Leesburg Bakers Dozen (2008)

The Leesburg Bakers Dozen was a blast. The rain held out until after the race and I hardly broke a sweat eating and drinking in the Single Speed Outlaw Shanty Town. Special thanks to JoJo for the delicous food and Clipper City Brewing for the brew and Keg Cooler. The SSO crew had high spirits inspite of exhaustion and Joe's cracked cog. We would also like to thank Plumb Grove for putting on such a great event!

6500 Miles for a Great Cause

This morning I meet Pat Blair, residant of Elkridge, MD. While he was here Pat told me about a 6500 mile cross country adventure he and some buddies took on their fixed gear bicycles. The riders were the Adventures for the Cure Cycling Team attempting to raise money for Diebetis. Pat's trip was captured in an award winning documentary narated by Greg LeMond. The movie trailer is above. Click here to learn more about Adventures for the Cure.

Carbon Fiber Frame Repair

A Couple of weeks ago we sent a Specialized Roubaix frame to Calfee Design for repair. The frame was damaged in a freak accident. The non-drive chainstay was gouged badly. As the pictures show the work preformed by the Calfee staff is exceptional! To the touch, the bike is flawlessly smooth and it takes a close inspection to even recognize the repaired area. The repair work costs less than 300 bucks! I (and the bike's owner) could not be happier with the service.

The Bicycle Escape Welcomes Herb Spicer to the Family

The TBE crew is super excited to announce that we will be sponsoring world-class Ironman Triathlete (and Frederick, MD resident) Herb Spicer in 2008. Please help us cheer Herb on as he begins another successful year of racing. To learn more about this local hero visit herbspicer.com.

Good Luck Herb!

Tomicogs

The other day we received a shipment of Tomicogs. For those of you who don’t know, Tomicogs are fixed gear cogs that install on a disc hub’s 6-bolt (ISO) mounts. If you have a disc brake single speed a Tomicog can provide you with hours of dirty fixed gear fun.

Cycling Awareness

http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

Click on this link to see how aware you are. Come on.... just click it! Trust me, I am not a link clicker myself but this is worth it so come and and give it a click.

YiPsan Display

To celebrate The Bicycle Escape's new dealership of YiPsan Bicycles we are honored to have a fleet of YiPsan custom bikes on display. Some of these beauties were shipped to us directly for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The collection includes a fixed gear with hand painted firecracker graphics, a single speed cyclocross bike, and two road bikes. For those of you who are unaware of YiPsan, you should check out their frames. Each one is a work of art crafted using traditional lug or brazing methods.

More YiPsan Photos are available here.
Don't wait too long to stop by the shop this display will not be here forever!!!

Stop, Swap & Save

It was nice to see so many friendly faces at the 2008 Stop, Swap, and Save event this past weekend in Westminster. This year we brought back the super popular “Wheel Game” and many of you left The Bicycle Escape booth with cool prizes. We were also honored with the opportunity to lead a bicycle fitting seminar. The seminar was well attended and it was our pleasure to participate. For those of you who we met at the event please stop by the shop sometime soon and say hi. We would also like to thank everyone that helped us make this year’s event a success.

Bicycles and Home Brew

The Bicycle Escape just can't seem to get enough of recycling old bike parts. Our latest installment is tap handles. Since there is a lot of riders that home brew it is only natural that bike parts be used as tap handles. This might just be the best combination since some dude accidentally dropped a chocolate bar into an open jar of peanut butter. This handle was made as a birthday gift for our very own (and aging) friend Mike but expect to see more soon. Until then cheers.

5000 Bikes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d75t8Nam_ts

One of our suppliers proves that a bicycle can be so much more that fun and recreation. Visit http://www.5000bikes.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=247538 to learn more about this exciting program.

Lug Lust

I have always admired frames built in the lugged tradition. Their timeless beauty, durability, and ride quality are exceptional. In a few days The Bicycle Escape will have YiPsan frames at the shop. The custom frames crafted at YiPsan are truly works of art. I will keep you posted on the arrival of these handmade gems.

