So you’ve got a bike. Now what? To fully enjoy riding you will need a few accessories to help you on your way. These are my top 10 pieces of gear that will your cycling life better.
Padded Cycling Shorts
If you ride more than just around the block you’ve probably had a sore butt or chafing at some point. Padded bike shorts go a long way in reducing back side discomfort. You can get them in the classic skin tight lycra or a baggy short with the padded short built in. The fabrics are a modern wicking material that helps pull sweat from the skin to protect the skin and be more comfortable. Either way they will give the bum some more padding, reduce chafing and help manage moisture.
Pump
A pump is one of those things that isn’t very exciting until you need it. Then it’s your best friend. I recommend both a floor pump for home use and a mini pump that you can carry on your bike in case of flats while riding. The floor pump take far fewer strokes to get a tire up to pressure making it less of a pain to inflate a tire. The mini pumps work but I only use it for on the ride repairs as they have you pumping like a mad man to get up to pressure. Far better than walking but not something I want to do every few days.
Repair Kit
Like the boy scout motto goes, “Always be prepared”. Get one of the little bags that strap under your saddle and fill it with a spare inner tube, patch kit, tire levers, fold out mini tool (allen keys, screw drivers and chain breaker) and mini pump. With this kit you can take care of most of the problems you will run into while out riding.
Chain Lube and Cleaning Supplies
A clean and lubricated chain is a happy chain. You will have better shifting and longer life to all your drive train parts if you clean and lube your chain regularly. If your lazy like me you can use Pro Link Gold chain lube which clean and lubricates in one step.
Gloves
Whether for comfort, protection or warmth, cycling gloves are a must have. You can do short rides without them but just like the bike shorts, having gloves reduces pressure and chafing.
Vest and Warmers
A wind vest, arm warmers and knee warmers take a summer cycling outfit and extends the temperature range down by 10 degrees. Of particular utility is the fact that on a cool summer morning your can start with these pieces on and as it warms up can remove and store them in your jersey pocket.
Sport Glasses
You need to protect your eyes from the sun, wind and debris. In expensive sport glasses are available with interchangable lenses so one set will cover all lighting conditions. All it takes is one bug in the eye to see how important eye protection is.
Hydration System
This can be bottles and cages on the bike or a Camelbak hydration backpack. If you are riding for more than 30 minutes or it’s hot out you need to rehydrate. You need 750-1000 ml of fluid per hour of riding and you need some way to carry it.
Light Set
Even if you are a road rider who only goes out during the day light, at some point you will get caught out as the sun goes down. A small LED front and rear light can be the difference between making it home safe and getting run over. Many of the small lights will go on your bike without adding much weight or wind drag but they are there when you need them. If you ride at night regularly a more powerful front light that throws enough light to light your way.
Bike Knowledge
All of the cool accessories in the world won’t do anything if you don’t know how to use them. Check with your local bike shop or community college as they often offer bike repair courses. If you develop the skills, things like flat tires, misaligned gears and mushy brakes will be simple fixes you can do yourself and keep riding.

Why Improve the Fit? – for a faster, more comfortable ride

You love riding your bike

 but after a while it feels more like a torture device than an extension of your body. It doesn’t have to happen. Getting your bike fit dialed in will go a long way to improving both comfort and performance. People think a fast position is low and uncomfortable but if your body won’t tolerate an aggressive then you won’t be as fast as you could be. While I can’t cover all the details of bike fit in a single article I will address some of the more common complaints and easy fixes for them.

Numb or Sore Hands
This may sound odd but the most common cause of numb hands is your seat being too far forward. Most bike saddles are on rails allowing you to move them backward and forward. Try sliding your saddle back 5-10 mm. In my own case, I have a long upper body so I need to be extra far back. I’ve got a seat post with extra offset and the saddle slid all the way back.

As well your handlebar may need to be raised or your stem swapped for length.

For every 2 mm you move your saddle back, lower your seat 1 mm as you are moving away from the pedals so it has to be compensated for. Make sure your saddle is level as well as a saddle tipped down will have you sliding forward on your hands.

Butt and Crotch
Most of your weight should be on your sit bones on the rear widest part of the saddle. If you feel like to much of the pressure is on the crotch, then lower your seat 3 mm. Test it out and keep lower a little at a time until you are supported on the sit bones with minimal pressure on the crotch or perineum area.

