Total Enlightenment

One of the biggest attractions at Interbike this year was the new Enlightenment from Ellsworth. A long time in the making, Tony Ellsworth did not want to rush into the carbon market like all his competitors. He approached the challenge in the same manor as he approaches all of his bike projects. It doesn't need to be the first one to hit the market, it just needs to be the best. With the construction taking place in the new found Sustainable Business Practice Carbon Facility, these bikes are produced like no other. Their carbon lay up techniques translate to an amazing ride quality, and Rare Earth Carbon Fiber used in the construction results in ultra low eco impact. We are very impressed, and continue to support the efforts of Ellsworth to pave the way for other manufacturers to improve their methods and build in a more sustainable manor.

We just built up one of the very first ones in the country (that isn't in the hands of an editor or tester of some magazine), so keep your eyes peeled for this bike on the local trails. A custom build of XTR and XO components, paired with some Mavic Crossmax SL's, a 15mm Fox F100 RLC, and an Edge composite bar make this bike both trail and race ready. The red King headset brings out the red touches on the bike, and matched up nicely with the wheels. And the red drop outs can also be interchanged to run a single speed, geared or even belt drive set up. We can't wait to build up some more Enlightenments in both the 26" and 29" versions.

In times like these

We know that our clients understand the value of supporting their local businesses. As such many of our loyal clients tell us why they choose us over the larger retail chains and the internet for everything from nutritional products to spare parts to bikes themselves. . But sometimes, particularly in hard economic times like these, even our best clients seek 'cheaper' prices or better deals elsewhere. Many find out saving 10% online, for example, is not worth the hassle or uncertainty of what they are going to get.

A case in point: The other day a customer of ours came into the shop to buy some new tires. Like most durable and high-quality
products good tires are not cheap. After all tires and tubes are made from oil. There are of course some cheap tires out there but this customer wanted something good. Initially, he told me later, he went online to find the same tires we recommended and sold to him 8 months earlier, but decided that the $10 savings for two tires was not worth it. He told me that 1) he wanted to ensure that we, as a small independent bicycle dealer, would be here next spring when he needed his bike tuned up and refitted and 2) he valued his relationship with the shop so much so that he'd rather pay $10 more and receive proper installation and selection while building a long-term relationship.

While we can't always compete on price alone, we know that we offer many things other cannot: the intangible suggestions on good bike routes, proper layering for the morning rides, the best and safest commute lights, proper ride fueling, etc. In the end, our clients realize that when they support us, we support them in return. Last minute services, on-the-fly flat repairs, so on and so forth, our bond and loyalty to our customers and their loyalty to us is what makes owning your own, local business so rewarding.

As always, we open our blog to your thoughts and feedback.

Scott
Founder/Partner

The Finish

Thanks for Veronica Lenzi (www.veronikalenzi.com) I have a picture of yesterday's finish.

Carrera de San Rafael

Bike Rx rides to its second victory! One of the best crits in the NorCal circuit tonight's twilight race illustrates the fun, tactical nature of crit racing. After a day at the shop, Scott and Tryon road to the race in San Rafael for a good 45min warm up, arriving just as the Masters 1-2-3 warmed up the crowd for our CAT 4 race.

Our friends from Dolce Vita, Rich Stagliano of Live Fit Medicine, Devon Koch, and Steve O joined the group of 90 riders for the many laps around this fairly technical course.

With wind in our face, no one broke away. Patience and calm kept the race safe but tactically challenging. With several strong teams (ie. Kovarus, Active Athlete/Squadra, and Whole Athlete), Team Bike Rx stayed near the front to attack on the final lap.

Following a strong wheel into the second to last corner Scott emerged from the final corner, hesitated not, and hit the gas for the 350 or so meters to the finish. A second victory in two weeks. Looks like CAT 3 is right around the corner.

A great day on the road!

