R.I.P., little buddy.

As you can tell, this here weblog has sat idle for a bit. Times change, and so do our weblogging needs. This has been a great outlet to communicate our love of and for bicycles (and the people who ride them!), but we're moving on.

From now on our love letters to the bicycle can be found here.

Presenting... Hub Bicycle's Saturday Morning Road Ride

Get stoked! Hub is starting up a Saturday Morning Road Ride, lead by one of our employees, Jim.

Ride basics:

• What: A ride designed to be an introduction to group riding for road cyclists. It is a no drop ride.
• Who:  Anyone with a road bicycle who's excited about a group road ride
• When: Every Saturday from 8-10:30am, Hub will open at 8am, departure at 8:30am sharp
• Length: 19 miles loop around the Fells
• Expected Average speed: 15mph

About the route:
Broad streets, ample shoulder and smooth pavement (for most of the ride). Gentle to moderate climbs, fast descents. Streets are pretty quiet at this weekend hour. Check out the route!

What to bring:

• A road bicycle in good working order (wheels true, tires in good condition and properly inflated, working brakes, and quiet lubed drive train)
• Spare tube, tire levers, pump
• Two small water bottles
• Helmet

Other important details:

• Jim will go over basic hand signals, verbal communication, etiquette and safety before the ride. 
• Please arrived prepared as the shop will not be open for service. Please drop in during normal hours to address any mechanical issues. 
• The shop floor pump will be available for use and essentials (tubes, patch kits, and water bottles) can be purchased at the shop.

 We look forward to riding with you on Saturday!

Weekend Bike Tour to and from Martha's Vineyard

Looking to get into bicycle touring? There are plenty of accessible weekend trips you can take right from the city. For example, this little gem from our touring expert, Evadne:

Bike Touring to and from Boston to Woods Hole
A relatively easy ride that offers scenic ocean views, riding through quiet Cape Cod neighborhoods, and riding on the Shining Sea Bike path. It also saves you the expense of parking your car in Woods Hole or paying to get your car on the island while giving you the option to have your bike on the island (one of the best ways to explore Martha's Vineyard). In addition, the convenience of the commuter rail creates two route options to choose from based upon the rider's preference on time on the road and experience level. 

Route A: 2 day ride (83 miles)
Day 1: 48 miles from Boston to Myles Standish State Forest
A more challenging ride through higher traffic areas to get outside the city. Also requires the rider to carry a tent and sleeping bag for camping at Myles Standish State Forest.
Day 2: 35 miles from Myles Standish State Forest to Woods Hole
A quieter ride through Cape Cod neighborhoods, scenic ocean views, and an awesome bike path. 

Route B: 1 day ride (42 miles)
This is a great ride that allows you to avoid bad roads and most high traffic areas of route A. 
Take the Commuter Rail from South Station to Plymouth
42 mile ride from Plymouth to Woods Hole

Tips and Tricks

• Commuter Rail: Make sure to check that the time you want to take the commuter rail allows bikes. You don't need to pay extra for your bike, but bikes are only allowed during non-rush hour times and on weekends. 
• Bourne Bridge: You will have to ride over Bourne Bridge to get to Cape Cod. Make sure to take the pedestrian path across the bridge. You do not want to ride across the bridge with cars, no matter how confident of a rider you are. It can be tricky to find, but there is signage up noting how to get on the pedestrian/ bike path. It is also worth
• Ferry to and from the Vineyard: When purchasing a ticket for the ferry, you will also need to buy one for your bike. For more information on the Martha's Vineyard ferry visit Steamship Authority. 

To get back home from Woods Hole to Boston, just reverse the routes above!
For more tips on bike touring and gear, come by the shop. We'd be happy to hook you up!

BIKE MONTH!

It's Bike Month, y'all! For those new to cycling in the city- there are plenty of events to get connected to other bike minded folks and to get educated. For the seasoned cyclist- there are plenty of events to celebrate the cycling community. Here's a list of things we're excited about:

May 5- Boston Cyclists Union Spring Kickoff Party
 
May 7- Our monthly Basic Maintenance Clinic moves to our pal Aeronaut's place

May 8- Boston Bike Party

May 10- Cyclofemme (Boston ride info here)

May 14- Aeronaut Bike Clinic Series #2 with Hub Bicycle Know Your Brakes

May 21- Aeronaut Bike Clinic Series #3 with Hub Bicycle Know Your Shifting

Bike Fridays, of course  

And not necessarily Bike Month related, but seasonal weekly NEMBA rides are back- Wednesdays at the Fells and Thursdays at Landlocked Forest.