Sometimes with crotch and butt pain it’s just that you have the wrong saddle. If you develop sore spots in the inside of your sitbones then the saddle could be the culprit. If your saddle feels like you are sitting between the sitbones rather than on them consider a saddle that is slightly wider at the back.

Feet
If you ride in sneakers then the best thing you can do for your feet is get the biggest platform pedals you can find as your shoes don’t support your feet so the pedal has to. BMX or downhill pedals are a great way to go.

When you are running cycling shoes and clipless pedals there are a number of ways to improve foot comfort. If you are experiencing foot numbness or a hot spot in the forefoot then my first adjustment would be how you tighten your shoes when you put them on.

Start at the top, nearest your shin and work towards the toe. When you start at the toe you tend to over tighten across the ball of your foot leading to numbness.

The next step is to move your cleats back further towards the heel. Start with 5 mm and test to see if that relieves the pressure. Keep moving it back if the problem is getting better but not gone. When you move your cleats back you will have to move your seat down half the distance you moved your cleats.

If the pain is in the arch or outside of the foot then you may need to replace the stock insoles with one with more arch support. There are a few brands of heat mold-able insoles that have a firmer arch support.

Knees
Knee cap / Front of the knee
This is usually a sign your seat is too low or you are doing to much hill climbing in a big gear. Raise your seat 3 mm at a time until the pressure on your knees has eased. And while not a fitting issue, focus on spinning lighter gears, even uphill. It takes work but you will become a more efficient cyclist once your adapt your body to a higher cadence. If you have persistent pain or discomfort than you may have developed some inflammation. Going to see your doctor is a good idea in this case. Go light on the riding for a couple of weeks spinning easy gears to give the joint a chance to heal.

Back of the Knee
This is less common but is usually a sign that your seat is too high. Pain behind the knee is often accompanied by low back (along the belt line) pain as the hips will tend to rock when your seat is too high.

Sides of the Knee
If you get pain in the outside of the knee from riding it’s a sign your feet are set too narrow. This is a problem with some of the modern pedals from Look and Shimano as the stance width is narrower than older models. Most cleats will allow some side to side adjustment so you will want to move them in towards the inside of the foot which will move your feet wider. Another way to get a wider stance is to put a washer on the pedal axle between the pedal and the crankarm.

The other thing that can cause pain in the side of the knee is cleat angle. It’s most common to need the heels in a bit but that doesn’t apply to everyone. Try adjusting the angle a little and see how it feels. If it’s worse go in the other direction until the pressure eases.

Lower Back and Hips
This can be caused by a number of factors including seat to far forward, bar too low, reach to the bar too long or seat too high. Follow the step outline above and see if they help with the lower back. Other factors include tight hamstrings and pushing too hard of a gear.

Without a professional fit, it can take a bit of trial and error to correct fit problems but try the tips I’ve outlined above and you should start to see some improvement.

If you’re not into racing, the Summer charity rides are a great way to challenge yourself. With lots of options in length you can always find a ride that will be right up your alley. That being said the target for many charity riders is to do a century or 100 miles in a single day. You can find rides for just about any cause so you can participate in one that has some meaning to you. Signing up for a ride like this is a great way to help you accomplish your fitness goals because it has a set date that you need to be ready for.

With that in mind how do you get ready?

The easy answer is “Ride Lots”, but a focused plan will get you results quicker. If your goal is to ride 100 miles you will need a minimum of 4 months preparation if you don’t have a back ground in cycling. While this isn’t a complete training plan I’ll give you a number of tips and guidelines to help you on your way.

Ride a minimum of 4 times per week. Make two rides longer, steady rides building the length up each week. The other two rides should be high intensity intervals working at increasing your speed. You can do Velmax intervals, Threshold intervals or Tabata intervals. Google them and you’ll find how to do these workouts. Back off about 20 % ever fourth week to give the body a chance to recover.

Do Yoga at least 2 times per week. Yoga is a great way to build core strength and flexibility that you will need for long rides. The breaking point on century rides for many people isn’t the fitness of the legs but the support structure (your back and upper body) giving out. You can attend yoga classes or do it at home with DVD programs. Either way, put the time into the yoga and it will pay dividends when it comes to ride time. In addition, yoga really helps improve recovery from workouts and it makes you feel great.

