First Flight Bikes Blog

The FFB Blog future

2011-08-17T22:05:00.000-04:00

As technology marches on, we try to keep up. For awhile blogs were going to be a great marketing tool until they ran into the Facebook juggernaut. A Facebook post just takes a couple of seconds to do and is easy to share with your friends. We have always felt that a blog posting needed to be much more informative and formal which took a fair amount of time. So, we would like to invite you to "like" the First Flight Bikes Facebook page and keep up with the FFB happenings there.

Shop News

2011-07-14T12:11:00.000-04:00

Don't forget about the meeting to discuss the Carolina Thread Trail in Iredell County will take place at the County Commissioners meeting on July 19th. We hope to see you there

Feature Bike

Trek Road Bikes
$100 to $200 off

This deal is too hot to pass up so we are making it the feature bike one more time. If you are looking for a new road bike stop in before the sale ends on the 24th.

Trek is offering $100 and $200 off select models of road bikes

Rebate Time Frame:

June 10th 2011 to July 24th 2011

$100 Off the MSRP of all versions of the following aluminum road bike models.

Men's: 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, Speed Concept 2.5
Women's: Lexa S, Lexa SL, Lexa SLX, Speed Concept 2.5 WSD

$200 Off the MSRP of all versions of the following carbon road bike models.

Men's and Women's: Madone 3.1, Madone 4.5, Madone 4.7, and Speed Concept 7.0

Get 0% financing for 12 months!

To go along with road bikes being on sale, Trek is offering another great opportunity to make sure you get the bike of your dreams. During The Big Deal (July 15-27), get up to 12 months of 0% interest financing on purchases of $750 or more when you use your Trek Card. This deal is for any Trek bike over $750, not just the sale bikes. Terms and restrictions apply

If you do not already have a Trek Card you can submit an application in the store or visit Treks website to sign up as well.

Unconditional Comfort, Guaranteed!

With the Bontrager comfort guarantee, if for any reason you're not satisfied with your Bontrager saddle, Bontrager technical apparel or Bontrager shoes, return the item(s) (along with the original sales receipt) to the First Flight Bicycles within 30 days of purchase date for exchange.

The following Bontrager items are covered by the Unconditional Comfort Guarantee:
+ Shoes
+ All Aftermarket Saddles
+ Technical Apparel (Jackets, Vests, Jerseys, Bib/Shorts, Cycleliners, Tights, Knickers)
+ Technical Accessories (Arm/Knee/Leg Warmers, Arm Covers, Booties, Gloves)
+ Technical Headwear (Skull Caps, Thermal Hats, Headbands, Balaclavas)

But wait, there is more, Bontrager also wants to make sure you are happy with your tires as well!

For Tires:
1. Consumer uses a Bontrager tire and decides it doesn't work for him or her.
2. Consumer returns the tire with receipt to First Flight Bicycles within 30 days of purchase.
3. First Flight Bicycles will take tire(s) back and determines, with the consumer which Bontrager tire might be the best choice.

Itusi trailwork schedule

Jun 25-26

Jul 30-31

Aug 27-28

Sep 24-25

Oct 22-23

Nov 19-20

Dec 17-18

Dates are subject to change so watch for updates. Right now, we have approximately 1.5 miles of trail left to complete on the Laurel Loop extension. bOb hopes to have the machine work completed by the end of June so it will be up to the volunteers to hand finish the trail so it can be opened for riding!! There is still a permit required for the creek crossing which we hope to have in hand soon.

Thanks again to all the volunteers who have come out in the past. We can't do it without you.

2011-06-22T17:00:00.000-04:00

June Newsletter

Don't forget about the meeting to discuss the Carolina Thread Trail in Iredell County will take place at the County Commissioners meeting on July 19th. We hope to see you there

Feature Bike

Trek Road Bikes
$100 to $200 off

Trek is offering $100 and $200 off select models of road bikes

Rebate Time Frame:

June 10th 2011 to July 24th 2011

$100 Off the MSRP of all versions of the following aluminum road bike models.

Men's: 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, Speed Concept 2.5
Women's: Lexa S, Lexa SL, Lexa SLX, Speed Concept 2.5 WSD

$200 Off the MSRP of all versions of the following carbon road bike models.

Men's and Women's: Madone 3.1, Madone 4.5, Madone 4.7, and Speed Concept 7.0

Your next waterbottle

Our most popular waterbottle, the Podium Chill is soft, lightweight, easy to use and insulated. Double wall construction with thermal insulation keeps beverages cool for hours. Self-sealing Jet-valve podium cap can be locked when not in use. BPA- free lined with Hydroguard treatment.

Mountain Goat Cycles in Mountain Bike Action

Our F.K.R. has been spotlighted in the July edition of Mountain Bike Action. If you are interested in adding one of our herd for yourself let us know and we can get you started.

Itusi trailwork schedule

Jun 25-26

Jul 30-31

Aug 27-28

Sep 24-25

Oct 22-23

Nov 19-20

Dec 17-18

We are still posting pictures of the progress of the Downtown Statesville Streetscape Project from the front of our store to our Facebook page so take a look and like the page or comment on a picture and receive a FFB waterbottle on your next visit to the store. Stop in and see us with our convenient parking behind the store.

Sincerely,

Jeff and Wes
First Flight Bicycles
216 S Center St.
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-9683

Jeff's report from the 1st annual SORBA Southern Conference

2011-03-30T15:10:00.000-04:00

Just getting caught up a little bit and figured I would send out a
report on the first annual SORBA Southern Conference. It was held in
Brevard March 25-27 and I heard there were about 160 people attending.
First off, the Trailblazers were EXTREMELY well represented and should
be commended for a great turnout. Edward, Mark, Jim, myself, Bob, Cam
and Frankie (I hope I didn't leave anyone out) all made the trip West.

Friday:
Cam and I left the 'ville about 9 so we missed the opening remarks and
much of the Land Manager's training. I had already seen the
presentation twice and it was oriented more towards the folks who manage
the trails as opposed to those of us who build the trails. After a good
lunch, land manager's told us what to expect when dealing with them.
They kept pushing patience and protecting the resources. It was
interesting to see the different "styles" between the different
agencies. Success stories were up next. Casey and I, along with 2
other projects, spoke about how we got to where we are now. LNSP was up
first and I felt pretty good about our accomplishments (about $125K in
grants and closing in on 30 miles of trail by the end of 2013) until the
next speakers told about their projects. Santos, Florida has 84 miles
of trails and the Coldwater Mountain project in Anniston Alabama is
going to be a super-cool destination and has already raised $600K. All
of a sudden, I felt like I had training wheels on again!! We then got
to ride the greenway around Brevard and did a little bit of trail
riding. The new section of greenway is stunning as it goes along the
river with all the rock outcroppings and mountain laurel. The ride was
followed up by a (free) beer social and then dinner at Dugan's Pub.

Saturday:
Breakfast at the hotel was followed by Sig Hutchinson, who for me was
the highlight of the weekend. Sig has done some fantastic stuff in the
Raleigh area with greenways and trails. He was a very inspiring speaker
and got me revved up to work more with local governments to get our
voices heard. If we could clone him, cycling would be everywhere!
Unfortunately for the forest service folks, they had to follow Sig which
was a tough act to follow. Randy mentioned he didn't want to be after
lunch since it is hard to keep everybody's attention but then said after
lunch would have been better than after Sig. We don't have much
national forest around here so the presentation wasn't as useful for our
immediate area. Lunch was once again catered by Poppie's and was
tasty. After lunch, the officers attended the board of directors
meeting and the rest of us went through the IMBA great trails and club
care presentations. Once again, much of it was common sense but it is
nice to have it reinforced and I always pick up a few new tidbits of
useful information. The constant rain killed the afternoon ride so we
ended up at wandering around downtown Brevard and then to the Square
Root for some local beers. For dinner, we were shuttled out to a camp
where they set up a great meal of the various bbq meats, cornbread, cole
slaw and green beans along with Fat Tire and Ranger on tap. The Pisgah
area SORBA folks held a silent auction to raise funds. I know Jim, Cam,
myself and Ed all picked up some goodies. Might be an idea for a future
Trailblazers fund raiser? Not sure how much they raised but is should
have been several thousand dollars.

Sunday was to have been a ride at the DuPont State Forest but the rain
killed it.

I think the interaction between like-minded individuals was my favorite
part. It was great to hear how others had made their trails better and
overcame problems. There was a great sense of "community" among everyone
who attended. Hopefully, all of us will be able to share what we
learned and be inspired to improve the trails along with the club.

If you ever get a chance to attend one of these events, it is well worth
the time and effort!

--
Jeff Archer
First Flight Bicycles
216 S. Center St.
Statesville, NC 28677
704.878.9683
jeff@firstflightbikes.com
www.firstflightbikes.com

First Flight receives award

2011-01-27T13:44:00.000-05:00

Jeff is in Shelby, NC today accepting an award for our recent facade rehabilitation.

NC BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SURVEY

2011-01-11T21:03:00.000-05:00

Yes we know this is another survey but please fill it out!

NCDOT is conducting a survey to collect citizen feedback on statewide bicycle and pedestrian safety issues.

The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and will assist NCDOT in assessing the public's needs and concerns regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.

NC BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SURVEY

http://www.itre.ncsu.edu/Public/Bike-Ped-NCDOT-Survey.html

New Survey for the Iredell Thread Trail

2011-01-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

The Iredell Thread Trail has posted another public survey to hone in a little more on the most wanted routes for Iredell County. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey.

http://www.iredelltrailmasterplan.com/carolina-thread-trail/survey/

Signal Hill trail map

2010-10-05T16:31:00.001-04:00

We took the best GPS track that we had and did a hand made
"interpretation" on a map. Should at least give folks something to
start with. You can find it on the Signal Hill page on the FFB site here

Some current used bikes

2010-10-05T15:35:00.003-04:00

Used bikes have been very hot this year(not the stolen kind of hot)so if you are interested in any of the ones listed let me know quick.

