Just another day at SBC

Here at SBC we cater to a variety of different needs from our biking community. From expert mountain bikes to tandem bike riders to the occasional homemade contraption, our mechanics are always on their toes to work on the next strange request. 
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A couple weeks ago John came into the shop looking for a particular bike part. Check out what he was riding! 

The proud owner and builder

Here's the master craftsman himself posed to ride his awesome homemade contraption. This bike and trailer stretched to about 14 ft long. We were his last stop before the start of his trip down to visit his daughter's college in the south west USA. 
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If you know of the Harrisonburg biking scene, you must know that mountain biking is a pretty big deal around here. The local bike coalition hosts rides every week that cater to this intensive style of riding. SBC also caters to our wonderful mountain bikers as well. Check out our new display of carbon mountain bikes. 

Look at those beauties

 We carry mountain bike styles for all riders and all preferences: long travel, XC, and all mountain. The wheel sizes in the picture above from left to right are 26, 650, and 29.  Bikes with carbon frames are stiff, light, responsive and aesthetically pleasing. The carbon frame is one single piece rather than pieces that are welded together which allows for all of these features listed above.

Come check them out and feel the difference for yourself!
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 The diversity of the type of requests we work on here at the bike shop really hits home when you look at the little visitor we had this morning. 

Yep. We had a miniature pony come in needing a little help with his wagon wheel. Just another day at SBC and another day in Harrisonburg.

Collin helps with the pony cart.

 

What a cutie!

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Working downtown has been one of the best decisions I've made this summer. As the new PULP girl, I came in knowing next to nothing about bikes. The exposure to this crazy diverse community I have gotten by working at SBC is something I wouldn't trade for the world. I definitely gain something every single day.

Stay interesting Harrisonburg,
- Jaimie

New Pizza Place Opening in Downtown Harrisonburg

A View To A Meal

Bella Luna To Bring Wood-Fired Pizza Downtown

Posted: July 6, 2013

By JEREMY HUNT

Building owner Barry Kelly (left) talks with MB Weld construction crew member Mario Bianchi about the renovations inside 80 W. Water St. on Friday. Kelly plans to transform the space into Bella Luna, a wood-fired pizzeria, as well as commercial and residential space. (Photo by Jason Lenhart)

HARRISONBURG — A co-founder of one of Staunton’s best-known eateries is bringing wood-fired pizza to downtown Harrisonburg.

Wade Luhn, previously a part owner of the Mockingbird Café in downtown Staunton, plans to open Bella Luna Wood-Fired Pizza on West Water Street this fall.

The pizzeria will feature Neapolitan-inspired pies cooked for two minutes in a 900-degree oven, which will be right out on the floor for diners to watch the process.

“It’s kind of pizza as theater,” Luhn said. “It’s an open kitchen. You’ll be able to watch your pizza cook.”

Luhn, 50, of Staunton, sold his share of the Mockingbird, a popular music venue and bar, in 2011. The café closed earlier this year.

Shortly after getting out of the business, Luhn started looking for a place in downtown Harrisonburg to set up shop.

Officials with the revitalization group Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance hooked him up with developer Barry Kelly, who is renovating a building at 80 and 84 W. Water St. that originally served as stables in the 19th century.

In recent years, the building was home to a barbershop and offices.

It’s not clear when the livery was built, Kelly said, but when it was converted for more modern uses, whoever did the job left the original structure in place.

Workers are exposing the original materials as part of the ongoing remodeling project.

“We’ll add some features that will be more in tune of what you might see in a stable environment that will be repurposed for what we’ll be using it for,” Kelly said.

In addition to Bella Luna, the 14,000-square-foot building will have commercial space on the first floor and apartments on the second. Kelly said he does not have another tenant yet for the rest of the commercial space.

The renovation project includes exposing the original archway stable door. It will be open during the day, creating a breezeway that will provide outdoor seating for Bella Luna patrons.

At Bella Luna, Luhn said he’s aiming for an atmosphere that’s not too formal, but not too relaxed, either.

The restaurant’s name means beautiful moon in Italian.

“It’ll be riding the fence between something that’s informal and yet nice enough to be a special occasion place,” he said.

The restaurant will have a monthly music event and space to serve as a community meeting area for lectures and other events. Luhn expects to employ 25 people.

In addition to pizza, Bella Luna will offer appetizers, pasta dishes and sandwiches at lunch using bread baked in the pizza oven. Craft beer, wine and spirits will be available.

“There’ll be enough diversity [on the menu], but I’m a big believer in trying to keep things simple, so …  we can do a good job with what we offer,” he said, “in other words, a single-page menu.”

Luhn plans to feature local, seasonal ingredients whenever possible, as people are increasingly interested in knowing where their food comes from.

Mozzarella will be made in-house, as will sausage using meat from local farmers, Luhn said.

And the beauty of the pizza, he says, is in its simplicity.