Figure out you on the bike nutrition. For rides much over a hour, you need to be taking in calories to fuel the ride. Depending on your body weight, you need 200-300 calories per hour, mainly easy to digest carbohydrates. You can use gels and sports drinks or you can use real food like bagels, fig newtons and bananas. Either way test out your food on training rides to see how things sit in your stomach. I tend to stick to gels and drinks as they are easily absorbed and I don’t have to chew. I recommend Hammer Nutrition products as they are the best formulated and easiest on the stomach.

Drink lots of water. You need to drink at least one large water bottle per hour. If you lose 2 % of your body weight due to dehydration you will experience at least a 10% drop in power. You can run a Camelbak on long rides but I find it too hot on summer road rides. In hot weather you will want to add extra electrolytes to your water or sports drink to replenish what you lose in sweat. Electrolyte depletion can lead to increased fatigue and muscle cramps.

Follow these guidelines and you will find that your fitness will be ready to tackle your first Charity century ride. The goal of your first one is to just finish but in time you will be challenging yourself to finish them faster. Keep at it and before long you will be one of those cyclists who can knock off a 100 mile ride every weekend.

For the sake of this article let’s assume you have an nice carbon fiber road bike such as an Argon 18 Krypton. It’s not freaky high end by any means but a good solid bike. You love how it rides but now want to make it faster. Do you need to get a new frame or upgrade your groupo? What about wheels? Will a stiffer crank give you more speed? If I make my bike lighter, how much faster will I be?

While people obsess over weight the best ways to faster are put out more power, reduce rolling drag and reduce wind drag. The three upgrades I recommend cover these areas

Here’s the 3 equipment upgrades to make your road bike faster.

Rotor Q-Rings

These are non-round rings that have been optimized to match the power curve of your legs. The road version have 5 settings so you can adjust the position of the power stroke. A simple chainring upgrade will yield a power increase of 4-5% and a decrease in fatigue. This is one of my favourite upgrades as you notice it from the first ride. You have just a little more going up hill and it never feels like your are pedaling squares no matter how tired you get.

Tires

Most road bikes come with relatively cheap tires. The stock tires have a lower thread count to the casing and denser, slower rolling rubber. Upgrading your tires can make a big difference in both speed and the ride quality of your bike. Now there are a number of high quality clincher tires that roll fast and are pretty puncture resistant. A great choice is the Continental GP 4000. They are light, roll fast and have good puncture resistance.

Wheels

Most road bikes have pretty heavy wheels that come stock on them. A lot of companies put the Mavic Aksiums which are pretty tough but they weigh a ton. In addition to the weight, most stock wheels aren’t very aerodynamic. What a bad combination. Upgrading to a deeper aero wheel set that is also lighter will feel like a totally different bike. For speed the deeper the better up to around 60mm. Beyond that will be good for time trials and triathlons but be harsh riding and poor in cross winds. Rims this deep will almost always be make of carbon fiber. This allows companies to make deep rims are still light. Good options are available from Edge Composites, Zipp and Spinergy. Expect to pay a lot more for a set of carbon fiber wheels but they are lighter for the hill climbs and much more aerodynamic the rest of the time. And on top of it all the deep wheels look cool.

A set of 58 mm deep aero wheels will be a couple minutes faster over 40 km. This will make a difference in both long road races and crits.

Summary

Increase power output, reduce rolling resistance and cut wind drag. These areas will give you the most bang for your bike buck. As you can see none of this is focused on weight as a pound makes very little difference on flat to rolling terrain. If you climb the mountains then a bit of weight off your bike will make a difference but until you can see your abs, don’t worry about the weight of your bike.

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.

.

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,

A Great Easter Promotion

April 12 to 23rd

The Easter Season is a great time to get a bike, a trailer or even a trailer-bike.  Getting the little ones active is not only fun, but is also healthy.  It’s Spring – Let’s enjoy the Freedom of being outside as a family.