Specialized FSR 17" $499.99

Trek Liquid 21" $899.99

Trek 800 $99.99

Gary Fisher HiFi Plus 29er 17.5"$1099.99

Cannondale 19" $449.99

Trek 69er 21" $749.99

Ride in Pisgah

2010-10-02T20:36:00.002-04:00

Cam, Jonathan and Darrell joined me today for a great ride in Pisgah National Forrest NC on my favorite trails.

some hike-a-bike sections

my favorite trail in NC

Blue Ridge Parkway for a bit

People for Bikes

2010-08-15T18:46:00.000-04:00

One of the big topics at Trek World was supporting People For Bikes.
You might have seen their commercials during the Tour this year. All
they are looking for is your name and email address. They are looking
to hit 1 million names to take to congress. Right now, North Carolina
is in 16th place with just over 1,000 signatures. Sign the pledge at
the link below and move us up. Make sure to pass it along to your
friends via email, Facebook, Twitter...

http://www.peopleforbikes.org/

Carolina Thread Trail Public Input Survey

2010-07-05T23:22:00.001-04:00

Please take some time to fill out this quick survey for the Carolina Thread Trail...you know you wanna.

It is important that we let the public officials know that this is important to us. It only takes about 2 minutes to fill out. Please forward this to anyone who might be interested or email lists. Thanks

This is the Iredell County Thread Trail’s new website!

http://www.iredelltrailmasterplan.com/

Surveys are good for getting input from those citizens who couldn’t or didn’t want to come to a public meeting. Help us get the word out! These are the surveys:

This is the E-MAIL link for the online version:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IredellCTT

This is the WEB link for the online version:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9V3TMBV

Martins ride

2010-07-04T23:08:00.002-04:00

The shop was visited by Martin and gang from Martins Ride to view the shop and get a new wheel while on their journey across the US to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

Martin also did a blog on the shop as well which can be seen here

Make sure to visit the site and help them out if you can, its a great cause.

Mountain Goat interview and product review

2010-06-20T23:01:00.002-04:00

We wanted to get the word out about our newest Mountain Goat product, the Goat Horn, so we sent a pair to Guitar Ted for a review on www.twentynineinches.com and the review can be seen @ http://twentynineinches.com/2010/06/14/mountain-goat-goat-horns-bars-ootbfirst-impressions/

Mark(Guitar Ted) also sent an interview to Jeff and me about life at the shop with FFB/Goat/MOMBAT and just posted up the Q&A @ http://twentynineinches.com/2010/06/20/twenty-nine-inches-interviews-wes-jeff-of-mountain-goat-cycles/

Used Bikes

2010-05-19T11:03:00.003-04:00

We have some really nice used bikes in stock right now. If you have any questions on the bikes shoot me an email at wes@firstflightbikes.com

- 52cm Trek 1.2 2010 only 50 miles $729.99

- 21" Trek 69er $850

- 17" Specialized FSR Xc $500

- 17.5" Trek Fuel $550

- 18" Trek 8500 $350

- 21" Gary Fisher Tarpon $279.99

- 21" Trek Liquid $899.99

Cheer for Travis

2010-05-14T22:40:00.004-04:00

Travis has been our friend and outside sales rep for Trek for a number of years. With a reoccurrence of melanoma, Travis has had to move back to Colorado for treatment. Christin(Travis' wife) has made a page on the Livestrong page in support of Travis, please sign up to cheer for Travis

We are trying to help Christin get as many cheers as possible today so they can win the virtual race. If Christin gets enough cheers by May 23, Lance Armstrong will dedicate a ride to TRAVIS P. GOODMAN in the Tour de France! Can you check out TRAVIS P. GOODMAN’s story and add your cheer to help out? It only took me a few seconds:

http://www.livestrongaction.org/bike/christin-rides-for-travis-p-goodman

Lance is also dedicating a ride to Travis on the 6th stage of the Tour of California, http://mediaroom.livestrong.org/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=0E930790BB25ECB9&version=live&prid=619374&releasejsp=custom_136

Now stocking Infinit Nutrition

2010-05-06T10:06:00.003-04:00

FFB has teamed up with Infinit Nutrition to stock packs of the Ride and Recover formulas in the store and if you would like to do one of the custom formulas on their site please enter the Discount code Firstflight1 for $5 off your order. If you would like to try the standard Ride and Recover formulas, swing by the shop and pick up a single use pack anytime.

insert crappy photo of sample packs here

Posts?

2010-05-01T22:58:00.002-04:00

yep, we have definitely been busy around the shop so not many posts on my end but we have been getting in lots of good riding as well. I did get the GoPro out for the ride last Thursday so heres some pics

6 hours of Warrior Creek

2010-04-06T09:06:00.004-04:00

6WC went very well last weekend. Going in my goal was 4 laps and after all was said and done I did complete 4 laps. Could I have rode more? Should I have rode more? I really dont care, how bout that! I was happy with how things went except for a bit of cramping in my right leg at the end of my fourth lap due to me not drinking correctly the first and second laps but thats my fault and I have maybe learned from it. Cameron and Jonathan both rode solo as well with Cam reaching his goal of 5 laps even though he wimped out and used gears and Jonathan was a man about it and rode 4 laps as well.
It was good to see our good ole Canadian friend Ross Dowswell win the solo SS category with 6 laps. I saw a bunch of customers and friends out there and the race was sold out in only its second year which just proves how good of a job the BMCC boys have done on their trails and races, I cannot wait for the Burn24!

Savannah did take a few pictures for me so here they be

Me, Cam and Jonathan at the start

Cam on the log bridge

Me on the same log bridge

Jonathan through one of the 100 berms on the trail

One of our customers, Sean Heath

Rob and Sean were there for support

Ross showing how its done

If you have any interest in doing the race next year, make sure to sign up quick. Thanks to the BMCC once again for all the hard work they do on the races and more especially the trails. Make sure to support them any way you can, they will put it to good use.

Road ride routes for the Statesville Area

2010-03-26T14:27:00.004-04:00

We have worked on making a map of local favorite road rides on one map and have come up with one that I think works really well.

for a larger .pdf version click HERE

News from the 6WC crew

2010-03-25T23:09:00.002-04:00

2010 6 Hours of Warrior Creek News Flash!

Are you ready? We’re getting that way and looking forward to seeing the carnage the 6WC spits out after a miserable winter for riding a bike. The dedicated few that make up the BMCC Trail Care Crew have been busting their humps getting the course ready. Our volunteers will be in green this year. Be sure to thank them for a job well done when you pass them on the trail. We want to take this opportunity to get you up to speed on what to expect come race weekend.

First and foremost, the US Army Corps of Engineers has declared the trails at Warrior Creek open for normal use and activities. They have asked that you continue to use caution at road crossings and areas still under construction. They’re busy spending their final dollars from the TARP fund to get WC in tip top shape come opening day.

On Friday, April 2nd, we’ll be busy doing some final trail prep, taping the course, etc. Please join us for pre-rides. We’ll open the gates around lunch time for you to come in and scout out the course. The Specialized demo crew will also be on hand all weekend so you can test ride that pimp S-Works you’ve had your eye on. Word on the street says that Niner Bikes may also make an appearance with some demo rigs so you can join The Big Revolution. Pedal damn it!

Pit locations will be on a first come, first served basis beginning on Saturday morning, April 3rd. Under no circumstances will racers be allowed to set up on Friday before the race.

On Saturday, April 3rd, we’ll be opening registration at 7am. The race is sold out so please be patient with us as we get you checked in as fast as we can. Everyone must sign a waiver to race. Please write legibly just in case we need your emergency contact info. For those of you wishing to register for the 10th Annual BURN 24 Hour Challenge at the Super Saver rate, you can do that as you sign in. We’ll have a dedicated individual there to take your cash, check, Visa or Mastercard!

The racer’s meeting will be at 9:30 with racing beginning at 10. Your last lap must be started by 3:30 and finished by 5 to be counted. We’ll have chip timing provided by the fine folks at WAM Events.

BMCC Executive Chef and Kerr Scott Ranger Extraordinaire, Chad Eller, will be busy cooking up the post ride meal while our friends from Boone Brewing Company will be overseeing his efforts with a little liquid encouragement at the Wilderness Lodge. The fine folks from the lodge are having us back this year for the awards ceremony. You’ll have a chance to rest up for the ride home or to that Wilkes County hotel room while you enjoy a home cooked meal and the camaraderie of your fellow competitors. We’ll also have a few prizes to give away to the podium finishers and a swag raffle that includes a set of I9 hubs and a Niner EMD frame donated by Luna Cycles of Lenoir.

Due to cancellations and unforeseen circumstances on the parts of others, we still have a few rooms left at the Wilderness Lodge. If you would like to stay at the Lodge for the weekend, here’s what we have left:
Room #2 – 2 full beds, private bath -- $180
Room #6 – 4 single beds, shared bath -- $160
Room #7 – 2 twin beds, shared bath -- $150

Rates stated are for Friday and Saturday nights. Let us know if you’re interested.
Remember, you must notify the race directors of all registration transfers by April 1st. The race is full, sold out! We will not accept transfers or registration attempts on race day.

Carpool when you can.
A race map and rule sheet is attached. Read it. Additional information can be found on the race website. Dirk Dobbler called and said Wendy Warrior would be there too.