Weight Weenies Rejoice

Weight weenies of the world The Bicycle Escape has your back. We are in the process of building a bicycle weight index. The index will include weights that are recorded in our shop on our digital scale. This should prove to be a helpful resource for weight conscious shoppers. Check back often and watch the index grow.

Warning: Please do not obsess over weight, it should be only one factor considered when bike shopping. Fit, durability, and functionality must also be considered. If you find yourself becoming obsessed with the weight of your bicycle parts consult your local bicycle shop. Bike Weight Obsession (BWO) is a serious problem and needs to be addressed at the first sign of symptoms.

Holy Beautiful Day Batman!!!

With temps hovering around 70 degrees I felt compelled to go for a cycle. I rode by an old, and now deteriorating building that I have always wanted to photograph and today I did just that. Next on the agenda was a great veggie sandwich at Café Nola. Riding down Gashouse Pike I reminisced of riding the same road many years ago with my father, very fond memories. Back then it was not so heavily trafficked. Even with the cars it was a very pleasant ride. I hope I was not the only one who was able to enjoy this day. Anyone else play hooky?

http://cafe-nola.com/Home.html

Ryan's Ripper

Over the past few months Ryan, one of the guys here at the shop, has been painstakingly piecing together a Black Market MOB frame. No part was installed without consideration. The culmination of Ryan's efforts is a 28.76 pound beauty. With Chris King hubs, a Tree sprocket, Animal pedals, and a Paul brake lever the bike is super well equipped.

Titus RacerX 29er Demo

We just added a Titus RacerX 29er (size medium) to our quiver of demo bikes. I am anxious to demo this ride my self as I have yet to enjoy a full ride on one of these steeds.

Thanks and Happy Holidays

Thanks to everyone who helped make this a great year for the shop. Enjoy your holidays and ride your bikes while we have this great weather.

Press Release: North American Handmade Bicycle Show

Here is a press release I received regarding the 2008 NAHBS I kept all of the original typos to preserve the authenticity of the document, enjoy.


SPEEDWAY, Indiana – Following a promising buildup The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS), the world’s largest trade/consumer show for custom-built bicycles, is on the verge of selling out all 185 exhibitor spaces as it heads to the cycling-friendly city of Portland, Oregon, for the first time in the show's three-year history.
The 2008 show will be held in the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, February 8-10.
Show director, Don Walker, the founder of NAHBS, and the show's presenting sponsor, says "I am truly delighted. The show has had three good growth years already, but heading into our fourth we are growing beyond my expectations. I am very confident we will sell all our booth spaces. With seven weeks until the show, we only have ten spaces left, and I am talking with companies that wish to fill those spaces."
The 2007 show, in San Jose, California, was the largest to date, featuring 103 exhibitors who collectively occupied 130 booth spaces. So far 134 exhibitors have signed up. That's almost exactly 30% growth over '07 in exhibitors, and 43% growth in booth spaces sold.
On a recent visit to Portland, show organizers noted considerable public, as well as industry, interest in the show in the Pacific Northwest region, extending as far north as Vancouver, BC.
About The North American Handmade Bicycle Show
The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is dedicated to showcasing the talents of individuals around the world whose art form is the bicycle. It aims to be a gathering point – online and in person – for frame builders and consumers looking for custom-made bikes, for the sharing of ideas and promotion of this industry and its traditions. After three years of growing by leaps and bounds, NAHBS 2008 will feature still more exhibitors, consumers and a wealth of seminars. For more information, see http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com/

