I guess it's that time of year again. Christmas is over, and with the new year only a few days away, it seems appropriate to quickly reflect on the the past 12 months, and look ahead to the year to come.
January was pretty nice in the Comox Valley. We were consistently getting out for our Tuesday night rides, and all things considered, conditions were pretty good. Sure, the days were short and it rained a bit, but the snow line was pretty high up, and we were riding some of the upper trails that usually don't clear up until late spring.
The obvious highlight from February is the Olympics, but since cycling isn't a winter Olympic sport, we'll just ignore the Olympics. Mount Washington was getting massive dumps of snow, keeping boarders and skier happy. Back down here in the valley night rides were continuing, and trail conditions were pretty good.
The end of March marked the arrival of daylight savings time. After work rides in daylight were suddenly attainable, and our Tuesday night mountain bike and Thursday night road rides began.
April officially marked the start of racing season. The Cumberland XC and DH races were both held, with solid representation from Blacks in both events. Even though we're all about fun here at the shop, sometimes it's nice to challenge yourself in a competitive environment, and see how far you can push your limits.
Besides the great weather we had in May, the obvious highlight had to be the Rocky Mountain Demo Day we had in Cumberland. We got a chance to demo some great trail bikes, including Altitudes, Flatlines, and lots of 29ers.
June and July were kind of a blur between busy days in the shop and lot of time in saddle. Between commuting, road rides, and mountain bike rides, I think it's safe to say I put in more saddle time in a couple months than some do in a lifetime.
In August we held the first annual 4 Peaks of Cumberland. We basically took 4 separate stand alone rides and combined them into 1 fun all day epic. We had a great turnout and will definitely do this one again next year.
The 4th annual Yana Ride took place in September. This is Les and Erica Black's big event - Something they work tirelessly on months ahead to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible, and ultimately, raise as much money as possible for Yana. 2010 marked the first year the weather was less than stellar, with grey skies and a bit of morning rain. Despite the weather woes, we had a great turnout and more than $20,000 was raised. Big thanks to Les and Erica Black and everyone else who helped make this great event a success.
October for most people means the end of the riding season, but here at the shop the rides kept going and we were still getting lots of pedal time.
November is always and exciting time with 2011 products starting to roll in. Some of the most anticipated products, like the Norco Range series arrived. For us at the shop it's like Christmas every time the courier truck shows up at the door.
And I guess that brings us to December. Most of us indulge in treats a bit more this time of year, providing the perfect motivation to get out on our bikes to keep the winter fat at bay. Most of the lower trails are still rideable. If you're geared up right you can still get those base miles in on your road bike. Hopefully you got some cool new riding stuff under your tree, and you get out soon to use it.
Looking forward we have lots planned for 2011. We still have new 2011 bikes arriving daily, and if the product is any indication, 2011 is gonna rock. From everyone at Blacks, Happy New Year. Hopefully 2011 is filled with smooth shifting gears, true wheels, and complete lack of flat tires for everyone.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Rocky Slayers
Here it is! One of the most anticipated all mountain rides for 2011. 6.5 inches of do it all travel. This bike must been seen to be believed. Its always better in person. A Slayer 30 and 70 are currently here with some more models coming in within the next week or two.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Run Bikes: Learning to ride the RIGHT way
There are certain childhood events that can be considered true milestones: Your first words, your first steps, your first day of school, and of course, learning to ride a bike.
Like most kids, I earned my fair share of bumps and bruises learning to ride on two wheels. I was one of those kids who had horrible balance, and would compensate with tons of speed in order to stay upright (hmmm... I guess some things don't change). Unfortunately, when things started to get sketchy, as the usually do when you're learning to ride, the end result often involved blood, bruises, and a whole lot of tears.
These days, parents have an alternative to the traditional "trike followed by training wheels followed by 2 wheel" model that has been used over the past couple generations. It's called a run bike. Run bikes have been commonplace in Europe for years, but never really caught on in North America. Sure, you could get the fancy pants Like-a-Bike version in upscale toy stores, but getting parents to shell out a couple hundred bucks on a sketchy wooden bike was a pretty tough sell.
In 2005, Norco came out with the Adams Runner. For the North American bike industry, this was a game changer. All of sudden kids had access to a good quality, reasonably priced run bike, with the look and feel of a real bike.
So what is a run bike, and what makes it so special? Simply put, it's a really small bike, but without pedals. The idea is that kids sit on the seat and use their feet to push themselves along. What makes this such a great product is that that kids can learn the fundamentals of balancing on two wheels. The lack of pedals means one less thing to worry about and get in the way as they scoot along with their feet. When it comes time to graduate to a real bike, the learning curve in easy, since the only new element is the pedaling motion, which for most kids is relatively straightforward.
Run bikes have another benefit as well. Children can often get on them younger compared to a tricycle. Even the smallest trikes don't fit kids younger than 3 years old. We often sell run bikes to kids under 2 years old, and while they aren't ripping around yet, the child is still capable of using them.