Kid’s Bikes

Kid’s Trailers

Kid’s Trailer Bikes

Kid’s Strollers

For each kid’s Bike, Kid’s Trailer, Kid’s Trailer Bike and Kid’s Stroller purchased

Receive a Helmet at Half Price (SAVE 50%)

Limit = 4 helmets per family

Other Great Easter Gifts:

Bells, Streamers, Horns, Training Wheels, Locks, Lights, Helmets and all sorts of fun cycling Accessories.  We even have lots of  Bikes for Adults.

The Details:

Come on in and talk to us.  We’ll make sure you have a safe and fun selection for your kid(s).  Go ahead and surprise them.  We’re usually right-on, as far as sizing goes.  But if we miss – no worries – bring it back with the intended rider after the fun of the surprise and we will make it right – no problem!

You are invited to our VIP Night

Tuesday April 5th (in our Kitchener Store)

from 6 till 8pm - 2 hours of VIP Deals.

We are sorry – In one of our posts we made the error of saying – Monday April 5th (Monday IS WRONG)  – The correct date is TUESDAY March 5th

So just to make sure that everyone has all the correct information – here it is again.  Sorry for the extra post and email

Braun’s VIP Night is almost here!  Bring a friend or two, enjoy a coffee, see the NEW 2011 Bicycles and Cycling Toys, get a great deal and maybe win the door prize!

——————————————————————————————

Door Prize – Vetta Heart Rate & Bicycle Computer

A value of $119.98

Someone who comes to our Kitchener Store April 5th, between 6 and 8 pm will win this.

——————————————————————————————

VIP Pricing is Great! 

There are LOTS of Deals.  Too many to list here.  But we listed just a few, to get you thinking …

Spring → Braun’s → Cycling → Freedom →→→Yes!

——————————————————————————————

All of the below specials are available all week except for this …

Every Instock Regular Priced Item is 20% OFF

Every Special Order Item is available at 15% OFF

Tuesday Night for 2 hours only.  Thanks for being our customer!

——————————————————————————————

All the following items are available all week long while supplies last.

Example #1 – 2010 BMX Bicycles – VIP Pricing 40% Off  (special buy)

Example #2 - All Other 2010 Bicycles – VIP Pricing 35% Off

Example #3 – All In stock Swagman Bicycle Hitch Racks for your car, truck or van – VIP Pricing 25% Off

Example #4 – Blackburn AirFix Multitool & Co2 Inflator – Reg $49 – VIP Pricing $19.99

Example #5 – Kryptonite Evolution U-Lock with 12 mm cable lock set – Reg $99 – VIP Pricing $39.99

Example #6 – Bicycle Trainers, Rollers and Options – VIP Pricing 50% Off

Example #7 – Winter Cycling Gloves & Winter Clothing – VIP Pricing 50% Off

These are great for early/late rides this time of year

Example #8 – Snow Shoes - VIP Pricing 50% Off

Example #9 - Selected Tires & All Steel Studded Tires – VIP Pricing 50% Off

 … and so on.  Tons of Great Deals, on lots of fun cycling items, to help make getting outdoors fun and easy.

Can you FEEL the Freedom?

——————————————————————————————

The Details:

Ltd In stock Qty, Can’t be combined with any other offers, Shop early for best selection.

Tuesday evening 6 to 8pm is – Kitchener Store ONLY,  Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat during normal store hours is Both Kitchener & Guelph stores.  The chance to WIN the Door Prize is ONLY in our Kitchener Retail Store  Tuesday April 5th from 6 to 8pm.

For a chance to win the Door prize you must come into the Kitchener Store between 6 – 8pm April 5th and fill out a ballet.  No purchase is necessary.

——————————————————————————————

Thanks again

for the opportunity to meet your cycling needs!

The Braun Team in Kitchener, Guelph, Online & EBay

——————————————————————————————

Riverside Park in Guelph, Ontario

100 of different models of bicycles, a dozen brands and lots of different types and styles of bikes to test ride       

 Some of the Bikes that will be available to ride:

and many more…

We’ll be there to help you in your quest to find the perfect bicycle. Stop by our tents and say hi.    

Put May 15th into your calendar and get your helmet ready to ride.    

If you ever wanted to try them all out – This may be the closest you ever get to it!   

Thanks to the Gorba Group in Guelph who have organized this great event

 

• Bring Your Helmet
• Starts 10 am – come any time in the following hours to experience
• You’ll see us and everyone else behind the Bandshell
• Wear appropriate clothing/footwear to go riding in the park

  See you there!        

