Titus Demo Days!

The scheduled demo day for Titus Cycles has been moved from Thursday, May 22nd to tomorrow, Tuesday, May 20th due to prediction of bad weather on Thursday.

This is a great opportunity to take advantage of Titus' hospitality and shred your local trails on some of the finest machines to put a tire to trail.

With a history going back almost 17 years, Titus has been at the forefront in nearly all areas of full suspension performance. Like most good things, from the floundering attempts at full-suspension design, the acceptance and view of what the ideal trail bike is has been evolutionary and not revolutionary. The celebrated 4-bar or Horst link design has performance advantages that still leave other companies and designers scratching their heads on how to compete. Though Titus didn't develop this design-they have brought it close to perfection. Laterally stiff, optimized pivot placements, and trail manners that never get ruffled whether seated, standing, on the brakes or off-one of the ideal compromises in off-road bicycle performance.

See everyone there! Please bring a photo ID, credit card and a guardian if you are under 18. We'll start ~3:00 and go to ~8:00pm. The trail at Green Canyon is in great condition and should have all the ingredients for a great time!

GT Demo Tour Coming to Logan

Kind of late notice but we're lucky to have the GT Demo tour coming to Logan, UT tomorrow, May 8th! The bikes should be at the shop throughout the day and then at Green Canyon from about 3:30-7:30 PM. Louis who is in charge of the program will have a great selection of bikes available for all to come demo. New full-suspension designs will be featured on the Force, Sanction and Marathon bikes.

Come and try them out on trails you are familiar with! I rode Green Canyon last night and there is snow shortly past the second gate but the lower single track is in super condition. Nice and fast-not loose and dusty.

We hope to see many people there!

http://www.experiencegt.com/index.html

USU Bike Swap

The USU Cycling Team asked that we post this. It's a great fund raiser supporting local collegiate racing.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 5 and spread the word! The USU Cycling Club is hosting our annual BIKE SWAP. Looking to buy a new ride? Need parts, clothing, or other cycling gear? Want to sell stuff? Want an alternate transportation method to escape $4 per gallon gas prices anticipated this summer?

Expect to see anything from entry level to high end gear for:

- road, mountain, cyclocross, commuter, bmx, single speed, fixed gear, cruizer, kids bikes

- clothing, parts, gadgets, tools, rack systems, wheels, etc...

Details

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Merlin Olsen Park (300 East and Center)

Sellers Drop Off Times: 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM

SWAP STARTS!! 11 AM and goes til 4 PM

More details, contact Eric at 801-660-9173 or Ira at 435-757-2709 or see www.usu.edu/cycling

Though it is a bike swap, items sold are not limited to bicycling only. If you have a tent, a backpack, or other outdoor equipment you'd like to sell, feel free to bring it by.

Proceeds support the USU Cycling Team to compete intercollegiately in Fall MTB, Winter Cyclo-cross, and Spring Road race seasons. Donations are welcome and very much appreciated!

Race Team Shaping Up Nicely.

Here's a race report and a congratulations to Joyride Bikes/EK Ekcessories racer Eric Gardiner. We're having a great response to the team so far and look forward to getting out on the roads/trails with you. We're not just about results as much as the experience of having fun but we have some talented riders who are bringing strong finishes to the team. Here's Eric's report on our first 1st place finish of the season:

RMR Crit – March 8, 2008

Awakening to snow on the ground did not help me to prep for the crit race that was planned at the RMR speedway this last Saturday. I had the same feeling that comes on every raced day. You know…. that feeling of the unknown. I wasn't sure how I would do but was excited to see how I could fair against other racers.

Upon arriving to the track I got changed quick and started warming up a bit while I waited for the U-man to finish suiting up. It was fun to be on my bike on the road rather than on a trainer inside. Once U-man was ready we took off to the registration booth. There I registered for the C flite. Coach had told me that I should try for the B's but the race officials said no to that one. I was content to race in whatever category. I just wanted to get back into the adrenaline riding that I hadn't had since the cross season.

