SAG

I'm packing up the crappy wimpy shop truck for a weekend of SAG wagoneering! It's time for the American Diabetes Association New England Classic Tour De Cure. This will be the 4th year Hub has supported this ride (yes- since even before Hub existed). It's a good time. Lots of bike eye-candy, good people, plenty of flat tires to keep busy, and I'm told that if everybody finishes the ride diabetes will be cured money gets raised for the ADA.

Working support for a charity ride is the bike mechanic equivalent of camping. You do all of the things you's normally do in a day, but simpler and outside. It can require some creative problem solving. You never realize how often you rely on a bench vise to do your job, until you don't have access to one.

I'm stocking up with tubes, tires, extra cables, a chain or two, a handful of misc. bolts and brake pads.

There's a good chance I'll go through a bunch of tubes, and a tire or two. If you're headed out for any charity or organized rides this summer you clearly don't need to be this well stocked. I'd recommend a tube, tire levers, an inflation device (my faves here and here), and a multi tool. That should have you pretty well covered.

The shop will be open for regular hours- I (Emily) won't be here, but Erich will be. You know Erich? Nice guy, glasses, kinda beardy, knows a lot about bikes. If you don't know him- stop by on Saturday and say 'hi'.

Closed on Saturday

Yep. CLOSED this Saturday (11/5). To wrench at the LUNA Chix Cyclocross Clinic with Katerina Nash. Should be fun!

See you Monday.

All Good

Yeah, summer!

Things are really in full swing here. Tune ups, custom bike builds, and flat fixes as far as the eye can see. All you folks prepping your bikes for racing, charity riding, long distance touring, brand new commutes to work, knee surgery recovery, and whatnot have been keeping us very busy. Thank you!

We had a great flat fix clinic this month. Great turnout and lots of great questions (that, I hope, were fully answered). I'm looking forward to the next round (August 3).

I got to go mountain biking with my Sig O last weekend. This was after a, I'm going to say 'mostly unsuccessful', first MTB ride last fall. This time nobody bled, and I (swear I) heard the phrase "Well, I didn't hate that." Brought a tear to my eye...

I'm headed out to Woburn for the start of the New England Classic tomorrow morning. I'll be out helping riders, who've helped raise money for the American Diabetes Association, who helps (in part) fund researchers, who will someday (in the next ten years...) cure diabetes! So basically, I'll be curing diabetes this weekend.

We got a super dope new shop bike:


Just try to not smile your face off while you're riding this thing.


Keep it up the good work, summer, keep it up.

Adventure Time

I half-accidentally talked myself into a rando/tour/walkabout bike adventure this coming weekend (I know... poor me... that's why it was only half an accident). I'll tell you all about it when it's over (if I make it).

UPDATE: I didn't quite make it, for two reasons: 1) The plan was to ride 130ish to my better half's family house in VT. I kept getting lost, which kept adding to the mileage. I got bailed out after 85ish. 2) I forgot chamois cream. So... that was uncomfortable.

The shop is going to be CLOSED Sat 5/28, Sun 5/29, and Mon 5/30 to accommodate for this adventure.

In preparation, I've been spending a little time transforming my Surly Troll from monster truck to long haul monster truck. Which means gear options, and lots of 'em.


Soooo, if I don't see you before- have a great Memorial Day Weekend! I'll see you Tues 5/31.

Charity

It's charity ride season. That time of year when folks saddle up and ride for their favorite causes. If you love bikes and hate diabetes, cancer, ALS, MS, or heart disease there's a ride out there for you. It's a great way to raise money and awareness and get to ride your bike. You were going to give money any way, right? Well, this way you get a bike ride out of the deal. Or maybe you just want a challenging ride, with supported rest stops. That's ok too.

Hub Bicycle is going to, once again, support the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure(s). I love bikes and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1986, so it only makes sense to lend a hand to the ADA. First up is the South Hamilton tour on Sunday May 22. (The shop will be closed that day.) And then the most epic New England Classic July 9-10 or, if you're up for it, 9-15 (I'm not sure if/when the shop might be closed. I can't plan that far in advance).

The American Diabetes Association does a whole bunch of good work. Education, research, advocacy, and most importantly summer camp for kids with the 'betes, all get funded through the ADA, which gets funded, in part through folks raising money and riding bikes. As a near grown-up, who attended one such summer camp, I appreciate and have directly benefited from the funds raised during charity ride season.


So, find a cause you believe in, raise some money, and ride your bike.