October 14, 2010
La nuit dernière était notre deuxièmes vin, fromage, chocolat et graisse annuels Ladies’ ; nuit dans le magasin de vélo. Nous avons eu une excellente assemblée et avons apprécié la soirée entière. Il était grand d’avoir tant de femmes dans le magasin posant des questions et finissant par connaître leurs vélos meilleurs. Merci beaucoup au NIU Women’ ; centre de ressource de s pour leur appui et promotion de l’événement.
Merci pour venir, dames.
Translation:
Thanks for coming, ladies.
September 7, 2010
August 11, 2010
It’s our pleasure and honor to announce a special event taking place next Wednesday here at North Central Cyclery. Salsa Cycles will be here to show off a handful of their new and never-before-seen bikes and components for the upcoming 2011 model year. The event will feature product giveaways from Salsa and NCC, Test Rides (after a precursory background check and DNA sampling), Campfire, Weenie Roast, S’mores, and, of course, beervezas.
The showstopping addition to the Salsa lineup is the new Mukluk.
The Mukluk is Salsa’s new snowbike and you’ll be able to see it live and in person. (Well, you’ll be in person. It will be in bicycle). We’ve already been told the Mukluk is going to be a tough bike to get a hold of, so we’ll be taking pre-orders at the event.
Another pair of beauties that are hard to obtain that will be present at the event are the Ti Mariachi and Ti La Cruz models – complete and ready for test rides.
The Ti Mariachi made a cameo here last winter. Our first Ti Salsa, the Ti La Cruz, finally arrived last week after being on order for months! The Ti family from Salsa will be growing this year, but you’ll have to stay tuned for more info on those new arrivals as they come.
Also making an appearance will be the new steel Mariachi.
Other new and never-before-seen stuff will be present at NCC. You’ll have to come and see it yourself. I truly am not at liberty to say what it will be.
Salsa will also have some prototypes of their new line of racks and “gear cages” to show off, too. These are impressive.
The festivities begin at 7pm on Wednesday night. Please feel free to send an rsvp to rideaway@northcentralcyclery.com so we can buy enough weenies, vege-weenies, and s’morestuffs.
April 14, 2010
We’ve just received our Seafaring custom saddle, hand-carved by Kara Ginther, back from Topanga Creek Bicycles in LA. Topanga was the last stop on the SaddleWorks traveling exhibit we created this winter. It’s good to have it back in the shop.
The whole experience surrounding the exhibit was inspirational. We at NCC have been inspired to continue incorporating more handmade items in our selection and in our personal use. We’ve also felt liberated to host different types of events that aren’t necessarily limited to typical bike shop stuff. We’re hoping to host a fine beer/wine tasting this summer in cooperation with the local and fabulous Inboden’s Market, to name one.
We’re happy to report Kara’s response to the whole experience was positive as well. In her words: “I cannot thank North Central Cyclery, Salvagetti, and Topanga Creek Cycles enough for coming together to host SaddleWorks. It has been amazing to leave the impersonal world of web pages and digital images to experience the warmth and enthusiasm of real live people and face-to-face interactions. So much has opened up for me since my initial online debut last October. I am thrilled to be working on projects for The Tweed Run in London and Salone del Mobile 2010 for Wallpaper* magazine. I have been able collaborate with bike builders nationwide, displaying my work at venues such as NAHBS 2010 in Virginia. I’ve even been in contact with Brooks directly and am so happy to have their support! I am thankful every day for those who have gone out of their way to promote a beginning (and yes, at times, starving) artist; it is at once humbling and incredibly motivating. Thanks to you all, I have high hopes for the future of Kara Ginther Leather.”
Now, everybody pony up and order a saddle.
fin
t
February 5, 2010
The official opening for the Kara Ginther Saddle:Works Exhibit is tomorrow night from 6:30pm-8:30pm.
Kara sent me a preview of a few of the new saddles debuting at the exhibit:
See you there.
t
January 8, 2010
North Central Cyclery is proud to announce an exhibit of the exquisite work of artist Kara Ginther opening February 6th, 2010. The exhibition will include an array of custom carved leather Brooks bicycle saddles and a few other rare Brooks Saddles owned by North Central Cyclery.
