Golden Bike Shop Blog

GBS Blog has moved to www.goldenbikeshop.com

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Our blog is now part of our main site - get all of the latest info at www.goldenbikeshop.com

The goodies just keep showing up!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:08:00 +0000

Even more sweet stuff! This time from our friends at Rocky Mountain.

More Bike Junkie Deuce swag keeps rolling in!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Mon, 09 May 2011 01:35:00 +0000

A few more of the items that will be for grabs THIS WEEK at the Bike Junkie Deuce party. Make sure you get your tickets before they are gone!

Scott Team Boa MTB shoe - any size

Race Face SixC carbon riser handlebar

Two Uvex XP helmets - sexy helmet model not included!

Bike Junkie Deuce Swag is Arriving!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Fri, 06 May 2011 22:14:00 +0000

Just a little taste of the piles of stuff that everyone is going to have a chance to take home from the Deuce....

A Niner EMD frame!!!

A card from Woody's Wood Fired Pizza in Golden good for a free Lunch or Dinner once a month for a year for two people. The card also gets you your first round of drinks!

GBS Demo Day, May 15th, 11am-3pm

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Wed, 04 May 2011 18:24:00 +0000

Right on the heels of the Bike Junkie Deuce party is the first Demo Day of 2011. Come out and join the fun!

Ellsworth Demos at the Bike Junkie Party

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:40:00 +0000

The fine folks at Ellsworth will have demos available at the Bike Junkie party. Come out and enjoy a spin on one of the great craftsman-style American made frames!

Rocky Mountain Altitude 70 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Mon, 02 May 2011 23:51:00 +0000

Since GBS just picked up Rocky Mountain in the past few months we thought you might like to hear what some of the first few buyers are saying about them.

Thanks Matt Dunn from the Rocky Mountain Racing team for the info. Glad you are enjoying your new ride!

Matt kindly provided some rider context as well: "Note: I am a sport level XC/Super-D rider coming off a 2005 Giant Reign. I was looking for a lighter trail oriented bike the not only climbed well, but let me enjoy all the normal technical downhill that I love to ride.

Fully built with tubeless set up, it weighs in at just a hair over 27 lbs. I noticed that the chain stays were much longer than I was used to, as well as a slacker (68.5) degree head angle made the bikes over all center of gravity much different than the Reign. The geometry, low bottom bracket height and 15mm front thru-axle make the bike a very stable on the downhill. While climbing, positioning on this bike does take some searching to get comfortable, (I got kicked off a few rocks on the first couple of climbs) but as soon as you get dialed in the bike pedals like a rocket ship. The rear end is super stiff and there is virtually no pedal bob when the pro-pedal is engaged. The long chain stays stop the front end from popping up too much during climbing and give the bike a stable feel up hill as well. This was a huge difference from the old rig.

The XT components are always consistent and the Formula brakes are very powerful. The wheels are light and stiff and worked well with the Stan's tubleless kit. The Fizik Gobi seat is really a perfect fit because of the comfort and length which helps the rider move around in any position while climbing or descending.

Overall, it climbs well and descends brilliantly."

GBS Presents: Bike Junkie Deuce

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:07:00 +0000

GBS Presents: Bike Junkie Deuce

Thursday May 12
6pm Expo
8ish Movie - "Life Cycles"
$15 admission - includes 1 beverage and 1 raffle ticket

After party at Woodys: $2 PBR Can / $3 Golden City Red Pint

Mark your calendars to come out to the American Mountaineering Center in Golden on Thursday, May 12th from 6 - 9 pm. Fun will be had by all! Stay tuned for more details!

Santa Cruz Highball is here!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:35:00 +0000

Didn't get a ticket to the royal wedding? Drown your sorrows with a Highball. A Santa Cruz Highball that is.

We have TWO mediums in transit right now! First come first serve. Give us a ring (303.278.6545) now to get your hands on one of these carbon hardtail dreams!

Mavic Moto POV Vid from Paris-Roubaix

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Found this cool little POV video on the interwebs from the Mavic neutral support moto at the Paris-Roubaix race. Gives you a whole different perspective on a road race. Super sweet!

GBS Season Kick-off Expo and Movie Night - 5/12 @ 6pm

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:09:00 +0000

Mark your calendars to come out to the American Mountaineering Center in Golden on Thursday, May 12th from 6 - 9 pm. Fun will be had by all! Stay tuned for more details!

