7+9000+5 = 1 Slippery, Fast Ride

2013 Madone 7 Series with Dura-Ace 9000 11-Speed and Bontrager Aeolus 5 D3 Wheels - Nuff  Said

Book Review Just in Time for Lance's Interview with Oprah

Just after Christmas someone in the shop mentioned The Secret Race: (Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Dopping, Cover-ups and Winning (by Tyler Hamilton and Dan Coyle) as an interesting read. Indeed it is. Some might say a sickening view of the world of elite cycling, sickening or not it is interesting.

It is not Tyler Hamilton’s sour grapes about the sport blaming everyone except himself. Rather it appears to be an open, pretty honest account of how he (and presumably many other riders) slid into doping in order to remain competitive in that elite world.

It provides insight into how common EPO, testosterone and transfusions are (hopefully were) and how necessary it was to anyone who dreamt of achieving in that elite world. If this account is to be believed, doping was part of all the top competitors and teams. Since Tyler Hamilton was such a part of the “Lance times,” there are also some insights into that dynamic. That said, the book portrays the incredible drive and dedication of these athletes.

        Reading The Secret Race, brought to mind another story of an earlier era from the inside of cycling. A Dog in a Hat (by Joe Parkin) is the story of an American rider in Europe in the late 80’s and early 90’s. A dog in a hat is a Belgian phrase meaning roughly that things are out of place, that is an American in elite cycling. It is an open, often funny portrayal of a world that seems insane by outside standards.

        Both of these books are great reads for anyone with even a passive interest in elite cycling.

Some Curtains and Throw Pillows - It'll Feel Like Home

Almost two months ago, we moved into our new home at 817 S Perry on November 8, 2012 and reopened the following Tuesday with a temporary entrance, no lit signage and a wall across the front of the store. 

We managed through the holidays like a speakeasy where you could shop with us if you knew the secret entry and password.  Once people were in we spent a lot of time explaining what the front entrance would be like when completed to a lot of people. 

Construction and finishing continued (sometimes noisily) on the other side of the wall while we worked to serve customers on our side.

Today the wall came down and the construction crew worked to get painting completed as customers walked under and around ladders and tools.

The first thing we noticed was the additional light coming-in despite the cloudy winter day outside.  It also made the whole store feel more open by removing the foreboding presence at the front of the store.

Here it what it sounded like when the wall came down:

Some more cleaning and touch-up and it is starting to feel like the space we envisioned over a year ago when we first looked at the old and vacant grocery store building. 

The crews still have some work to do on the renovation of the building face, but we are glad to have a real entrance and more permanent signage to establish our presence in the South Perry District.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be expanding the bike displays into the front area of the store and finishing-out some of the focus areas now that we have all of our space available.

Come by and say "hi" and we will be happy to show you around.

Mr. Gorbachev, Tear-down This Wall - Version 2.0

The permanent entrance for the store is near completion and will be in use by the end of the day.  Don't mind the plywood on the front of building - we are fully open on the inside! 

 

More updates when the work is completed.