“Let’s ride pimp!”
Jason B & Paul S
5WC Co-Directors

Things YOU need to know!
Welcome to 6WC. Thank you for participating in our 2nd annual event at Warrior Creek and supporting continued BMCC-built trails at the
Kerr-Scott Dam and Reservoir.
The Pit Area and Race Central will be in an RV campground that the Warrior Creek loop passes through. The race will travel through the paved
portion of this campground area. There is limited parking on the loop. Volunteers and signage will direct you to the parking area upon arrival. All
cars parked in this area will not be allowed to leave until 3:30. Since this is an RV area, parking spaces will be shared with other participants. If you
wish to park in the loop, please pull all the way through and park as directed. You will not be able to park as you please. This is in an effort to keep
traffic moving both in and out efficiently. There is parking outside this loop and highlighted on the map.
Gate opens at 6:30 am on Saturday. Course will be available to pre-ride on Friday, but under no circumstances will you be allowed to leave
anything (pop-up tents, etc) in the Warrior Creek Campground before Saturday morning.
Restrooms. There are pit toilets near the start/finish. There are also full service restrooms (they flush!) in close vicinity to the start/finish area.
These are also mapped. Showers are available in this facility and can be used after you are done suffering. Please keep these restrooms clean.
Post-Race Awards and Festivities are sponsored by Boone Brewing Company, makers of Blowing Rock Ale and Redwood Creek Wines. It will be
at the NC Wilderness Lodge on Edminsten Road directly across from Warrior Creek. Go out the way you entered, you can’t miss it.
The US Army Corps of Engineers have graciously allowed us access to this awesome place. 6WC participants, spectators and sponsors are the
only ones here…so enjoy it, and please respect the grounds. Alcohol is not allowed in the Warrior Creek Campground at any time. Do not litter. Pack
your trash out.
Official Rules
Category Combinations: Race promoters reserve the right to combine classes and have the final say on the results.
Rider’s Meeting: 9:30 a.m. All solo riders and at least one rider from teams must be present.
Start: Mass Start. 10:00 a.m. 1
st
lap will include pavement as shown on the race map. Solo Categories will start first and duos will start exactly 2
minutes after. Any postponement of start time (i.e. an hour later, etc) due to weather or trail conditions will be announced at registration by 8am.
General Info:
1. Timing. Each team will be responsible for one timing chip. This must be affixed to the ankle.
2. Transition. After crossing the timing mat, exchanges may happen anywhere on the paved loop before entering the woods.
3. Numbers: Participants must display their number on the handlebars at all times.
4. Helmets: If you are on a bike, you are wearing a helmet. No exceptions.
5. Rider Support: Water/food may be supplied to participants anywhere, but exchanges must be made clear of the course
and other riders.
6. Passing: When approaching slower riders be vocal: i.e. “coming up” or “rider up.” Slower rider will let you know where to pass. In more open
areas faster riders may yell “on your right” or “on you left” before passing. Be courteous. When vying for position, lead rider does not have to
give way. Lapped or slower riders should always yield to leaders. Racers riding their bicycles have the right of way over those off their bikes.
Anyone pushing or carrying bikes must be on the least-rideable portion of the trail when being passed.
7. Shortcutting: Don’t do this. We don’t want to embarrass you or remove you from this sweet event. Should a mechanical or other problem
occur, you have two choices: 1. finish the lap with your bike, or 2. Leave the course and return to the place you left. When returning to pit area,
You must inform a race official (Green Shirts) if you are using option 2. Do not cross the timing mats until lap is finished.
8. Last lap: Last lap must be started by 3:30. All racers must be finished by 5:00. Those still on the course when time is called will be given the
same time and their positions will be frozen. Final placement will be on the number of laps + sequential order of finish.
9. Laws: All Federal, State, and Local laws/ordinances must be obeyed by all participants.
10. Alcohol: Again, alcohol is not allowed at Warrior Creek. Please obey. We’ve got a great celebration planned across the street. So save it!
11. Protest Period and Awards: Once the final results are posted, you will have 15 minutes to protest. You must be on site to
receive any swag and prizes for placing on the podium. Any unclaimed prizes will be added to the raffle for all participants.

10 days and counting

2010-03-24T23:23:00.002-04:00

Only 10 days till 6WC and after riding Warrior Creek last weekend I think I will be just fine. I did not say fast, just fine.

On the side of the bike shop, we have been really busy with the good weather which has also shown that if you are in the market for a Fisher 29er you might want to step up and get one that is in stock now because Fisher will not have more available till late August. We still have a fair number in stock along with some demo's if you are looking to try before you buy.

I built a new display

I have been riding my prototype Mountain Goat Escape Route to get ready for the 6WC and Burn24 and really like the way it handles. We also have news that our first batch of steel Goat Horns have landed off the water and will making their way to the shop very soon.

We were also visited the other day by our old riding buddy Aaron "Buddha" Oswalt. Buddha has been living the family life and serving the country overseas. It was good seeing him again and I hope he keeps dropping by when he is able to.

Not ready..or am I

2010-03-11T20:56:00.003-05:00

only 23 more days till 6WC, I have absolutely no hopes of finishing in the high ups but just want to finish which then springs me right towards Burn 24. Lets all hope that the weather can stay gold so we can ride like the last few weekends.

In other news, if you have not made it out to ride the Laurel Loop at Lake Norman State Park you are not doing yourself any favors. The loop is amazing and makes a great addition to the other loops. Thanks to bOb and Jeff for all the work they have done out at the park!

Quick pictures of the prototype Mountain Goat Escape Routes

2010-02-26T21:21:00.003-05:00

More new displays and shot glasses

2010-02-25T22:36:00.003-05:00

We have another new item in the shop that is a must have for most of our customers, the FFB shot glass

We have also been building a new bike display for the center of the shop. Everyone who has seen it so far has really liked it. Here is the only picture so far

and last but not least is a new shirt display for extra stock of our loved shirts.

In other news, we have received our prototype Mountain Goat Escape Route frames and have them built up and will be taking pics very soon. Jeff is heading to the North American Handmade Bike Show Saturday and Sunday and I am heading up Saturday after the shop closes so make sure to say hey if you see us in Richmond.

Are you registered?

2010-02-22T20:49:00.003-05:00

I have been talking about doing the Burn24 solo this year since it has been 7 years since I have done a solo 24 and tonight I officially threw my hat into the ring. Seeing that the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek has sold out I figured that I better hurry up and register to not be left out. I still think that the Burn is one of the best races in the area and if you register before March 15th you just can't beat the $90 entry fee...in other words, register for yourself and give me someone to ride with.

With the wonderful weather last weekend I did get out with Jeff, Cam, Darrell and Jonathan to ride the Itusi on Sunday which showed me just how much more I need to ride to be ready for the race.

Lack of news

2010-02-17T22:50:00.003-05:00

The rain and snow has pretty much raised the sucktitude level to a record high for riding lately. The shop has stayed busy with many new things coming into stock. We just received new FFB shot glasses, Mountain Goat beer openers, our prototype Mountain Goat Escape Route frames, lots of bikes including one of my favorites of the years, the Gary Fisher Lane. The Lane is a very capable bike that will take anyting you throw at it.

Swing by the shop and take a look at all the goodies that have come in. The new Limited Edition #4 Mountain Goat shirts have been very popular so make sure to get one before they are gone.

2010-01-17T22:40:00.002-05:00

This is a project that we started over 2 years ago and we have finally seen pictures of the sample product. You don't realize how many decisions have to be made when you start a project like this. Colors, model name, logo design, sizes, decals, wheel size, cable guide placement, head badge.......never ends. As soon as we make "final" decisions, three more things pop up.

This whole idea started when we had a fair number of people really liking the Goats but just couldn't come up with the $3K+ that it usually took to buy one. You can't buy a $1500 frame and just put mid-grade stuff on it. The solution was to make the same frame but make 100 of them at one time and have them made overseas. With the same quality of the USA made frames but at about half the price. You lose the option of customizing your geometry and color but that is still available on the USA made frames.

Basic spec:
-29" wheel
-black with cream or orange with green
-4 sizes
-sliding dropouts for single speed or geared use
-80/100mm travel compatible
-double butted cro-moly tubing

We hope to have the samples in hand soon and put some miles on them to confirm the details are where we want them.

Trail work

2009-12-30T11:05:00.002-05:00

I have still been out working on some new stuff at Signal Hill and there are plenty of fresh tire marks on the trail. The trail is in good condition with a few small areas that stay wet in the winter especially with the freeze/thaw cycles that we have been having. There is one of the newer sections that have been built in the swamp area that has a pretty good sized "pond" so we are skipping that section for now until we can build a boardwalk though it. If anyone has questions about the trail, please let me know. Thanks.

pics of the new finished section:

old trail went to the right

[

still some hardened snow around/on the trail in many areas

new section that I opened up the corridor this morning. We should have this ready just after the new year.

instead of doing this you will go to the right

into here

left at the cedar

and connect to the existing trail

Janurary 1st Laurel Loop opening canceled

2009-12-23T17:42:00.002-05:00

It looks like the weather isn't going to cooperate for a January 1 Laurel Loop opening. There is still a decent amount of snow on the trail and we are projected to have a long rain on 12/25. The long range forecast has predicted some type of rain/sleet/snow for 12/30, 12/31 and 1/1 so there is almost zero chance of being able to ride. I don't think we would get much of a turnout just to cut the ribbon and go home so stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Also keep in mind that the trail will still reverse direction on January 1. All loops will switch to a clockwise direction

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season.

Jerseys and shirts available to order

2009-12-19T14:48:00.003-05:00

We now have the new shirts and jerseys up on the web site to order. Click here to go to the order page

Tarheel Trailblazers North Group

2009-12-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past year the Tarheel Trailblazers North Group has tried a few
different venues for its meeting and none have seemed to stick that
well. For 2010 we will begin a monthly ride/meeting leaving First Flight
Bikes in Statesville at 6 p.m., riding out to the Signal Hill trails and
back to First Flight for a meeting at 7:30. If you cannot make the ride
please plan on still coming to the meeting at 7:30.

