It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we must inform you, our valued customers, of the passing of Herbert George Endall on the 31 July 2011.

The last name should sound familiar…

Mr. Endall is the father of our Cambridge Store Manager, bike fit guru and cycling blogger extrodinaire: Winston Endall.

Please join the Braun’s is BICYCLES team in wishing Winston and his family our sincere condolences and best wishes through this difficult time.

p

Hello again cycling fans,

A birthday is always a momentous occasion, something that is definitely worth celebrating.

Maybe you invite some friends, break out the party hats and, if you’re a real cycling geek, you have a bicycle shape pinata full of bike godies to bash around with a spare handlebar

Well the crew at Braun’s is no different.  We also love birthdays and this year we have a few reasons to celebrate.  The first of course is OUR Birthday!!! We are 86 years old this year and we are incredibly proud and thankful that we have been able to assist you with your bicycling and fitness needs since 1925.

We’re celebrating big time, as we do every year and we’re having a big sale! Check out our flyer for more details

As part of our 86th Anniversary Sale, were also celebrating another birthday and excited to announce the arrival of our new retail location in Cambridge!

We have been serving our loyal customers from Cambridge for years from either our  Kitchener or Guelph stores and were excited that we can finally share our excitement and expertise for things bicycle, closer to home!

Braun’s is BICYCLES in Cambridge is located at:

505-2 Hespeler Rd

Phone 226-533-9090  

Email  cambridge@Brauns.com

Our Cambridge store hours are located here, stop by for a visit and say hello!

We sincerely hope that you’ll join us this month to scoop up some great deals and partake in the double birthday celebration!  Also look for Brauns at various cycling events across the Tri Cities this summer.  Until then, enjoy the ride!

P

What’s better than getting out for a bike ride?   Getting out for a bike ride with friends, of course.

As we move into the traditional ride season in Ontario we also begin  to see lot’s of fun cycling events like fundraising rides, tours, group rides and races.

So what if you could combine all of the above mentioned rides into one?  Well you can if you get signed up for the Cambridge Tour De Grand.

This is the 14th year for the Cambridge Tour De Grand (TDG), and for  past 14 years the ride has successfully raised funds for cycling infrastructure in the area and youth helmet programs.  The TDG is not a sanctioned race, nor does it promote racing of any kind, however speaking to my point of combining rides, I found in past years of participating, this really fun ride gave me the opportunity to certainly accomplish some fitness goals.  The TDG usually gets more than 2400 participants so there is always someone to pace with or you can time your ride.  The main focus though is fun on the bicycle.

June 12, 2011

Participating in the TDG will allow you to experience the beautiful scenery that Waterloo Region has to offer while enjoying your favorite past time with other bicycling enthusiast.

The TDG is for all ages and cycling abilities with tons of options for distances with options as short as 10 Km and long as 160 Km!  Simply a fun day of cycling.

You can register online or by mail but make sure you get your registration in early for an event t shirt.  Cycling Jerseys are also available for purchase.

Braun’s is proud to be part of such a fantastic community event and we look forward to seeing you out on the roads!

P

Hey friends,

If you’re like me and love cycling, the warmer weather has demanded that you press that bike into service on the open roads.  Your indoor trainer, stationary bike, XC ski’s retro Tour De France DVD’s can all be put away.  Time to clean the face and hand marks off the front windows of your living room,  from the days longing for sunshine and dry roads. Ride n Smile season has arrived.  

When it comes to our favorite pass time, many of us are at varying levels of commitment to the bicycle, ranging from competitive to strictly recreational.  Whatever way you love the bike, the Commuter Challenge of Waterloo Region is worth knowing about this June 5th till June 11th, 2011.

The commuter challenge is a week long event that is held nationally for a week in June every year and encourages friendly competition between other cities and regions, friends and co workers.  This year’s commuter challenge is held June 5th till June 11th.  The whole idea of the commuter challenge is to leave your car at home and embrace alternate ways to get to work such as car pooling, walking,  city transit and of course cycling!

So why participate?  Well saving money on over the top gas prices is one obvious reason!  But you should also consider that you will be getting exercise, burning calories and reducing green house gas emissions.  Oh! did I mention prizes?  Yep, there are prizes!

Hey Cycling Fans.

One last reminder that our demo day and ride with Argon 18 Bicycles will be happening THIS WEEKEND!  There still are still some Dura Ace equiped test bikes available in both the 10am and 2pm rides.

Times and information are in the link above so click away!

If you want to join us out for a ride you’ll need be 18 years of age or older, have suitable cycling attire and, have your own helmet to bring along.  You will also need a bottle or two for water.

Bring along your own pedals and shoes!  We will install them on your Argon18 test ride bike. If you don’t have pedals or shoes, wear suitable runners and we’ll get you set up with a pair of flat pedals.  Talk to Pat at kitchener@brauns.com to get set up with either ride.. but do it soon.. like now!

If you’re in the market for a new Road, Time Trial or, Triathlon bike, now is your chance to experience the very best in technology and design from the pros at Argon18.

If you don’t wanna ride or don’t have the time, no problem, come down to our Kitchener store this Saturday and ask the Argon18 representative a bike question directly.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

P

Happy Spring,

Why should we have to make sacrifices for convenience?  Does that not negate something actually being convenient?

So what changes with bikes?  More often than not, I see a lot of our customers come into the shop with preconceived notions of what a bike has to be.  The biggest is probably comfort and that’s unfortunate but yet a reality of what bikes used to be.  The other large feature of a bicycle that I think attracts a lot of new cyclists is convenience and ease of use.  Bikes should be something that you can get on, ride and, smile.