After Registration I started to really warm up. The race this Saturday was on the oval at the RMR. I guess they normally race on the outside of the oval on a slightly larger track. I decided to follow a few of the guys that were warming up on that so I could scout the track for the next race there.

After doing a few laps I wanted to see a race so I went to the top of the bowl to watch what the A and B flites were doing in the races. I noticed a few things that I decided I would try during my race.

Finally it was time for me to race. I jumped to the front of the line so I cold get a good start position. The man explained a few things and then let us loose. Being that the racing I had done has only been cyclocross I was use to the fast sprints in the beginning of the race. To my surprise no one thought that a quick early sprint was good so I decided to slow down so I could get into a group.

From there the pace was fast and fun. A group of about 7 or 8 became what I guess was the break away. I tried to stay in the top 5 the entire time. It was fun to experience the teamwork that emerged in the front of the race. Once the official called 3 laps left I was trying to think of what I was going to do to finish this race off. From what I had seen in the others it was obvious to me that who ever had the best sprint would win. So my strategy was to lay down a long hard sprint to surprise everyone. Luckily it worked and I finished ahead of the rest with a bit of room to spare.

The race was a lot of fun. I felt good to win and I am excited to try and see what I can do in the B flite.

Eric R381

A Great Little Lift...

Josh found this great little video. Kind of mesmerizes me and makes me think of how much fun riding a bicycle really is. Take a 6 minute 40 second break from work and enjoy.

For Those That Want to Help...

What makes it possible for you to be out there riding your bike? Besides the fact that, yes we are legally entitled to be on the road as a motor vehicle? For those of us who ride road or commute; who is working for the betterment of cyclists rights right here?

Recently there has been an increase in dialog regarding the role of bicycle commuters and their rights to our roadways. Here, as in other areas of the country, the discussion has gotten vigorous and occasionally emotional. There is in our community a small contingent of individuals who appear to be taking a face-to-face, challenging and occasionally adversarial position with those with whom we share the road, as evidenced by a recent Herald Journal article relating obscenities exchanged between a motorist and a cyclist. A 'critical mass' style event ala San Francisco and New York City has even been formed. My first response to this is that we (fortunately) don't live in either of those places.

I've witnessed first-hand a truck swerve to avoid hitting the cyclists in this group, honk, yell, and then offer the obligatory universal sign involving the middle digit. The frustration of the motorist was reciprocated with several 'salutes' from those in the 'critical mass' group.

Hmmm. I've lived here for a long time. I've seen and been a part of all sorts of interactions with other motorists while riding my bike. I've been driving a car and observed those on bicycle commit illegal acts. I've also seen the quality of cyclists image with the Valley residents wax and wane. I wonder how effective an attempt to force this issue will be with motorists in the long term? Will that frustration experienced by a motorist now be released toward me when I am on a ride this summer? Will it be directed at someone I care about?

Fortunately, there is another group working to advocate cycling and bicycle use to improve our cities infrastructure and traffic patterns. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee has been working relentlessly to the benefit of anyone who rides a bicycle in Cache Valley. They are dedicated and hard-working, organized, connected, and willing to go through the proper channels to help protect and promote cycling interests in Cache Valley. They meet monthly and have an open vision of what the Valley can be like long-term. I won't name these individuals but I should. They should be thanked and recognized. They are school counselors, business owners, and other professionals and they are doing something great.

So while we are out riding our bikes, we can do so because of the courtesy extended by people on the roadways and the letter of the law which protects our rights and so on. But really, we can be out there thanks to those whose work is driving the interests of bicyclists in a way that is tremendous, attainable, and durable. Can our bicycle culture ever approach that of Boulder, Colorado. Probably not, but it sure is cool to think about.

Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia. -- H.G. Wells

Congrats to Joyride/EK Ekcessories Racers!

Joyride/EK racers John Burton and Jedd Cox placed 2nd and 4th in the first XC mountain bike race of the season in St. George, UT. Not bad for a couple of snowbound junior racers from Logan!