Winter is Calling!

Winter is coming right around the corner and we have all the essentials to get you through the cold, rain, sleet and snow. 

 Get your hands on our comfy and warm PULP and SBC sweatshirts.  Nothing like bundling up in one of these with a cup of joe and a good book.

For you lovely ladies out there, we have a whole winter selection just for you! Try out the Endura Neck Warmers and try on Endura's X Track Jacket.  

  Super cool Dillon, sporting the Bontrager Race Windshell Glove and the slick looking Bontrager RXL 180 Softshell Jacket.

Dillon and Scott are ready for winter! 

My New Friend, Leznye

Do you have money that's burning a hole in your pocket? Even the most frugal of us have been in this position. A week or so back I found myself wanting the ultimate multi-tool. Over the last seven years of bike commuting I have attempted to perfect my bike pouch. It's a dirty, red pencil pouch from my adolescent days filled with extra tubes, quick links, patches, spoke wrenches, you name it. 

What it's always lacked is a nice multi-tool. I've used multiple in the past, but they were cheap and ended up being more of a headache than my repair at hand. After my last cheap one broke, I resorted to a hilariously bulky three-way (4, 5, 6mm) allen wrench. 

It was time for something nice, something appropriate. My search came down to the Topeak Alien, which comes in at $49.99 and the Lezyne CRV-12, a mere $29.99. 

The Alien looks great from the exterior, but it boiled down to a philosophy I usually get defeated on: packing too many features into one device, thus sacrificing the quality of its main intention, a tool. 

The Lezyne CRV-12 is the perfect multi-tool for your pack, coming in at 150 grams, you know if that's your thing to count those, it features all the necessary functions:

• 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 mm allen keys
• Phillips #1
• 8, 9, 10 spd chain tool 

On a tool this size, it's rare to find a chain tool and paired with a <$5 quick link, it can surely save your tush on the road. 

All in all, we are trying to do a better job reviewing products here at the shop. I highly recommend this tool for anyone looking to keep their bike operable, whether rolling through one of our local universities or on the backside of Reddish during your 50-mile morning. 

   

Closed up, the CRV-12 is smaller than a credit card. 

   

Life's full of decisions, GET THE RIGHT MULTI-TOOL!

The tool's short purchase gives exceptional leverage on tightening bolts while on the trail. 

U

A Great Day in Richmond!

The crowds of Libby Hill.

The riders of this year's men's UCI Road World Championship Race in Richmond must have been super tired after 161 miles of racing but nothing compared to the fatigue of these two spectators! Sunday was the greatest day of bike racing in which I have ever experienced, period.

The start at University of Richmond

Our Sunday in Richmond began with a quick ride to the start of the race at the campus of the University of Richmond. Our initial crew, with five bikes and three trail-a-bikes, fit right in with the hundreds of riders heading to spectate the start. You could feel the buzz of the day beginning as the scores of motorcycles, cars and support vehicles started their engines for what was about to becoming a long and  beautiful day in our Commonwealth capital.

Ethan..about to get buzzed by the peloton.

After sending off the best riders in the world to the loud cheers and cowbells our crew rode back to our host house to prepare for the rest of day. After a packing some sandwiches and filling up on last minute snacks Ethan & I jumped on our bike rig (my commuter with his Burley Trail-a-Bike) and began our 6 mile journey to get to the circuit race course.  With us we had an overflowing saddle bag of rain gear which would never have to come out on what become a gorgeous Sunday.

The brutal 23rd street hill!

Ethan and I entered the circuit from the west side allowing us to catch several high speed sections of the course. We were able to enjoy being close to the riders since the crowds were not as deep on these flatter sections of the course.   We then  decided to make our way for the far east end of the circuit and head to cobbles of Libby Hill.  As we got closer we decided to ditch the bike and lock it to one of the few remaining free structures, a gas meter outside someone house. The excitement from here continued for the remaining 150K and 4 hours of racing.  These four hours seemed like a blur as we  walked, ran and road our way to all the exciting sections of the course.  It seems there was not a block that did not include rowdy spectators and the constant bumping into of old friends.