There are many exiting things happening with our northern trails.
-Signal Hill has seen a big increase in riders thanks to the hard work of many people and
there are still many items on the punch list out there.
-Lake Norman State Park will open the first section of the Laurel Loop on Janurary
1st 2010 and Bob is currently working on everything to get the construction
of section two underway with more phases in the making even after that.
-Fisher Farm is finishing off a new section of trail as well that
promises to be just as great as the rest of the trail.
-Other trails that we will focus on as the northern group will be North Meck Park and
Denver XC Trails as well as any future projects in the area of these
trails.The first meeting will be January 12, 2010. BYOB

Winter Short Track Series dates posted

2009-12-04T13:48:00.003-05:00

This is one of the best events that I have done. If you have not done it you owe it to yourself to try.

2010 Winter Short Track Mountain Bike Series

For 2010, Charlotte Sports Cycling is again teaming up with the Dirt Divas to host the always exciting Winter Short Track Race Series at Renaissance Park. The winter race series is set to kick off SUNDAY, January 17. The short course brings a unique style of racing to the Charlotte area.....short-track mountain bike racing on a .8 of a mile trail with bank turns. It's a cross between a criterium, BMX, cyclo-cross and single-track, super fast and very spectator friendly. Charlotte Sports Cycling and the Tarheel Trailblazers have worked hard to create a trail that's exciting for the race participants and spectators. Participants, based on category, will race 15 to 25 laps on the fast course. All of the events will be held at Renaissance Park. We plan to have food, an event photographer, and music at all of the events.

We will once again hold the every popular TEAM COMPETITION. The Team competition will consist of team members across all categories earning points. The points will be derived from a system called "Pack Points". Pack Points are based upon the number of people racing in your category, with a minimum of 10 points for the winner. The top six people from your team will be scored. Get your team jerseys ready as the Team Competition was a huge hit in the 2009 series.

1st Place Team - $250 and a Sweet Winners Trophy
2nd Place Team - $150
3rd Place Team - $100

Dates for the series will be Sundays: January 17, 24 & 31 and February 7
The season finale will be held on Saturday, February 13 with awards party to follow.
The dates are pending Meck County Parks and Recreation approval.

More details will be posted soon.
Check the website for updates: www.charlottemtnbike.com

New FFB shirts, come and get 'em

2009-11-19T10:08:00.002-05:00

Tim made up some new shirts for the shop with three of our favorite bike related quotes. The H.G. Wells quote has always been one of my favorite quotes of all time. We also have a small run of long sleeve shirts in army green with the FFB logo on the left breast and big rear that are very nice on these colder days.

We also have some new short and long sleeve jerseys on order designed by our good buddy Kris Henry @ Black Cap Studio. They will fit the same as our popular black jerseys so I know they will be great.

Last but not least, our pal Sinjin @ Copper Door Coffee has roasted us up some "Mountain Goat" blend that is very tasty and available here at the shop in 1 lb bags.

6 hours of Warroir Creek and Burn24Hour

2009-10-28T22:37:00.001-04:00

Just got a great email:

6 HRS OF WARRIOR CREEK
One of 2009's most talked about and exciting events is back for 2010. Mark your calendars for April 3, 2010 and plan to spend your weekend in the Moonshine Capital of the World on some of the most popular trails in the Southeast. Online registration on Bikereg.com is now open and we’ve got a treat for you. Register through Halloween, that’s October 31st, and get in for $31 each. If you’re racing solo, use coupon code HALLOWEEN1. If you’re a duo racer, use promotion code HALLOWEEN2. It’s that simple, sign up and save. Race details can be found here. Click on over and check it out. While you’re clicking, follow us on Twitter! And don’t forget…

The BURN 24 Hour Challenge presented by Bikerumor.com is back for its 10th consecutive year! We want you to help us celebrate. We’ll drop the rag at noon on May 29, 2010 for 24 hours of non-stop action on the sunny shores of W Kerr Scott. Online registration can be found at Bikereg.com and we’ve got a treat for you too. Use coupon code HALLOWEEN and save $31 off your total registration. The promotion code expires on Halloween. All the fine details can be found at the official race website. We’re getting it updated as new details come in. And by the way, Tweet-Tweet!

Gone for a ride

2009-10-25T22:43:00.002-04:00

Sean, Darrell, Cameron and I headed down to Charlotte for some riding Friday which found us at Sherman Branch and then up to an old favorite at Poplar Tent

If you have not been to either one I would highly recommend either one.

Sherman Branch was a really cool trail that features lots of small bridges and jumps. They have really made the trail flow well with the terrain that they have out there. I will definitely go back to SB and it cannot come soon enough
Sean on one of the jumps

Cameron in the rocks

Darrell

One of my favorite shots of the day, Sean in the rocks

Cam on the tree ride

We even helped a snake off the trail while waiting on Sean

Cameron shot a video of me on the tree ride

Dubwatch at a local convenience store for snack break

I first rode Poplar Tent some 11 years ago and am always glad to get back there. The trail is amazingly tight and twisty and rewards you with lots of fun trail especially Gravity Cavity. The $3 cover at PT is worth every penny and I can't wait to go back.

Sean on his Phil Wood Kiss Off that we just built

Cam in Gravity Cavity

Darrell

Sean on an alternate route in GC

then back on the normal route

Me

Signal HIll Praise

2009-10-18T22:12:00.002-04:00

Been hearing more and more people getting out to Signal Hill lately. Here is what one rider put on a local forum.

LNSP was closed @ noon today so I decided to head up to signal hill, 10 min away from LNSP. Rode it about 4 years ago I think. HOLY S#$T this place is incredible,not even close to what I remember very very very fun. Good tech section short to medium punchy steep climbs ( i.e capet trail ,goat trail @ wwc ) needless to say I will be replacing a lot of LNSP rides with signal hill, great place to ride and train. I was the only one there! Trail must drain well because only a few slick spots, leaves are coming down but still in good shape. Anyway rode three laps I guess around 5-6 miles per lap If I had to compare it to the trails down south I would say 1/2 Renni 1/2 WWC mixed together with some cool hand built bridges and skinnies this is my new training spot for technical courses and climbing maybe I will use LNSP for recovery rides Cheesy

Thanks Wes and Crew nice trail

Tim has been out working on a new reroute to get us into the "Circuit City" loop which will keep us out of the field that confuses anyone who is new to the trail. I did GPS the trail Tuesday and came up with 3.75 miles for the entire trail. I will re-map it when that is complete and post an official map.

Some GoPro pics

2009-10-11T00:12:00.004-04:00

been playing a little more with my GoPro camera and have taken it on the last few rides. Here are some pics from the rides. I am going to play around with more angles and mounting in coming rides, seatpost mount is next!!!

Jim

Following Jeff

you get some interesting pictures

Following Cameron

Darrell on a night ride

Jeff again

Another Signal Hill update

2009-09-27T22:28:00.003-04:00

Rob took a couple picture out at Signal Hill after clearing the trail of debris.

i love this low tree

one of my favorite rock gardens in the area

i really hope to take my Go Pro camera out and get a full lap video to show off the trail. Thanks again to all who have helped reclaim this gem of a trail. There are still lots of ideas for the place so if you would like to help please let me know and I can set you up with a project. Dont forget that we are also doing night rides every Tuesday leaving the shop at 6, come join in.

Signal Hill Trail Update and LNSP trail work days

2009-09-14T00:14:00.003-04:00

Many people ask us about Signal Hill and the conditions out there so I figured I would post an update about it. We have had a good amount of "trail gnome" work out there lately and the trail is in amazingly good condition. Go out and ride the trail, better yet, come ride with us on Tuesday nights leaving FFB at 6pm.

I still have a few ideas for some re-routes and maybe a touch new trail that I hope to get cut soon so we can ride it in over the winter. If you have any interest in working out there we would love to have you out and have tools you can use available at the shop to borrow.

and on the side on the Laurel Loop at Lake Norman State Park, it is time to see if we can knock out the first part of the Laurel Loop so we can ride it! People are always coming up and asking "When will the new loop be open?". Our answer has always been "depends on how ofter YOU come out and help". bOb is going to hit the mechanized stuff this upcoming week so we will have plenty of hand work to do. Details will be similar to before:

-Saturday 9/26, Sunday 9/27 work starts at 9 (please allow a little extra time to sign in and park). Most folks work until around 1 but there are always a few hardcore folks who work later.
-Same parking as last year. Left on Wildlife Rd. (last left before entering the park on State Park Rd) almost immediate right into the gated fire road. Sign in and park along the road.
-Most work will be relatively easy hand grooming and corridor clearing. The bulk of the work will have been done by the mechanized equipment so we will just be cleaning up the corridor and dressing the trail bed.
-Volunteers will be allowed to ride the Laurel Loop on the day they volunteer (and only that day). This is the only way that you can preview the coming attractions!

Any questions, give us a shout. See ya in the woods.

Saturday Morning Ride

2009-09-05T10:25:00.000-04:00

What a great morning for a ride, the weather has been so good to us this year.

Saturday Morning 13
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videos from Cackalacky Dupont State Forrest ride

2009-08-24T22:31:00.001-04:00

As always, DSF never fails to produce a great ride. I took my new GoPro helmet camera to take some videos. I goofed on a couple including missing one of Seans really good crashed by having it in camera mode and not video...oh well. If you are looking for a helmet cam come by the shop and take a look at it and we can set you up with one.

