot us out onto the actual Porcupine Rim Trail. PRT is very similar to Kokopelli. It is a fast multiuse double track, with a couple of short climbs. There is nothing too technical, unless you are on a hardtail. Don't be surprised to come across 4-Wheelers or Jeeps on PRT.

The end of PRT found us cruising through some more slickrock and eventually back onto another singletrack dedicated to mountian bikes and hiking. The final single track would take us from the rim, down to the Colorado River. This section of trail was by far the most technical section and comes late in a long ride. So, we were tired and there were a couple of mistakes and tumbles, but thanks to the pads, no major bloodshed.

Day one ended with us riding back along the Colorado River to town. After a quick clean up we headed across the street from the campground to the Moab Brewery for food and "recovery drinks". Day 1 was complete and we were all super stoked to be riding in Moab and having fun with friends. Join Bike Station Aptos on Facebook. Join our group so we can keep you posted on upcoming trips and rides.

Have you been admiring an Italian, from afar???? Do you dream of the Giro??? Now is your chance to own a Pinarello at the lowest prices in years.

Check out the deals below:

2008 Prince framesets were $5000 NOW $4000

F4:13 framesets were $2700 NOW $2000

Paris framesets were $4000 NOW $3250

FP6 framesets were $3000 NOW $2500


Call or come by the shop for more details. This offer is NOT limited to stock in the store, if the size and color you want is available, we can order one for you.

See www.gitabike.com for more information regarding Pinarello's bikes.

(831) 688-4169

Thanks,

Bike Station Aptos

Steel is REAL

Come check out the wicked cool new steel bikes we have at the shop.
Truth be told, steel is still the best material for most of us non racing types to be riding. contrary to popular belief, it is quite light (it will rival the weight of most carbon bikes in the $1500 to 2500 price point in weight) resilient, COMFORTABLE and you won't crush it when you mount it on a repair stand or a car rack.
It is sustainable and recyclable -- unlike carbon fiber. Torelli and Mondonico are hand made in Italy and you get to choose any color you want for the paint! Pick the color, the decal placement and in about one week you have your very own beautiful Italian Job!

Saturday Ride

Starting Saturday May 2 2009 there will be a ride leaving from the front of the shop at 8:15 sharp.
Please feel free to join the group. Plan for a 1.5 hour moderate paced ride with some short sharp hills. It is not a race! The ride will regroup once at the top of White road. The ride is unsupported so have everything you need to fix your own flats etc. Route: Trout Gulch, Valencia, Cox, Freedom, White Rd, Calabasas, Bowker, Airport, Larkin Valley, Mar Monte, San Andreas, Bonita, Freedom, Soquel, Aptos St back to shop. Free Coffee at shop after the ride.

Bike Station on Facebook

Wow, we were just sitting around reminiscing about the "old days"... You remember, no cell phones, no text messaging, no email, no fax, no internet. If you wanted to talk to someone you'd call them, or (heaven forbid) write a letter.... on paper.

But, in today's world we have so many ways to communicate. So, if you are a Facebook user, please look up our group and join us.

Post pictures of your new bike, ask us questions, check out our events...

Get out and ride your bikes and stop by and say hi,

Team Bike Station Aptos

Event

Bike Station Aptos is hosting a SRAM/ZIPP Social.

Come check out the SRAM Red and new Rival groups and the latest in ZIPP wheels and accessories.

Meet the reps and demo the products at Bike Station Aptos on Wednesday March the 25^th

from 4:30 – 7:00pm.

Drinks, Chips, Raffle and all the Tech info you can handle will be provided.

Please join us!