Cycle Central... Powered by SBC!

WHAT IS CYCLE CENTRAL?

For years SBC has been advocating for more cycling opportunities at JMU. In 2016 JMU expanded UREC, and with this expansion the University provided an opportunity for JMU's first cycling hub - "Cycle Central powered by SBC". Cycle Central is a small bike shop in UREC operated by SBC. At Cycle Central we offer sales, service and bicycle information/support for the beginner to advanced cyclist. Cycle Central is not just for students, but also also for faculty, staff, and anybody with UREC access.

A university is an educational institution, the learning goes well beyond the classroom. At SBC we believe cycling is one of the life long lessons and experiences that a University needs to share with it's students.  Making bicycling more accessible for students, staff and faculty will increase ridership and exposure to cycling. We don't believe every person has to ride a bike but we do believe we all need to learn to coexists and share the space we used for transportation and recreation.

At Cycle Central we have the ability to fix most any level of bicycle repair that your machine might need. From simple tire inflation, brake adjustments, shifting adjustments to full overhauls, we can do it at Cycle Central. We will also get your repair turned around as possible with most repairs able to be done the same day or within 24 hours. At Cycle Central you will find a well rounded selection of bicycle accessories and parts, our offerings are increasing on a daily basis. If we do not have it at Cycle Central we can check our inventory at our downtown location and have items transferred that day. 

We believe Cycle Central is the next step to help Harrisonburg and JMU become a bicycle community.

Come by Cycle Central and say "Hello"!

Cycle Central in UREC
M-TR: 4pm - 8pm
Fri & Sat: 11am - 5pm
540-568-8729
urec@shenandoahbicycle.com

City's Youth Try...What a great event!

THE CITY'S YOUTH TRYATHLON

Ethan all smiles as he finished the bike leg!

Some events you just need to be there to get the full feel, The  City's Youth Tri is one such event. Go once and you will be motivated to put it on your calendar for next year.  This is the 4th year the City has put on the Youth Triathlon, a unique event, designed to introduce kids to Triathlons.  With age groups ranging from 5 to 17, there is a spot for any kid. There is no emphasis on winning or losing but just getting kids to finish and try something new.

SBC, tuning up the bikes for the kids.

Ethan & Carter after their first Tri

SBC has participated each year making sure the kids two wheel machines are ready to take them from the swim leg to the run leg of the event.  Supporting local events like this is an important part of the SBC business. The event is held each year at Westover Park. A big "THANK YOU" to the City Parks and Recreation Department, the HPD and all the volunteers who made this such a memorable day for the kids and the parents.

SBC is now selling Trek's Roscoe. This bike is extremely fun and perfect for riding trails without breaking the bank! The Roscoe has a slacker head angle, 120mm fork, 27.5'' wheels, plus sized tires, and a 1 x 11 drive train. 

Come to the shop and test ride it! You won't regret it. 

SALSA BUCKSAW ON SALE!!

SALSA 2016 FULL SUSPENSION BUCKSAW BIKES ON CRAZY SALE!

If you ever wanted a full suspension fat bike this is the day. Fulfill your dreams and get a great deal on a great riding fat tire bike.

X01 Aluminum (sizes SM, MD, LG, XL) was $4999 Now $2799

GX1 Aluminum (sizes MD, LG) was$3999 $ Now $2299

Call or stop by SBC today to place your order!

HDR"s Friendly City Fortune!

If you haven't heard about the $250,000 raffle that Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is  hosting then you better listen up! For $100, you can enter for a chance to win some crazy prices (cars, bikes, cash, getaways,etc). All the proceeds will go right back into supporting the growth of downtown Harrisonburg through beautification projects, community-building initiatives, and business assistance programs. Shenandoah Bicycle Company will be contributing a Trek Lift + Electric Bike! There are still tickets left so stop by SBC and get yours before they're all gone. 

Also, make sure to come by the shop any time before Friday this week to enter a drawing to win a FREE Friendly City Fortune raffle ticket. Harrisonburg Radio Group will be here on Friday from 11:30 am- 1:00 pm to announce the winner! 

Here are some of the awesome prices you could win in the raffle! Winners will be announced on July 4th. A price will be drawn every 5 minutes for 4 hours so you have a big change of winning!

Confident City Cycling Class!

Hello everyone! The Confident City Cycling class will be held on Saturday, May 20  at Westover park. It will be led by League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructors. I took this class last year and it was an awesome experience. I had just bought my bike and I was still nervous about riding it around town. 

This class gave me the confidence I needed to get out of my shell and to make good use of my beautiful bike. I was a beginner, but the amount of experience each student had varied. The instructors were very helpful and answered all my questions. 

Among other things, we learned about the importance of checking our bikes over before each ride to make sure everything is ready to go. We did exercises that prepared us for situations we may face while driving in traffic and in trails ( such as roadkill, angry drivers, and rocks). I was also taught how to change a flat which helped me feel less anxious about riding long distances. 

Take this class! It's freaking awesome. Here's a link with more info!

http://svbcoalition.org/bike-education/classes/#CCC

Night Riding

Night Riding...Don't let the couch eat you this time of year...

With the days being shorter this time of year, sneaking in a post-work ride can be tricky.  Luckily, bike lights have drastically improved over the past decade.  With the bursts of spring-like weather we've been having this week, night riding is a very viable option to prevent the beer belly from growing too much. Here are a few more reasons you should consider snagging a light and heading out under the stars this year...