“We’re going to be using flour, water, salt and yeast, putting it into a 900-degree oven,” he said, “and in two minutes, it’s just kind of a magical thing that happens.”

Contact Jeremy Hunt at 574-6273 or jhunt@dnronline.com

Basket Case!

Tired of driving to the grocery store?  Tired of riding your townie bike with a heavy backpack?  Leave your commuter woes behind & get some sweet baskets to pimp your ride!  We've got a great selection of ToPeak racks, baskets & other utilitarian accessories for comfort cruisers & performance hybrids alike.

Our favorite uses for these baskets are farmers market visits & the occasional bee double E double r you in.  Whether you are hungry or thirsty, these things can help you meet your cycling needs.  Check out all the baskets we have available on our online store here.

Demo Day at Bryce

This past weekend we helped out with the Trek Demo Day at the new mountain bike park at Bryce Resort.  A whopping 130 folks came out to try Trek's sweetest new rides on these sweet new trails.  If you haven't been to Bryce yet, check out this video to catch a glimpse of what the new trails are like.  Fun, fast, flowy, turn, twisty & playful!



402bryce from Adventure Seen on Vimeo.

Red Wing Music Festival

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? 

Check out the Red Wing Roots Music Festival at Natural Chimney's Park. The venue is totally family-friendly, the vendors look awesome, and with 40 performers and 4 stages, the music looks like it will be stunning. Tickets for this Americana music spectacular can be bought online for all-weekend or single-days. 

This festival is all presented to you by The Steel Wheels. The Red Wing Festival is actually named after their break out album Red Wing. 

So, what makes this group of guys news-worthy on a bike blog?

For the past three years The Steel Wheels have been doing a little biking of their own. 

During their annual SpokeSongs tour, these amazing guys tour only via bicycle. They haul all of their own equipment too, even the bass! You can check out their travel here on their blog. This past year's tour the band also took part in many different charitable bike rides. 

Another thing that makes these guys worth supporting is they support us. Yes, The Steel Wheels don't just sing about the roots they have within their community, they support them as well. they even get their band T-shirts made in downtown Harrisonburg. Their commitment to supporting local businesses, artisans and charities proves that they work above and beyond to emphasize the importance of roots.  

For more information about this phenomenal group of guys, check out this video put together by our own talented member of staff, Scott Wooten. See more of Scott's amazing video work here.

                               


Find out more info about the festival by visiting their website or going to their facebook page.

Thanks for reading! 
- J

Women's Specific Mountain Bike Sale

Hey there ladies! Are you looking for a great mountain bike built specifically with you in mind? 

Cali S Women's Specific 29er Mountain Bike

Cali SL Women's Specific 29er Mountain Bike

Check out these sweet rides! The Cali S and the Cali SL are outfitted specifically for a women's body. Some of these features included are:
- Smaller handle grips for smaller hands
- Women's saddle
- Shorter distance from saddle to handle
- Lighter in weight to accommodate a lighter rider

And it gets even better. Both of these bikes are built with 29' wheels, which allows for easier and more comfortable over rocky terrain, like what we have here in Ole' Harrisonburg. 

That's a lot of rocks...

Lastly, both of these amazing bikes are on sale. The Cali S is only 799.99 and the Cali SL is only 1,349.99!

Come on in to SBC and see how a bike made with you in mind feels in motion. 

- <3
Jaimie

Trek Demo Day

All pictures taken from Bryce FB page

Looking for a way to test out a new Trek bike on actual trail? Come to the Trek Demo Day at Bryce Park.on July 13th from 10am-3pm.

A Demo Day is a great way to test out a bike that you have interest in on trails rather than just a test ride in the shop. This year we are offering rides for all of the models/sizes below:

Domane 6.2 WSD / 47
Domane 6.2 / 50
Domane 6.2 / 52
Domane 6.2 / 54
Domane 6.2 / 58
Domane 6.2 / 60
Domane 6.2 / 62
Madone 6.2 / 50
Madone 6.2 / 52
Madone 6.2 / 54
Madone 6.2 / 56
Madone 6.2 / 58
Madone 6.2 / 60
Madone 6.2 / 62
Lush Carbon / 14.5
Lush Carbon / 16
Superfly 100 SL Elite / 17.5
Superfly 100 SL Elite / 19.5
Superfly 100 SL Elite / 21.5
Fuel EX 9.8 29 / 17.5
Fuel EX 9.8 29 / 18.5
Fuel EX 9.8 29 / 19.5
Fuel EX 9.8 29 / 21.5
Stache 8 / 17.5
Stache 8 / 19.5
Stache 8 / 21
Fuel EX 9.8 / 17.5
Fuel EX 9.8 / 18.5
Fuel EX 9.8 / 19.5
Remedy 9 29 / 17.5
Remedy 9 29 / 19.5
Slash 9 / 17.5
Slash 9 / 18.5
Slash 9 / 19.5
Session 9.9 / M
Session 9.9  / L
Session 9.9 / L
Lush SL 29 / 15.5
Lush SL 29 / 17
Superfly Elite / 15.5
Superfly Elite / 17.5

There will be Gatorade, a beer tent, BBQ, coupons for burritos and a variety of other refreshments on site. 