Attendees:
333 Fab, Ahearne Cycles, Ahrens Bicycles, Anvil Bikeworks, Baylis Cycles, Bicycle Forest, Bilenky Cycle Works, Black Cat Bicycles, Black Sheep Fab., BME- Brano Meres Design, Bringheli Bicycles, Brooks, Bruce Gordon Cycles, Calfee Design, Cane Creek, Castellano Design, Challenge USA, Chris King, Cicli Polito, Cicli Zullo, Cloud Nine Design, Coconino Cycles, Columbus/Gruppo Spa, Co-Motion, Continental Tires (Highway Two), Courage Cycles, Crumpton Cycles, Cycle Monkey, da Vinci Designs, Davidson Cycles, Dedacciai, Delta 7 Sports, Desalvo Custom Cycles, Dirt Rag Magazine, Dominguez Cycles, Don Walker Cycles, El Camino Fab, Engin Cycles, Fairing Industrial, Fi`zi:k (Highay Two), Frances Cycles, Full Speed Ahead, Good Times Bicycles, Grognard Bicycle Co., Groovy Cycleworks, Ground Up Designs, Henry James, Hufnagel Cycles, Hunter Cycles, Igleheart Custom Bicycles, Independent Fabrication, Ira Ryan Cycles, Jeff Jones Custom Bicycles, Keith Anderson Cycles, King Cage, Kirk Frameworks ,Kish Fabrication, L.H. Thomson, Landshark Bicycles, Litton Cycles, Llewellyn Custom Bicycles, Luna Cycles, Maietta Cycles, Marcroft Cycles, Marschall, Framework, Momentum Magazine, Monsere Designs, Moots Cycles, Mountain Flyer, Naked Bicycles and Design, Nice Bicycles, Nobilette Cycles, Nova Cycle Supply, Oswald Cycle WorksPacenti Cycle Design, Palermo Cycles, Paragon Machine Works, Paul Component Eng., Peacock, Groove, Pegoretti, Pereira Cycles, Phil Wood & Co., Proletariat Bicycle Co., Rapha Racing, Rebolledo Cycles, Rene Herse Cycles, Renovo Hardwood Bicycles, Retrotec, Rex Cycles, Richard Sachs Cycles, Roark Titanium Bicycles, Rock Lobster, Rohloff USA, Rolf Prima Wheels, Rue Sports, Sadilah, Screen Specialties Shop Ink, Selle Italia/Pronet, Sheila Moon Cycling Apparel, Shimano America Corp., Signal Cycles, Soulcraft, Southwest Frameworks, Spectrum Powderworks, Sputnik Tool, SRAM, Steve Potts, Strong Frames, Sweetpea Bicycles, Sycip Design, Terra Nova Cycles, LLC, Thursday Bicycles, Townsend Cycles, True Fabrication, True Temper Sports, United Bicycle Institute, Vanilla Bicycles, Velocity USA, Vendetta Cycles, Ventana Mountain Bikes, USA, Vertigo Cycles, Vicious Cycles, Villin Cycle Works, Waterford Precision Cycles, Wheel Fanatyk, White Brothers, White Industries, Wolfhound Cycles, Wound Up Composites, Ybarrola Bicycles, Yipsan Bicycles, Zipp Speed Weaponry





Look for Yipsan frames at TBE soon...

The Bicycle Escape Family Grows

Yesterday, The Bicycle Escape welcomed a longtime friend and world class mechanic Adam Piece into the TBE clan. You might know him as “the guy who can bunny hop that log at Schaeffer Farms” or “the guy that tuned my suspension fork” or “the jerk that cut me off in his Nissan” but we know him as Adam. Stop by and say hi to our newest crewman and help us make him feel at home. If you want to do some extra kissing up for your next emergency repair, he likes his Sam Adams brew. :) Welcome aboard old friend!

The Final Installment

This bright and cheery 29er was built as a demo bike and to be enjoyed by Crazy-Danielle. The 16” built bike weighs 26.69 lbs and has custom blue pin striping on the Fox F-29 fork. Keep your eyes open for this bike. You are likely to see it at the Frederick Watershed or Gambrill State Park. Watch out for the rider though, she gets grumpy when she goes up hills.