After catching the last minutes of the award ceremony in the convention center Ethan & I made our way back to the race course, but this time inside the barriers as we began our return trip to the County. After several miles into our ride back towards the University of Richmond our stomachs reminded us that the excitement of the day allowed us not to eat. So with only a few miles in our ride left, not wanting the day to end, we dropped into the closest bar, and in complete silence we refueled with glass after glass of water and two big plates of food.

Peter Sagan..1K from the rainbow jersey!

We finally arrived at our car some 10 hours later and quickly packed up so we could pick up Stephen and make the drive back to the burg. Ethan was asleep before we took the ramp to I64 while Stephen and I reflected on how we both enjoyed the day in Richmond. We both knew we just enjoyed a day in the Virginia Capital that will probably never happen again, even the six year old in the back seat knew it was a special day.

Thank you RICHMOND!

Pumpkin and Spice and Everything Nice...

Well, fall is here and PULP is getting festive people... This weeks special is everything tasty and beautiful.  Pumpkin and Spice and Everything Nice is the epic combination of acai, aronia berry, banana, cinnamon, almond milk, pumpkin seeds and honey.  We roasted the pumpkin seeds with cinnamon, sugar and a dash of sea salt.  Tis the season, come and get it while it lasts!

You may be asking yourself what an aronia berry is?  Well here is the answer. The aronia berry is a super food super star! Packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin c and is a cancer fighting fruit.  This berry is even said to help reduce wrinkles and protect your skin from pollutants and UV rays.  You can't get much better than that.

  

SBC getting spooky. 

Alien technology finally available on Earth.

On my home planet, light years away, we used to race these inter-galactic rides. It's good to see that the technology my people enjoyed eons ago has made it to earth!

Bicycle Campout Season Finale

Our fourth and final bicycle campout of the year is only a month away! Schedule off work, get your projects finished early, borrow a sleeping bag. Whatever it takes, I want to ride bikes and sleep outside with you and any friends you can wrangle to join us.

On Saturday October 24th, we will meet at the bike shop at 11:30am to mingle before our 12:00pm roll out. Our destination is Stokesville Campground. The route is 24 miles with some pavement, some gravel, and some excellent panoramic views of the national forest. It has become a favorite route in my own road ride repertoire and I think you will love it too. We will take plenty of time so everybody can have fun.

This is a self supported event. Bring what you need to be happy outside on and off your bike for 24 hours. There is potable water at the campground and a store near by. 

Come early if you need our help with your bike or packing. If at all possible, address these issues over the next couple of weeks so you can roll into your weekend relaxed and prepared. 

Read about past trips here and sign up here.

Call the bike shop or send me an email at David@shenandoahbicycle.com with any questions or concerns. Most of all, get excited! It's going to be a real good time.

Wootten Went West to the White Water capital.

Every year, weirdos gather in Southern WV for scheduled dam releases on the Gauley River.  In the past 5 years, a new sport has emerged; River Surfing, standing on standing waves.  Most river surfers use shortboards, designed for ocean waves because they are fast and stable versus the higher volume and super wide stand-up paddle boards.

Can you see the difference between a SUP and a Shortboard?  Couple rippers on Diagonal Wedges.

Wootten rolled out to WV to learn how to stand up on his new 6' softech shortboard.  His mate Shane Groves hooked him up with a ticket to the Party in the Holler over at Ace Adventure Resort to see the Wood Brothers on Saturday Night.

Shane and Wootten had breakfast at the WV chain Tudors Biscuit World for some caloric overload before a big day of park and play on the Lower G.  Following breakfast, the dynamic duo dropped by la hacienda de George.  George, who just got back from Honduras with his wife, is quite the homesteader.  Here, you see the cabin he's built with lumber he milled with a chainsaw on location.

