That is until recently. For the past few months I have riding a Giant XTC Composite 29er mountain bike and a Giant TCR Composite 1 road bike. In the coming weeks I will go into detail about my experiences with the change. More than just switching from custom to production bicycles, I have also gone from Campagnolo Chorus 11 speed to SRAM Force, Look Keo to Speedplay pedals, and replaced Shimano XTR with a combination of SRAM XO and X9 components. It’s ok to get out of your comfort zone and try new things sometimes. You may even realize, like me, that the “other” stuff is far better than you expected. As I ride these components more and get more miles on my production Giant bikes I will keep you posted. Change is good.

Over time and failures, I’ve become a devoted advocate of having the right tool for the job. In this case even though I didn’t have that tool on hand, I knew where I could get it. Other times though, no such tool turns up even after a lengthy browsing of the Home Depot aisles. Take a bonded and stuck seatpost in a bike frame. Getting the seatpost out cleanly sometimes means the difference between a perfectly good bike frame and a lawn sculpture. I ran into a severe case of stuck seatpost last year on a fragile and aging steel Orbea frame. Several years of neglect had oxidized the seatpost into the frame so completely that hours of wrenching, pulling, heating, hammering, and drilling couldn’t get it out. I eventually got the seatpost out of the bike, but the frame was no longer viable. Home Depot was no help here. The experience inspired the design of a tool that should help me if I have another bike come in with a severely stuck post in the future. A sort of cross between a bearing puller and a chain come-along. It seems to be promising. I just wish I had thought of it before that Orbea came in.

Now that my son is approaching 10 every new game or brings thoughts of “everyone else has that, so why can’t I?” So I make the late-night drive to Target, hoping they have not sold out of the latest thing that “everyone has.” It is easy to get caught up in that. I don’t want to be the parent who doesn’t buy something for her son, only to find out that he’s getting picked on for not having something that everyone else has. I’ve become one of those parents, at least in part.

All of that came into perspective one busy Saturday morning in the bike shop. We had just launched our Groupon service deal and the mechanics, Ben and Steve, were knee-deep in work. We had members of our racing team bringing in bikes for repairs, and of course we had a steady stream of folks that just needed a flat changed or needed a new chain. Then a father came in with two children: a little boy around 3 years old, and his little girl closer to 7.

The father approached me and asked if we had a seat post that would extend the seat on his daughter’s bike. She had grown out of her bike and it had become impossible to ride. I brought the seat post to Ben and Steve and asked if we had anything like that in the shop. Ben said that we didn’t, so I began to discuss with the dad that his daughter would need the next size up. Saddened, he explained that it would not be possible right now, and that they couldn’t even afford a used bike. The little girl was clearly upset and the father seemed slightly embarrassed by the situation.

Then Ben said, “Wait just a minute…”  He grabbed the key to our storage space and headed out the door.  He came back a few minutes later, pushing a used girl’s bike – one size larger than hers.  ”How do you feel about blue?” he asked the young girl, who was now grinning from ear to ear. The father had a look on his face that said “I don’t think we can afford this”, but Ben explained that he was thinking about this more like a trade. A bike that doesn’t fit for one that does. Ben then put the bike on the repair stand and Steve moved in to help. They worked fast, doing a full tune up on the bike, while I began to clean it up. In minutes, the bike was ready to roll.

In that moment, I looked at all the beautiful bikes up on repair stands. I thought of all the work Ben and Steve had before them.  None of that really mattered. When the little girl threw her leg over that bike for the first time, the look of pride on her face was more important than anything we had going on that day. The father thanked Ben and Steve, and then he and his son and daughter went on their way. After they left, Ben turned to me and explained that the “new” bike had been abandoned. “I could have put a longer seat post on the original bike, but I couldn’t have let them leave that way, because it would’ve been unsafe for the girl” he added.

So that day, I shared that story with other moms that came in the store, and even cried a few tears at times. New video games, new toys, it’s easy to assume that these are the most important things to our kids.  Sometimes the most important thing to our kids can be a father’s desire to fix his daughter’s beloved bike so she could ride, an abandoned bike that someone else didn’t even want, and a stranger’s willingness to spend time make sure it all fit together. That’s the real reality check. As a parent, sometimes it is important to be reminded of that.