Bike Fit

Bikes come in a limited number of shapes and sizes; however, people do not. Getting a bike fit is like going to the tailor for your favorite pair of pants that fits perfectly at the waist but is a bit too long. There are small tweaks that can be made to your bike components so that your bike fits you and feels more comfortable.

Who can benefit from a fit?- Anyone riding a bike! 

Riders experiencing pain or discomfort during or after a ride. The aging cyclist with less flexibility or the younger rider new to the sport. The cyclist looking for a new bike. A weekday commuter and the weekend fitness seeker. The charity rider setting goals or the racer chasing upgrade points.

Why are bike fits at Hub awesome?

• We offer a Commuter Bike Fit. Starting at $75, in addition to a Sport and Performance level fits.
  
• We have Jim. A Serotta International Cycling Institute fit education tops over a decade of direct bicycle industry experience from production(large & custom) to small shop 
  sales, wrenching, and e-commerce operation & management for some very well known names in our little corner of the world. The prior decade was spent zipping packages around Boston as a courier and more recently as an amateur category racer competing in road and cyclocross events. 
  He speaks from experience when it comes to the bicycle and equipment. Where the rubber meets the road is the true test of equipment and technique so he's always out there learning and refining.His knowledge base is at your disposal.
• We believe that education is an important part of the bike fitting process. Not only will you get the numbers and measurements you need, you'll learn a thing or two in the process!
  

Schedule your bike fit today

Contact Jim at jimwcyclingservices@gmail.com. It's the perfect way to prepare for more riding in the spring. 

Spring Makeover Special: Bike Overhaul + Powder coat for $300

Is your bike frame looking sad and scratched?

Want to change up your bike color scheme for a new season of riding?

Treat your bike to a Hub Powderworks Spring Makeover Special! We’ll overhaul your bike, strip the paint, and powder coat your frame and fork with an exciting color of your choice. 

$300*: Spring Makeover Special: Overhaul + Powder coat

• Hub Bicycle strips frame and fork of all components

• Frame and fork are cleaned to remove all paint, rust, decals, etc.

• Frame and fork are powder coated with an exciting new color

• Bike is reassembled with new cable and housing, all parts are cleaned and tuned (includes hubs, headset, bottom bracket), brakes and derailleurs adjusted ($180 value)

• 5 business days turnaround

*Offer is valid through March 31st (Savings of $55). Does not include cost of additional parts

$175: Power coat Only

• Customer strips frame and fork of all components

• Frame and fork are cleaned to remove all paint, rust, decals, etc.

• Frame and fork are powder coated with an exciting new color

• 1 to 2 week turnaround

• Customer reassembles bike

5 Reasons why you should powder coat your bike

1. Looks are everything!

1. It helps your bike last longer. (chipped paint = likelihood of corrosion = weakened frame)

1. Generally more durable than liquid paint

1. More environmentally friendly than liquid paint

1. You know you’ve always wanted a purple bike

How to get your bike powder coated
1. Choose your bicycle dream color | Look at all the awesome colors we have!

Can't find the color you are looking for? For a few more bucks we can special order a color for you!  

2. Contact us | emily@hubbicycle.com or visit Hub Bicycle at 1036 Cambridge St.

ps. This deal is for regular colors. If you're looking for retro-reflective tech for your bike, check out more info here!

The Year in Review

I know it's a little early for year end reflections, but tonight is our Annual Holiday/Season End/Winter Sabbatical Send Off Party (7pm, stop by!), which for me really signals the end of the year.

2014 started off with some bike riding in Singapore and got more exciting from there. Finding a new (bigger!) location for the shop. Building that new location out. Moving to it. Adding room meant adding services like winter storage, and bike fitting. Team Monster Truck trucking its way to a great CX season! Quietly starting work on Hub Powderworks. Not so quietly unveiling Hub Powderworks. It's been exciting and stressful and so much fun.