Montague folding bikes offer up a few solutions to make your cycling adventures easy and convenient without any sacrifices and may change your mind about riding a bicycle.  What sets Montague apart from many other folding bike companies is that they make full size folding bikes, not the small 16 or 20″ wheels you may have seen in the past.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Montague Bikes was started by David Montague, a MIT graduate student, while in school.  The company mantra has always been convenience, ease of use and foldable, in fact I couldn’t have put it any better than the guys at Montague themselves in this website quote about the companies history:

“A company focused on designing and producing full-size, high-performance bicycles that fold — bicycles that sacrifice nothing in performance and still provide the folding benefit for space saving convenience.”

How many times have you found yourself giving up the bike for an alternate pass time or mode of transportation due to lack of space?  Montague may entice you to think twice with one of their great folding bike options.

The advantage of having a full size folder is that you have the very familiar feel and predictable handling of a regular bicycle.  A full size folder removes any concern of  where you need to store it.   It is easy to get to work or put it on a bus or train, the bicycle folds in seconds.

Montague offers a variety of folding models to choose from.  Perhaps one of the more interesting bike is the original Montague – the Paratrooper.

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The result of a two year grant from the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design an electric bike for the Marine Corps!  Talk about tough!  The basic design on the paratrooper has gone on to inspire several different models from Montague such as the Swissbike series.

Recent other additions to the Montague line up have included the more urbanized Boston and Boston 8 (Boston pictured below), perhaps THE perfect commuter bike.  The Boston comes in a very pure and simple single speed, where it’s bigger brother comes in a Shimano Nexus 1 x 8 speed configuration-weather proof and low maintenance.  Both bikes have 700 c wheels rather than the 26 ” found on the paratrooper and swiss bikes.

If you enjoy traveling, why not bring your bike along with you?  Montague offers carrying cases in hard shell or soft shell variants to make travel, especially by air, a lot easier.  Again, the list of convenience features for your favorite outings go on, camping or for the RV?  What about boating?  What a great way to visit a few ports enjoy our great Canadian landscape or tour around the cottage.

Montague offers you an alternative to the traditional bicycle without any inconvenience or hassle that you may have been previously trying to contend with.  Go forth ride and be happy!  Simply,  your problems may have just been solved.

Till next time.

P,

SPRING IS HERE – Right!

We’re ready for spring, the question is, is your bicycle ?  Even if you don’t ride through the winter, simply storing your bike in a shed or garage can cause problems with your bikes.  Of course this isn’t a write up about all the things that can go wrong with your bicycle.  We want you to ride and be ready for the lovely weather ahead and our service teams at either of our locations are here to help.

Braun's can fix this!

We do repairs to all makes and models of bicycles.  An easy way to accomplish this is by having your entire bicycle checked over and repaired with our Deluxe Bicycle Tune Up Service plan.

This plan includes the labour for the following:

• Adjustment of front and rear derailleurs
• Adjustment of front and rear brakes
• Tighten front and rear gear shifters
• Tighten front and rear brake levers
• Properly install and tighten front and rear wheels
• Check and inflate front and rear tires/tubes
• Quick cleaning of frame and components
• External lube of drive train and brakes
• Tighten and inspect all accessories
• Truing/tensioning/dishing of front wheel
• Truing/tensioning/dishing of rear wheel
• Adjustment of front and rear hubs
• Adjustment of headset
• Adjustment of bottom bracket
• Inspect and tighten cranks and pedals
• Inspect and tighten all components on bike

If you’re not quite sure what your bike needs, no problem, our knowledgeable mechanics can make suggestions for you.

Now you don’t really need to know what any of the above list means.  Just know that your bicycle will proform very well after having the above Deluxe Tune Up done to it.

All this for only $79.98 per bike (parts extra)

Please note:  The pricing for this service plan only includes the above listed labour.  It does NOT include any required parts or the installation labour for these parts. 

Beat the spring rush and get your bike in shape for the dry pavement.

P

If you have been following us on Twitter or our Blog posts than you know how giddy we get when new stuff shows up, yes, maybe even overtly so but we usually chalk that up to the exceptionally strong pot of shop coffee.

So of course it’s been like fireworks here for the past week as we have been receiving our 2011 Argon18 shipments.  Never heard of them ? You should have by now!

Argon18 is a Canadian road bike manufacturer started by former Canadian national champion and Olympic cyclist Gervais Rioux in 1989 out of his bike shop in Montreal.  What started as a bicycle shop house brand has now picked up an incredible amount of momentum wining the company many international design and industry awards.

Argon18  is also the first bike sponsor of team SpiderTech, the first Canadian team to achieve UCI Continental Pro team license (effectively that means that we could now have a Canadian road race team in the Tour De France).   That’s massive news for the sport of cycling in Canada and its great news for a progressive company like Argon18.

A detailed look at the bike line up can be seen here but here”s a few things to note.

As I mentioned before the break, Argon18 is a Canadian road bike company.  Which means they concentrate a lot of effort into a particular segment of their bike line up.  This is very evident in models like the E-112 and E-114, with an incredible amount of unique performance features, for which, the company has been recognized .

Yet, Argon18 is not strictly about the super high end market.  Bikes like the Radon and Krypton offer massive amounts of performance at a more entry level price point!  But, you would never know that, by looking at the bikes.

The Radon is your classic aluminum/carbon mix with geometry that closely resembles that of its higher end counterpart, the Gallium.  If your ready to get into your first full carbon frame or upgrading from an aluminum bike, the Krypton is where it’s at.

The Krypton is a full 5650 high modulus carbon fiber frame with a host of wheel and component options.