Saturday Morning Ride

2009-08-17T10:47:00.002-04:00

been pretty lazy with the updates on the Saturday Morning Rides and since people are giving me grief about it, I have finally got around to making the last two.

Saturday Morning 11
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Saturday Morning 12
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DuPont State Forrest

2009-08-10T22:42:00.003-04:00

Sunday found Jeff, Sean, Darrell, Cameron, Rick, Seth and myself at the Guion Parking lot to meet David Maida for another tour around some trails in DuPont State Park.
If you have never been to DuPont, you really owe it to yourself to go, its very amazing. Instead of a whole long write up that I am bad at I am just posting pics.

this is in the kids playground
Sean

Darrell

Sean

Jeff

Covered bridge at the top of one of the falls

view of the same falls from an overlook(me)

Sean and his Ti Goat

My Mountain Goat WTR with 650B wheels

We also stopped at Bridal Veil Falls which you can go under/behind, here is Cameron

Rick coming down the seriously rocky Joanna trail

Cameron coming down the same trail

something happened to Ricks wheel after the ride

We had a great time and I just absolutely love heading up to the mountains for a ride. We will be going back in two weeks so if you would like to go please let us know. I have more pics from other cameras coming my way so I will probably post some more to show off.

just some random pics from rides of late

2009-07-28T23:56:00.002-04:00

Sean, Darrell, Jim and I went to Hobby Park since Jim had never been.

Jim in a rock section

Sean in a V tree

Darrell in the slalom section at the end of the trail

Me coming through one of the rock sections

Savannah and I took my Mom and Dad to the New River Trail...it is just fun easy riding up there.

Me coming out of one of the tunnels

Mom and Savannah with Dad in the background

Savannah enjoyed the New River trail so much we went back the next weekend and took, Darrell, Tim, Windy, Zachary and Tyler.

use your lights in those tunnels!!!!

after the ride we soaked it up in the river and had this guy waiting on me when we got home

those are just some of the ride highlights lately, I was fortunate enough to ride 5 times last week and the summer has been a great one for riding in general.

We also have online registration up for the Cackalacky Cup here

Friday the 7th of August is the local downtown crit in Statesville as part of the Crossroads Cycling Classic so if you come out to watch(which you should!!) come by the shop, say hey and get a free icee pop while we still have them

Summer

2009-07-15T01:27:00.001-04:00

not a whole lot to update on the FFB front. The shop is busy and we are riding at least three times a week and squeezing as many more as we can all the time. Come by and say hey and definitely come by and ride. I have been trying out a few new items on my mountain bike which I hope to go into more detail soon so we will yell back to you then.

4th of July saturday morning road ride

2009-07-04T13:03:00.001-04:00

thanks to everyone that came out this morning. Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe 4th!
Saturday Morning 9
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Support Your Local Businesses

2009-07-03T00:40:00.000-04:00

Riding is a good thing

2009-07-01T17:26:00.003-04:00

Just some pics from Tuesdays ride
Jim and crew

Darrell telling us where the gun show was

Some of the carnage from me not remembering to keep my pedal up in a turn

Today, Darrell and I were going to go down to the White Water Center but due to bad looking clouds on the drive down we detoured to Fisher Farm in Davidson for a few laps.

There are some neat things out there like this in a dip.

and some cool ladder bridges that are fun and very rideable for anyone

Darrell on one

Me on the same one

and Darrell in another dip

Tuesday night Mountain Bike Ride

2009-06-24T10:03:00.002-04:00

Went to Lake Norman last night for the ride. Good turn out and even one trail gnome out there with a flat blade shovel fixing some soft spots(thanks Tom!)Not too many pic but I did get one of Sean after he fell off the tree at the top of the hill on Mombo. I think Sean felt bad for me since I had fallen earlier on the Hick Creek loop(in the climbing part none the less). Still a little sore this morning with a nice raspberry on the left thigh. It was my first night out on my new Bontrager XR-1 tires. Those puppies are very very fast. If you are looking for a fast summer time come in and take a look at them.

Cameron coming off the tree

Sean fell off the tree

Trail gnome Tom Matthews

I just always seem to forget to take pictures out there but the dang place is so fast we never really stop, guess there could be worse things in life. Come ride with us this Thursday @6:15 in the parking lot!

Saturday Morning Road Ride

2009-06-20T09:52:00.002-04:00

I had planned this ride weeks ago but we had a train track accident and ended up doing something different due to time so I finally got around to doing this one. I have always liked this route just needed the temp to be down a few degrees... Milk is a bad choice today.
Saturday Morning 4
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Fisher Farm Summer Series race tonight postponed

2009-06-17T13:28:00.000-04:00

From Neal,
Wednesday, June 17 - Fisher Farm - RACE POSTPONED
I spoke to Mark this morning when he was on the trails at Fisher Farm. They received close to two inches of rain at the park last night and it was raining hard again this morning. Based on the radar, its looks like more rain is on the way right now. That place will be an absolute mess today if we tried to race.

In order to get trail info and race status for the Summer Series out quickly, we have set up an account on Twitter. This will give us the ability to post updated info from the trail.

Check out http://twitter.com/CltMtnSeries to follow the Summer Mountain Bike Series on Twitter.

Saturday Morning Ride

2009-06-13T12:19:00.002-04:00

what a great morning for a ride, I had previously mapped two versions of this route last night but ended up doing it even a little more different, this is the map of what we actually did, you can go into my profile and see the other two with the same name but different mileage.

Saturday Morning 8-C
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Saturday Morning Ride

2009-06-06T11:12:00.002-04:00

Another road ride in the books, we had a group of six which was great considering that today is also the Murray's Mill ride which is a very big local road ride, even Jeff was able to grace us with his presence. Fun route that i just never think to do as much for some reason.

Saturday Morning 7
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Ride pictures

2009-06-02T22:18:00.003-04:00

Pretty humid out but we still had a great ride tonight. Thanks to everyone who came out. Only got a few pics but here they are

and David sweating it up

as long as the rain can hold off we will be at the State Park on Thursday for some more fun, come on out and join us.

Saturday morning road ride route and more

2009-05-31T17:57:00.004-04:00

Been a busy week at the shop even with all the rain we have had. Unfortunately the rain kept us from riding and there was even enough to cause a good bit of flooding in the area(including my basement). It was very nice to be able to get back out on a bike Saturday morning with everyone that showed up for the road ride.

This is pretty much the ride we ended up with. We ended up doing it reverse of what is shown on the map since I have never been on this loop backwards, and it was still a good time. Come out and ride with us.

Saturday Morning 6-b
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sorry there was no big update from the Burn 24 Hour, it was kinda a bummer in that Darrell crashed on his 10th lap @ 10:00 and hurt his knee pretty well. He was doing great and well on his way to a 20 plus lap race which would have been great. It looks like Sean and Tim have a hunkering to get a team together next year so if you are looking to do a 24 let me know and we will get you on the team to have some good fun.

Busy Busy week

2009-05-22T23:15:00.002-04:00

The shop has been pretty busy this week and on top of that we decided that instead of riding Tuesday night we would do some trail work with 5 of us clearing out most of the trail and I hope to start going out a couple mornings a week to continue keeping the corridor clear for us to rid. Thursday we had a very good ride at Lake Norman State Park and this weekend we will be at the Burn 24 Hour race. If you come out make sure to come by and say hey. I will have some pics and a write up from the race when we get back.

Saturday Morning road ride route

2009-05-17T01:19:00.002-04:00

I was expecting a poor turn out this morning due to the possible rain and the Statesville Triathalon but we still had a good turnout and even had 5 new riders. The weather was extremely perfect and just great for the ride.

Saturday Morning 5
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At the shop this week we have been busy and on top of it we built two more new racks to finish up the left side of the shop and just re-decoration of things with more to come.

Thursday held quite the excitement for our customer David. David ordered a Project One TTX at the beginning of the month and wanted it for today's Triathalon. Thursday was Davids big day and I tried to take a few pictures of the experience to go along with it

David was at the shop at 11AM and waited til the Brown Santa arrived

11:45 came along and....

all built and ready to go(nice belly shot there Dave)

on the car going home

A sad attempt at taking pictures on the Saturday morning road ride

2009-05-12T00:15:00.002-04:00

I have hoped to take some pictures on the road rides and these are all I got. I will try better next time...promise
Finishing the climb on Arey Rd to Wallace Springs

Heading right on Wallace Springs

Sean is loving the Saturday morning ride

We did a very similar route to the one a couple weeks ago so I am not posting a mapmyride map. I am one that does not like to do the exact same route so this one was not exactly the same but I really like the route and a good portion of the riders had not done the route the other time. We will still be riding this Saturday even though the Statesville Tri will be going on and most likely heading out to the western part of the county to stay away from the aero people. Come take a spin with us.

thank goodness it stopped raining for a little bit

2009-05-08T12:16:00.002-04:00

Got to take the bike out for a ride this morning with Darrell. Even though I had no pep what so ever in my legs, its just hard to not have a good time when your on a bike. Just figured I would put up some pics

Darrell giving a little "Superfast" for the camera

This is what I like to see on a road ride

ready to transition

Anybody looking for a new ride?

And me signing off with a Buddy Christ for ya

local race postponed

2009-05-06T10:11:00.002-04:00

from Neal of Charlotte Sports Cycling

** MAY 6 Renni Race Postponed **
Renaissance Park received close to 3 inches of rain last night. A new date will be determined ASAP. We apologize for any inconveniences with this postponed event. Hope to see you all next week at N Meck Park.

I hope to do N. Meck next week so come on out and beat my sorry butt, I better get a bike ready.

