I admit it…
In 1998 when Pantani crushed the Giro and then the Tour I donned an eye patch, shaved my head, and painted myself celeste!  I marched down to the local bike shop and said, “BIANCHI ME!”  Twelve years later to say I am a fan is an understatement.  Sure, no more shaved head but I have ridden, sought after, and admired all things Bianchi.  Today my zeal for the brand has hit a fever pitch.  The new 2010 928 SL Super Record just arrived in the store… the best that Bianchi and Italy has to offer.  To say this bike is phenomenal is like saying the thing Moses did with the water was a really great party trick?!  This bike is superlight, uber responsive, and rocket fast!  I can’t stop looking at it!! 

  Come on down and see it for yourself!

One of the most common “poor shifting” issues we see is the dreaded housing compression and cable stretch. When this bike came in for a Basic Tune it still shifted ok. But we don’t like ok shifting we like crisp, quick, clean feeling shifting!

So here’s our problem in a nut shell: When housing compresses, the longitudinal strands of wire push past the outer sheathing leaving the housing ferulle with a less solid interface to take the loads of the shifting forces~Leaving you with a loose cable and poor, gummy, soggy feeling shifting.

As long as your cable and housing isn’t corroded you can clip the exposed wires(not your cable!) flush with the housing sheathing to give your shifting loads something a bit more solid to lean on, resulting in nice crisp clean shifting again!

Clip ‘er flush and make sure to clean the housing opening with a dental pic. The idea is to create a nice, clean, frictionless system!

Replace that old stock plastic ferrule with a solid thick alloy or brass one. Then route your cable and re-adjust accordingly!

Happy shifting! Happy riding!!!

I just wanted to get this down before I forgot about it. Our newest employee and bicycle genius, Rob, has our quote of the day(not verbatim, but close):

“You will never get the same sensations you do out of driving a car as you do when riding a bike. When they make a car that can handle as well as my bike, I might quit riding my bike.”

Truer words have rarely been spoken! The bicycle really is a nimble, fun makin’ machine. Cars……meh, not so much. So the next time you’re out riding, let off the brakes a bit and give your bike a good lean into the corners!

Bicycles getting radical!

Race Fans….

We are getting down to the wire with pre-registration… Here is the link
https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/events/index.xhtml?categoryId=20662
It closes on March 4 so get it done NOW or pay the $5 late charge and be
forced to wait in a VERY long line.

The first race of the season is March 6 at Rocky Mountain Raceway!
A/B goes off at noon and the C/D off at 1pm. The Beginner Skills Clinic starts
at 1:10pm.

This is a USA Cycling event so A/B/C must have a current USAC license. If you
not have one go to www.ucacycling.org and get signed up.

Cliff Notes on the rules….
If you are on a bike you MUST have a HELMET on period!!!

Flite A = Cat 1 and Cat 2 and top 15 from 2009 B (must be a 3 or above)
Flite B = Cat 3 and Cat 4 and top 10 from 2009 C (must be a 4 or 3)
Flite C = Cat 4 and Cat 5
Flite D = Beginner

There are NO FREE LAPS! If you flat, get a mechanical, crash, late… you can
chase back on BUT NO FREE LAPS TO GET BACK IN!!

A’s only race with the A’s. B’s only race the B’s. C’s only race with C’s.
If the A’s overtake the B’s the B’s are neutral
(no attacks, no getting in with the A’s) until the A’s are a 1/4 lap ahead.
2 exceptions: when the B’s are at 3 laps to go, the B’s have the right of way.
If B break catches the A’s the B break has the right of way
( B’s break can NOT mingle/race with the A’s)

Smile a lot, have fun or go home.

Marek

Back in the good ol’ days when the likes of Greg Lemond ruled the peloton with an iron fist, cyclists(Greg Lemond in particular!) Nordic skied in the off season to stay in shape. The good folks here at Cyclesmith, myself included, like to ski in the off-season for fun(and to get out of the inversion). We get that same sensation whilst gliding on skis as we do whilst rolling on two wheels.

So, in the spirit of all things fun we’d like to extend an invitation for all, to join us for some fun up at Mt. Dell this Monday morning at 8am. Join John and Eric for some skating or join Marek for some classic style.

Subsequently, we won’t be opening up until 11am as opposed to 10am down here at the shop.

The California physician, convicted of assaulting a pair of cyclists with his car, was sentenced to five years in prison at the close of a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday morning.

 Check out the full article here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/01/news/l-a-road-rage-doctor-to-be-sentenced-on-friday_102263

Everyone, please ride safely, obey the traffic rules of the road, share the road - and BE NICE!! 

It can be hard to find extra time to ride when you have a dog. They are a ton of work and require lots of attention and exercise. I love taking my two dogs for quick jaunts(they appreciate it even more) on the Shoreline Trail or throught the U of U campus in an effort to get some more saddle time in.

This isn’t exactly what I had in mind; but they both look happy in their cycling endeavors….

No excuses now!!!!

 Click the magic link below to see our mystery shopper!

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ff2_1261805235

…….crap. I mean copy ‘n paste!

CycleSmith is OPEN on Christmas Eve.

Holiday Hours:

12/24/09 - 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM

12/25/09 - CLOSED

12/26/09 (Saturday) CLOSED

We hope you have a Happy Holiday and healthy, happy NEW YEAR!

Your CycleSmith Friends

Check out this feature article in VeloNews on SLC’s Ali Goulet…..VERY COOL!!

 http://velonews.com/article/100214