La Hacienda de George is conveniently located adjacent to the rough access road to the Middle Gauley.  After a short drive down into the gorge, river noises filled the air.  Over the bridge and down the tracks to the wave...

Looking upstream from the Peters Creek Bridge.

Commuting

Shane made all the other kayakers look like beginners with his sweet freestyle maneuvers.  

Shane backstabbing

George and Yadira ponder the future of la Hacienda from the lip of Laurel Creek Falls.

      

Fall skies and cool weather?

Rolled out this weekend with my wife on the gasoline powered tandem for a quick fishing trip and was greeted with cool temps rain and damn near fall looking skies. If this is global warming I'm ok with it. Enjoy some photos below...

The power of spectacles.

So I was working on a customers bike the other day. He stopped by to check on the progress about the time I was struggling to see the cable access port for his shimano road shifter. He let me borrow his 1.5 reading glasses which he eventually told me to keep and what a difference. In the picture below I can easily see the little grub screw on the shock I'm working on. I'm available Wed thru Sat at SBC to look at anything tiny with my specs. Thanks Hugo!

Aid Station #3 at the SM100...A volunteer fiesta!

We at the Shenandoah Bicycle Company and our good friends from The Sole Source have been hosting a little fiesta each labor weekend at the bottom of the Dowell's Draft Trail.  This gathering of volunteers is part of the Shenandoah 100 Mountain Bike Race, a 100 mile adventure of fire roads, pavement and some of the finest single track the area has to offer.

To watch this aid station come together and help 600 rides get refueled for the next 55 miles is like watching a smooth, well oiled machine in motion. This year we added some music to greet the riders, not that they needed an excuse to smile after descending the single track of Dowell's Draft. A few riders flew by our support staff with no need of assistance, others came through aid station #3 and took advantage of our full service offerings.....Need water..we will fill your bottles..Need food, open your mouth, here it comes.  Bike not working to it's best, no problem our mechanics are there to get you in and out faster then a NASCAR pit stop.

There are too many volunteers to thank but look at the photo above and you will recognize many of the great folks who devoted their day to help others accomplish a ride of a lifetime.

See you next year for another fiesta...come join the fun, on the bike or as part of the pit stop crew!

A big thank you to Chris and all the other folks who make the SM100 happen each year!

-Thomas

Jazzin Things Up at the PULP

Come in to PULP and try one of our new fruit additions to the acai bowl family.  This delicious and nutritious fruit is called Pitaya. Others may know this fruit by the name Dragonfruit. Here is a list of the exotic fruit's health benefits.

• Packed full of vitamin c to help build your immune system.
• B1,B2 and B3, which makes your skin glow and gives you a nice energy boost.
• Great source of fiber.
• Carotene; which is an antioxident that can help protect the body from cancer cells.
• High in antimicrobial properties. 
• Helps manage your blood sugar levels.

To celebrate the new arrival, try this weeks special! The DragonFly has pitaya, strawberry, acai, almond milk, granola and honey.  This acai bowl will have you coming back for more.  Get it while it lasts!

Pulp Punch Cards

Om Nom...

Give PULP a visit this week and try our new house special Om Nom.  This special will make your taste buds smile and you won't be able to get enough of it.  Don't forget to ask for a punch card when you come in.   With a tenth purchase of an acai bowl you can get a FREE one. 

C&O Canal

   I sat adjacent to a Chevy S10 pickup missing a side view mirror slugging water from a Honest Tea bottle. However, I was lying to myself. I didn't really want to go at first. Downing 64-plus ounces of water in your body in attempts to battle 95-plus degree heat at 6 p.m. isn't usually my ideal 'day off.'

   Mile marker 59 is where I began my adventure on the C&O Canal. It was a party of one, me and of course my bike.