 

Looking forward- I'm going to stay put for my winter sabbatical (staybatical?). I've got bikes to retro-reflectively powder coat. It won't be all work- I am going to don my best winter gear and head out for some rides. I'm setting a goal of 500 miles during my time off. Then we'll be on to the next exciting year in Hub Bicycle history.
 

Win Retro-Reflectivity for Someone You Care About

Via Hub Powderworks

That's all there is to it.

Hub Powderworks

This is a project I've been working on for a while and I'm so very excited that it's ready to roll: Hub Powderworks!

 Thanks to the Globe for the great article and pics.

I've set up shop in a great industrial space in Charlestown, and am ready to powdercoat your (or anybody else's) bike.

  Not a bad view from the office window.

 It took a little creativity to make the industrial coating work well for bikes, but Halo Coatings' retro reflective powder coat makes so much sense for bikes. It adds another level of visibility (on top of the lights you already have!). It's a great idea that needed to be accessible and available to individual cyclists. Have a bike you love that could use a little more safety?  You can count on the same attention to detail, friendly service, and quick turn around time that folks have come to expect from Hub Bicycle Co. That's the plan.

Do me a favor? Follow Hub Powderworks on Instagram and Twitter?  Thanks!

Don't forget about your face.

We're pretty solidly sinking into late fall. Colder temps, but real snow is sticking. With a few smart layer choices, even folks who consider themselves 'fair weather cyclists' can ride. It's still fine biking weather.

One smart layering choice to make is to protect your face. Today- somewhere between 30 and 50 degrees- a balaclava would be overkill, but your lips are very sensitive and should be protected. Just remembering to use lip balm can be the difference between a beautiful fall day ride, and an comfortable one, so don't forget your face.

Winter Storage

I hate to do this to you, but even though it's a beautiful sunny fall day today- winter is going to be here in no time.

Let’s face it, we don’t all want to ride our bikes through the winter, and not all of us have a secure place to store them.  Most bikes have to spend the winter on a porch (if they’re lucky) or locked up with a bunch of other forgotten friends at an overcrowded rack.  Instead of letting your sweet ride collect rust under a foot of snow while you’re riding the T, why not leave it with us?  We’ll give it a warm, safe home, and make sure that it’s ready for action once the snow melts.

Here’s the deal:

Basic Winter Storage, $50:

-Secure, dry, warm indoor storage from November to April 15

-Bike frame cleaned/polished, chain lubed, and tires aired up before spring pickup

-Save yourself the cost of replacing rusty parts, and have your bike ready to roll when it counts

Winter Storage Tune $95 (plus parts, if needed):

-Secure, dry, warm indoor storage from November to April 15

-Bike will receive a full tune during the course of the winter

-Bike frame cleaned/polished, chain lubed, and tires aired up before spring pickup
-Your bike gets a tune, and we get to keep busy when the days are dark and cold. 

-Save yourself the cost of replacing rusty parts, and have your bike ready to roll when it counts

Bring your bike in anytime during the month of November and we'll keep it safe until April. Need to grab your bike before April? No problem- we're here from 11am-7pm M-F and 12-5pm Saturday. Or we can arrange some other time by appointment. We're also happy to hold onto your helmet and lock so you can keep all of your bike goods in the same place.

A Work in Progress

Somebody asked how long we've been in the new space. I answered "Three weeks." and Erich Corrected me- we're actually going into our 5th week in our new digs. Time flies...

The space already feels like home. We're doing a nice job of 'breaking in' the nice bamboo floors, the work benches are fully stocked and organized, and we've got the system for locating bikes in the giagantic (and slightly creepy) basement dialed.

 

We still have plenty of work to do. Jim's been hard at work setting up for bike fits (more info on that to come). We've been brainstorming ideas for more clinic and class offerings (more info on that to come), as well as other fun/educational/different things to do. There are many more options to get creative with this much space. It's exciting.

 

 In the mean time, we're going to keep on keeping on with the tune-ups, accessorizing (lights season is almost upon us), and #cannolifridaying. Stay tuned to watch the shop progress.

Interviewed

This marks the first interview during which all questions were about being a 'business owner' and not a 'woman business owner'. Thanks, Kristina!

Happy Labor/Moving Day

Labor Day, Moving Day, Allston Christmas- whatever you want to call it- we're OPEN today. We're going to be tuning bikes and watching the UHauls pass by.

