Cycling Thread 2

[Northendzone]

so i saw a comment on the facebook noting how now that hiway 1 is closed at golden, it might be a good time to consider riding between lake louise and golden.

soebody noted that the ride is 85k and something like 400m of down and 1200 of up with most of the work coming as you return back to LL.

Is this ride on anybody's radar? Would be a fun one for sure, but the weather at this time of year might make ifor a small window of opportunity.

[Fuzz]

It's 85km one way...You might be better to drive down to Field, it's ~57km from there. I can't imagine riding down that big hill, knowing you have to ride up it at the end would be a fun feeling. Might get sketchy, too, since there will still be some traffic, and the shoulder is not good, and usually covered in gravel:

https://goo.gl/maps/sWhxbWzDM4Hioqg17

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The Bike Shop South (and Central) I feel like just another ant in line to get my stuff fixed. It's just huge queues in and out the door all the time. I was hoping one of the smaller ones might be a more personal experience. I'm sure that will also get better at the big name bike shops as the season ends and demand is quieter.

I've been to Bike & Brew a lot, if only to have some coffee while waiting for a minor service but this new bike is looking like a major project.

You've got to create a relationship with a shop. One day, you're a guy in the queue, the next, they know your name. I've been going to Bow since 2005ish. I know most of the ownership, lots of the other employees and I get amazing service there.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It's 85km one way...You might be better to drive down to Field, it's ~57km from there. I can't imagine riding down that big hill, knowing you have to ride up it at the end would be a fun feeling. Might get sketchy, too, since there will still be some traffic, and the shoulder is not good, and usually covered in gravel:

https://goo.gl/maps/sWhxbWzDM4Hioqg17

I don't find that hill too bad, 9/10 times there is a tailwind blowing you up it, one of my favorite rides is to park at lake Louise ski hill, ride to Takkakaw falls, back up to the lake at lake Louise, over to moraine and then back to the ski hill. This is the perfect time of year for it. Ends up being 105 km with 1700 meters of up

[squiggs96]

I had really good service at both the south and downtown locations of The Bike Shop over the last few months. I wanted a new saddle on my S5 and asked if I bought it if they could install it for me. They said yes and I showed up at the south store about 10 minutes before closing. The mechanic did a great job on the install and ensured it had the measurements and slope that my old saddle had.

On another day I ran over glass and gashed my rear tire, which is tubeless. I needed a pump that could seat a tubeless setup. The guy at the downtown location showed me which pump it was an how to use it. He also helped me find a couple of tools that I didn't have with me in Alberta, as mine were in BC.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Ride on 42nd is a good shop. I’ve brought a bike in there. They are small though and focus on repairs. They have a few bikes for sale and some parts.

I like have a one-stop shop for all parts and accessories. I mostly shop and get repairs at The Bike Shop South because they have a list of all the repairs I’ve done on my bikes. They know the parts I’ve purchased. It also helps that I get a friends and family discount there.

Thanks, my experience at the Central location this summer and the past summer wasn't that great, they were slammed and also dealing with a lot of downtown vagrants coming in to get their beaters fixed. I got a few parts installed poorly and my drivetrain didn't shift smoothly until I re-indexed it myself at home. One of the techs was super grumpy but then the other customers in line said "that's why he's good at what he does".

From this reddit thread, it seemed like others also noticed it going "downhill" https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/com...ite_bike_shop/

As a latte sipper, I tend to bike to my bike shops so The Bike Shop Central, Ridleys, Bike & Brew, etc. would be the easiest to get to but I'm considering driving over to Bow Cycle since they may have more parts that I need. I'm not the type that hangs in a bike shop every weekend and I don't frequently need parts and service since I'm trying to do things myself so its always hard to build a relationship with one.

[Northendzone]

here is my feel good story about the bike shop south.

this summer the race face carbon cranks on my mtn bike broke right where the pedal goes in. i had owned this bike for about 27 months. i went to the bike shop, they noted that RF has a two year warranty period; however, they could see what RF says.

in the meantime, i had a choice to wait or purchase new cranks, after looking at my options, i opted to buy new carbon cranks (i could not go back to alum).

Today i popped into the BS-south to purchase new fall gloves and i was told that they were able to work with RF and I now have a nice juicy credit on file with the BS. I will use this credit to offset the purchase of new rims for both my gravel and mtn bike for next summer

i have no idea how hard they hard to work with RF to get this credit, but i appreciate the work they did, and they will get rewarded when I spend more $ there.

and becasue i have been going there for a while, i know some of the folks there so it helps to get front of line service and i get a solid discount that usually makes prices of thing on par with most on line retailers.

so i guess the moral of the story is support your LBS.