You are invited to our VIP Night

Tuesday April 5th (in our Kitchener Store)

from 6 till 8pm - 2 hours of VIP Deals.

Braun’s VIP Night is almost here!  Bring a friend or two, enjoy a coffee, see the NEW 2011 Bicycles and Cycling Toys, get a great deal and maybe win the door prize!

——————————————————————————————

Door Prize – Vetta Heart Rate & Bicycle Computer

A value of $119.98

Someone who comes to our Kitchener Store April 5th, between 6 and 8 pm will win this.

——————————————————————————————

VIP Pricing is Great! 

There are LOTS of Deals.  Too many to list here.  But we listed just a few, to get you thinking …

Spring → Braun’s → Cycling → Freedom →→→Yes!

——————————————————————————————

All of the below specials are available all week except for this …

Every Instock Regular Priced Item is 20% OFF

Every Special Order Item is available at 15% OFF

Tuesday Night for 2 hours only.  Thanks for being our customer!

——————————————————————————————

Example #1 – 2010 BMX Bicycles – VIP Pricing 40% Off  (special buy)

Example #2 - All Other 2010 Bicycles – VIP Pricing 35% Off

Example #3 – All In stock Swagman Bicycle Hitch Racks for your car, truck or van – VIP Pricing 25% Off

Example #4 – Blackburn AirFix Multitool & Co2 Inflator – Reg $49 – VIP Pricing $19.99

Example #5 – Kryptonite Evolution U-Lock with 12 mm cable lock set – Reg $99 – VIP Pricing $39.99

Example #6 – Bicycle Trainers, Rollers and Options – VIP Pricing 50% Off

Example #7 – Winter Cycling Gloves & Winter Clothing – VIP Pricing 50% Off

These are great for early/late rides this time of year

Example #8 – Snow Shoes - VIP Pricing 50% Off

Example #9 - Selected Tires & All Steel Studded Tires – VIP Pricing 50% Off

 … and so on.  Tons of Great Deals, on lots of fun cycling items, to help make getting outdoors fun and easy.

Can you FEEL the Freedom?

——————————————————————————————

The Details:

Ltd In stock Qty, Can’t be combined with any other offers, Shop early for best selection.

Tuesday evening 6 to 8pm is – Kitchener Store ONLY,  Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat during normal store hours is Both Kitchener & Guelph stores.  The chance to WIN the Door Prize is ONLY in our Kitchener Retail Store  Tuesday April 5th from 6 to 8pm.

For a chance to win the Door prize you must come into the Kitchener Store between 6 – 8pm April 5th and fill out a ballet.  No purchase is necessary.

——————————————————————————————

Thanks again

for the opportunity to meet your cycling needs!

The Braun Team in Kitchener, Guelph, Online & EBay

——————————————————————————————

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

Now On till March 26th

It’s Spring Time and to Celebrate we put some great cycling ideas on sale

2010 Bicycles

• All on Sale – and Priced to move at 25% OFF

2011 Bicycles

• included – FREE Lifetime Service
• included – FREE Layaway
• included – $20 Accessory Coupon with 2011 bike purchase
• included – $20 Helmet Coupon with 2011 bike purchase

Auto Racks for Cars, Vans, Trucks & SUVs

• Thule Trunk Rack #962 (3 bike) Reg $159.98 –> $99.99
• Save $25 on Hitch Racks
• Save $25 on Trunk Racks
• Save $25 on Roof Racks systems

Trailers & Strollers 

• Save $50 on kid trailers & strollers
• Save $50 on Pet trailers
• Save $50 on Cargo trailers

Service Plans

• Save $20 on any of our bicycle repair Service Plans

 Braun’s Think Spring flyer

… click to see a copy

Ltd Qty so Shop early for best selection, see stores for details

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

Hey everyone,

This past holiday season was extremely busy for me and it probably was for you too.  Well it’s time to get back into you routine. To help keep us active and in shape, one of the major sellers this year was indoor bicycle trainers. These trainers mount to the rear axle of a standard bicycle and offer resistance to simulate a real riding experience. They are an excellent training tool and are very popular for cyclists of all skill levels. (The Blackburn Tech Fluid Trainer, is seen below)

Trainers are an excellent way to stay in shape during the winter months and maintain your time in the saddle. They offer the familiarity of your own bicycle, however allow you to ride without an indoor track! There are several factors to consider when utilizing a trainer: these are the set up and performance components.

