5 Money Saving Bike Tips for Fall 

October 13, 2016
Replace Drivetrain parts in the Fall

Replace Drivetrain parts in the Fall

Each season has its own ups and downs.  Spring and summer seasons are marked with event registrations, travel, and enjoying the cycling lifestyle.  The winter season is the least expensive as most cyclist scale down their training or ride more indoors.  

However, the fall season is somewhat of a mixture of all that. Racing continues yet weather conditions cause havoc on bikes and bike gear. When you add up all the gear, maintenance, and event fees, then riding bikes can be expensive.  Following are 5 ways to save money saving bike tips for fall. 

  1. Patch your tubes.  When you get a flat, don’t just throw the tube away. Hang on to it and patch it when you get home. Patches are fairly inexpensive and can give your tube new life.
  2. Clean and maintain your bike regularly. The maintenance schedule for a bike can vary somewhat on how often it’s ridden. However, performing regular bike inspections can provide injury free and enjoyable riding. Also, regular bike maintenance can extend the life of your bike parts and cycling accessories.  
  3. Look for discounted gear online and at bike swaps.  At BikeParts.com we have ongoing closeouts that save on bike parts, cycling apparel, and cycling accessories.  Check out those options.  Another option is to check out the annual Veloswap here in Denver, Colorado on October 22nd.  
  4. Replace bike parts regularly.  Don’t wait until you hear odd little noises or you notice that your bike is taking too long for the brakes to engage before investigating.  Some parts of a bike have a set “wear life”. As you put in the miles, they gradually wear out and need to be replaced. Typically, this includes chains, cassettes, chainrings, brake pads, and cleats.  Stay one step ahead of the game by purchasing these types of bike parts on sale and have them on hand when you need them. 
  5. Sign up early for races or events.  Waiting last minute to register for events can be costly.  Avoid late or day-of registration fees for races and events by signing up ahead of time. You’ll have a little extra cash in your pocket—not to mention the extra motivation that comes with making a financial commitment. 

With a little planning, it’s easy to save money and continue to embrace the transition from summer to fall.  Enjoy! 

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Posted by staffwriter8

5 Cycling Activities to do this Memorial Day Weekend 

May 26, 2016

BikeParts.com Racer in ActionWondering what to do with your day off this upcoming Memorial Day weekend? Ride, of course!  As the cycling season kicks off, there are plenty of casual and competitive cycling activities to do.

Rescheduled from a previous date, the infamous Koppenberg Race leads the weekend actives for competitive road bike athletes. The Koppenberg Race featuring a 17% grade climb and is considered the queen of the spring time cycling events in Colorado.  This event jump starts the cycling season with an impressive 5.5 mile road race circuit, with 300ft of elevation gain per lap, and includes 2 miles on a packed dirt road.  Join in the fun if you are ready for a lung burning, leg twitching feast! More information can be found here. And, while you’re at it, you can prepare to recover well from this race with our compression gear and nutritional recovery supplements- specifically bars, gels, and recovery drinks.  You have to get ready for the next ride, right?

Speaking of next rides, the 2016 – Cafe Velo Gran Fondo is on Sunday.  This event starts and finishes in Monument, Colorado at the Pikes Peak Brewery.  What’s great about this ride is that you have the option to choose from 1, 2, 3, 4 or up to 5 loops (110 miles, 9110 foot elevation gain) making it a great recovery ride from the Koppenberg Race or a great season starter if you are just now getting back on the bike. The ride covers a scenic 22 mile loop with an 1822 foot elevation gain through scenic Northern El Paso County; so plan according to your level of fitness.

While not local to the Front Range, this weekend also hosts the famous Iron Horse Bicycle Classic in Durango, Colorado.  The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is one of the oldest cycling events in the country (since 1972) and is a multi-event bicycling weekend for cyclists of all levels.  Beautiful 10,000-foot mountain passes on the ride or race to Silverton on Saturday. Wonderful Sunday events in downtown Durango including kid races, the costume ride, road circuit race and mountain bike race. Monday completes the weekend with an individual time trial.
You’ll want to visit their website for more information.

If road riding isn’t your thing, consider making the trip to Gunnison, Colorado for The Original Growler endurance mountain bike race. This popular event usually fills up so fast you generally can’t get in to the event. Fortunately, this year’s Sunday’s Full – Growler and Half Growler are still open for registration.  Keep in mind, the course takes place in rugged, isolated backcountry terrain. That means, check your bike for the right bike parts, have your hydration pack full, bring your nutritional items, and have all your necessary cycling apparel on hand.  Why? Because the event is remote, organizers responding to mechanicals or an injured rider could be time consuming and difficult on this course.  Plan accordingly.