As I get into the above, perhaps the one thing I like the most about Argon18 is the ability for the customer to custom build their bike as they desire.  Argon18 offers several component kits which allow you to choose everything from the wheels to the gearing  to the groups, to even the size of your handlebar and stem.  You’re not stuck loving a rear derailleur but indifferent on your crank set.  Better yet, your “stock” frameset can be partially custom “fitted” to your needs all at no extra cost.  Argon18 makes it easy to have the custom spec’d bike of your dreams without breaking the budget.

See ya out there.

P

Think positive.  Repeat after me.  Spring IS almost here, SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!

We are all probably ready for spring, the question is, is your bicycle ?  Even if you don’t ride through the winter, simply storing your bike outside in a shed or garage can sometimes cause problems with your gear or brake adjustments and cables  due to moisture and salt in the air.  Other things you want to make sure are functioning in good working order are tires, tightness of bolts, cranks, bottom bracket, brake pads and the list goes on!

Of course this isn’t a write up about all the things that can go wrong with your bicycle we want you to ride and be ready for the lovely weather ahead and our service team at either of our locations is here to help.

We do repairs to any make and model of bicycle but we also offer several service plans for your convenience.

Our PITSTOP SERVICE PLAN is one our most popular and is designed with the needs of the recreational cyclist in mind.  It includes the labour for the following:

• Adjustment of front and rear derailleurs
• Adjustment of front and rear brakes
• Tighten front and rear gear shifters
• Tighten front and rear brake levers
• Properly install and tighten front and rear wheels
• Check and inflate front and rear tires/tubes
• Quick cleaning of frame and components
• External lube of drive train and brakes
• Tighten and inspect all accessories

If you classify your riding as a little bit more than recreational or, perhaps your transportation tool of love needs a bit more work than our Pitstop plan, than you probably want to get set up with our DELUXE SERVICE PLAN. 

The Deluxe includes everything that the Pitstop plan includes plus the following:

• Truing/tensioning/dishing of front wheel
• Truing/tensioning/dishing of rear wheel
• Adjustment of front and rear hubs
• Adjustment of headset
• Adjustment of bottom bracket
• Inspect and tighten cranks and pedals
• Inspect and tighten all components on bike

 If you’re not quite sure what your bike needs, no problem, our knowledgeable mechanics can suggest a service plan that will be right for you or can quote you on whatever has to be done

Beat the spring rush and get your bike in shape for the dry pavement.

P

Countering the Winter Blues

To help counter act the “winter blues” this time of year, I find that I am constantly pressing my face up against the window of the  bay door of our shipping department, waiting for that magic delivery truck.  Yes friends, I am anticipating  the delivery of all the shiny, trendy, technologically advanced new bike products for 2011!

It’s  the most wonderful time  (even after Christmas) of the year and it’s great to get the store filled back up with new products and talking about that new product with our customers really charges us up.  We love to share the excitement and passion of cycling.

So the latest delivery that was made by the magical bicycle stork contained our first  shipment of 2011 carbon Litespeeds.

And…the first question that comes to mind is…

“Litespeed does carbon” ? In a simple answer: Yes.  Litespeed is famously known for their amazing frame design and tube extrusion using titanium (Ti is also found on high end sports cars, space shuttles and airplanes) so it should come as a surprise to most.  Fact is, Litespeed has been experimenting with carbon since 2002.  Why the branch out ?

Well for one, producing a frame out of carbon allows a lot more leeway into the manipulation of the shape of the frame.  The use of carbon fiber in bicycle frames has made leaps and bounds in the last 10 years.  Check out this review from Bicycling magazine on the Litespeed Archon C3, should help to explain things further.

So lets talk about the bikes.  Litespeed has a great line up of carbon bikes for 2011 and the pricing might suprise you.  As this isn’t a review, here’s a quick run through the 2011 line up.

First up  is the Litespeed M1 equipped with the new Sram Apex component group.  The Litespeed M1 is an awesome, full carbon bike with an entry level price point.  The M1 would be a great bike if your looking to upgrade to a carbon frame bike from perhaps an aluminum frame or your just looking to enter the road market and want to do so with a very high level of comfort and performance.

On the higher end is the Archon series of bikes starting with the Archon C3, C2 and, C1 and ending with the top end, “get out of my way, I’m fast” – looking Archon C1R.  The Archon series varies a litle bit in geometry and type of carbon or weave used and, components.  Check out the spec’s here or some pics here

And if you want to up the ante, dont forget Litespeeds beautiful craftmanship in their Titanium road and mountain bike collection, NASA technology into your ride.

So come down to the shop and get some face time in with our new batch of pedal lusts from litespeed but don’t wait to long, they’re to fast to keep in one spot.

Lot’s more new stuff coming your way soon.  Till next time.

P

Who doesn’t love a contest ?

Well, the team here at Braun’s LOVES contests!

In fact you may have seen our contests in Home and Lifestyle magazines, our skate sharpening promo packages at tons of area hockey games in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo or Guelph,  our sponsorship of the Kitchener Rangers and The Guelph Storm?  yep, all involve contests.

Recently we posted an online survey to help us serve you better and,  if you decided to fill it out and help us out, we were gonna put your name in a hat for a chance for US to help YOU out.

We are super excited to announce the winner of our biggest contest ever!  The chance at winning 1000 smackaroos in the form of a Braun’s… is BICYCLES gift certificate, good for anything that we carry.

Well, the response was phenomenal and we are happy to announce that Mr. J.Roy from Kitchener, Ontario is our lucky winner of the Braun’s $ 1000 shopping spree.  Congratulations!

Let’s see that would buy…a bike or…a roof rack carrier or…all of our mechanics singing a rendition of Celine Dion in harmony!

err… on second thought, let’s just let them focus on repair work.  Ya, good call.