Saturday Morning Ride

2009-05-02T13:41:00.002-04:00

we had a good ride this morning, the sky tried to open up on us just a bit but never did the full deed thankfully. The route that I had planned for the day was changed due to Colleen having an encounter with some train tracks, in fact, they are the same tracks and location that Darrell took me out on a few years ago so they must be cursed. I changed the route to something that gave us a few options to change in case we ran into rain and ended up with this:

Saturday Morning 4.2
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May is National Bike Month

2009-05-02T00:18:00.003-04:00

That's right everyone, in case you did not know, consider yourself in the know now! Trek is running a 12 month deferred payments promotion starting today! Come and get your new bike now! We already have set up a few customers on the plan with one being a TTX project one!

If you have ever thought about riding your bike to work, please try it now! The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 11-15 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 15. For more information go the the Leagues web site.

Also, this is the 100th post of the blog and as a celebration, the first person who mentions this blog will get a free FFB t-shirt. Yes, only one person will win so you best be giving me a yell real quick-like!

MOMBAT on TV

2009-04-28T21:18:00.002-04:00

Saturday Morning road ride route

2009-04-25T21:50:00.002-04:00

This is the route that we did this week, as always, it was a bunch of fun.
Saturday Morning 3
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offroad fix gear action

2009-04-22T13:17:00.004-04:00

A while back i bought a Tomi Cog to put on my SyCip for riding the greenway with Savannah and Pony and so I could take it on the trails to see what riding off road fixed would be like.

I figured I would try pictures with thumbnails, click them for a bigger version, let me know if you like this better or not

At the trail head

Getting ready to turn right on Norwood Creek

Detail shot of the Tomi Cog bolted to where the the rear disc usually would be

If you see Big Bike Mike, make sure to thank him for this culvert

Front Brake only

LANO is a beautiful place

and just for Jim, I finally got a picture of this Dubwatch we see every time we go to LANO, it is right beside the Used Tire Jesus in case you would like to se it for yourself. I am partial to it since I owned a Cannondale the same color many moons ago

and yes that is Trogdor in the lower of my front window

I had a really good ride and was very surprised how smooth the riding was even fixed. I expected to ground my pedal a whole lot but never did. If you would like to give it a shot, let me know and I will let you take the bike out for a ride.

Lake Norman Bike Route Meetings

2009-04-21T12:08:00.000-04:00

MEDIA ADVISORY:

INVITATION

May 11, 2009

_REGIONAL BICYCLE PLAN PUBLIC MEETINGS_

_May 11, 12, & 19_

_ _

Three regional bicycle planning public drop-ins are scheduled for May
11, 12 and 19, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the following locations:

Monday, May 11^th at the Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church
Road, Denver, NC

Tuesday, May 12^th at the Charles Mack Citizen Center, 215 North Main
Street, Mooresville, NC

Monday, May 19^th at the Davidson Town Hall, 216 South Main Street,
Davidson, NC

The Lake Norman region is exploring ways to create a safe and lasting
bicycle network to encircle Lake Norman, and invites all interested
citizens and residents to attend one of these events. Come contribute
your thoughts and ideas in a highly interactive work session and learn
more about the issues involved in planning for bicycle needs. Your
input will go far in determining strategies for projects in months and
years ahead

The meeting will be facilitated by Centralina Council of Governments, a
regional planning organization committed to vital, prosperous and
sustainable environment. Centralina is working with staff from each of
the counties and municipalities of the Lake Norman area, along with a
steering committee made up of a variety of stakeholders.

* *

For more information please contact Bjorn Hansen, Centralina Council of
Governments at 704-688-6501 or e-mail at bhansen@centralina.org

Last Saturdays morning road ride

2009-04-19T21:51:00.002-04:00

This is the route that we did for the Saturday morning ride, I will try to post up every route that we do each week in case anyone is looking for a new route or if you just cannot make the ride and want to ride what we did to feel like you were with us!!!
Saturday morning 2
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guess I need to practice more

2009-04-19T21:07:00.002-04:00

holy cow!

bike display finished and some info about bike jerseys

2009-04-15T22:16:00.002-04:00

We finally finished the three bike display yesterday and now just need to make two more to match(ish).

Finished product

on another note, a question that I seem to get a bunch at the shop is "what are the pockets on jerseys for?" well, if you must know

New FFB t-shirts in stock

2009-04-13T15:49:00.002-04:00

We had our logo updated last year and finally got around to having some shirts made up for them. We had our buddies Tim and Windy at www.tnzsilkscreen.com make them for us and they look great. We have done a small batch of safety green and pink along with quite a few grey(or is it gray?) anyways, here are a couple quick pics of them, swing by and pick one up to look oh so good.

New logo on pink

all three colors in the box

and YES, Sean drinks his beer with a straw

shop displays and a ride at LANO

2009-04-09T23:56:00.002-04:00

Work on the three tier bike racks is coming along

and I tore down the wall between helping customers today, here it is with the temporary setup after the wall was gone

Sean got his picture taken with the fallen wall

and now for some "one handed hold the camera in your hand while riding to take some video action"

make sure to make the NASCAR sounds as the riders come by you, in order(Jim, Sean, Jeff and Seth)

I like this one where I crashed into a tree not paying attention.

yes I know they are some sad videos but come on, gotta put up something different!!

new racks and old ones going down

2009-04-08T22:21:00.002-04:00

Today saw three new bikes going up in the front display windows and the beginning of the new racks on the right side of the shop.

I started taking apart the rest of the center rack at the end of the day and should have it all apart by tomorrow, come by and see us and the new look and also come ride at LANO with us tomorrow night @ 6:15

Even more new shop displays and a birthday

2009-04-07T21:22:00.003-04:00

even with the weather going up and down the shop is staying busy and we are still changing out the store. Since Sean finished up the bathroom and has it all respectable-like we have moved along to new displays on the right side of the shop as you walk in the front. To do that we have to get rid of some stuff first, and the first to go was the helmet display which is now taken over the old changing room with show helmets on the outer door and storage in the room. It worked very well and I think it will work out smoother than our previous show/storage of the helmets.
You can see the helmets on the front of the door for display and inside for storage

The other is that we are replacing the center bike rack that has been in the shop since the location opened in 1995 and BOY, what a difference just taking off the top row of bikes has made. The shop looks even larger and will be easier to get around once the bottom is gone. We will have some really neat

Here we are with one row off the top and ready to take off the trays

same side but now both top rows have trays left, you can really see across the shop better now

Today is also Sean's birthday so we got him a little gift that he graciously shared before the Tuesday night mountain bike ride.

Lets all hope that the weather stays good for the Thursday night ride at LANO and the Saturday morning road ride(LEAVING the shop @ 8am)

enjoying the beautiful day

2009-04-03T21:57:00.002-04:00

Since I was off today I decided that i should go for an excursion around the casa on the road bike with its 29 x 1.8's. Boy was it windy out there but since I really was just out to enjoy being on a bike and see the wonderful green pastures. I will jsut let the pictures do the talking.

Everything is sooo green out

My tracks in the gravel

The clouds were amazing

One lane bridges are cool

and watch out for tractors...the cow crossing sign picture didnt come out well

I love this shot

It was a hilly route, especially for just 13 miles

cool rock fence around a grave yard

paint on the road from our CCC rides

my ride

more gravel roads

I stopped at an old barn to take a few pics of my X0-1

the hill back to the house

Trek Card Promotion for April

2009-04-01T11:09:00.002-04:00

Well, its April so we have another Trek Card promotion for everyone. If you use your Trek Card during the month you will receive 10% off all spring and summer jerseys and shorts. You dont have a Trek card? Come into the shop and we can get you set up with one and the 10% on the same day. As always let us know if you have any questions about this promotion or any other questions. Thanks, wESd

Mountain Goat limited editon #4 shirt design help

2009-03-31T14:53:00.001-04:00

Now that the LTD#2 is down to a few XXL's and LTD#3 is down to a few XL and XXL's it is time to make another run of limited edition Mountain Goat shirts and we are stumped for an idea. Anyone have an idea? if we use your idea, you will get the hook up with some free shirts and a high five.

For reference to the previous designs go to http://www.firstflightbikes.com/MGGoodies.htm

WTB demo saddles

2009-03-28T13:09:00.002-04:00

We have done the WTB demo saddle program for a few years since WTB introduced the program and have been very happy with it and it has helped quite a few customers choose the perfect saddle. We just received more saddles this week, so if you are looking for a new saddle come by and try some to see what makes your butt happy.

Here are some off what we have right now, including the new Vigo

Still raining but still plugging away

2009-03-27T22:57:00.002-04:00

Yep, its still raining but we are keeping busy anyway. We just received another bike order from Trek and Gary Fisher including some Madone action, more Arc Supers, and an EX 8 that went home today with a happy new owner. Yesterday we received 60+ discs from Innova including the cool new R Pro Dart and Groove. Today Jeff picked up something pretty cool.....like this

hopefully more about it very soon.

TTB meeting outcome

2009-03-22T23:13:00.002-04:00

Looks like the ride/meeting at First Flight was a big hit and I really enjoyed it myself. We had decided to ride before the meeting heading out at 6 from the shop and be back before 7:30. About 5:30 it decided to start sprinkling and it looked like we would not be able to head out but alas the rain held off enough for us to decide that we would at least try and if all else failed head back in.

The ride out to Signal Hill

At the trailhead(Tom Matthews photo)

Me at the entrance to the trail with new toilet markers and a couple more in the future(Tom Matthews photo)

Tom borrowed the shops Pugsley and was all smiles on the ride

and the ride back in the drizzle

Thanks to Jeff for hooking the meeting up with free pizza courtesy of FFB.

I hope we can do more things like this in the future for our meetings as I think more people will show for a ride/meeting than just a ride.

