Bike Station Aptos - News and Specials

Four Peaks in a Week

2011-10-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

There is a point in every climb where you see the sky meet the road, and you know you are near the top. You see a tree silhouetted against the open sky, and you can feel the breeze come at your face from all sides. It won't be long. . . .
Let me preface this blog entry by stating for the record that I am NOT a climber. My body habitus does not resemble a jockey, and I have no fast-twitch muscle fibers. But I am stubborn and goal-oriented, so climbs appeal to me -- the challenge of them, the getting to the top, steadily and without question. Once you start, you can't stop until you get there.
So in the spring I decided to plan for the fall to do my first annual "Four Peaks in a Week" -- Fremont Peak, Mount Diablo, Mount Tamalpais, and Mount Hamilton.
The week in October did not arrive in an auspicious manner, as I came off about three weeks of not riding at all due to vacation and a terrible sinus infection. But I had set the days aside and set the goals for each day (refer to the "stubborn" comment above), so I was not about to entertain a change in plans. The goal was to get there, so fitness didn't matter.

Saturday was the first, Fremont Peak. There is an awesome little coffee shop in San Juan Bautista, just across the freeway from the approach up Fremont. All I had was my iPhone map app and the experience of having worked the Fremont Peak Hill Climb last year to know where to go. That would be. . .UP.

I rode my titanium Indy Fab with a compact crank and 27 in the back. It was hot and sunny. The climb is fairly gradual, 5-7% with short pitches in the double digits, and mostly in the trees. Unlike the other climbs, there is no tower at the top to dangle in front of you like a carrot. Other than looking at the mileage counter, you're not sure you're there until the road flattens out a little and you're there. My riding buddy, Joe Garmin, registered the climb of 2594 feet in 11 miles. I rode around and checked out the campsites at the top, then rode down and enjoyed a hot cup of Ethiopian coffee at the bottom.

The next day was Diablo. Never had I done this one, so I had no idea what to expect. It's an easy approach, right off 680 just shy of Walnut Creek, Diablo Road exit. I parked in a little shopping center, went over to the gas station for a pee and change into cycling clothes, and scoped out my post-ride snack: Taco Bell.
This was the only climb that I had a little warm-up for. Diablo Road is a flat, curvy, shoulder-less few miles until the turn-off to the climb, full of edgy large-SUV-driving folks that are surprisingly unwelcoming to the hordes of cyclists that one finds on the climb itself. (Note to self: no Diablo Road next time. I saw my life flash before my eyes a few times.)

Once you turn off to Diablo itself, it's a cyclist's paradise. A long, gradual climb out in the open, with oak-studded brown velour hills, Diablo quickly became my favorite of the Peaks. Even though it was 11 or so miles that climbed a whopping 3736 feet (according to Joe), which should have felt steeper, it felt easier somehow. With every curve in the road, the tower at the top would appear, beckoning to me. Bikes outnumbered cars at least 20 to one. Note to self: do this again.