Don't forget to register on the EVENTbrite site: http://sbc-trek-bryce-demo.eventbrite.com/

Paul and Liza: Larkin Arts

Hey Bike and PULP folks!

Yesterday was the opening reception of two wonderful collaborative artists at Larkin Arts; our own Paul Forrester and the beautiful Liza Frolkis. This couple can create some serious masterpieces and their hard work shows, so don't forget to check out their exhibit! If you missed it, here are some highlights in photos from the big night. (Pictures taken by Scott Wooten)

Liza, clearly excited about the big night, cracks a smile. 

Gimme All the Things, one of the many pieces on display.

Paul must be contemplating all of the hard work that built up to the opening night. 

Divine Intervention, another great piece currently hanging in Larkin Arts on the square.

The stars of the art show. 

So, come support some local artists and check out Paul and Liza's exhibit at Larkin Arts.

Good Job Guys,

Jaimie

July 4th in the 'Burg

Hey all you awesome readers!

This year was my first year spending Independence Day in Harrisonburg. Needless to say, it was amazing. Here are 7 highlights for all of you that missed it:

1. Face Painting: 
There was a HUGE line for the face painting downtown and it looked as though it was well worth it. The artwork on some of the kids faces was phenomenal. I also saw many 4ft tall Spider-men walking in the crowds of people, which was highly entertaining.

It's that cute?

2. The Parade: 
I now know why people were marking off their viewing spots hours before. Chairs lined main street with people eager to see all of the creative and entertaining floats. I really hope lots of people will post pictures on facebook soon because I didn't have a camera.

3. Rollerblading Uncle Sam: 
This guy had his roller blades on for 5 hours straight!  Even after all that skating in the heat, he was still smiling and taking photos. Kudos to you skate man.

Makes me want to learn how to roller blade

4. Balloon Kid: 
Not sure who the kid was, but he looked about 12 years old. He was crafting great balloon animals and figures for other kids that walked by in the square. His talent was pretty cool.

5. Recycled Artwork: 
Right next to the Larkin Arts stand (which was phenomenal) was a smaller stand dedicated to purely recycled artwork. Made from mostly recycled Starbuck's gift cards, Andi's Green Art really caught my eye. I even bought a guitar pick from her.
www.andisgreenart.com

This is my new beautiful guitar pick :)

6. The Food: 
Between the fresh donuts, homemade fudge, fried dough, and kettle corn, food heaven was present on the square.

7. The Fireworks: 
The fireworks did get a bit delayed due to some rain. The best view was definitely from the top of the parking deck downtown. The fireworks felt so close you could almost feel the heat in the air from the explosions. 


All in all, what a great day! I sure hope others enjoyed it too.

- Sending Good Vibes
Jaimie (PULP girl)

Helmet info and sale

Most people know that you should always replace a helmet if you've been in a crash. You should also replace a helmet when:

- the foam is cracked or damaged

- the helmet is from the 1970's

- the outside of the helmet is just foam or cloth (it should be plastic)

- there is no CPSC, ASTM, or Snell sticker on the inside

- you cannot adjust it to fit properly (helmets should never be to "grow into")

Information gathered from: http://www.helmets.org/replace.htm

For more info about proper helmet fit please visit: http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/easystepsweb/

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That being said, check out these rockin' new kid's helmet designs for sale:

What kid wouldn't want to wear a helmet this playful?

Wearing a helmet shouldn't just be a chore. Make wearing a helmet fun with these cool designs. for both boys and girls.

Only $20 for amazing well-fitting head protection. Come on in to SBC and have one fit to your head today.

- Happy travels

Jaimie (PULP girl)

July 4th

Just a warning to all of our readers.... 

On July 4th Shenandoah Bicycle Company/PULP will be closed. 

Hope you enjoy the fireworks and happy independence day!

18 Years is a long time...Tour de Burg living strong.

Before we opened the doors of SBC the Tour de Burg was in it's early years of formation. In the late 90's this event was comprised of a few friends going big on two wheels for 10 consecutive days. The Tour was a time to explore, ride and vacate from work and other responsibilities.  The stages would alter between off road adventures and long Century rides ascending the biggest road climbs around the Valley.  Now the Tour de Burg was been reduced to 5-6 days but there are more friends enjoying the entire Tour or  just "pouching" a stage or two. The Tour de Burg is the type of event that makes the Harrisonburg bicycle community a family! It makes SBC proud to help support this type of grass roots event. Maybe one day we will be celebrating the 100th addition of the event similar to that other Tour on the other side of the pond.  We hope you can come out for a stage or two of this year's 18th addition of the Tour de Burg.