New MTB Trails being cut at Glacier View Ranch - west of Boulder

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:40:00 +0000

Glacier View Ranch is located up near Ward. They are cutting 7-10 miles of Mountain Biking Trails to be used by guest of the ranch that include kids at summer camp. Check out their project blog and let Austen know if you are interested in helping.

Golden Bike Shop has helped with GVRs Mountain Bike Program for the last three summers. Find out more about Glacier View Ranch here.

Santa Cruz Blur TR

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:56:00 +0000

Thinking about a new Santa Cruz carbon bike but not sure what you want? Looking for that perfect combination of business in the front and party in the back? Well then introduce yourself to the brand new Santa Cruz Blur TR. This bike sites square in the middle of the Blur LT and Blur XC in terms of travel but keeps the fantastic carbon frame that Santa Cruz has come to be known for. Check this test by Bikerumor.com for an in-depth look at how this new steed does on the trail.

Come in and get your dream Santa Cruz on order today!

New Santa Cruz Goodies....

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:55:00 +0000

Looks like Santa Cruz is cooking up some sweet new rides for this year. These "spy" shots from Bikerumor.com show the new Blur TR, Tallboy AL and Highball.

Check these new machines out!

Santa Cruz Highball Carbon 29er

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Still trying to decide which carbon 29er hardtail to buy this year? Well add the new Santa Cruz Highball to the list. Bikerumor.com is providing some of the initial details on this sweet new ride. If you are in the market for some carbon goodness you should definitely add this beauty as a candidate.

Scott Scale Carbon 29 Review!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Ever wanted to know how one of those uber-light Scott Scale carbon 29 race bikes actually rides?

Well one of the pro riders, Michael Mathers, that uses GBS as his home shop was kind enough to send us some feedback on how his new Scott does out on the trail.

Thanks Michael!

"I recently purchased and built up the Scott Scale 29. The performance from a frame at this price point is amazing, as it should be. As a rider, I immediately noticed the difference a 2 lb carbon frame has when you get out of the saddle. Every ounce of energy is transmitted directly to the forward motion of the bike. This is extremely nice on those short, but super steep, climbs. The frame has rear seat stays that flex 4mm. While this isn't suspension, I do think that it helps with rear wheel traction when in the saddle. The real question is, "will this bike make me a faster rider and enjoy my ride more?" After only a few rides, I can definitely say that this bike has made me appreciate the technology of 29er carbon frames."

Is your Niner Air 9 Carbon this cool?

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:07:00 +0000

The folks at Singletrack.com posted this super rad carbon Air 9 with a modified Shimano Di2 electronic drivetrain for the 2011 Shimano XTR 2x10 kit. The Industry 9 wheels and Enve cockpit aren't so bad either.

Ok, who wants one??

I Made It to McGrath!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0000

6 days 14 hours 39 minutes, two exploded knees, two cracked ribs a saddle sore the size of a clown nose and one huge wind-blown smile. I need a bucket of food and lots of sleep. I'll be back in Anchorage tomorrow afternoon.

More later

Ruda

How do you make a King waterbottle cage?

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Ever wondered how those super cool, ultralite King Cage waterbottle cages get made? The wonderful folks at BikeRumor.com posted this cool video from the North American Handmade Bike Show (NAHBS). Check it out, it's really cool!

Scott Scale 29 Comp Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nate Q) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:07:00 +0000

One of our newest customers, Ryan Decker, came in looking for a trusty new mountain bike that he could use for commuting as well. We introduced him to the Scott Scale Comp 29 and it was love at first site!

Ryan was also nice enough to send us his thoughts on the bike so others could get an idea of what this machine can do. Thanks Ryan!

"I just recently moved back to Colorado. Although I am fairly new to the biking world, I knew I wanted two things in a bike: a hard-tail that was tough and powerful enough to handle all of Golden’s trails (APEX, Chimney Gulch, etc), yet one that was smooth enough to commute everyday to work on. The guys at the Golden Bike Shop were super helpful and took me right to the 2011 Scott Scale 29 Comp. I had test ridden a few other price comparable bikes at different shops (Specialized Rockhoppers, etc), but knew within minutes that this bike was the winner.

I had never ridden a 29er before and quickly realized what all the hype was about. I am learning to just sit back and let this bike ride over anything in its way! The Schwalbe Rocket Ron 29” tires have great traction and offer serious smoothness and speed both on and off the trails. I have to admit that I had mixed feelings before purchasing the bike based on things I was told about the Suntour XRC-29 fork (from different bike shops), but for the price I have been extremely impressed with its travel, solid lockout, and responsiveness.