The very last hundred or so yards, however, was a beast. Right about the time my legs were tiring, the final pitch of 18% to the tower loomed. . . . At the top was an astounding view, well worth the pain to achieve it, and a good excuse to stop and let my heart rate return to something approaching normal.
The descent was as nice as the climb -- until Diablo Road, that is. After several more brushes with death, I rewarded myself with a bean and cheese with extra cheese burrito from Taco Bell. Excellent junk food, not Mexican at all.
The next day, I rode to work and worked all day. As my "Peaks" escapade evolves over the years to Seven Peaks in a week, I may have to take some time off.
Tuesday dawned. Mount Tam. I had done Mount Tam once many moons ago on dirt trails on a cross bike -- wondering why everyone I rode with was so impressed, until I got a mountain bike and realized how much I suffered needlessly. Anyway, I had never done it on the road. I was worried about the traffic. Joe Garmin would not be my only buddy that day for sure -- I collared my friend Davy into doing it with me. He seemed to be okay with my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach to these climbs -- in other words, not researching a starting or ending point too terribly much and just figuring it out once I got there. At one point, Davy said, "I'm worried we won't finish this by nightfall." And that was at noon.
True to expectation, there is a fair amount of traffic going up Tam. It turns out that half of the climb is on Panoramic Highway, which, as the word "highway" might imply, most folks are used to traveling by car. Again, no shoulder. Oh, and since it's Marin County, let's add a healthy dose of fog and slick pavement, overhanging redwoods, and lots and lots of curves.
The blessing is that Tam is the shortest and lowest climb -- 8 miles and 2356 feet by Joe's calculations. The top is actually only accessible by footpath. You climb to some radar tower that looks like a soccer ball, then descend a fair way to traverse the mountain, which is rather wide at the top, to the parking lot and a footpath that climbs higher. Note to self: bring regular shoes and go all the way next time.
Views of San Francisco tease you through the fog. The descent is treacherous but forgivingly short. Back in Stinson Beach, we changed into regular clothes and hit a real pub, right out of "Local Hero," in Muir Beach, the Pelican Inn. There we enjoyed a Black and Tan and steaming bowl of beef stew with lots of hot bread and butter. Mmmmm. . . . (As you can tell, the "Four Peaks" may refer to the food that accompanies the journey!)
Wednesday, rode to work and worked all day. Normally I work on Thursdays, so I would have done that and done my last climb on Friday. However, I was planning to drive to Napa Friday for a century on Saturday in Sonoma, so I took the day off on Thursday to do the final climb: Mount Hamilton.
I have climbed Mount Hamilton before, so I knew what to expect from her. (As an aside, I wonder what you think about the gender of mountains. In gynecology, we have a general rule: things that are bad are male and things that are good are female. For example, you don't want to make a hole in Mr. Bladder. But you do want to protect Mrs. Ovary. So I refer to mountains as female in gender. My bias. Please share your own opinions.) Anyway, Joanne accompanied me on Hamilton, as we had some other business with her Mrs. Uterus to do over the hill. Again, no warm up. Who needs it really, when the goal is summit not speed?
We parked at a dirt pull-off on Alma, where I mooned several golfers as I peed and changed at the car. No Taco Bell here. For those who have never climbed Hamilton, she is certainly the Grand Madame of them all, 19 miles and 4104 feet. Interesting factoid: nowhere is the road over 7% grade, because they had to drag those huge telescopes up to the top at one point. Talk about a long, gradual climb! Truly Hamilton is a battle of wills. Find your pace and stick to it. Oh, and then remember that there are two -- not one but TWO -- little descents on the way up that totally suck on the way back down to have to climb.
The observatory at the top comes into view and though it seems to get ever closer at one point, appears tantalizingly out of reach for the last 5 miles up. Mount Hamilton is actually a thoroughfare as well, California Highway 130, I believe, and you can descend to Livermore down the other side. At the intersection, still shy of the observatory, Joanne waited and said "Shall we call it good here?" To which (you know this, Gentle Reader) I said, "Hell no! To the top!" and we turned the corner up to the observatory. The view is incredible, and I couldn't tell if the buzzing in my ears was the extreme silence, the radiation in the air, or dehydration and effort. Carrion birds circled overhead the last few miles, as if to say, "shall we call it good here?"
There is civilization at the top of Hamilton -- a public restroom, complete with sink faucets that I swear they knew would serve as perfect water bottle fillers, flushing toilets, cool marble floors, and a pop machine.
The descent is only technical in parts, mostly due to little piles of gravel at curves. The way home was full of much rejoicing after my favorite post-climb treat: frozen yogurt at Sweet Retreat.
The four peaks in a week were done, and all I felt was exhilarated and energetic. (I'm a little nutty that way.) I drove to Napa the next day to do the Asti Tour de Vine north of Healdsburg, in the shadows of Mount St. Helena. . . . Yes, you know what Peak #5 will be next year!