Nearly every day possible we were out there at Centennial Park throwing for hours. It is never a relaxed game. At anypoint the wind can catch it and it will soar 30 yards past you over your head. You end up running constantly for the majority of the game. Aside from just the awesome intervals of burst training that makes it a great activity for health reasons, there’s something about the lofty and graceful flight of the ring that keeps you coming back for more. It’s honestly hard to call it quits even after a couple of hours. Instead of cross training for special events and competitions, I cross train for fun. I’ve finally found something else to keep me fit and healthy that’s every bit as fun as riding a bike. My friends and I are actually working to draft a sport based around the Aerobie products and potentially an Aerobie league. We’ll see what happens…

He answered, ”Oh, that would be great, but I have the girls this weekend.”

I smiled and explained my idea. That Sunday we picked up his two little girls and had the best day ever. We went to the park, had pierce (I pushed for that), and went to a little church fair. They had a blast, and so did I. They returned home exhausted. Then, I got to hear about mom’s training camp, and how tough (but fun) it was. I got to hear about the great ride that Dad had on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Everyone was happy, and that is what it is all about. It’s about parents helping parents, and friends helping friends.

We set up play dates for our kids, why not do the same for us? This summer, save some money for a babysitter or make arrangements with friends, and then set up “play-time” (a.k.a. training time) for the parents!

The application process and approvals take seconds, a can set up qualified buyers for 6 or 12 months no interest payment plans. All you have to do is fill out a form and meet a $600 combined order minimum (wheels, bike, clothing, you name it).

Our customers have asked for this for a while, and we heard you. In the short couple of weeks that we have offered this, the demand has been huge. If you have been waiting for the right time to purchase that custom frame or Ellsworth mountain bike, come talk to us today and see if we can make it happen right away!

We’ve got to start making room for the 2012 merchandise and you need new stuff for the cooler fall weather coming up. Get great deals on a cycling wardrobe refresh.

Vuelta Soft Good Sale

2011 Harpeth Bicycles Team Apparel
40% Off

Jerseys, Shorts, Bibs, Cool Stuff Insoles & Harpeth H2O bottles
30% Off

North Face Apparel, Hydration Packs, Sunglasses
25% Off

Gloves, Wool, Shoes, Saddles, Socks, Maxxis Tires
20% Off

Swiftwick Socks, Harpeth Team Custom Wool, Harpeth Saddle Bags
15% Off

Sale Ends Saturday September 10th

Pinnacle tests the brave while the less brave stand and spectate

Fat Tire Festival

Saturday’s Fat Tire Festivities included a kid’s race, tire slide race, and hill climb and downhill race on the rocky face of the Pinnacle Climb. Rain from the day before gave the rocks and roots a slippery sheen, but several participants were able to clean the roughly 100 yard long rocky incline.

Brentwood Market and Deli brought some of the best pulled pork sandwiches we’d ever had and ran out almost immediately (mountain bikers and little mountain bikers are hungry folk).

50 Miles of Hamilton Creek

Sunday the racers lined up early in burlap sacks for the slightly modified Le Mans start to the 50 Mile race.

Nothing like a hot burlap sack to start a summer day.

The first lap was still slick with humidity and racers struggled to maintain traction on several technical sections. As the day wore on temperatures climbed and the trail dried out, making faster lap times possible but a lot less comfortable. Several strong local endurance racers bailed out after only 2 or 3 out of 4 laps. Those lucky enough to be sitting in the shade of the pit area during lunch were treated to another round of Brentwood Market barbecue.

By mid afternoon the teams and solo racers started to straggle back into the pit and cool down and socialize. The awards ceremony included prizes from Oakley, North Face, Chamois Butt’r, the ever-present Yazoo Brewing Company, and many other great companies.

Still, everyone’s eyes were on the Ellsworth Glimpse that had been showcased since the event began, and all were wondering who it would go to. Instead of giving a race-ready trail bike to a raffle winner, or awarding it to someone who already had a great racing machine of their own, Harpeth Bicycles and SORBA decided early on that we would pick someone deserving of a new bike from the race participants. There were a few early standouts, but as the day progressed it became clear that we had a definite winner.

Josh Butler’s bike made squeaking sounds as he navigated it expertly over the rocky terrain of Hamilton Creek. It was a sound most only heard once – as he passed them. After the race we feared that he had bailed out early, because no one could find him. Turns out he had raced his aging hardtail mountain bike 50 miles, then ridden to the other side of the Hamilton Creek park area to cool down with a dip in Percy Priest Lake! His efforts during the race were enough to net him a solid win in the Solo Men’s Amateur class. After awarding him his case of Yazoo and first place prizes, we called him back up to receive his new bike. The look on his face was an amazing combination of shock, excitement, and disbelief.