Don’t miss more of our contests in the future! hop on over to the Braun’s Online Communityand follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and stay informed about upcoming promotions and contests.  Perhaps you will be our next winner ?

P

Hey all,

Now if you have been following our blog posts here at Brauns…IS Bicycles than you know we have been big on talking about how to keep cycling during the winter months.  You have a lot of great options this time of year to keep those legs and lungs in top shape. 

Bryan did a great post on studded tires and winter riding which would be one way to keep on the bike through the winter by literally keeping on the bike through the winter.

We have also had some great recent posts on trainers in general and some specific product information posts about fitness tools like the CycleOps Fluid2 trainer.   I think the big thing to keep in mind is just because we get some snow on the ground and the temperature dips doesn’t mean we have to go into hibernation mode inside like the rest of the animal kingdom.

In comes our awesome selection of GV Snowshoes here at the shop.  Yes snowshoes perhaps frequently overshadowed by skis, snowboards and, GT snow racers…

But! that doesn’t mean to say, they should be outdone.  Snowshoes are a great fitness tool without an indoor option (that I know about) so it forces you to shake those winter blues and hit your fitness goals in the wonderful outdoors.

We have been carrying GV snowshoes at the shop now for a few seasons and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed every year.

GV is a Canadian company based in Wendake, Quebec (Of course they’re Canadian! who knows snowshoeing better!?).  The rather impressive thing is that all GV shoes are actually made in Canada too!   GV snowshoes are actually made so tough, that they currently are under contract to produce snowshoes for the Canadian military.  Perhaps literally, a bulletproof product!

Snowshoes are a great fitness tool because like cross country skiing, you are able to get both legs and arms really moving with the addition of snowshoe poles  to your outdoor trek.

The folks at GV still make the handmade traditional wooden snow shoes or some of the newer lightweight aluminum and composite shoes.

And let’s not forget their is such a thing as to much biking… I know, I know I’m probably getting rotten vegetables thrown at me right now, but allow me to explain.  The typical bicycling off season is a great time to try different things for your exercise routine.  Cross training is frequently a good thing and allows you to add a little variety to your work out.

So maybe it’s time to spice up your work outs, give your legs some variety or get out with the family and have some fun in the snow?  GV makes that possible with great Canadian craftmanship, great value, great price and, most importantly,  great times!  See ya out there.

P

Happy New Year,

If you’re interested in continuing to spin through the winter months from the warmth of your own home than you need to get set up with an indoor bicycle trainer.

For those that have never heard of such a thing, a trainer is a stand that props up the rear wheel of your bike and provides resistance to instantly turn your  bike into a stationary exercise bike.  It’s a great way to keep those cycling legs going through the winter months without the un-needed bulk of additional exercise equipment.

Of particular note when looking at indoor trainers is a company called CycleOps.  CycleOps has specialized in bicycle training specific products for over 15 years and their products are found in professional gyms, spin classes and, homes all over the world.

One of CycleOps mainstay models over the last several years has been the CycleOps Fluid2  (seen above).   The Fluid2 is classed as a “fluid” bike trainer which means that it uses a viscous silicone based fluid sealed in the drive unit to provide your resistance rather than a set of magnets generally found on simpler, lower cost trainers.  Its important to note that the Fluid2 will work on mountain bikes AND road bikes (for a mountain bike, you will need to trade your agressive rear studded tire for a trainer tire – see below).

The difference is all in the ride.  CycleOps designed the Fluid2 to encompase a very realistic road feel by utilizing a 2.75 pound flywheel.  This will feel like your actually going somewhere as it has a very similiar sensation to the “road feel” while cycling.  The large flywheel also provides a very smooth coast down from a hard cadence and you don’t get the pedal mashing that you feel from lower end magnetic models.  The Fluid2 is also whisper quiet, the only noise is going to be from your tire on the roller.  Upgrade to a trainer tire to save wear and tear on your ride tires and quiet it down even more. 

Because the Fluid2 provides a progressive resistance type feel there is no need to get off the trainer to adjust the resistance or use a handlebar mounted module to adjust, as you would on a variety of magnetic trainers.  Simply using the gears on the bike provides a very versatile workout.

The progressive resistance feel is actually the result of a lot of research between CycleOps, professional cyclists and renowned sports scientist Allen Lim.  What was created was, what CycleOps calls, “Power Tuned technology” which consists of a near infinite resistance curve and ensures that your power output (watts) increases as you increase speed.

One other accessory that you will want to consider to get fully set up is a riser block for the front wheel.  This keeps your saddle level while on the bike and keeps the front end stable when you’re really dropping the hammer with some hard pedaling.

 More reasons that make the Fluid2 an awesome training tool:  How about a lifetime warranty and training DVD in every box.  the DVD is a great motivator that structures your work out and is like a spin class in your own home!

Don’t be stuck on uncomfortable exercise bike.  Stay fit and motivated for 2011 and  ride your OWN bike inside on a CycleOps Fluid2. 

P

Hey Pedal Fanatics,

We are now firmly planted in the fall riding season.  In one last salute before the snow flies, mother nature, perhaps in a rather brash but dignified manner, turns ours forests into the most beautiful of colors.  I always contemplate during this time of year that perhaps nature is trying to say “ha! you’ll be missing this! look what I can do” sort of rhetoric but; I know better.  This is all about the cycle (no pun intended) in which our planet renews itself.

I have personally come to endear and even look forward to the fall riding season.  On the mountain bike side of the house, overgrown foliage on trails are now no longer scratching up my legs or arms, nor mosquitos or the ingestion of tasty bugs during that air gasping climb, posing a problem.  Trails are usually in perfect condition, not too wet or dry creating excellent traction.  On my road bike, besides the shorter days which makes 3 hour rides a lot tougher to do, rides are also certainly colder. 