It is crucial that you accurately simulate your riding position when using a trainer. In order to do this, “training blocks” must be used to balance, raise and lower the height of the front wheel to simulate climbs, descents and flat terrain riding conditions. The trainer raises the rear wheel off the ground several inches, and therefore training blocks allow riders to adjust the angle of their bike by altering the height of the front wheel. The Blackburn training block offers three different heights in order to customize your ride.

Secondly, and most importantly is the use of a trainer specific tire. Using trainers for extended periods of time generates significant amounts of heat as a result of the tire contacting the steel roller. A standard bicycle tire is not designed to withstand this large amount of heat and is susceptible to fail as a result of fatigue. In addition, standard bicycle tires are also not designed for repetitive contact on a single patch of tire, and therefore will develop flat spots on the centre running surface if used on a trainer.

The solution for all these problems is simple! You need a “Trainer Tire”. (Such as the Continental Ultrasport Hometrainer.) These tires are specifically designed to dissipate the increased heat generated by trainer use and are designed to last longer due to repetitive contact on the centre running surface.

Trainer tires are available in both 26″and 700c tire sizes and are excellent replacements for both standard road tires, but an even better replacement for knobby mountain bike tires as these offer poor performance and resistance when riding on the trainer.

*** It is important to note that trainer tires are not suitable for outdoor use and should be swapped seasonally to ensure a safe riding experience. ***

With the cold winter days we have been having, it is still nice to be able to “get out for a ride”even in the comfort of your own family room.

Until next time, keep the cranks turning!

Bryan

Well ladies and gentlemen…

This is what we like to call the dead of winter. All the spirit and festivities of the Holidays has worn off, all the hockey tournaments and ski trips are done and it is simply back to the grind stone. Lets be honest, when you look out the window and it looks like this:

Your first inspiration is not to strap on your riding shoes and pedal down main street for a leisure ride. More than likely, you are thinking that a warm cup of coffee and a good book inside the warm dry house are the best way to fill your Sunday afternoon. Well folks… you could not be more mistaken! Actually, you are not fully mistaken. Staying inside is most likely the safest option, however continuing to train and maintain your fitness levels during the winter months is crucial as it reduces the transition required once the summer weather returns.

Therefore, on those days when you would rather be hiding away in your basement than out shoveling the driveway… go for it! But get yourself set up on your trainer and ride for several hours. In the shop, we get a lot of questions on ways to make training in the winter fun. This is a very simple question to answer. A lot of it has to do with being in the correct mind frame before beginning your training session.

Preparing varies by the rider, and normally requires getting away from it all… or connecting with it all. Riders who like to get away from it all would be best suited to situate their trainer in their basement. They could potentially put on some music and use the tempo of the songs to keep a high cadence and devotion to training. For others, situating the trainer near a panoramic window is a good alternative which allows them to watch the birds and squirrels and rabbits carry out their daily activities as they ride through their training session.

For people who complain of bordem, I often suggest an engaging activity. Placing the trainer in front of the television may seem like a bad idea, but there are several potential benefits. First, training videos are available (and we do have some in the shop) that feature both training tips and techniques and point of view riding experiences so the rider can simulate a road race or trail ride from the comfort of their family room  while spinning on the trainer. For those who need a little less inspiration, often riding while watching a hockey or football game is an excellent way to keep your intensity up and push yourself to train harder.

Although their isn’t a blanket answer to that question, the fact remains that there is a solution for each rider that will increase their enjoyment on the trainer and their success in maintaining their fitness levels through the winter months.

Until next time, keep the rear wheel spinning!

Bryan

We’ve Extended our Biggest Sale of the Year until this coming Saturday – Jan 8, 2011

There are still Lots of great deals available!

Like…

Every 2010 in stock Bicycle is

50% OFF *

And we have lots of Great Specials instock in our Retail Stores in Kitchener & in Gueph. 

 No time – No problem - go Online and make your selections and place your order.  Then pick-up your order at either store whenever you are going by!  Of course there is also home/office delivery available as well.