If you have a young child, nephew, cousin, grandchild, or friend with a kid, you definitely owe it to them to come check these out. There are a few different models out there, so come on in and we'll show you what's available.
In the meantime, check out this great video showing the potential of the run bike:
Like most kids, I earned my fair share of bumps and bruises learning to ride on two wheels. I was one of those kids who had horrible balance, and would compensate with tons of speed in order to stay upright (hmmm... I guess some things don't change). Unfortunately, when things started to get sketchy, as the usually do when you're learning to ride, the end result often involved blood, bruises, and a whole lot of tears.
These days, parents have an alternative to the traditional "trike followed by training wheels followed by 2 wheel" model that has been used over the past couple generations. It's called a run bike. Run bikes have been commonplace in Europe for years, but never really caught on in North America. Sure, you could get the fancy pants Like-a-Bike version in upscale toy stores, but getting parents to shell out a couple hundred bucks on a sketchy wooden bike was a pretty tough sell.In 2005, Norco came out with the Adams Runner. For the North American bike industry, this was a game changer. All of sudden kids had access to a good quality, reasonably priced run bike, with the look and feel of a real bike.
So what is a run bike, and what makes it so special? Simply put, it's a really small bike, but without pedals. The idea is that kids sit on the seat and use their feet to push themselves along. What makes this such a great product is that that kids can learn the fundamentals of balancing on two wheels. The lack of pedals means one less thing to worry about and get in the way as they scoot along with their feet. When it comes time to graduate to a real bike, the learning curve in easy, since the only new element is the pedaling motion, which for most kids is relatively straightforward.
Run bikes have another benefit as well. Children can often get on them younger compared to a tricycle. Even the smallest trikes don't fit kids younger than 3 years old. We often sell run bikes to kids under 2 years old, and while they aren't ripping around yet, the child is still capable of using them.
If you have a young child, nephew, cousin, grandchild, or friend with a kid, you definitely owe it to them to come check these out. There are a few different models out there, so come on in and we'll show you what's available.
In the meantime, check out this great video showing the potential of the run bike:
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Mace Glove Deal
For our faithful readers, come in before Saturday and get 25% off any in stock mace glove. Kevin, I know you need some snazzy carbon knuckle gloves. Lets do this!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Entry Level Awesomeness
The filtering down of technology is everywhere these days. Every year you get more and more for your money. Computers, cell phones, flat screen TVs. If it was cutting edge a couple years ago it's commonplace today.
The bike industry is no exception. Take disc brakes for example. 15 years ago only the highest of the highest end had discs. Now it's almost impossible to find a mountain bike without them. Carbon Fiber used to be considered a pretty exclusive material, something available to pro level racers and rich bike snobs only. These days, carbon is still considered a pretty high end material, but is certainly a lot more attainable for the masses.
Here are two bikes that highlight exactly what I'm talking about.
The first is the Norco Range 3. It sells for $2545. This 6" travel heavy duty all-mountain bike covers all the bases. Good quality, adjustable suspension, great brakes, and a functional and reliable drivetrain. Yeah sure, it doesn't have all the knobs and dials that it's bigger brothers do, but most people buying those bikes never really use them anyway.
Here's some substance to back up the claims that this bike rocks. Darren and I are both bike snobs that have been riding nothing but the best for the past decade or longer. Darren and I both put a ton of miles on it's older brother, the Fluid LT3 over the past couple years and can't say enough good things about it. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to get on that bike and ride it, totally stock. straight out of the box. 5 years ago, however, it would have been a totally different story. 5 years ago I would never have considered riding a $2500 because the entry level bikes were just that: Entry level.
The second bike is the Norco CRR 3. Norco has really pulled out all the stops on this one to produce the absolute best bike at this price point. I know this is a pretty bold statement, but if you find a better spec'd bike at this price point please let me know. Full carbon frame, and not just cheap carbon, but super light, super stiff (made in the same factory as Pinarello), full 105 10 speed drivetrain, and a descent wheelset. All this for $1745. Last year this same spec list would have brought you up well past $2K. Once again, thank you filter down technology...
The bike industry is no exception. Take disc brakes for example. 15 years ago only the highest of the highest end had discs. Now it's almost impossible to find a mountain bike without them. Carbon Fiber used to be considered a pretty exclusive material, something available to pro level racers and rich bike snobs only. These days, carbon is still considered a pretty high end material, but is certainly a lot more attainable for the masses.
Here are two bikes that highlight exactly what I'm talking about.
The first is the Norco Range 3. It sells for $2545. This 6" travel heavy duty all-mountain bike covers all the bases. Good quality, adjustable suspension, great brakes, and a functional and reliable drivetrain. Yeah sure, it doesn't have all the knobs and dials that it's bigger brothers do, but most people buying those bikes never really use them anyway.Here's some substance to back up the claims that this bike rocks. Darren and I are both bike snobs that have been riding nothing but the best for the past decade or longer. Darren and I both put a ton of miles on it's older brother, the Fluid LT3 over the past couple years and can't say enough good things about it. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to get on that bike and ride it, totally stock. straight out of the box. 5 years ago, however, it would have been a totally different story. 5 years ago I would never have considered riding a $2500 because the entry level bikes were just that: Entry level.