Trail Builders Meeting at FFB

2009-03-17T00:41:00.002-04:00

The next Tarheel Trail Blazers LKNM edition meeting on Thursday, March 19th at 7:30 will be held at First Flight Bicycles. We have graciously donated the use of the shop as a meeting place and will be supplying pizza so please RSVP ASAP! Hope to see you there!

There is currently a ride planned the same day leaving FFB at 6 and heading out to Signal Hill for a quick lap and back for the meeting as long as the trail will not be overly muddy so hope and pray that the warm weather drys the trail out. Instead of riding tomorrow night we will be heading out to Signal Hill to lop and clip a few of the limp casualties from all of the snow and rain of late.

Come to the meeting and get into trail building if you have never done it. It is just as fun as riding and makes riding the trails more enjoyable and meaningful when you know you are on something you worked on

Some catching up on Dubwatch

2009-03-14T19:30:00.003-04:00

When we got back from the handmade show the world of Statesville was under a snow storm which collected pretty nicely on the roads. A few days later this dubwatch was in front of the store and must have got stuck.

and yesterday Jeff liked this one as a hopeful "future dub", i just think he has a thing for wood panels(not a bad thing)

Good road ride

2009-03-11T16:13:00.002-04:00

Darrell met me at the house this morning for a little road action. I have had a 45 mile route in mind consisting regular paved roads and gavel ones as well and thought we might get into that today. Since Darrell needed to be back fairly early to go to work later I decided we would start on the 45 route and see how things went. We headed out to Love Valley to start our first gravel road on Fox Mountain Rd which is where I got my only picture of either of us on gravel.

Darrell on the beginning of Fox Mountain which had a really nasty 30% grade switch back and lots of climbing to go with it but some really fun descending and wash boards to go with it.

When we got to Coolbrook and should have gone left, good ole Wes decided that we should go right which brought us to 115 just above Rupard which is another fun gravel road leading us to the rest of our route which still gave us a few more good gravel roads, some which seemed smoother than the tar and gravel roads we usually ride but most of those dont have some of the cool sights we got today.

some crazy guy kept following us

Darrell out in front

only one minor stop on the ride for Darrell to check out what could be his next ride

Everyone seems to take pics of there bars so here is one of mine showing my crappy pace at the time

27 miles total made for a fun and good day in the saddle, we will have to do the 45 soon.

more of Seans paint

2009-03-10T21:45:00.002-04:00

Got Sean and Darrell's forks together today and both of their bikes together. I did not get any pictures of Darrells yet but he was fast on it tonight, so fast that this is all I got of him on the ride tonight at LANO.

I did get Seans out for some bad pictures and we should have better ones very soon.

and Sean at LANO after his first climb up the big hill on Mombo with the SS

and as always Matt showed us how to put the power to the floor on his Lobster 69er

who likes blue? pink?

2009-03-09T23:30:00.002-04:00

No pics of Darrells pink bike but should tomorrow after I bleed his brakes and decal her up.

A couple teaser shots of Seans fork and wheels back from paint. Gonna put them on tomorrow along with his matching Luv Handles. The blue came out really nice, I am glad I talked him into it.

I9 hubs and spokes on some Stans rims, notice the one blue spoke?

I slapped Seans fork together enough for a quick picture and will finish building it tomorrow so he can ride it/wheels and bars.

We will head start riding at the State Park on Thursday nights since they are now open till 8. Still riding at Signal Hill on Tuesday nights except for tomorrow night since we are going to head down to the park. I have not been able to ride the park since November last year, it will be cool to get back out there.

Should have pictures of Darrells new WTR, Seans WTR and a new stock WTR. Lots of Goat lovin' going on at the shop!!!!

memories

2009-03-04T22:35:00.002-05:00

Rebuilt a few forks in my day but the first one I really remember that got me to love taking them apart and making things silky smooth was Matt McPherson's 97 Marzocchi Z2 Bomber. Until then the biggest thing I had done is lube elastomers and change out Judy Cartridges after each ride. Matt was riding at VT and when his Z2 was ready for its first overhaul Matt brought the fork by and we tore it down not thinking too much about it and when we had it back together it was 6:30 and we still had a few extra parts. Both of us had to be somewhere that night so we decided that we would redo the whole thing in the morning. The next day the fork was back together correctly in no time and I wanted a Z2 so bad I bought one and still have that very fork. I have overhauled that fork more times than I can think and have passed the fork to Savannah on her bike. The last couple of rides the fork has been leaking more than something that leaks really bad so I told Matt and Darrell we should have a pizza and beer night at the shop like we used to and tonight was the night. The fork is now all back together with some new happy seals, the old Guinness stout like oil is gone and fun was had. I love that fork! OK, sappy memory moment over.

Before Matt and Savannah showed up, Darrell and I took the Pugsley out to play on a snow pile still left over, those are just some big ole tires I tell ya.

ITUSI trail work day canceled

2009-03-04T16:14:00.002-05:00

Due to unfavorable conditions, the 3/7/09 trail work day at Lake Norman
State Park has been CANCELED!

The park received about 4" of rain and 5" of snow so it is very gooey
right now plus we will have 2 more freeze/thaw cycles before Saturday.

It looks as if the late April / early May time frame will offer us the
best use of our resources...

And as always, we thank you for your support! We will announce new dates as soon as we have them

2009 NAHBS recap

2009-03-02T07:45:00.002-05:00

After racing a blue hair for many miles, crossing the Kanawha River what seemed a billion times, seeing the same amount of YES, Coal billboards and a couple other highlights Sean, Darrell and I made it into Indianapolis Thursday afternoon. We walked around to see the sights of town while waiting on Rody of Groovy Cycle Works to finish setting up so we could head to Maxine's Chicken and Waffles! Rody was running a bit behind so after a good bit of walking we decided to hang out at Rock Bottom Brewery and try a few of their finely made brews. We all really like the Fire Chief that was just tapped and then we each tried one more different one, mine being a Hoosier Ma Stout which was very nice indeed,

unfortunately the glass is half empty

We decided that since we were hydrated again we would walk a touch more and check out our hotel a little and right when we sat down in the lobby of the hotel Rody called and said that everyone was heading toward Maxine's and would meet us there. As we headed out the door I asked the valet where Maxine's was and he decided to drive us there instead. Upon arrival we found that Maxine's closed at 9 and it was 9:01 and the place was empty as could be. A quick call to Rody and we decided to go back to Rock Bottom and eat there. Showing up we ended up eating with Carl and gang from Vicious Cycles, Drew from Engin, Bill and Aaron Grove and others that I cannot remember. After trying out a couple more Rock Bottom made brews(all were good) Rody asked us where we parked and we told him we would just walk back with him to his car at the Convention Center and show him. Hopping in his Element was easier said than done with all tons of cardboard, bubble wrap and who knows what else we squeezed in, Darrell hanging half out the rear holding the hatch and headed to the cheapest parking deck we had found on our earlier walks. Pretty much called it a night to make sure we could get up for the first big day of the show.

The show stared at 11A.M. to the public but fortunately Sean, Darrell and I were able to get in at 9 since we are "industry". I wanted to walk through super quick to get a good glance before heading back to snap some pictures and talk which also was easier said.... We had to stop at the Engin booth to ooogle over a bike that was probably Seans favorite

Next door was Dirt Rag and Maurice was behind the booth so I went over to say hey and we ended up talking with him and then wondered over to the Naked booth with him to see their amazing bikes

and

When then went back to our "hurry through" and ended up talking to Peter at Cane Creek for a while. Jeremy SyCip was at his booth so we talked to him for quite a while as well then Rody at his booth

I was asked about my FFB shirt by quite a few builders so it was great to know that the museum is very popular and got lots of great complements.

One builder was Chris Igleheart who was a very nice guy and was showing off this bike with the new Chris King Inset that seemed to be everywhere

Chris also had the only Sturmey Archer 3 speed fixed gear hub

There was lots to see and I hung around pretty much all day talking to lots of builders about the bikes or about the shop since I got lots of questions about how we are able to do FFB, MOMBAT and Mountain Goat all together and not go insane.

notables from the day

I really like this bike from Curtis at Inglis/Retrotec, thats me in the background talking to Jeremy SyCip, Sean took the pic

Jeremy's dads bike with Philippine flag panel

All of Rody's bikes were a hit and his paint is amazing, including this bomber bike

at the end of the day we ended up talking to Alexis from Villin about his bikes which are very well built.

The show ended and Rody, Bill, Aaron, Sean, Darrell and I all decided to hoof it to Maxine's again and on the way passed a group of Miss Indiana girls and Darrell decided to ask a group of six to go with us to Chicken and Waffles his treat and would you believe that they turned him down? not only that but they laughed at him...and so did we, that when Darrell decided that he was tired of searching for a 10 and that his new mission is for five 2's!

Maxine's is more than amazing and I will leave it just to a picture of my oh so good picture of my Chicken and Waffles w/ peach marmalade butter

I cannot remember what night it was but we did have a Dubwatch sighting and on this edition we have the rare three dub night (yes only 3 dubs)

Day 2 of the show went on pretty much the same as day 1 but we did take a break to go try the last few brews at the Rock Bottom that we had not had before.

some sights were the torn down RCA dome

War monument in the middle of the roundabout

and Capital building

A few more pics from the show

Rich Adams bike with real bunny on the front rack

Eriksen Uni

very nicely made Signal

Thats pretty much the down and dirty, we left Sunday morning and just beat the worst of the snow to make it back before things got too bad. Probably could have beat it all if Darrell's GPS had not taken us through BFE Ohio which led to Sean getting a ticket and costing us time!

All of mine and Sean's pictures are on my Photobucket

Great trip, thanks to Sean and Darrell for going and Rody for hosting us and being cooler than cool, I wish I had taken pics of our dinner at PF Changs which was about the funniest thing of the trip...oh well.