The highlight of the weekend: Jonathan Woody shakes Josh Butler's hand after awarding him with his new Ellsworth Glimpse mountain bike.

What makes this even better is that Josh only recently moved to Nashville from a small town in East Tennessee, hoping to go to Belmont. He didn’t know anyone else at the race and signed up at the last minute having never ridden the Hamilton Creek trails. No one in his class could keep up with him on his old bike. Imagine how fast he’ll be now. Congratulations Josh!

More photos from the weekend posted on our team facebook page.

]]> http://www.harpethbikes.com/racing/50-miles-of-hamilton-creek-weekend-recap/feed/ 0 http://www.harpethbikes.com/customer-bikes/jonathans-custom-cysco-cycles-road-bike/ http://www.harpethbikes.com/customer-bikes/jonathans-custom-cysco-cycles-road-bike/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:28:38 +0000 Nathan http://harpethbikes.com/?p=1829 Discussing the merits of steel vs titanium over a bacon swiss burger and an IPA was a good start to this bike build. Richie’s 15 years of experience as a custom frame builder was clear from that first discussion. I knew I wanted to build in steel, and over a couple more tasty beverages at The Terminal in Chattanooga we sketched out how I wanted the bike to feel, it’s geometry, and it’s purpose. No forms or emails, those could come later, just a chat over burgers and beer with the one person who would build my Cysco. Perfect. After thousands of miles and just over one year from delivery I can write a review that does this bike justice.

First, why steel? Steel is close to the perfect all-round material for a bike frame. It is durable, less expensive than titanium, and has an exceptionally springy quality that gives great road feel. It is also highly tunable to rider needs and specifications.

Modern steel tubing is definitely not outdated, and it is a choice that we think more riders and racers should look into. Two of our team members have cracked, and thus ruined their $3,500+ carbon frames in criterium race crashes in only the first part of this year’s road racing season. If your not getting your bike for free via pro deal, this is definitely something to consider. I say that knowing I am also racing a carbon 29er mountain bike this year. Yes, I could break a carbon frame zipping along the trail and crashing but when you go down offroad you typically don’t have 25 other guys smashing into you and the bike. Carbon, for all it’s virtues and ubiquity, does not tend to fare well in an impact scenario. Another of our team members went down in the same crash that ruined a high-end carbon frame, except this team member was riding a steel road racing frame. Other than a minor scratch in the paint a slightly tweaked derailleur hanger, the frame was completely unharmed.

After a surprisingly short wait (increasing every week – order yours now!) Richie had delivered a lightweight steel  criterium racing machine. It built up easily with a perfectly tuned Campagnolo Chorus groupset. Sharp handling and ultra responsive into and out of the corners. This bike makes holding your line easy but it responds instantly to directional changes when needed. The oversized steel tubes made for a stiff, but not harsh ride. For the few times I have lined up at a crit race during the year it has delivered me across the finish line no lower than 7th place – and no higher than first. It is a precision tool cloaked as a piece of bicycle art. I have foregone my plans last year to build a killer carbon road bike – for now. I enjoy this bike so much it has simply become the bike I want to ride. I look forward to climbing on board every time I think about hitting the open road. From the paint to the road feel to the razor sharp handling, this bike is exactly what Richie and I envisioned a year ago over burgers and beers, and it still exceeds my expectations.

Full build:
Cysco frame – twisted downtube and three color paint scheme: $1,900
Campagnolo Chorus groupset: $1,945
Fulcrum Racing One wheelset: $1,299
Enve 1.0 Fork: $699
Deda Zero cockpit & seat post $535
Lizard Skins bar tape: $40
Selle Italia SLR saddle: $375
Continental GP 4000s $135
Total Build $6,553

You can’t beat the value Richie delivers for the money. Though this build has some high end componentry that pushes the price into the 6k+ range, there’s no reason why a more budget conscious custom bike couldn’t be built. At the time this review was written, a Cysco Cycles road frame with a basic paint job starts at $1600. Couple that with a set of handbuilt wheels from Harpeth Bicycles, and a SRAM Rival or Shimano 105 groupset and you would be riding a locally built, custom bike that rivals anything from the big manufacturers. Give us a call to talk about Cysco Cycles. We’re big fans.