Bike Racing - 1st Season

Over the past 2 years, since I returned to the bike after an injury that kept me off the bike for 4 years, I have been trying to get back into good cycling shape. Last year, with a year under my legs, I entered some of the local cycle cross races. Cross, after all, always appealed to me and it seemed like a good transition to the world of cycling. Little by little my partner Colin encouraged me to ride the road bike to obtain better riding fitness. I refused. I bought a MTB and hit the trails as often as possible. Colin and I road 3-4 days a week, starting night rides on Thursday nights with friends and clients. Last year, when Chris Reed joined our team, it became inevitable that I'd get a road bike. While Chris too shared a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for the MTB, he too road a few days a week to maintain his overall ride fitness. So last year I started to ride the road bike. It was fun. Much more fun that I anticipated. After a year on the road and most of the MTB races over, I thought I would try my hand at road racing. I remember watching Colin's twin brother Aaron Beardsley race the Pro 1-2 San Rafael crit last August. It was so exciting. I thought it would be fun to race a local road race or crit with some of our clients and friends who also race the local races. When I decided to sign up for the San Rafael crit early this year, I realized that one had to be a Cat 4 to enter the race. No crash 5 welcomed. I decided to start planning to race this spring and summer to officially upgrade to the 4s and race this August in San Rafael. Well, here we are in the beginning of August and I am a week away from racing the CAT 4 crit in San Rafael.

These past few months of road and crit racing have been so much fun. I raced my first road race at Sea Otter, passing up the MTB XC race to get some road upgrade points. I travelled from Livermore to Santa Clara to Berkeley to Menlo Park and little by little I counted off the 10 races to upgrade. With three Cat 4 crits and one Cat 4 road race (Pescadero) under my belt I think I am ready for San Rafael. Yesterday's victory at the Timpani Road crit was glorious. I have never won a race before (except for a few wins at the training races in Santa Rosa (Colin quickly reminds me that the Santa Rosa Corporate Crits are training races!) and a Cat C cross race last winter but that is all. This year, in reality, has been both fun and frustrating. I have gotten "so many" 2nd place finishes that my friends have been calling me "deuce." Victory yesterday at Timpani was sweet!

So, what is the point of this blog? Well, I thought it would be fun to share some of my experience with you on the local race circuit, perhaps inspiring you to come join me at the next local race. A few of our clients have already joined me at the Santa Rosa crits the past few weeks and my friend Tyron, a seasoned crit racers, recently upgraded with me to CAT 4. He has become a real domestique, guiding me through the crazy packs of riders at the most opportune moment for a strong finish. I big thanks for Tryon for all his help this season.

Here are some pictures of my season thus far. I hope you enjoy these pages of my "race history" in '08. Many race updates to follow.

Day 7 – Last Stage: Whistler Mountain 46km

Day 7 – Last Stage: Whistler Mountain

Too tired to write last night after the final stage, we now make our way back home relishing in our accomplishment.
What a great race. To our amazement, we finished unbroken and in one piece, which includes our bikes: we had not one mechanical, not one flat. Truly amazing. Over 500 kms and both our bikes and our bodies are in one piece. Not even a major fall. Considering over 50 teams did not finish the race due to mechanical issues or crashes, we did amazingly well. Grant’s smooth technical descending worked well. Not too fast, not too slow, just right. We passed so many riders whose rapid descents caused minor and major issues. Grant is the man.. As you can see from the photo.. all nicely dressed in the Bike Rx kit.

Yesterday’s final stage commenced with one of the hardest climbs of the race. After a short road hill climbs, we quickly hit double track up one of Blackcomb’s double track/cat track trails up the mountain. A 40 minutes climb, 3000 feet. Though the stage’s total distance was the shortest thus far, just 47kms, we did over 5000+ vertical feet for a second day at race pace and the first climb nearly killed us. Riders were cracking all over. I think we too showed our fatigue. While the opportunity presented itself for a 20th place position if we attacked on the hill, the legs were just not there. Knowing we were in for a hilly day, we decided to take it steady like all week long and once again it did us well. I think we finished 25th for the day.
We took the shop video camera so we have some race video that we are now going to edit for your review. We can’t show you how we cracked or were passed by the pro girls team in the last 1km.

All in all, today’s finish was glorious. Once again no issues, neither mechanical nor mental nor physical. We did “our thing” as Grant says and are now on our way home with only positive things to say of the BC Bike Race.

A summary entry of the week to follow...

Day 6 - The Best of Squamish

An epic BC single track day. Hard climbs (think climbing Bobcat in TV 8 times straight) then descending the sickest, most illegal trail on Tam (x 10 in quality).. think northside to Potrero meadows to cross country boys.. all day long. Super fun and fast. Race time 4:22 minutes; 65k.

The competition is crumbling around us. War of attrition. We currently sit in 22nd place. With no major falls and no flats again today we are riding a very good race and now wish it went on for another week (not really; but if it did, we would be top 10 for sure). The race-pace starts are the hardest part but fortunately today there were no major crashes.

A good day on the hill and now time for bed. We are staying in Squamish, a town known for its single track.

tomorrow we are off to Whistler for the final stage. While only 47km, it is suppose to be an epic 4hr race.

Wish us luck.