If you're riding bikes on the roads today- ride safe. Remember, you don't need a special license or any training to drive a huge blind-spot ridden box truck. Those drivers aren't looking out for you, and even if they were they wouldn't see you anyway.

If you're new to town- welcome! We'd like to make sure that you and your bike stay safe. This week only we're offering a discount on the Big Three - lights, lock, helmet. Buy any light set, u-lock and helmet and get 20% off all three.

This #CannoliFriday

The Big Move (is getting closer and closer)

We're getting there. Before you know it we'll be all settled into Hub 3.0. Until then we've got tons of work to do.A little bit of construction, a lot of painting, arranging work spaces, and so on. I know this way out in the distant future, but So, next week- I want you to know we're going to be CLOSED AUGUST 3rd- 10th.

We'll be available by email then (hub at hubbicycle dot com -or- emily at hubbicycle dot com), but will be putting the tune-ups/bicycle-dreams-coming-true on hold until August 11th.

On a related note- Help us say a proper good bye to Hub 2.0 at this week's #CannoliFriday. It's gonna be a good one.

EVENTS! And Canceled Events.

First up, the EVENTS!:

If you like food and bikes, we're hosting the Dinner and Bikes crew at our NEW (and currently unoccupied) shop space. June 8, 7pm. Tickets here.

We're going to be back at the Red Bones Bike Party for the third year in a row (hat trick!).  We'll be closing up shop at 4pm to head over. Stop by for some BBQ and say 'hi'!


And now for Canceled Events:

So speaking of our new shop space.... we're kicking the prep work to get this space ready into high gear! Due to this, we're going to postpone all Basic Maintenance Clinics until the fall. We'll be bringing them back (as well as some new clinic offerings!) in October.

Hub 3.0

If you've been in the shop in the last few weeks you've noticed we're packed to the gills. We've got more bikes, and more people coming through than ever before. It's been so great to see everyone back on their bikes after such a long winter. Last week a few Original Regulars stopped in to say hi, and commented on what a big difference the current shop is from the original location (Hub 1.0). Remember that place? It was small, real small, but there was something cozy about it. It really only had room for one person to work efficiently, and there was next to no bike storage. The business needed to grow, and needed more space to do that.

Moving into the space that the shop occupies now (Hub 2.0) allowed the company to do great things like hire Erich (he's the best, isn't he?) and Aaron (he's the tallest, isn't he?), store a bunch more bikes, (co)invent #CannoliFriday (with BikeSafeBoston, obv.), and host some great clinics with the likes of Pedro's and the Luna Chix. The business continues to grow, and it's exciting, but we're in a familiar spot- with not enough space.


Here's our big news: HUB IS MOVING (for the last time, I promise). We're going to relocate to 1036 Cambridge Street (Hub 3.0). It's about as perfect as we could ask for. It's literally (in the literal sense of the word) a block from our current location (all of our tune-ups are Bom Cafe powered, so it was important to stay close). With three times the floor space there's more room for mechanics, merch, clinics, #CannoliFriday and fun stuff we haven't even thought of yet.

 

Hub 3.0, empty now- but not for long

We've got our work cut out for us to get this space ready, but I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter of  Hub. The timeline for this move isn't set in stone, but we're shooting to have the new doors open this August. We'll keep you posted.

A horse on a bike on a mountain. With snow on it.

The full instructions were, "Draw a horse. On a bike. Riding on a mountain. With snow on it. Now put words on it. Make him say "YES!" "

So there you go. A horse on a bike on a mountain with snow on it saying "yes!"

I tried to hand it to my 3 year old niece when it was finished, but she said, "No. I made it for you."
"Wait. But I drew it."
"Yeah, but I told you to draw it for you. So it's for you."

Can't argue with solid logic like that.

Bike Care Night, March 19, 7pm

If you've ridden at all this winter, your bike is probably a little gross. The roads have been coated in a slurry of salt, sand and road grime for months. Even if you haven't been riding this winter, your bike still needs some occasional TLC.

We're teaming up with Pedro's for a night of Bike Care. Wednesday, March 19th at 7pm, here at Hub Bicycle World HQ.  We'll be talking proper cleaning and lubrication, and why it's important. It's FREE and open to all. Come by for some knowledge, refreshments and hang time with other bike-minded folks.