Classy

Lucky rider George just got a custom powder coated 29er (decals applied after photo). The color is almost an almond tone that did not show too well in the photo. The frame is dressed with a Brooks saddle and a pair of their leather grips. This 18” 29er weighs in at 26.67lbs. The warm feeling you get when you look at this bike makes you want to reach for some dark chocolate and Grand Marnier. Cheers!

Build Fest

We have been working on a couple of bikes over the past week and now it is time to share them with the world. The next few blog entries will be pictures of the bikes along with a blerb… that’s right folks a BLERB.

The frame pictured was powder coated candy orange and the Thompson stem and Salsa seat clamp were coated in white. The E-13 bash guard and Straightline Components upgrade brake levers are both available in white as a stock option. The 18” bike (w/ pedals) tips the scale at 27.68 lbs. I can’t wait to test this bad boy on the trails.

Long Live the Hard Cores

The Bicycle Escape Gambrill Night ride was well attended in spite of Mother Nature. With 4 inches of snow on the rocks and leaves you might think that the ride would be canceled… not the case. 9 riders were up to the challenge. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. I spent my time wrestling with a snow thrower and shovel. I am glad some of us enjoyed the night.

Thanks to Ian for the picture.

The 2008 Bottles Have Arrived

Yes folks after months of speculation our 2008 water bottles have arrived. This year we have faster colors and a more aerodynamic logo! Stop by and take a sip from the water bottle that we think Bicycling Magazine should designate “the greatest thing in cycling hydration in over a decade.”

Come into the shop between now and Christmas and tell me what movie I quoted in my previous post and you will win yourself a free bottle.

Limit one bottle per customer while supplies last.

Gambrill Night Ride Shirts

A year in the planning, the Gambrill mountain bike Graveyard Shift T’s have arrived. The super comfy and stylish shirts were produced in very limited quantities. If you would like one you must act quickly. You can pick yours up at the trailhead or at The Bicycle Escape. They are a steal at 15 clams-"to use the parlance of our times!"

If you want to ride some of the best trails of the Mid-Atlantic at night you can sign up here.

Titus Launches Holiday Promotion and 2008 Web Site

Press Release from Titus:

November 26, 2007 - Tempe, AZ – Titus announced today the launch of Holiday Promotion on two of its key titanium full-suspension bikes. The promotion which kicked off this week and will run though the end of 2007, is intended to drive new high-end sales to its retailers during the Christmas selling season. Consumers can save over $1,000 on popular models such as the Racer X Ti and Motolite Ti. The promotion is tied into the introduction of the company’s completely re-designed website which was launched this week as well – www.titusti.com.

“We just kept seeing all of the incredible Holiday promotions happening with high-end carmakers like Mercedes, Lexus, and Infiniti and figured why not us?” said Pat Hus, CEO for Titus Cycles. “We had the inventory and wanted to do something special to show our dealers how much we appreciate their support. We’re confident this will create some strong activity during the holidays that might not have come about without a little nudge from us. Based on early dealer response it seems to be working already,” said Hus.

The re-designed 2008 site features a greatly improved layout with easier navigation, all new photography, including a high-resolution image gallery, technology highlights and media reviews. Additionally, the information-laden site contains articles about the latest suspension designs and how a Titus stacks up against the competition, as well as articles on bike fitting and custom frame-building.

Titus Cycles out of Tempe, Arizona is a leading manufacturer of high-end mountain and road bikes. The company builds frames from aluminum, carbon fiber and titanium and holds exclusive licenses for numerous frame technologies.

Fire Bike

I stumbled onto this picture while I was roaming around on Flickr. I thought it was interesting so and had to share it. By the way did you know that we have a photo album available online also hosted by Flickr? Check it out.

La Ruta

Our friend and racer Kevin Clark just completed one of the world’s most grueling mountain bike races, La Ruta De Los Conquistadores. This multi day race takes its participants 225 miles across Costa Rica. The race is famous for clinging mud and over 40,000 feet of climbing. Welcome home Kevin! No doubt you will be able to read all about the adventure on his blog Single Minded Endurance. (Oh yeah, Kevin was riding a fully rigid single speed. What a man!).