   I woke up near Harper's Ferry to the constant sound of rain. After confirming the wet conditions, I traveled into town with my friend, Chris to get breakfast at a local diner. After some heartburn and excess sodium intake we made our way to a clear-skied Frederick, MD where I visited the newly-opened Gravel & Grind. They specialize in steel bikes and pour over coffee. Needless to say I was in heaven.

   The day slowly crept away before 5 p.m. appeared on my watch and I still hadn't left. I was having such a good time in good company while escaping the 97 degrees that lingered beyond the roaring sound of a window AC unit. I had to get on the trail. It was what I came here for.

   By 6 p.m. I was finally rolling after having ferociously hydrated pre-ride. I made it to around Mile 40 headed south when I met Grev, a middle-aged, shirtless hairy fellow who was on his way back from Harper's Ferry. He was an interesting guy, cryptic to a degree, everything but indirect. We decided to camp together at mile 30, a safe spot where he had camped the night before.

Any camping trip with me ensures the freshest coffee
one may consume in the woods. Freshly Red Rooster
grounds were enjoyed on the banks of the Potomac. 

   Dinner consisted of canned seafood, Twizzlers and water treated with iodine. We sat next to the Potomac River and enjoyed the natural sounds until bedtime.

  Sunday morning's wake up consisted of a woman discussing the day's forecast.

   "I heard on the news it's going to be the hottest day of the year in DC," she said to a man.

   This left me with a big decision: continue the 30-plus miles into DC and 60 back to Harper's Ferry or just turn back now and play it safe. I went for it. I'd never willingly taken on the challenge of 90-plus miles, especially with a 95-degree forecast.

    A pit stop- in Great Falls around mile 15 yielded great eye candy and a fresh perspective on my challenging day ahead. Grev and I were on a party pace by the time we made it into Georgetown. Around mile four of the C&O, he directed us off the path onto the Crescent Trail which led us right onto Water St.

   Our first stop was Revolution Cycles where we both bought t-shirts solely for purpose of dry clothes. He then treated me lunch by the water before we departed ways. He was scheduled for 15 more miles back home while I was slated for roughly 68 back to Harper's Ferry.

   After stocking up on convenience store foods, I departed the city around 3 p.m.. I was aiming roughly 12 miles per hour which would get me back around 8:30, just by sunset. I didn't have lights so this was pretty important to chase the sun.

   It was hot, even in the shaded cover of trees along the path. The exposed sections proved that the feat would not have been possible without the covered path.

My view for much of the weekend. After heavy rainstorms early in the weekend, the trail was caked with mud. 

View of the bike rack at Great Falls (Mile 15) where we pedaled
with some cool dudes from Maryland. 

Surly Cross Check, not a truly dedicated touring bike
when it comes to gearing, but it sports all the necessary eyelets
 and components fora god rig.  

Cruising Georgetown before hopping back on the trail. 

Who needs a stem bag when you can use your
 Teva's as a collar for snack bags?!

A panoramic of my campsite with water supply at mile 26

Great falls: the best scenic spot to check out (mile 15) on the southern end of the C&O

If the adventure wasn't complete after a 96-mile day, a 1/2 mile hike back to my
car on the AT capped off an amazing weekend.

The show stopper.

This just walked in the shop the other day; It reminds us to constantly listen to the little voices that come from the bike.  This one had started a few weeks ago as a "light creaking" then got a little louder.  The unsuspecting bike tourist from conneticut then found himself hitching a ride into Harrisonburg to get a new crank.  When the machine speaks...listen.

Fun on all kinds of wheels!

Got out on the big bike with my oldest friend and partner in crime. Loaded up my scooter with the essentials for a good time....skateboard and fishing rod and headed to Smith Mountain Lake. Me and my buddy make runs like these from early spring thru late fall when schedules allow for such activities. This run I mapped out had no interstate involved which was a nice change of pace. We are always trying new and better ways of securing our stuff which is easy for me as my bike is the station wagon of motorcycles. My bro showed up at our meeting spot with the most inexpensive and by far the best gear hauler I've ever seen...a milk crate! Enjoy the pics below