2009 NAHBS pictures

2009-03-01T22:05:00.001-05:00

I will post up my recap tomorrow but for now I am heading to sleep and hopefully be able to go to work in the morning if the roads arent frozen

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v642/timbercomp/2009%20NAHBS/

and for Rody

2009-02-28T13:18:00.004-05:00

make sure to look at Rody's blog he makes some wonderful bikes and just a good guy since he let us crash with him. We all went to Maxines Chicken and waffles last night and Rody took some pics of us in front of the building and I took this picture of him taking our picture.

and the group consisting of left to right Sean, Darrell, Bill, Aaron,Duane and Rody

at the handmade bike show

2009-02-28T13:08:00.002-05:00

One day down and day two is going on right now. I will have a full recap when we get back. We spent all day at the show yesterday and got in a few hours today before the public since we are a shop and got out for a few hours as soon as the mob came in at 11, gonna grab some lunch and head back for a few more hours before hanging tonight and heading back in the morning to what sounds like some snow.

Probably the show winner, lots of people ooogling over this bike from Naked and Maurice from Dirt Rag who is always the coolest of guys to talk to.

think we are gonna go look in the war monument before lunch

more later
wESd

the going on's

2009-02-21T21:45:00.002-05:00

The shop has been purty darn busy which is always good to see this time of year but we are still riding a couple times a week with the pretty good weather. Sean, Darrell and I are loading up in the morning and heading to Indianapolis for the 2009 North American Handmade Bike Show
so take it easy on poor ole Jeff if you are going to the shop, he might be a little backed up.

Sean has been re-doing the downstairs bathroom and we now have a new floor and toilet but still have to refinish the floors, lights and sink and have it all nice and respectable like.

Should have quite the post when I get back from the show, till then...don't go ninjy choppin nobody that dont need ninjin'

Better start getting ready now

2009-02-15T11:27:00.000-05:00

9th Annual Burn 24 Hour Challenge
presented by Bikerumor.com

The 9th Annual Burn 24 Hour Challenge presented by Bikerumor.com is set for May 23 & 24, 2009 on the Dark Mountain Trail System in Wilkesboro, NC. This marks the 6th consecutive year the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club has hosted the event. The 2008 race saw record attendance and race promoters feel no differently about this year.

Take part in the premier endurance mountain bike race in the Southeast. There’s a race class for everyone. Whether you’re super fit and want to take down defending champs The Middle Ring Mafia or you just want to test yourself and your personal fitness, we’ve got you covered. Choose from the following race classes:

Solo Female

Solo Male

Duo Female

Duo Male

Duo Coed

3 – 5 Person Team, Male

3 – 5 Person Team, Female

3 – 5 Person Team, Coed

Registration is easy. You can register online at active.com or bikereg.com. If you’re not comfortable sharing personal information in cyberspace, print this form and write a check made payable to the BMCC. Send it to: PO Box 1281 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.

Charlotte Winter Short Track series

2009-02-08T20:58:00.002-05:00

So I decided that I needed to finally go to one of the short track races in Charlotte and today was the day. Darrell has done two of them and really enjoyed it but I am not really the racer type so I figured that I would take the Route 29 and enter the SS class and go out for a ride but not "race". Darrell has raced the SS class the last two times but wanted to give the Sport Men's class a shot this time even on the his SS Route 29. Darrell's race went off at 11:30 and looked pretty dang fast, Darrell ended up 17th out of 21 but will 11 laps which is what I later finished with in the SS class so it would have been interesting to see if we had both been in the SS class...(please dont beat me too bad next week Darrell!)

I really had no huge hopes going into my race. Not really being the racing type personality I just wanted to support the local race and have fun. When they yelled "GO" I got going and got in the woods pretty quick and higher up than I expected. I definitely wanted to make sure I didn't fizzle out later so I tried to keep myself slowed but the track is just screaming fast and fun. Lots of berms and a couple of smoother than smooth jumps that beg you to get air. After the first 2 laps I settled into a good rhythm that I knew I could keep up so I just made sure I had fun. It was too dang hot out for a penguin and about lap 5 I could feel my pale white skin sizzling and knew that the sucktitude of sunburn was gonna feel good later. I am happy with the 9th out of 17 results I did and think I will be heading back next Sunday to play again. Hopefully next time I will have a little better tire pressure, today was my first day on my new Bontrager XDX's and my normal pressure on other Bonty products deemed to high today, the good news is that my new Bontrager shoes are better than bad...they're GOOD. Very comfy shoes indeed and the 33x18 gearing was also a good choice for me and my knees.
Lots of complements on the new shop jerseys and mine and Darrells Goats, always cool to hear and see people staring them down.
Anyways, next weekend is the last race of the series and if you have not participated yet, YOU SHOULD! I had a really good time.

Savannah came along to take pictures and got some pretty good ones. She always insists on putting them through photoshop real quick and she did these few for me tonight, she should have more soon and most likely have a link to them on her blog www.savannahstrickland.blogspot.com

Me rocking the Route 29 SS

Darrell coming up the road section at the end of the course

It's always good to see our favorite Canadian friend Ross Dowswell, glad I got to talk to him for a while before the race because he was much faster than me on the way to his 4th place in the SS category...sorry Ross your photo comes later! Also good to see our buddy David G at the race and a big thanks to him for handling a whiny Pony Boy while I raced, let me know when you sell that Superlight and are ready for your Goat.

its so cold

2009-02-05T23:10:00.002-05:00

Sean, Darrell and I all had today off so we headed out to Signal Hill to put in some more hours. We had originally wanted to do some ground work in a few of our new sections but upon getting to the trail the ground was so frozen we decided that we would cut corridor in new trail and cut out some fallen trees. After 8 hours of work we called it a day and headed to the shop an had some lunch. Then Jeff, Darrell and Sean all headed out with loads of Goat frame and parts for some paint action...hopefully we will have pictures in a few weeks.

Other than that, Savannah and I are going to head down to Charlotte for the short track race with Darrell on Sunday and I am trying to decide if I want to race or not. I am not a racer at heart but might just have to do it for fun.

Happy Birthday Darrell

2009-02-02T00:12:00.002-05:00

good ole Darrell takes alot of smack talk from us and we love him for it...well today is Darrell's Birthday so I figured I would post up some pics of our buddy.

good ride at Dark Mountain

Yikes

hey Darrell
Can you ride the Skinny

Darrell can't

Ready for a jihad

Ready for Match.com

Sean?....comments?...

Bike work and a beautiful day at the greenway

2009-02-02T00:02:00.002-05:00

Big repair in the shop to get a new Fox TALAS, rder, chainrings, chain and cassette so after I cut the steerer on the fork I though about taking a few pictures.

Here is the cut Steerer which you can see is missing the star fangled nut

Star Nut setting tool and the star nut

Setting tool on the steerer but no pics of me with the hammer setting it

Finished Fox Talas with star nut ready to go on its new owner(Fox Forks are the best)

Today Savannah, Pony and I were gonna hit the greenway and were also joined by Matt and Ellen and even Darrell showed up after another race at the short track series. I am really enjoying the nice casual greenway ride on Sunday afternoons. I am going to head down to the short track race so no ride next Sunday but if you would like to come join the ride let me know and I will get you the needed info.

Savannah, Darrell, Matt, Ellen and of course Pony in the front

Building Darrell's new ride and yet another Dubwatch

2009-01-30T12:31:00.002-05:00

Darrell just has to ride the new "Hairy Kay" (yes thats the offical name). No paint on the frame for the ride last night and this Sunday and then it will be stripped to be painted.
In the stand

Darrell's pink rocket

On the trail with temporary decal

Dubwatch seems to be a hit and yesterday this Escalade with 26's was out front, the picture doesn't show the bling grill that well. I even got a text picture this morning of a dubwatch sighting but I think I will keep the dubwatch here for ones in front of the shop or if we are on a ride...never know

New bikes in stock including Harry Kay

2009-01-28T22:37:00.003-05:00

Couple cool items in the shop the last couple of days. Yesterday we received a big parts order from Trek and Innova. Today we got a bike order from Trek with bikes we needed to refill sold bike along with a new EX 7, Fisher HiFi and the new Fisher ARC Super Road Bikes.

After we had put the bike boxes away and started building bikes the brown santa came by with a frame box containing Darrell's new Mountain Goat and a stock WTR. Now we just need to get the Harry Kay all painted up. This should also get Jeff off his butt and have his Route 29FS painted finally. If you are in need of a 26" wheeled frame for a 100mm fork, you can even pick your color

Harry Kay(back with the sliders) and what could be your new WTR, hopefully better pictures when the weather clears up

Racing and Dubwatch

2009-01-26T19:49:00.002-05:00

The local short track series is happening and Darrell went down to try it out yesterday. He has been running a 32 x 20 so we swapped out for an 18 on the rear for the faster course. When I talked to Darrell this morning he said that when he got to the race he decided to put his Small Block 8's (since the short track is solid packed) instead of the Panaracer Rampages he runs for winter time muck. Anyways, Darrell said that the gearing still wasn't enough and he was spinning to fast to keep up and finished 3rd from last. We will get a better gear on there for him to try again and I hope to go as well to support or maybe even try it out myself and get my butt kicked.

I did find a picture that Arleigh took of Darrell rockin the FFB jersey and of course the Pimp Goat

In other news, I was upstairs retrieving items to ship for our vintage customers and when i came down Jeff told me that some rockin' Dubwatch action was out front of the store and that he had snapped a picture for me but his camera had also died after taking two so I ran out to snap a few of my own and after taking two my camera died as well...ok I am sure you dont care about any of that so here is some Dayton Dub Action just for you all