Kara Ginther is a leather artisan based in Madison, WI and while her work has been widely shown on popular cycling and bike culture websites, this will be the first physical exhibition centered on her saddles since she began carving them a few years ago. The exhibit will include 2 saddles from Ginther’s Mobile Museum of Material Culture, a tandem bicycle modified to be a mobile art exhibit. Also on display will be a few never-before-seen saddleworks Kara has been working on this winter. One saddle is being commissioned by NCC specifically for the exhibit.
Kara Ginther studied textile design at the University of Wisconsin and her work was born from a love of all things vintage. Much of her creative process stems from that inspiration. Her embellishments to Brooks Saddles add to their beauty without diminishing their purpose.
Along with Kara’s saddles, we’ll be displaying our tidy collection of rare Brooks saddles as well. We have
the White Swallow, the Shaggy B17, A Bicycle Fim Festical Green Swallow, an Alpe de Huez Team Pro (designed by Dan Funderburgh), and the brand new White Team Pro.
The exhibit will be at NCC until the 13th and can be viewed during our normal store hours. The exhibit will then be packed up and sent to Denver where it will be on display at Salvagetti’s Bicycle Workshop and then on to our friends at Topanga Creek Bicycles in LA.
Our Opening Night will be Saturday, Feb 6th at 6:30pm. Wine and cheese will be provided… and it would be safe to assume there will be some New Glarus there, too.
If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to call us at 815.758.2403 or email tobie@northcentralcyclery.com
September 21, 2009
Last week we hosted a Ladies’ Night Bike Clinic in coordination with the NIU Women’s Resource Center.
We had a great turnout. We had set out a nice spread of wine, cheese, and chocolate which was perfectly consumed by the end of the night. We did the clinic in our round-robin style with 3 stations: Wheels & Tires, Brakes, and Gears. The groups were small enough to answer all the questions and we appreciated eveyrone’s willingness to ask.
Thanks to all the attendees, the WRC for the opportunity, and my wife, who shocked us all by helping all of our customers that night (I think my employees were worried about their job security) (and they should be).
Check out photos here, and here, and press here
August 17, 2009
Every year in August, Trek invites a number of dealers up to Madison for the unveiling of their new product and programs. We’ve had the pleasure of visiting “Trek World” for the last 4 years and it’s always stunning. They earn their place at the top of the American bicycle industry. They are a smart company that works incredibly hard to make their dealers do well; and I’m not just saying that because they gave us free beer. \
We like Trek. Many people can stand back with their arms crossed and say something jabby about them. It’s easy, they’re winning. We as a shop are not always fond of big bike biz bikes, but I will say that Trek works hard for our business, and we sell them because they are great bikes. Trek makes a bike for almost anyone, and that is what keeps us in business. They also make a little shop like us very solid because they offer us resources that would have otherwise been totally unattainable with our budget.
This year’s new product was pretty impressive, and the new stuff dovetails well into our store. We like creativity, utility, and overall value. The new Eco line (Belleville and Atwood models) are an excellent addition to the Trek brand and our selection in DeKalb. The Belleville comes stock with a 4130 steel frame, rack, fenders, internal 3spd, and dynamo lights – all for $599 – watch out. The Atwood is stripped down with more gears for $499. Impressive.
Trek expanded the District line with 4 new models. The carbon version is ridiculous. $4k for a ss belt drive bike. We’ll probably only sell a dozen or so. shea.
The buzz all over the world (or lack of buzz) is electric and electric assist bikes. Trek is on top of it in Europe, but stateside the demand is not so high. They released 3 models with E-Assist that are pricey, but impressive. The assist gives back what you put in and is surprisingly smooth.
I can’t cover all the new stuff, but I mention 2 more things about the new Fisher stuff. The new road bikes look great and are FINALLY coming with enough clearance for 28c tires and skinny fenders. Even the carbon frames come with a detachable fender eyelet. The other hit was the new Gritty model. It’s the bike that answers the rising demand for grownup BMX bikes – stocky, BMX parts, FG/SS, with extra beef.
And, Trek, thanks for the beer.
fin
August 4, 2009
Sunday, August 2nd was the inaugural Eleventy ride to New Glarus, WI.
It was amazing. 11o miles into the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin. We had great navigators and had the immense pleasure of riding back on a school bus specifically designed to accomodate a bike club. It could not have been a better day.
Many thanks to all the riders and especially to C. Higgins, T. James, and J.Nevdal for their time, energy, hospitality, sandwiches, and school bus.