Bike Station Aptos Moves to Larger More Convenient Location!

2010-05-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

Local bike shop shifts gears to Rancho Del Mar shopping center to keep customers rolling year round

Bike Station Aptos is relocating to a new home in the Rancho Del Mar shopping center. The new space is twice the size of the current location and was previously occupied by Bookworks, which has also relocated its business within the center. The new space is conveniently located near Safeway and Comerica Bank, and is in proximity to great coffee at Aptos Coffee Roasting and the running store Fleet Feet.

Bike Station Aptos invites new and existing customers to visit the new location, and become a part of their fun, energetic, and exciting cycling community. The shop will carry high end road and mountain bicycle products from manufacturers including Cannondale, Pinarello, Independent Fabrication, and Wilier. “Moving will give us the space and exposure necessary to expand our family-oriented and fitness-related products. We’re excited to announce the addition of Schwinn and GT, two brands that offer fantastic product at an affordable price," Thompson says. "We are also looking forward to having the space to carry a diverse line of clothing, shoes, and accessories from manufacturers including Assos, Cannondale, Easton, Giordana, Giro, Sidi, and Chrome.”

“We are looking forward to having a much larger space for service and repair," Thompson says. “To serve our clientele more efficiently, we will be adding a new member to our service crew. Trey Gress and Jeff Hoover are bike mechanic rock stars in Santa Cruz. The Rancho Del Mar shopping center is the ideal location for us. It’s the hub within the Aptos and offers great exposure, foot traffic, and parking. There’s also great synergy between us and Fleet Feet, and we look forward to establishing a good relationship with the other merchants in the center. It’s about strengthening the community, staying involved, and providing outstanding product and customer service.”

Bike Station Aptos is located at the gateway to some of the best cycling in Santa Cruz County -- both on the road leading to Corralitos as well as in the dirt trailing into the Forest of Nisene Marks. It is also conveniently located off State Park Drive on Highway 1 just off Soquel Avenue, which is the major commute and cyclotouring route through the county. "This expansion allows us to widen our offerings to everyone who enjoys biking," Thompson says. "We plan to continue our friendly and professional approach to serve riders of all types."

The Bike Station Aptos crew plans to relocate the shop and be open for business on May 25, just in time for the huge sidewalk sale event held over Memorial Day weekend. Additionally, Bike Station Aptos will be expanding its hours of operation to 7 days a week; from 11 am to 6:30 pm M-F, 10 am to 5 pm on Sat. and 12 – 4 pm on Sunday.

For additional information about the move, products that will be offered, and how you can become a part of the Bike Station Aptos Community, please contact info@bikestation.com, or call 831.688.4169. You can also find us on Facebook!

About Bike Station Aptos

Bike Station Aptos is a locally owned and operated bicycle shop located in Aptos, CA. As the first in the community to offer state-of-the-art 3D dynamic RETUL bike fitting, Bike Station Aptos strives to offer the community the finest and most innovative cycling products the industry has to offer. We understand the importance of personalized service and attention to detail, and we have everything you'll need when it comes to cycling -- both on elite and recreational levels. For more information, visit our website at www.bikestationaptos.com. At Bike Station Aptos, we make Your bike our business.

Bike Station Aptos on the Move!

2010-05-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

As some of you may of heard through the cycling grapevine, the Bike Station Aptos team is relocating to a new home in the Rancho Del Mar shopping center! The new space is twice the size of our current location and was previously occupied by Bookworks, which has also relocated its business within the center. The new space is conveniently located near Safeway and Comerica Bank, and is in proximity to great coffee at Aptos Coffee Roasting and the running store Fleet Feet.

As such, we wanted to let you know that we will be closed for business May 18 - 24 to allow us time to move into our new location at 36 Rancho Del Mar. The new shop is coming along great, and we are all excited about the expansion and new location!