Watching the sun dip behind the ridge before diving into the forest.

Reason #1

The ability to ride year round here is a major bonus to living in Harrisonburg. It's not uncommon to find yourself getting burned out at some point though.  Take a trail you've ridden hundreds of times during the day and it will completely change at night. The same features are there, but it's incredible how different the trail appears when the only light you have is much more focused.  If you find yourself getting tired of the same rides, grab a light.   

Checking out the stars rolling out of Hone Quarry

Reason #2

There's no better vantage point for a sunset than on top of one of the many ridge lines west or east of town.  It's hard to beat cruising up a mountain as the sky changes colors without feeling rushed for time.  Sunsets around here worth watching and some of the best places to enjoy them aren't accessible by car.  Grab a light for the descent back down the mountain.

Reason #3

On a clear night the sky puts on an incredible show of stars.  I guarantee it's much better than the latest Netflix drama. Hone Quarry was my destination of choice last Wednesday night with a great wide open view above the reservoir. At some point in your ride turn your light off and look up.

A Few Tips...

If you've never ventured out onto the trails at night, here are a few tips...

•  Get a reliable light. There are many cheap lights out there that are very bright; however, the batteries are generally unreliable. I use Light and Motion's Imjin 800 on my helmet and have been more than happy.  It's super light-weight and relatively inexpensive compared to other lights out there.
• Depending on what type of trail you're riding, it doesn't hurt to have two lights...One on the helmet, one on the bars. Your helmet light is crucial for scanning ahead into upcoming turns. I typically put my brightest light on my helmet, but that's something to play around with. The bar light is helpful with depth perception because you can direct it downward more to fill the gap where you're helmet light doesn't hit. 
• This time of year especially, bring extra layers. As the sun sets, the temperature drops a good bit.
• Find some friends to ride with.  Motivation is much easier to find with a group of people.  Thomas leads a night ride from the SBC parking lot every Monday night around 8:30. If you don't have any night-riding experience this ride would be a great intro.  Massanutten is another great place to start.  Don't let the lack of sun get you down...

- Andrew

Winter Riding...learning by years of mistakes...

When the window to ride is open I have to jump in with both feet, regardless of the weather. My window to ride was open this past Sunday morning. Even though the temperature was reading 8 degrees at the house I was motivated to grab my Salsa Horsethief hit the snow on Shenandoah Mountain. A last minute connect with Andrew from the shop and I had a motivated riding partner

Andrew climbing up near the Reddish Saddle

Over the years I have made a lot of mistakes when it comes to winter riding. What I have learned through these mistakes is something I would like to share so hopefully you will get to experience a beautiful winter riding day on the mountain.

Final adjustment time before the downhill.

Thomas's top ten tips to making the winter ride a little bit better!

1- Taping the brake levers:  I run a thin layer of cloth tape on my mountain & commuter bike brake levers to help insulate my hands from cold metal. Constant touching of the cold levers will sap your hands of heat. 

2 - Warm cloths: Make sure all your riding gear is warm when you go to put it on...a riding bag in the trunk does not count.  

3 - When to get dress: Don't get dress in a parking lot, you will lose all your body heat. If  it is a close drive to your riding destination then get dress in the warmth of the house. If it is longer drive I like to get partially dress at home then do a quick pull off 5 or 10 minutes from the destination, this will allow me and my cloths to get acclimated, I am also ready to roll when I arrive. 

4 - Gloves: Very seldom am I doing a ride with only one set of gloves. I usually have two pairs to cover a temperature range, doing a quick swap out before my hands get too hot or cold. I will sometimes store the extra gloves under my vest to act as a warmth layer and get the second pair of gloves warm (putting cold hands in cold gloves does not help).   Bar Mitts...there is nothing better for days like it was today! On cold mornings our family even uses them on the trail-a-bike for taking the 5 year old to school.

5 - Shoes:  I sometimes use toe covers but most of the time nothing is better then a good pair of winter shoes. This is not low cost purchase, but when I did the math the two pairs of winter shoes I used over 14 years cost me less then $40 a year (just got my 3rd pair last year). How many times have you told yourself on a cold ride you would do anything for warm feet! 

Decision time..."freshies" either way!

6 - Helmets: Do you ski or snowboard? If you do you probably have a warmer helmet. When the weather gets really cold I grab my snow board helmet instead of my bike helmet. It has great coverage and warmth. 

7 - Neck gator: We don't put enough importance on keeping our necks warms. So much of our daily living (and riding) tension is held through our next and shoulders. Keeping this area is key to a healthy ride and life! I love a merino wool multi tube that goes around your next. It keeps this area to warm and is easy to pull over your face as needed. 

8 - Go wool base layer:  A good merino wool base layer should be what you have covering your top half.  A merino wool base layer is comfortable and keeps you warm when it gets damp from sweat. Just remember to gentle wash in cold and never put in the dryer. 

9: Vest: No matter if it is in the 50's or single digits I am always wearing my vest.   A vest is a great  way to keep your core warm and preventing you from over sweating.  

10: Adjust & eat at the right time: Adjust you cloths and eat before it is too late: Almost every ride I will have a few "time to adjust" break points.  Make this clothing adjustments before you are a slightest bit too cold or too warm. If you get too cold it takes your body way to much energy to try and get warm again. Our bodies also consume a lot more calories when it is fighting to stay warm so remember to eat when you are not hungry yet.  When you take these adjustment brakes do them in sunny and wind sheltered spots.