There are a few things that you will want to consider when riding this time of year. Leg warmers, arm warmers, tights, jackets, hats and base layers are mandatory items which will become strikingly clear as you get up to cruising speeds.

Full finger gloves and toe covers or “booties” for both road and mountain bike riding are a good idea for this time of year as well.  Given the temperatures, we are forced to consider wind chill when planning for a ride and what to wear while riding.  Your extremities (fingers, toes) can actually become quite cold without you even noticing with a remote threat of frost bite if not careful, so be sure to judge your temperatures and ride accordingly.

Finally don’t forget your visibility  at night.  As the sun sets a lot earlier many of us who commute to work or school or trying to squeak in a quick jaunt after work should ensure that their cycling gear is visible AND you have a variety of lighting systems to keep you safe.  At the bare minimum you should have a white flashing light on the front of your bars and a red, rear flashing light mounted on the back of the bike.  Personally I like redundancy so I usually have a few lights on the back and something bright up front.  It may sound like overkill but you’re trying to be seen! Maybe even a tiny bit on the annoying side, but it’s for your safety and don’t forget that, in Ontario, it’s the law.

We can all enjoy riding much into the colder months and, for some, go all year round!  Whenever you ride, be aware of your equipment, surroundings and legislation and ride safe.

P

Injuries suck.

No really, being a cyclist is awesome until you get injured well, I guess the same would hold true for any sport.  But the down time is the killer!

Around the beginning of June I tore some pretty key ligaments in my wrist while on a pretty wicked (up until the time of injury) mountain bike ride.  Doc said no more mountain biking for awhile but he DIDN’T say I couldn’t ride my road bike .  I’m lucky enough to own a few bikes, my Argon 18 Radon being one of them.  So my season thus far has been a lot more as a roadie than anything else.  I have also had to keep the typing to a minimum and wear a robo cop/spiderman hybrid looking brace thus not a ton going on in my blog world.

Good news:  I seem to be back in great health, ventured down to Woodstock last weekend to hit some trails and all systems seemed go.

So during the many Km’s i racked up so far this summer during my road rides, one thing became inherently clear to me.  Referencing my previous post regarding bike comfort while riding road, specifically picking up a decent pair of gloves, one thing occcured to me that i hadn’t mentioned in previous posts.

As much as gloves will certainly add to ride comfort, let’s not forget bar wrap.

For those new riders that may not be aware, bar wrap or bar tape is the material (usually cork or synthetic base) that your curved handler bar is wrapped in for both grip and comfort.

For a lot of us, replacing your bar tape is usually one of the last things you would think of on a bike unless it is visably worn through or ripped or, coming unwound.  However replacing your bar wrap from older stuff or the stock tape that came on a new bike can make a huge comfort difference.

Aside from providing a grip area on your bars, your bar wrap will actually aid in dampening the vibration that works it’s way through the bike and into your hands.  vibration in the bike happens on any bike, be it carbon or aluminum, the better materials of course like carbon and titanium drastically reduce and dampen vibration but it is still present on our sometimes not so great Ontario roads.

Of course with a wrist injury, this became very important to me.  Well not giving up cycling totally, i wanted to recover as quickly as possible so that i could once again enjoy the dirt side of the sport.  I decided to upgrade my bar wrap from the rather lackluster stuff that came with the bike.

Most basic bar wraps consist of a cork or minimalist synthetic base but, as an upgrade you can get gel wrap or even add thin gel pads underneath your wrap.  Now i know the weight weenies out there will be complaining that this does add a little bit of weight to the bike, which is true but, this upgrade would not be for the cyclist that races but rather for the “century” rider, those of us that want to just get on the bike and eat some Km’s.

I decided to try the Fizik Bar Gel Kit which is a kit consisting of a softer almost leather feel tape and some smaller gel inserts that can be custom cut and placed under the wrap.  Their was no noticeable thickness difference of the wrap with the gel inserts and comfort was dramatically increased,  although i have no medical evidence that this increased my recovery time from injury, it certainlywas a lot better on the wrist from the previous stock wrap – this i am sure of.

So if you have some good gloves but are still maybe wondering what else you can try ? maybe it’s time to look at this simple low cost upgrade to your bike – could be the difference between happy ride or…not so much

P

A very common question I get asked at the shop is “What can I do to alleviate wrist pain or numb hands when riding?”  Although the answer is sometimes not simple and could be a host of issues with both bike set up, type of rider and size of bike, something that will never hinder your comfort is a good set of cycling gloves.

Our friends at Louis Garneau have always had a solid glove line up in addition to their performance apparel and gear and this year they have a new model called the Vent Flex.

Before we get started  talking about how awesome the addition of the L/G Vent Flex can be to your ride, let’s briefly discuss the differences between various types of gloves themselves so we’re all on the same page.  Generally you have two types:  half finger and full finger.  Usually a full finger gloved is used by off road cyclists as it gives a more aggressive grip and offers further hand and knuckle protection against tree branches and other obstacles.  Full finger gloves usually have less padding in the palm area because off road cyclists demand a solid grip and ride with hands that are constantly moving and adjusting the weight of the body based on terrain.

Half finger gloves typically suit the more recreational cyclist or those that enjoy road riding  as these cyclists tend to adopt a more static hand posture for  longer periods of time thus increased padding in the palm with a light and breathable back.

When temperatures change, some of the qualities of both gloves can be transferable i.e some off road cyclists prefer half finger gloves in really hot temperatures and road riders will source long finger gloves when riding early or late in the season etc.  Essentially, there aren’t any hard and fast rules for gloves in a general sense. Use what is comfortable and  works for you.

