Cycling Thread - Page 132 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

manwiches · 09-25-2015, 07:29 AM

So we ended up getting the GT Transeo's from Sport Chek last night. Unreal deal, as they ended up giving us 25% off the already sale price. So $550 original, discounted to $430, then an additional 25% on top of it, making them $330 each.

Now I'm in the hunt for a double chariot! Any suggestions? Based on my research, I want to stay with the Thule/Chariot brand, but also don't want to buy new at 800+. It seems I can get a decent used one instead.

Fuzz · 09-25-2015, 08:31 AM

That is a great deal! Though I'm not big on the idea of buying a bike form Sport Chek, at least GT makes decent high end bikes, so I can't imagine they would jeopardize there brand to much with a POS. I think you will enjoy them!

cracher · 09-25-2015, 04:26 PM

Just had a crazy idea. I would like to improve my bike mechanicing skills (wheel building, taking a shifter apart to refurb, etc). There are 2 options that I can see: (1) take 2 week vacation and fly to the the Portland bike school to do intensive certificate courses (2) apply for a part time job at a bike shop over the winter because, from what I understand, winter is when they assemble the bikes for next season. My clinic is running decently so I can cut back to 4 day weeks and spend 1 day screwing around.

How stupid is it to entertain option 2? And would a bike shop even hire someone who has excellent work ethic but, at the end of the day, is just screwing around and has no wish for it to be long term?

Northendzone · 09-25-2015, 11:29 PM

^ my first guess is likely not, but, i have never talked to a bike shop about employment opportunities.....could always see if mec is holding anything csessions on these topics

chalms04 · 09-26-2015, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manwiches

So we ended up getting the GT Transeo's from Sport Chek last night. Unreal deal, as they ended up giving us 25% off the already sale price. So $550 original, discounted to $430, then an additional 25% on top of it, making them $330 each.

Which location was this? I was looking at the GTs, and they said the additional clearance discount was already reflected on the tag.

millhouse11 · 09-26-2015, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cracher

Just had a crazy idea. I would like to improve my bike mechanicing skills (wheel building, taking a shifter apart to refurb, etc). There are 2 options that I can see: (1) take 2 week vacation and fly to the the Portland bike school to do intensive certificate courses (2) apply for a part time job at a bike shop over the winter because, from what I understand, winter is when they assemble the bikes for next season. My clinic is running decently so I can cut back to 4 day weeks and spend 1 day screwing around.

How stupid is it to entertain option 2? And would a bike shop even hire someone who has excellent work ethic but, at the end of the day, is just screwing around and has no wish for it to be long term?

A larger bike shop would likely hire you ie. Bow, however, you probably wouldn't gain the knowledge you are looking for. You'd be stuck in the basement doing assembly, which is pretty basic. If you stayed on and there was a spot in the main store so you could do repairs, then you could move, but the more challenging repairs would still go to senior staff. Plus, there isn't a lot of bikes coming in during the winter months. Having said all of that, MEC is hiring. Not sure what their criteria is though.

If you want wheel building, call Cafe Roubaix in Cochrane, he does courses. You build a wheelset that you keep.

I'm signed up for Barnetts in Colorado Springs. Advanced bike mechanics for two weeks. Managing the shop for two days. Suspension for three days. I'm looking at being able to repair any bike, and plan on buying a professional tool kit. Right now I just work on my bikes and my friends bikes, but I've been getting more requests from their friends, so I figured it's a good time to gain more knowledge.

cracher · 09-26-2015, 08:27 AM

The descriptions for MEC classes seems a bit too basic. I likely wouldn't get much from there.

Never heard of cafe Roubaix, but I will check it out. Thanks. Would love to keep it local; wife and kid probably don't want to spend 2 weeks in rainy portland over the winter (would eat up 2/3 of wife's vacay). I paid out the wazoo last winter for private fork overhaul classes at Bow. However, they just taught oil and seals. They wouldn't get into talas cartridge overhaul, redoing nitrogen charges, etc. Why Barnetts over UBI if I may ask?

millhouse11 · 09-26-2015, 08:53 AM

I went with Barnett's because I have a couple of friends who went there and they recommended it. And I was also looking into purchasing a Velofix franchise for Calgary and their criteria was that the mechanic had to be Barnett certified.
I don't think that's the case with the Calgary franchise though. I know the owner is someone from Kelowna and he approached my buddy as well as the mechanahands guys to be the mechanic, and they all turned him down. I heard he just hired some kid from sportchek because that's what was available to him.