Finally, maybe traveling this weekend isn’t your thing.  No worries – we’ve got you covered!  Check out Our Guide to The Best Bike Trails in Golden, Colorado to create an adventurous day of trail riding.  Or spend some time preparing for the upcoming season.  Consider performing bike maintenance, schedule a bike fit, or shop for new cycling apparel. We bet Our New POC Cycling Gear Makes You a Better Rider.

Whichever rides or races you opt to do, Happy Memorial Day weekend to you!

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Posted by staffwriter8

Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Cyclist 

December 4, 2014
Stocking Stuffers at BikeParts.com

Stocking Stuffers at BikeParts.com

The Holiday Season is in full swing and if you have a cyclist or occasional bicycle rider on your Christmas list, it may be difficult to find just the right bike-related gift.

Traditionally, stocking stuffers are smaller gifts that tend to pale in comparison to the main gifts under the Christmas tree. But with some creativity and useful gifts for all types of cyclist, don’t be surprised if our ideas for stocking stuffers turn out to be a big hit on Christmas morning.
For starters, we’ll focus on small things — stuff that fits in a stocking.  These are the usual suspects:
  • Tubes: This is one gift you absolutely positively will get used. Make sure you get the right size of tube. If you aren’t sure, stop in the Peaks Cycling Store and ask one of our friendly staff to help you. Or, visit us online at bikeparts.com
  • A good bottle: Every cyclist has a ton of bottles, but that’s not the same as having good bottles. Buy a good bottle and stuff it with other goodies.
  • Socks: Did you know cyclist like to wear their cycling socks even when they aren’t riding?  Why? Because they are so comfortable.  Pick out a pair of socks you like for your cyclist and maybe even get a pair for yourself!
  • Warmers: We’re talking about head warmers, ear warmers, arm warmers, leg warmers, and shoe covers – all the necessities to keep your favorite cyclist warm and comfortable out on those chilly winter rides.  They nice thing about these is that they fit nicely in a holiday stocking in as much as they do a cycling jersey!
  • Gloves: Here’s another thing that every cyclist already has, but which every cyclist can always use more of.
  • Bike nutrition – as in Energy bars / gels / chews: Instead of chocolate, fill the stocking (or water bottle) with nutrition, bars, gels, and drinks
    your cyclist can use on the bike.
  • Lube: Every cyclist goes through it and we’ve got tons of it.
  • A gift for off the bike.  Maybe your cyclist would enjoy a pint glass, a poster, or some other bike parts goodie.
But what about the unique gifts?  These gift ideas could be the very wishes your favorite cyclist has dreamed of!
  • Gift a Bike fit –  Does your cyclist complain of hands falling asleep while riding? Or shoulder or neck pain after a long ride? A bike fit isn’t just for professional riders – they are for anyone who rides whether they are a beginner or advanced rider. A bike fit helps ensure riding comfort but it also impacts technique which is crucial to preventing overuse injuries and how an athlete rides. Consider the gift of giving your favorite cyclist a bike fit for Christmas. Not only can we help them with the fit, but we carry all the bike parts required to get the bike in the very best setup for their riding needs.  Give us a call (303) 216-1616 or stop by the shop in Golden to schedule your bike fit.
  • Demo a fat bike!  That’s right! Fat bikes are all the rage – they thrive in snow, sand, desert, bogs and mud as well as riding what is considered normal mountain biking.  In fact, fat bikes are the fastest growing segment in the bike industry.  Book a fat bike demo for your favorite cyclist that will up the giggle factor to their normal winter riding program.  Who can’t smile while riding a fat bike?
  • Gift an App that keeps on giving – Smart phones, apps, and technology are paving the way for increased year round fitness. Consider giving the gift of paid apps to help keep your cyclist on track. The post, Top 5 Apps for Cyclists for Off-Season Fitness Gains, offers great suggestions including Lose it!, Strava, and Sleep Cycle.
  • A cyclist dream gift?  Bike parts! What cyclist doesn’t love bike parts? Whether it’s a new saddle, shifters, brakes, seat post, fork, pedals, hubs or wheels, your favorite cyclist wants it.  The usual problem is how to know exactly what to get. Our answer, get a gift certificate.
Still need ideas for creative stocking stuffers?  Stop by the shop in Golden, Colorado or give us a call at Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop (303) 216-1616 and we’ll gladly help you out!  Happy Holidays!

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Posted by staffwriter8