Overall, I have been most impressed with the Tektro Draco hydraulic disc brakes and the lightweight, strong and stable aluminum frame. Also for the price, the components are quality. This bike is a blast on the trails and on the road and provides everything I was looking for. In just the last 6-7 weeks I have taken this bike out in the snow, rain, and sunshine and highly recommend it to anyone looking to break into the biking world without spending thousands."

Three Days LEFT

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:39:00 +0000

Hello,

I'm so excited to get out on the trail. I'm hoping that the race is going to take me six days, but in reality it will take eight. I have ten days total to get the full 350 miles. Once I get to McGrath (final checkpoint) I will get on a plane back to Anchorage. Below are some links for updates about the race.

Leader Board: Tracks Racers times at each checkpoint. http://alaskaultrasport.com/results.html
Message Board: Post messages to racers http://kathih.websitetoolbox.com/
Weather Conditions: http://www.wunderground.com/resources/education/Iditarod.asp
Trail Updates: http://alaskaultrasport.com/latest_news.html
FaceBook Updates: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/pages/Iditarod-Trail-Invitational/169964759708637

Thank You all for your love and support,

Ruda

Rare Sight

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:29:00 +0000

Well here's a sight you don't see every year, me riding an exercise bike. Bibs a jersey and running shoes, awful. I'm not sure who designs these things but it's no wonder I never see anyone on them. The seat on this thing is the size of the biggest cruiser seat I have ever seen. I had to ride on the very tip of the saddle just to keep my thighs from blasting off the sides of the saddle with every pedal stroke. The Q-Factor must be 300. For me to whine about Q-Factor is horrible, I spend thirty hours a week spinning on a bike with a 100mm bottom bracket. To make matters even more strange the cranks on this darn contraption couldn't be any longer than 160mm, my knees felt like they were going to explode. I still spent an hour and a half on the dang thing, the price we pay for being super-freaks.

I do feel better after a little whining about the uncomfortable ride I chose to take.

Ruda

E-Mail From Ultrasport Director

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:28:00 +0000

Bill just sent me this. Glad I've been doing my homework.

Hello All,
Here are some quotes from articles I read about this years Yukon Quest. Just a reminder of one trail hazzard we may have this year. These guys are very experience top mushers who got in trouble at -40 degrees. Does everyone have a plan for this.

About halfway across what he thought was ice, Gatt’s whole team fell through a thin film of ice into chest-high overflow.

Dan Kaduce came in next at 05:23 with a strong team. He had encountered overflow up to his knees. Seavey checked in at 08:00 and had been up to his waist in water.

Here is a trail note from Michael Schoder about another hazard some of us have faced in this section before. A moose nearly made hamburger out of me in 2008 on the Range Road.

Heard lots of reports of the rouge moose between Shell Lake and Skwentna. One is playing "king of the Range Road" and the other is the "guardian of the Shell Hills trail" Reports of moose attacking most riders. Adam had a close encounter of the bullwinkle kind, and luckily escaped.

Watch out for them Moose!!!!!!

Won't be long now

Bill

Bill Merchant
Iditarod Trail Invitational
trail manager/wilderness guide

Chickaloon, Alaska
(907)745 6680

My First Day Not Riding

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:33:00 +0000

I'm going to jump out of my skin. I only rode into work and no more. I'm pacing in front of my rollers and road bike, talking myself down from jumping on. Taking a few days off the bike is needed for me. I strained a few things on Sunday after I had tried to kill Mike on Saturday.

I'm starting to really realize how many different angles we have to attend to to be successful cyclists. From bike handling, nutrition on and off the bike, race strategy and planning to stretching and massage. I've been paying extensive attention to all of these aspects except the last, massage. As avid bikers we should be getting at least one massage a month, I do not. Yesterday and today I have been paying the price.

I went to see Aaron Adams at Whole Body Health on the advice of a few of our team riders. This guy did an amazing job of relieving a lot of the pain in my legs and neck. Got the predicted advice of staying off the bike for the night and maybe tomorrow along with lots of water.

It's only been twelve hours since I've been off the saddle and I'm going to jump out of my freaking skin. I'm going to paint my bathroom.

Ruda

Ultrasport Training Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Ruda) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:48:00 +0000

As of today my training is done. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all my free time. The last month I've been riding and training around thirty hours a week. I kind of feel like I'm getting laid off. I have nothing left to do but stretch and try not to get fat. I've been eating around 4000 calories a day and loosing 3-4 lbs a week for the last month, I hope I can dial my hunger back.