Velo City Cycles

THE QUICK RELEASE

An electronic newsletter from Velo City Cycles

May 2009 (Bike Month!)

Hey it’s May! It’s been kind of a long winter here in West Michigan but now the roads are clear, the trails are dry (mostly!) and there’s SO MUCH goin’ on here @ the Cool Bike Shop that it’s gonna be a challenge for you to read it all! Try hard though - it’ll be worth it

MAY IS BIKE MONTH AND WE’RE CELEBRATING!

Check out all the cool stuff and sweet deals for the whole month!

May 4-9 : 20% off Tools, Tubes, & Tires

May 11-16: 20% off Lights, Bags, Racks & Fenders!

May 18-23: 20% ALL Clothing!

May 25-30: 20% Saddles, Handlebar Tape & Cyclometers

TAKE OUR “COMMUTER CHALLENGE”! Send us an e-mail report every time you use your bike for travel in May and we’ll keep track. Each trip by bike equals one entry in the drawing for the ‘Bike Month Sweepstakes”. The more you ride the more chances you have to win!

Grand Prize - A Complete Overhaul for your favorite bike, including new tires and tape/grips! ($300+ Value)

1st Runner-up - A complete VCC Team Kit (Jersey, bibs, armwarmers) worth $200

2nd Runner-Up - $50 Gift Certificate

Send your reports to info@velo-citycycles.com

DO YOU HAVE A GREAT COMMUTER STORY YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? SEND YOUR YARNS, TALL TALES, LIMERICKS, EDITORIALS AND STORY POEMS TO THE SAME ADDRESS - WE’D LOVE TO FEATURE THEM ON OUR WEBSITE

SHOP RIDE SCHEDULE FOR MAY

Please consider joining us for one or more of our weekly rides. We strive to make them accessable for a wide variety of rider levels and we’re having a ton of fun! Hope to see you here for a ride or two! (Or more

Tuesday Night Ride - 3 groups, “Hot”, “Medium” & “Mild”. The Hot group rolls @ 6:00pm for 25-30 miles @ a “spicy” pace. No ride leader ‘cuz we assume that these folks know what’s what and how to get back to the shop. The Medium group leaves 2 minutes later for 22-25 miles @ a pace of 18-19mph. This group will have at least 1 Ride Leader and might split into 2 groups if it becomes clear that everyone will have more fun that way. The Mild Group rolls 3 minutes after the Medium folks for 17-20 miles @ a pace of 15mph or whatever is required to keep the group together & will have a Ride Leader

Also - the last Tuesday of every month is Pizza Night so plan on joining us after the ride

Thursday AM Recovery Ride - Join us @ 8:30 for an easy 20-ish mile ride to help tired legs recover. We’ll end up @ The Good Earth for breakfast so bring cash

Friday Morning Bagel Ride - A lot like Thursday but that’s okay, right? 8:30 “clip-in”, 25 miles, breakfast. Join us and see why someone (usually MC) is compelled to state that “this is a very civilized way to start the day”

Saturday Sprint Ride - a 30+ year tradition! This ride leaves the shop @ 8:00am for 25 miles of furious sprinting for every stop ahead sign that comes along. Fast… but the pack re-groups after each sprint (on the way out anyways) and a great way to gauge your fitness

NEW! Saturday No-Sprint Ride! What’s that? You’d like to get a ride in on Saturday morning but don’t have time for the club’s Sweet Roll Ride or the desire to waste yourself on the Sprint Ride? No worries! Our new “No Sprint” Ride may be just what’cha need! It leaves the shop @ 8:00am alongside the Sprint Ride and takes the same route but trades the sprints and pain for conversation and good company.

Please note! Any Velo City group ride assumes that every participant is eager and willing to be a good cycling citizen and a postive member of the paceline! We obey traffic laws, watch out for each other and share the road! If that’s not your thing….these may not be the rides for you.

NEW! CHECK OUT OUR LATEST OFF-ROAD PROJECT

“DIGGIN’ THE DIRT W/ DANIELLE” RIDE

Join nationally ranked pro rider and Velo City-sponsored Danielle Musto for an evening of fun off road riding @ various area trails. Designed to help you improve your skills, have some fun and explore the great riding that West Michiagn offers to mountain bikers. Danielle is a great teacher if you’re looking for a few tips or if you just want to have a blast on a new trail. Gather @ the listed trailheads for a 6:30pm start time and get dirty

May 4, 11 & 18 - Bass River Rec Area

June 1, 8, & 15 - Cannonsburg Game Area

June 22, 29 & July 6 - Cannonsburg Ski Area

July 13, 20 & 27 - Luton Park

Aug 3, 10 & 17 - Yankee Springs Rec Are

THE MAY “FUN-RAISER” IS 5/10

The last “Fun-Raiser” of the Spring/Summer is the “Taco Bash Ride” on Sunday, 5/10. (Yes - we know that it’s Mother’s Day…..mom wants to ride too!) Meet here for a 2:00 roll-out, we’ll do 40 miles (w/ a 25 mile option) and then eat tacos and such back at the shop. Rumours are that MC, despite bein’ all road-weary and desert-burnt will be makin’ his infamous salsa. Feel free to bring your favorite additions to the basic tacos-n-fixings menu. (Or - just bring your bike and belly, that’s cool too)

CERVELO IS HERE
Our 1st shipment of Cervelo road and tri bikes has arrived and we’re assembling them as fast as we can. Stop in and check out the RS, the P2 and the rest of their fine machines. We’re pretty excited to be West Michigan’s only Cervelo dealer and think that they’ll fit in nicely w/ our offerings from Cannondale, Seven and Gunnar.