[Northendzone]

What a great ride home today from downtown to new brighton. No matter which direction I rode, I was battling the wind…..got passed by a few e-bikers……broke a spoke 5 k from home…..at 2k, my rear mech got sucked into my wheel. Mech (shimano 105) is toast. I was planning on buying new rims this winter anyways, but was hoping to wait…..ugh

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

What a great ride home today from downtown to new brighton. No matter which direction I rode, I was battling the wind…..got passed by a few e-bikers……broke a spoke 5 k from home…..at 2k, my rear mech got sucked into my wheel. Mech (shimano 105) is toast. I was planning on buying new rims this winter anyways, but was hoping to wait…..ugh

Sorry to hear that. I was driving and even noticed how windy it was. Do you think the spokes were already weakened from something previously? I'm always nervous about spokes and flats when I'm several KM from home on the trail and far from civilization. At least bike parts are plentiful again. I saw several 105 mechs in shops recently.

New Brighton sounds like a great cycling neighborhood though as you just take 130th to Fish Creek and you are on the paths. Except for the one big hill on the way out of the valley to home.

[Northendzone]

I have been breaking spokes on the rear wheel of my gravel rig pretty regularly this summer - I think this was #6, so I was planning on getting new rims this winter.

NB has got good access to the path downtown or to fish creek. I have many routes I can take. Only PITA is riding thru the Mackenzie Towne traffic circle and then past the bypass to NB Deerfoot.

I also ride my mtn bike and fat bike a lot in the bow bottom flats area which connects to fish creek. I could easily find about 40k of single track in that area.

[Northendzone]

so i ran down to the bike shop first thing this morning to see about getting my rig fixed.

after looking at a few rim options (including some carbon ones for about $2k - they were not available until at least mid-october) they are going to order me some DT Swiss rims and some Bitex hubs (i have never heard of these hubs before but they apparently do a lot of house brands for various manufacturers and they are rebuildable) and then build up the wheels right there in the shop with brass nipples. This was the option that will get me rolling again by october 5th or so.

The rims, a new 105 rear mech and hanger will likely run me in the range of $1,200. I mulled over upgrading the rear mech but in the end i restrained myself and decided not to

[Khel]

For rims, take a look at Boyd Cycling, I have their Altamonts and CCC gravel wheels and they do everything I ask and more.

https://boydcycling.com/

[Northendzone]

^ thanks for the above; however, based on a quick look at their prices, i feel like the purchase will be cheaper (for me as i get preferential pricing at the bike shop) and easier thru the bike shop as i then have local long term support

i have already told the bike shop to go ahead with this order.

[Khel]

Definitely, just wanted to share the option!

[Hack&Lube]

$1200 can buy you a new winter bike as a backup. It's probably a good idea to have a backup bike if your main has down time.

All you guys with preferential pricing and family/friends discounts at bike shops! Such a mystery to me!

[Northendzone]

I already have a fat bike and a mtn bike, so I have no interest in a winter beater. As I live out in the burbs I don’t see winter commuting as practical as I’d imagine large chunks of pathway between home and work do not get plowed for 2 or more days

As for the discount all you need to do is regularly shop at the same store. Once you have spent some money then ask about a regular discount.

For context I have purchased about 10 bikes at the bike shop, plus lots of other gear.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I already have a fat bike and a mtn bike, so I have no interest in a winter beater. As I live out in the burbs I don’t see winter commuting as practical as I’d imagine large chunks of pathway between home and work do not get plowed for 2 or more days

As for the discount all you need to do is regularly shop at the same store. Once you have spent some money then ask about a regular discount.

For context I have purchased about 10 bikes at the bike shop, plus lots of other gear.

In my experience it never snows as much as people think, seldom is there more than an inch on the paths and it is usually cleared with in 24 hours. After a light dusting the ride is super peaceful first thing in the morning

[powderjunkie]

long-shot PSA: keep your wits about you if you cross Sarcee/Bow diagonally during the left-hand turn signals...it looks like they may have adjusted signal timings at certain times of day and it's not always opposing LH turns off Bow

[surferguy]

I’m at that intersection often, I see lots of people doing that one. I wonder if the new u turn on bow trail made them adjust the light sequence at Sarcee/bow

[Northendzone]

I. Am so looking forward to a spin on the trails in fish creek tomorrow morning.

With the anticipated warm weather new week I am going to look at adjusting my wife’s bike to see if I could ride it to the office for the short term while I await my wheels to be rebuilt.