Bicycle Repair Man

via videosift.com

Every so often you witness something that strikes you in some indefinable but monumental way. Yesterday, while researching online, I stumbled across a video that shocked me to my core. This video, better than any I have ever seen, represents my life in an uncanny way. Watching the short film was like being removed from my body and being forced to look down on myself as an omnipotent observer. Some of you may have already seen this but for those of you who have not please enjoy.

Gambrill Night Rides Have Begun

The Gambrill night rides commenced last night. 12 riders joined in the special kind of fun only possible on a mountain bike surrounded by cold and darkness. There were a few mechanicals but fortunately most occurred at the end of the ride within walking distance of the tail head.

If you are comfortable riding the trails at Gambrill and own a high output light come on out and join us. Sign up here.

Photo Ride

This past Sunday several riders showed up for the second installment of The Bicycle Escape’s Photo Ride. The 18 mile ride was very casual with several stops to take photographs. We enjoyed the country roads in Walkersville and Thurmont. As you might note from the bike pictures the ride was somewhat of an unintentional Surly fan club ride. Afterwards we ended up a Cacique for some delicious Mexican/Spanish fare.

Dark Chocolate

A couple days ago I finished my latest project bike- Dark Chocolate. I wanted this bike to be striking to look at but with mellow styling and colors. We chose black and brown to accomplish the desired aesthetic. The Velocity blunt rims, Spot bash guard, Oury lock-on grips, Salsa seat clamp, and Thompson stem parts were all powder coated gloss chocolate brown. We also had the Shimano XT crank powder coated in a high gloss black. The headset and hubs are Chris King and the Avid Juicy brakes were outfitted with Straightline levers. The complete bike weighs 23.54lbs.

Thanks to Final Touch Powder Coating for the great job!

The next step is to get this beauty dirty!

HELP! Local Parks in Danger

It has come to my attention that eight Maryland parks are under immediate risk of closure. Gambrill and Greenbrier are on that list. It is imperative that we as riders, voters, and activists contact our local officials to let them know that this is not acceptable. A good way to find out who your officials are is to visit this website: http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/ It is too late for letters to be sent so use email and phone calls instead. Please do this TODAY as there is a lot at stake for anyone in the area who loves the out-of-doors.

BMX Parts-a-Plenty

Over the last week we have received several shipments of BMX goodies. We got stuff from Fit BMX, S&M, Animal, Fly Bikes, Primo, Haro, The Shadow Conspiracy, Odyssey, We The People, FBM, SNAFU, and more. As I was unpacking the parts I was reminded me of my skateboard days. Not that I was ever any good on a skateboard but I use to sell skate stuff in a previous life. Like skate stuff the packaging is cool and all of the parts are highly stylized. One thing you will instantly notice about the current 20 inch scene is colors. You can get nearly every part in a wide array of colors. This can be fun when you are dressing up your rig but good luck if you want to do the same to a mountain or road bike- black and silver is still the order of the day.

If any of you BMX fans stop by the shop ask for an Animal poster and we will hook you up.

Bicycle Commuting Clinic

Today we held our second bike commuter clinic. Basic bike commuter tips were covered as well as winter commuting tips. Once again John Gorham (Single Speed Outlaw team member) headed up the discussion. Everything from proper planning to safety and equipment were discussed. We look forward to seeing more bikes being used as transportation. It is the best way to fit cycling into your busy schedule. Happy riding.

Iron Cross on a Fixed Gear

Not that many people would consider competing in a 62 mile cyclocross race on a fixed gear, especially one with 6300 feet of elevation gain. But one of our racers, Kevin Clark, was up to the challenge. After a little over 5 hours of mud, sweat, and non-coasting-bliss, Kevin took 6th place. If you think Kevin took it easy the day before- NOT SO! He raced his bike to a 2nd place finish in the Monster Mash. Congratulations RacerK!