The second bike is the Norco CRR 3. Norco has really pulled out all the stops on this one to produce the absolute best bike at this price point. I know this is a pretty bold statement, but if you find a better spec'd bike at this price point please let me know. Full carbon frame, and not just cheap carbon, but super light, super stiff (made in the same factory as Pinarello), full 105 10 speed drivetrain, and a descent wheelset. All this for $1745. Last year this same spec list would have brought you up well past $2K. Once again, thank you filter down technology...
Friday, October 29, 2010
Night riding: Quality pedal time during our west coast winters
It's pretty easy to get depressed this time of year. The wet weather, the short days, and most importantly, the lack of riding time. Although there's not much that can be done to the weather or the short days, but with a decent set of lights you can help satisfy your craving for more time on your mountain bike until daylight savings time returns in the spring.
One of the cool things about night riding is how different it is than riding in the day. Now that might sound kinda stupid, like I'm stating the obvious, but riding at night seems to change the trails and how you look at them. A trail you've ridding a million times in daylight will look and feel completely different at night.
The best option for lights is to run a helmet mount setup. The nice thing about a helmet light is that the beam shines in the direction your head is facing. Anyone who's spent more than 2 minutes on a mountain bike will understand the importance of this, since you're not always looking in the exact direction that your bike is heading. My first set of lights 12 years ago was a bar mount system. I think I rode with them twice before going to a helmet mount setup. Yes, it makes that much of difference.
My old BLT Blitz with it's 15W halogen and sealed lead-acid battery was the cat's meow in it's day, but is literally like holding a candle next to a stadium light when compared to the lights these days. High power LEDs with 900 lumens and sealed lithium ion batteries have made trail riding at night a lot more enjoyable.
If you've never tried night riding it's time to give it a go. We have a ton of great lights in stock, with trail worthy options starting at $135. Trust me, if you value time on your bike it'll be the best money you spend all winter.
We'll be starting up our weekly shop rides on Tuesday evenings soon. If you're interested give us a shout or make sure you sign up to the Blacks Cycle Facebook group so you get the event invites.
One of the cool things about night riding is how different it is than riding in the day. Now that might sound kinda stupid, like I'm stating the obvious, but riding at night seems to change the trails and how you look at them. A trail you've ridding a million times in daylight will look and feel completely different at night.
The best option for lights is to run a helmet mount setup. The nice thing about a helmet light is that the beam shines in the direction your head is facing. Anyone who's spent more than 2 minutes on a mountain bike will understand the importance of this, since you're not always looking in the exact direction that your bike is heading. My first set of lights 12 years ago was a bar mount system. I think I rode with them twice before going to a helmet mount setup. Yes, it makes that much of difference.
My old BLT Blitz with it's 15W halogen and sealed lead-acid battery was the cat's meow in it's day, but is literally like holding a candle next to a stadium light when compared to the lights these days. High power LEDs with 900 lumens and sealed lithium ion batteries have made trail riding at night a lot more enjoyable.
If you've never tried night riding it's time to give it a go. We have a ton of great lights in stock, with trail worthy options starting at $135. Trust me, if you value time on your bike it'll be the best money you spend all winter.
We'll be starting up our weekly shop rides on Tuesday evenings soon. If you're interested give us a shout or make sure you sign up to the Blacks Cycle Facebook group so you get the event invites.
Lights - Night Riding Time!
Want to night ride? Check these out. 900 lumen rated P7 LED lights. $150. Best deal going. Come grab them while we have them. Helmet mounts and extension cables available.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Boss' New Ride: 2011 Norco CRR SL
The big cheese finally bit the bullet and got a new ride, and talk about sweet. After checking out all the great offerings from Felt and Rocky Mountain, he settled on the new CRR SL from Norco. These new frames are made in the same factory that produces all the new Pinarello frames (mmm... Pinarello), and are not only ridiculously light, but crazy stiff as well. This bike needs no upgrading -He'll be riding it completely stock. Full Sram Red with Ksyrium Elite wheels, the complete bike weights in at 15lbs 12oz... And that's for an XXL frame! Look for Les' riding to improve significantly in the coming season...;)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
First post and Ergon GA1 Grips
Welcome to Blacks Cycle blog. Here you will find random thoughts, product reviews, pictures and videos from rides and various other great cycling information pertaining to the Comox Valley.
First up we have the Ergon GA1 Grip. These are designed with DH and Freeride in mind. I will be giving these grips a go and giving some feedback. These wound up on my bike as a recommendation from a friend living on the North Shore. My Ruffian's are big shoes to fill so we will see how these fare.
Check the Ergon GA-1 official page.
First up we have the Ergon GA1 Grip. These are designed with DH and Freeride in mind. I will be giving these grips a go and giving some feedback. These wound up on my bike as a recommendation from a friend living on the North Shore. My Ruffian's are big shoes to fill so we will see how these fare.
Check the Ergon GA-1 official page.
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