COOL NEW STUFF DEPARTMENT

In addition to the big Cervelo news we have a few other new things to tell you about - check it out……

Teamwork Messenger Bags are handmade in Grand Rapids from re-cycled sailcloth and truck inner tubes. Way cool, way local and way unique! $80 and $130

Terry Clothing is here and has been very well receievd. Great looking jerseys, their famous riding skorts, knickers, “Ride Like a Girl” arm warmers and lotsa socks! All designed by women riders for women riders and a nice addition to our massive Women’s Clothing Department featuring Pearl Izumi, Twin Six and Cannondale

NEW RIDER CLASSES FOR MAY

We know that everyone isn’t hip to changing a flat, using their gears or riding in a paceline. It’s cool - we’re here to help! Our 45 minute seminars will accelerate your developement from “new rider” to “seasoned cyclist” and that’s a good thing, no? No charge, questions encouraged and feel free to bring a snack to share if you are so inclined!

Here’s the schedule

Changing a flat tire - 5/15 6:00pm & 5/19 4:00pm

Using all those gears - 5/22 6:00pm & 5/26 4:00pm

Group riding tips - 5/16 3:00pm

COOL DEAL ON COOL WHEELS

Easton is offering a sweet deal right now - a FREE Giro helmet w/ the purchase of ANY Easton wheelset! Stop in to check out the wheels and get all the juicy details

CANNONDALE DEMO DAY

Wanna ride the latest and greatest from our #1 Bike Company? Got a hankering to try a 29er, full-suspension ATB, full-on carbon race bike or somethig else that you haven’t ridden yet? Would you like to have your own personal tour of everything that Cannondale’s engineers have been up to? No sweat! Just grab your riding shoes, helmet and picture ID and head over to the Cannononsburg Ski Area on Sunday 5/24 for the 2009 C-Dale Demo day! See you there!

Hours: Noon ’til 5:00

LOCAL BIKE CLUB NEWS

Our local club, Macatawa Cycling has a couple weekly rides starting this month so check ‘em out

Monday Night Ride. The MNR is one of the biggest weekly rides on the local calendar - often drawing 50-60 riders. It meets @ the Aquatic Center on West 22nd for a 6:00 departure. 2 groups /w ride leaders. “Sport 1″ goes 40 miles @ a 20-21 mph pace and “Sport 2″ goes 35 miles @ a 17-18mph pace

Thursday Night Tour Ride - A new ride w/ a focus on providing a group ride experience for folks lookin’ for a shorter distance and / or mellower pace. Meets @ Holland Christian H.S. @ 6:30 for 15 miles @ a 13-15 mph pace. There will be a Ride Leader, no one will be left behind and a trip down the street to Captain Sundae’s for post ride ice cream is highly likely

For more info on these rides as well as the club’s planned weekly off-road ride and the return of the popular “Sweet Roll” ride in June visit the website @ www.macatawacyclingclub.or

Note - The club is completely independent of Velo City or any other shop! We’re just big fans!

UPCOMING RIDES, RACES AND EVENTS

(Details on all these available @ the shop

5/3 - Cone Azalia Road Race

5/10 - Fun Raiser! Taco Bash Ride!

5/11-16 - Bike to Work Week!

5/14 - Milk Jug ATB Race@ C-Burg Ski Area

5/15 - Bike to Work Day!

5/16 - ATB Race @ GR BMX Track

5/18-22 - Holland Green Commute Week

5/21 - Community Bicycle Expo

5/23 - Last Call Band @ Saugatuck Brewery

5/24 - Cannondale Demo Day

5/28 - Milk Jug ATB Race @ Ionia Rec Area

5/29-31 - MMBA Summit in GR

5/30 - Gears & Beers Tour in AA

5/30 - Milk Jug DH Race @ C-Burg Ski Area

6/4 - Milk Jug ATB Race @ GR BMX Track

6/6 - 100 Grand Tour

6/7 - Cannondale Owners Ride - Saugatuck

6/7 - Cedar Creek Road Race

8/2 - “Vel-ODRAM” (Details soon!)

LOOKING AHEAD A BIT………….

Details are a bit sparse as yet but you might wanna mark your calendars for a couple of upcoming projects. We’ll have more info soon!

June 7 - Cannondale Owner’s Ride from the Saugatuck Brewery. Join us, our C-Dale rep Jason and a buncha happy Cannondalers for a 40 mile ride and a post ride snack and brew fest

August 2 - “Vel-ODRAM” We were as bummed as anyone else when word came down that there was no “One Day Ride Across Michigan” on the calendar this year! So…we’re doin’our own. The package will include chartered bus transportation to the start and from the finish, food, sag support,maps and a grilled chicken dinner in Bay City.

SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!

One good way to do that would be to show up @ the Saugatuck Brewery on Sat 5/23 to see and hear the Last Call Band. (Featuring our own MC) Music goes from 8:00-Midnight. No smoke and no cover!

See what we mean? Is there a buncha cool stuff goin’ on or what? All of us Velo-Citizens hope to see you on a ride, at an event or here at the shop. Be well, ride lots and stay safe! We’ll talk to you soon……….

Berger, Matt, Glenn, Rhonda,

Sandy, Aaron, Austin & MC

“If old age is a shipwreck cycling is a

great way to avoid drowning!”

Raymond Poulidor