Now with the background complete on to the product!

The L/G Vent Flex, available in men’s or women’s, came to mind when discussing gloves because they have really made a big comfort difference to my ride this season.  My former gloves were a bit worn out and the padding was compressed and worn…great excuse for an upgrade!

Referring to my previous statements, L/G Vent Flex would be classified as mostly a road riding glove.  It’s construction and padding placement leans more towards the rider that is going to be using a drop handlebar style.  That is what they are designed for.  They will, of course, work for other cyclists.

The Vent Flex is a very light weight glove that features 5 mm thick gel foam palm padding and L/G’s “air zone” construction,  meaning the glove is very breathable.  The upper thumb is made of a really nice microfiber cloth for wicking away sweat, bug guts and all that nice stuff from the face.

One clever feature that I like is the rubberized pull tabs on the fingers.  These are designed so that it is a lot easier to get the glove off, rather than pulling them inside out all the time.  The material that the gloves are made of is fully washable too but they should be air dried rather than piling them in a dryer.

So if you’re a roadie and you are  tired of numb hands or you’re a cyclist that just wants a better, super comfortable glove then stop by one of our locations and try a pair of Louis Garneau Vent Flex glove.  Your hands will thank you!

Hey all,

So my new Argon 18 is steering me in the wrong direction.  It’s making road riding fun again.  After several posts of how I prefer the trails to the open roads, now I find myself on  road rides of increasing frequency and having second thoughts about my cycling direction in life.

Can there be 2 loves of my life ? Will jealous Jamis  sabotage awesome Argon’s chance at being the favorite !? find out next episode!

Ok, but really, the weather has been great. The long weekend was awesome and I thought Monday would be a good day to go for my first 100 Km. That’s right- first.  Now, some of you are laughing right now-directly at me.  One hundred (100)Km you say ? You eat that for breakfast and than ask for seconds ? Yes,I know you folks are out there.  But hey, I’m the  non-roadie and, 100 Km was kinda a big deal for me and I did it,  102.48 to be exact . I plan on using that for a base and seeing what I can do from there.

I head out to my usual Trussler road route, replete with war torn type roads like something off of the set of The Pacific, towards New Dundee.  Since it was Victoria Day, there was a lot going on and many small towns had festivals, fireworks you name it.  New Dundee had something like a town wide yard sale going on-but never did get the details.  The town was abuzz and it gave me a chance to slow down and enjoy a bit.  From New Dundee, I proceeded through Petersburg and than onto Bright.

Riding through Bright was a bit of a unique experience and something that gave me a bit of a chill as I pedaled through.  The town was thoroughly decorated in yellow ribbons which announces support for our men and women of the Canadian Forces serving overseas.  You may also recall that Bright was the home town of Private Toddwhounfortunately was killed in Afghanistan in early Apri.l   Every household and every business had these ribbons. It was a great experience on the bicycle and one that reminded me how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy these experience outdoors, on open roads.

From Bright I ended up outside of Drumbo and found a bridge to cross the 401.  It was always my plan to head to a friends house in Ayr for a bottle refill and my parents house in Cambridge so I wanted to head in that general direction.

Drumbo offers a bit of rolling hills on some really nice roads which were fairly quiet.  One thing I did notice during this whole ride is that every motorist that passed me gave me lot’s of room, usually a whole lane. I capped off my final leg from Ayr to Cambridge and Cambridge back to Kitchener.

I think we are quite fortunate with our location in Ontario.  Ten minutes of riding outside the city will present endless route options and hours of smiles and sometimes that can’t be beat by my mountain bike!

P

Alright, ever wondered how the customer service machine that is Braun’s…is BICYCLES gets their vigor ? I mean, after 85 years in this industry even WE can get bogged down from time to time…

When we get tired of the 10 cup of coffee/day routine or need some further pep in our days -we go for a WANT energy beverage.

Never heard of it you say?  That’s not surprising.  WANT is an up and coming CANADIAN action sports beverage company that we have had in our retail locations for a few months now.  Now when I say up and coming that doesn’t mean small.   These guys sponsor a myriad of athletes in multiple disciplines including Olympic Ski Cross Gold medallist, Ashleigh McIvor.

So what is the difference between WANT and the other million energy beverage companies?  Honestly put, it’s the taste!  WANT doesn’t taste like a super sweet cough syrup beverage, it’s actually refreshing.  They have 2 flavors, lime and berry and both of those come in a lite version.  The other really nice thing is WANT comes in a plastic recyclable, resealable bottle so you don’t have to toss it all back at once.

Five cents of every bottle of WANT  that is sold is donated to various agencies that are involved in the development of action sports facilities (skate parks, bike parks, bike trails) around the country…that’s cool!

So even though Braun’s IS Bicycles and not typically Beverages, we like this WANT stuff.    We like what they are about and we like that they ARE Canadian.  Drop by the shop(s) and try one out.

P

Alright, so it seems now, we are firmly seated in the nice weather.  Other than some weird “Canada” days, it’s getting hot out.  As the temperature and humidity rise, staying properly hydrated becomes more and more important.

Now, it should be obviously noted, that hydration is always important, whatever the temperature or ride.  The difference is the rate at which you perspire in the summer which equates to faster fluid loss, you get the gist.

So this post isn’t about sweating more in the summer but it IS about keeping your water or sport drink cold and refreshing.

The folks at Camelbak have come out with some pretty awesome bottles as of  the late, everything from stainless steel to tasteless plastic.  Now I know what you are thinking… it’s really hard to get excited about a water bottle, it does such a simple job.  But this may change your mind and outlook.  It’s called the Podium Chill from Camelbak and…yep, it’s insulated!