Bike Station will be open for business May 25, just in time for the HUGE Sidewalk Sale Event held annually over Memorial Day weekend. “We are taking advantage of the timing of this event, coinciding with our recent move to the center, and blowing out inventory from our cycling closets," said shop owner Joanne Thompson. "We’re doing our spring cleaning, and we hope that the event brings more of the community into our new convenient location.”

Bike Station Aptos will offer HUGE SAVINGS on all road, mountain, and commuter cycling accessories, apparel and equipment including bikes, during the sidewalk sale. So make sure to come check out the great deals we have in the store and on the sidewalk!

For additional information about the move, products that will be offered, and how you can become a part of the Bike Station Aptos Community, please contact info@bikestation.com or call 831.688.4169.

Sincerely,
The Bike Station Team
Your Bike is our Business

CCCX #2

2010-03-23T12:45:00.001-07:00

Mountain Bike Magazine Reviews the Cannondale Simon Fork

2010-03-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

Demo Day at Bike Station Aptos Saturday Feb. 27th!

2010-02-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

February Newsletter: Demo Day, MBoSC Events and More!

2010-02-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

With one out of two of our most rainy months over and done with, Bike Station Aptos decided to put an official Cannondale DEMO DAY on the calendar! Make sure to save some time on Feb. 27 to pay us a visit and test ride your favorite(s! Whether you're a hard-core roadie, mountain biker, or urban cyclist, we'll have a bike for you and would love to give you an opportunity to take it for a spin. Demo day will run from 9 am - 4 pm. Hope to see you there!

Enjoy the read!

Hank, Shop Dog
and the Bike Station Aptos Team

To view the newsletter, click here

Bike Station Aptos Takes a Spin Around Elkhorn Slough

2010-02-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

WORLD CLASS CYCLOCROSS NATIONAL CHAMPION TIMOTHY JOHNSON TO HOSTS MEET AND GREET AT BIKE STATION APTOS SATURDAY JAN. 10

2010-01-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

-PRESS RELEASE -

WORLD CLASS CYCLOCROSS NATIONAL CHAMPION TIMOTHY JOHNSON TO HOSTS MEET AND GREET AT BIKE STATION APTOS SATURDAY JAN. 10

Timothy Johnson, 2009 cyclocross National Champion (Cannondale Factory Team), will host a meet-and-greet on January 9th from 4-5 pm at Bike Station Aptos, in Aptos CA.

This social event aims to bring the cycling community together to celebrate Timothy’s recent success at Nationals in Bend, Oregon, in addition to generating interest and educating cycling enthusiasts within the local community about cyclocross and what it is like to be a professional cyclist.

Timothy will be signing autographs, after his account of racing in the freezing and icy temperatures in Bend, in addition to fielding questions from the audience about his career, Cannondale, and his plans for the rest of the 2009/2010 season.

For additional information, please contact Courtney Shipman at cdimpel@gmail.com or Bike Station Aptos at info@bikestationaptos.com, or 831.688.4169. Bike Station Aptos is located at 8061 Aptos Street, Aptos CA.

About Timothy Johnson
Timothy Johnson (born August 5, 1977 in Middleton, Massachusetts) is an American professional racing cyclist who has found success in cyclocross and road bike racing, and is first the United States rider to stand on a UCI Cyclocross World Championships podium. Johnson has six career national championships - three Elite, two Espoir and one Junior - and a bronze medal from the UCI Cyclocross World Championships that he won in 1999 in Poprad, Slovakia. Johnson spent his 2009 road season riding for the Ouch presented by Maxxis team, of which he is the Road Captain. For 2010, Johnson will ride on the road for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team presented by Maxxis. Johnson is married to fellow professional cyclist Lyne Bessett.

Cancel

The December Newsletter is Here!

2009-12-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

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

Post T-Day Detox Ride
Find more Bike Rides in Bike Station Aptos, California

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

2009-11-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

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

2009-09-21T23:09:00.001-07:00

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.

2009-08-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

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!