I would like to go to UBI for their frame building course. That would be pretty cool.

KTrain · 09-26-2015, 09:00 AM

The University of Calgary has weekend bike repair courses that might be of interest to some of you as well.They run pretty regularly. I haven't taken one but I probably will this fall.

Parys of them might be too basic but the description indicates they go through the entire bike.

Has anyone taken the course before?

https://www.ucalgary.ca/ActiveLiving...n/Program/1504

manwiches · 09-26-2015, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalms04

Which location was this? I was looking at the GTs, and they said the additional clearance discount was already reflected on the tag.

We thought so too, and that we would only get 10% additional since it already marked down. But after we had paid, I thought it seemed unusually low, but wasn't going to complain. So I checked the receipt when I packed the bikes up and they gave me 25% off them.

This was in the Regina East store. Haha. So I still had to pay 5% extra PST

cracher · 09-26-2015, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millhouse11

I went with Barnett's because I have a couple of friends who went there and they recommended it. And I was also looking into purchasing a Velofix franchise for Calgary and their criteria was that the mechanic had to be Barnett certified.
I don't think that's the case with the Calgary franchise though. I know the owner is someone from Kelowna and he approached my buddy as well as the mechanahands guys to be the mechanic, and they all turned him down. I heard he just hired some kid from sportchek because that's what was available to him.

I would like to go to UBI for their frame building course. That would be pretty cool.

That velofix is a really neat idea. I'm almost curious about the franchise fee. Is it tough to pay out a sprinter van given how seasonal the industry can be? I'd almost think it would be easier to gut a used 17' fiberglass trailer, pimp out the interior into a bike shop, get an AB limited number and go.

KTrain · 09-28-2015, 10:10 AM

I'm thinking about taking a solo cycling trip for a few days. Something to get away from work, family and tech. Has anyone got out of Calgary to for a bike trip? I'm thinking just a couple days of riding with a day on either side for travel time.

I'd like to go somewhere warm in the winter. It'll be a road cycling trip so something with great views and not overly difficult would be preferable.

Has anyone done something similar? Any recommendations?

Northendzone · 09-28-2015, 10:44 AM

^ I have done this in the past - of course I will make the obligatory observation that biking alone is dangerous......

As of now, I'd recommend Whitefish, MT. it is relatively close, and if you are into mtn biking the Whitefish Trail is every enjoyable - not sure about teh skinny tire scene though.

If you are looking for someplace different to stay, try the Whitefish Bike Retreat (I have never stayed there), but it is a bike related hostel just outside of town.

Eat at Jersey Boys Pizza - it is deadly.....

habernac · 09-28-2015, 10:55 AM

If you're looking for warm in the winter, Tuscon is supposed to be pretty awesome. I have not been there myself, though.

millhouse11 · 10-01-2015, 10:39 AM

In moab. Another hot day. The wife just went to ride the whole enchilada while I babysit. Consolation is I'm registered in outerbike for the next three day

The whole enchilada- 28 miles with over 7000 feet of descending. Start in the LaSalles and ride back to town.

Northendzone · 10-01-2015, 01:00 PM

^ i hope she took a camera and you post some of her p@rn later on.......

Khel · 10-02-2015, 12:22 PM

I'm down in Santa Rosa for Levis Gran Fondo and the riding around here is unbelievable. Rode up Fort Ross Road yesterday, almost 14k up hill much of it at 10%+ grade. The descent was crazy fun!

Looking forward to the big ride tomorrow,definitely will be the hardest ride I've ever done*!

Northendzone · 10-05-2015, 11:24 AM

was not planning to ride in this morning, but had the opportunity and took it - and it is dark in the morning and getting cooler.

had to bust out the fall cycling gloves, ear band and thicker tights. also had a chance to try out my new pearl izumi select cycling jacket. was very warm when i left and of course the ride got warmer.....this jacket is nice and fleece lined, but it does not ahve pit zips (which would have been a very nice feature)..........

hoping to ride merlin (again) this weekend

Northendzone · 10-13-2015, 09:09 PM

Has anyone ridden snakes and ladders yet?

cracher · 10-13-2015, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Has anyone ridden snakes and ladders yet?

Yup, went down it yesterday. Hoards of riders everywhere, both directions. It's a very fast and fun ride. Very easy to carry too much speed entering some tight switchbacks. I really want to do it again next weekend. Perhaps El Niño will cooperate.

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