OK specifically,  it’s not just insulated but it’s actually pretty light…AND insulated, a feat in my experience, that has escaped other insulated bottle companies in the past.

What is probably going to grab your attention first though is the funky looking valve that the Podium features on top of the lid.  Riders familiar with the brand would immediately associate the look as hydration pack inspired-uniquely Camelbak.  The company hails the spill proof valve as “always open, always closed”.

Other cool stuff ?  How about BPA free and like their bags, features a taste free polypropylene construction with anti microbial hydro guard.

No longer is the water bottle the most over looked piece of equipment.  Camelbak advertises it’s bottles as the “better bottle”.  You can be the judge.  One thing for sure is the Podium bottle is light years ahead of everything else.

P

Finally got out on my first mountain bike ride of the year on Tuesday.  Ok ok, before I’m beaten to death with a blunt object, please remember that I DID get a new road bike this past winter…and the “Look Cool Factor” is still running high

However, sheepishly, I still havn’t been able to turn a road ride into as much fun as I have on my mountain bike.  Either way, I’m sure I’ll get flak from both sides!

As the cycling slang title suggests, my first dirt ride of choice for the year was the trail known as “The Hydro-cut” located at the end of University Ave. in Waterloo, Ontario – next to the dump for all intensive purposes.

So first let’s talk about the weather this year.  Surely, the Chinese calender is mistaken, and 2010 is actually the year of the cyclist!  Ok, but really, this year has been nothing short of perfect riding conditions.  I was immediately more than impressed with the trail conditions at the hydro cut for this time of year, everything was dry and clear.

Charging down the trail was my Jamis XLT 2.0 and trusty bar buddy , aiding in my aggressive whoops of joy.  As it was my trail first ride of the year, the bike wasn’t quite dialed in, but as you can imagine, I take good care of her, so we weren’t to far off.  I am running Kenda Nevegals this time of year, but should be running something a lot slimmer until we actually get a spring season.

Cyclists that have already ridden the hydro cut this year will have noticed some new trail additions.  Namely, a new entrance loop that allows the trails to flow in a one way system.  Great for traffic!  Bad if somebody doesn’t pay attention to the posted signs so, as always, stay attentive and in control at all times.

The Waterloo Hydro Cut is one of the best trails in the region and big thanks to the folks at the WCC for making this possible.

A great ride and, looking forward to many, many, many more.

See ya out there,

P

Usually, one of the last things on a cyclist mind is food.  No really!  As you’re prepping for that big Sun. ride, making sure the bike is working silky smooth, tools, bottles, camlebak, spare tubes and the list goes on.  By the time you get out the door what you have eaten prior to or, what you’re going to consume during your ride may be an after thought.

The fitness nutrition industry has come a long way in the last few years and Braun’s is BICYCLES is excited to carry some great products from Hammer Nutrition

Specifically, I am gonna take you through some of Hammer’s energy gel line up.  For those that have never used an energy gel, think of it as a snack in a small package with tasty pudding like consistency.

As we’re all pretty aware cycling burns carbohydrates and calories.  And depending on the ride and duration, body type, rider weight etc. you could be burning more gas than you have!  That’s where Hammer Nutrition’s Hammer Gel comes in.  It’s a boost of energy that you can consume while riding that is water soluble and actually DOESN’T taste like bath tub cleaner (got the two confused once…it wasn’t good….JOKES!).  In all seriousness, Hammer Gel actually tastes really awesome and comes in 9 different flavors! including orange, raspberry, banana and chocolate among others.  Your bound to find your own favorite but since this is my blog….banana, apple cinnamon and raspberry…the way to go.

The nutritional content of each gel varies but typically your looking at 23-25 grams of carbs per pack and a very small amount of sugar.  Some Hammer gels will also pack some caffeine for that short burst during a high intensity ride.  It’s important to note that these gels offer sustainable energy during rides and is not to be confused with nutrition to be consumed for recovery or post ride – that’s another blog post.

So make sure you have enough fuel in your system for and during your bike ride.   Use Hammer and avoid the dreaded BONK!

See ya out there..

P

Most of us are familiar with the bell brand name.  Be it motocross, race cars or of course bicycles, Bell has been making protection for your melon since 1954.

For 2010 Bell has a lot of cool new helmet designs, but one that stood out right away for me, was the Bell Sequence.

The Bell Sequence tops up Bell’s Mountain Bike category this year further narrowing the gap between the mountain race helmet and the trail bike helmet.  Bell touts the sequence as “somewhere between full-on XC racing and just riding for the huck of it” and I think that’s a pretty accurate tag line.

Being a Bell Variant and Influx owner myself, I could see a little bit of inspiration from both helmets in the Sequence with a few higher end features.

Without even putting the helmet on your head you can’t help but notice how well ventilated the  construction is, in fact, the Sequence boasts no less than 24 flow tuned vents.  This is gonna be the Cat’s meow in the summer months because the venting system will channel air around your noggen at climbing or descent speeds.

Well,

Been cruising the Argon18 for quite awhile now.  Here in central Ontario, Canada the trails are gonna be wet for a little bit yet, so being a road bike, it fits well.  The theme is to get out early in the morning before I show up at the shop.  I usually ride to the town of Ayr and back, straight down Trussler Road, all the way past the town itself, then loop back in.  Just over 52 Km door to door.  For those riding in the morning, I do recommend you take at least some rear lighting to begin the ride…people that are driving to work and haven’t had their coffee yet tend to drive not so great at times.

Got out for a little boot today as the weather was perfect.  I tried to remember all the road names, but to no avail.  Maybe I’ll check out map my ride .

Here’s my ride – In order:

Started in my city of Kitchener to the town of New Dundee via Trussler Rd

Through New Dundee and kept going until I saw another decent paved road heading west.