Check us out – You will be glad you did every time you go riding this spring.

Hey everyone,

Hope you’re all enjoying the frosty mornings and cool evenings that have quickly crept up on us. For some people, the first signs of snow and ice are the end to the riding season… they pack their gear away, store their bike in their basement and wait for the snow to melt before they get back out there. 

For others, the winter season offers a unique and enjoyable experience in the area of winter riding. Many people commute year round, and this group comprises the majority of the winter category. The smaller portion continue to ride through the winter for personal enjoyment, with the smallest portion continuing to trail ride year round!

No matter which style of winter riding you choose to participate in there are many factors that need to be carefully considered before doing so, choices such as clothing, gloves, footwear, and hydration are all vital factors in enjoying your winter ride. More importantly though, is making sure that your bike is up to the challenge. There is various maintenance that should be performed during the winter season, and I will cover these aspects throughout the season as the weather dictates. For today… I am going to focus on Studded Tires!

Studded tires are just that, tires with metal studs (can be made from various steels, carbite, etc) mounted in them to incresase traction, handling and control during the winter season. Similar to the concept of snow tires on a car, they also utilize a softer rubber compound to enhance grip on ice and frozen surfaces.  Studded tires are available in both 26″ and 700c sizes with various profiles to ensure fitment on just about every ride. There are various different styles of studded tires, from full stud, to partial stud, and I will help to differentiate between them.

Full Studded Tires have a what is considered a full studded pattern where metal studs are found on both the running surface (center of the tire) and the shoulders (the edges of the tire). The studs on the shoulders are to provide grip when cornering and the running surface studs provide increased traction for accelerating and braking. These tires are designed for more extreme riding conditions, and typically utilize 260-300+ studs per tire to provide the ultimate traction abilities. An example of a full studded tire is the Schwable Ice Spiker Pro, which is a heavily studded tire design for trail and extreme use.  

Partial Studded tires consist of either running surface or shoulder studs. They are designed to be used on predominately ice and predominately pavement respectively. Partial studded tires offer benefits for riders whose roads are normally plowed and salted and those who are always fighting with a road less travelled. These tires can be used in pairs, as well as in split sets (one drive tire, one directional tire).

Shoulder studded tires are desgined for those who commute on roads that are well maintained. They have metal studs on the edges to provide traction while cornering, but not reduce rolling resistance while on plowed surfaces. These tires are best for city commuters whose road is normally well maintained.

The 700c Schwable Snow Stud Tire is a good example of this.

In contrast, the centre ridge studded tire is designed for those riders whose road consists of that which is normally covered in ice. It has cente ridge studs that provide excellent traction during acceleration and braking. An example of this is the Schwable Marathon Winter tire is a good example of this.

It is important to note that many other different styles and manufactuers of tires exist, and that those listed only represent a fraction of those available. Partially studded tires can be used in matching and staggered pairs to tailor your style of winter riding.

No matter what, do not forget to adjust to your riding conditions, obey the rules of the road and always wear a helmet.

Until next time…

Always consider that the ability of the rider, greatly outweighs the capability of the parts.

Bryan!

Once a Year – We invite our loyal customers to a 2 hour VIP Sale. 

Pricing is AMAZING!  The Deals are so crazy that we can’t list them here.  Lots of deals in store.

We are giving away a FREE bicycle trainer at 7:45pm this Wednesday, Nov 24th!  Ballets available in the store (no purchase necessary – you just have to show up).

Example #1 - 2010 Bicycles (now on sale at 10% to 15% off) are an  ADDITIONAL 25% OFF – VIP BIG SAVINGS

Example #2 - pair of super bright LED lights reg $19.98 pr – VIP $7.99 pr

Example #3 - a U-Lock with cable + bracket reg $49.98 – VIP $26.99

Example #4 - Look-in saddle with ErgoGEL reg $69.98 – VIP $39.99

and so on … tons of great deals - Bike trainers, Trail-a-Bikes, helmets, gloves, pumps, pedals, 2 for 1 tubes and tires, mirrors, bells, carriers, computers, baskets, etc, etc

Our VIP Sale pricing does run until 5pm Saturday – But the chance to WIN the Trainer and the best selection is ONLY in our Kitchener Retail Store this Wednesday night 6 to 8pm.