Ended up in “Washington” Ontario (the places you find on a bike, and I have never explored over that way before, so I was lovin it)

Kept West until I road into the town of Drumbo

In town, I turned South towards Ayr, stopped at a friends for a waterbottle top up.

From the town of Ayr back to Kitchener via Roseville Rd and Trussler Rd.

A tad over 76 Km all done…..What a great ride! really.  Riding through empty roads in farm country during a slow sun set is amazing.  Makes you feel like you’re REALLY getting fresh air, best way to describe it.

Had a few shifter problems that made my legs start a loud protest on the way back, no small ring up front.  I’m sure I know it will be good for me in the long run though.  I plan on continuing my morning rides as the company moves into Spring/Summer hours and I am excited to hit the trails at a running pace after an early start to the season and some decent trainer time this winter.

till next spin..

P

Hello internet

Well, I must admit, I am a little bummed now that the Olympics are done.  Two weeks of high’s and low’s and the adrenaline rush associated with Olympic glory brought the icing on the cake: the Men’s Hockey final which, which seemed to unite a nation.

So although their is less exciting stuff on TV now to keep me entertained while I’m on the trainer, on the plus side, one look outside has me back to my over energetic self!  The weather is great and the official start to cycling season is upon us.

As I mentioned in my previous review of the Lezyne Alloy Drive pump, i promised that further pump reviews would be coming for the road bike enthusiaste crowd.  Today we’ll be looking at the Blackburn Airstik LongNeck, which is a new model for 2010.

Blackburn has been around around for over 30 years designing innovative cycling specific products.  Starting off with producing racks and pannier bags designed for rigurous bicycle touring, Blackburn quickly expanded their product line to include a lot of industry firsts such as first use of a dual stroke mini pump and, the first use of aircraft aluminum in construction of pannier racks to list a few.

The Airstik LongNeck continues on that innovative design trend with a lot of well thought out features.  The first thing you will find that stands out from any other pump you have used in the past is the detachable pump head.  By being able to pump up your tube independently of the main body of the pump you will be dramatically reducing the stress that is being put on your valve stem.  This is especially true of lighter weight road bike tubes which, in some cases, will use a thiner rubber to reduce tube weight and somtimes (depending on the rim), a longer valve stem, forcing you to to be a little more careful when inflating or changing a tube.

The detachable head incorporates a thumb lock which seats the pump head nicely around both schraeder and presta valves.   To switch between the two valves you simply have to uncrew the end cap and reverse your rubber gasket and adapator as Blackburn has done with all their pumps in the past.  If this sounds a little tricky have no fear, a great set of instructions are included with the pump.

Pump measures up pretty small so it can easily be stowed in your jersey pocket, Camelbak or used the included frame bracket and attach it right to the bike via the water bottle bolts.

The other important thing in any pump suitable for road bikes is the amount of PSI that pump is able to put out.  Most road tires 0f 18-25c range will run at about 110-120 nominal pressure but other brands will run higher pressures up to about 160 PSI.  The Airstik LongNeck has you covered because it will pump to  max of 160 PSI (it may take a lot of pumping to get their but..you’ll get their).  No although im reviewing this pump because i think it’s a great pump for roadies, it doesn’t have to be just your road bike pump.  Blackburn gives you the ability to switch between two modes on the pump, LOW for low pressures, high volume and HIGH for high pressures, low volume.  That means, say for example your mountain bike, would be pumped up on the LOW setting typically running 40-60 PSI while your road bike would benefit using the HIGH setting with a pressure of 110-120 PSI or more.

A few more things top off this sweet piece of cycling gear:  An all aluminum construction, Rebuildable internals (that means you can get parts down the road if needed) and a Lifetime Warranty.

Blackburn has been getting it right for over 30 years and it looks like they’re not stopping anytime soon intuitive products like the AirStik LongNeck.

A new helmet from Bell is on the horizon for my next post so stay in the loop.

P

Well I had my new Argon 18 Radon road bike outside, pavement bound, for the first time this season and initial reaction was a big grin.

It was great to finally get off the trainer and get some fresh air and sunshine.  Not that I mind the trainer too much, it’s a great way to keep going during a nasty winter, however when you purchase a new bike in the winter time it can be very painful.  We were lucky with a fairly cycling friendly winter this year which allowed me to hit the trail several times with the mountain bike.

I think it holds true that you can’t properly appreciate a bike’s handling and fit until you’re actually riding and yes, I know rollers accomplish this to some degree but it’s still not the same.  I mean, there is also the fresh air, the sun and the scenery and even the best flat screen tv can’t replicate that.

Then there is the problem of looking at it when you’re not riding it.  It’s the classic “kid pressed up against the store window glass” you know it’s gonna be awesome and can’t wait for spring… but for now, you’ll have to settle with your trainer and Chris Carmichael.

The ride only consisted of a minuscule (to some but not all) 37 Km and the purpose was just to tweak the bike a bit more, become comfortable with it etc.

I wanted to stay mainly in and around town so I rocketed much of the bike path lane on Ira Needles Blvd in Kitchener, Ontario.  That is a fun little stretch because it is mostly flat, has a dedicated bike lane and sometimes you can pace yourself with motorized vehicles on the slight down-slope sections .

Ira Needles took me towards St. Jacobs, where I headed slightly North and cruised some back roads for a bit.  I then came back into Waterloo in around the Universities and back into Kitchener.

It’s wasn’t a very exciting ride to tell you about, but with the weather, my new road rocket and the prospect of more great rides to come; It was an awesome one that began and ended in a smile.

A lot more ride posts to come.  Bring on the season!

P