Outdoor Sports and Cabin Living Expo Recap

In case you missed the outdoor sports and cabin living expo this past weekend here are some photos from the weekend long event. We were set up there with some cool bikes and a few pieces of fitness to show off to the crowds. The real show stopper seemed to be the fat tire bikes. Almost everyone that stopped to check us out had no idea what a fat bike was and were pretty excited to learn about them. There was plenty of cool things to check out if you're an avid outdoorsman. 

The host for the live lumberjack competition was pretty stoked. He had a lot of fun.

A couple of the lumberjacks in action

Some ax throwing. 

Some Chopping.

Olympic-style rifles were demonstrated at the show.

The show had some serious off-road vehicles.

Tons of Kayaks and canoes.

I thought this canoe was pretty awesome. Its a fully collapsable canoe that breaks down in about 10 minutes. This thing will holdup to 800 pounds and folds up to fit in a bag that measure 2x3 feet.

A big sand box for the kids.

A not so new camper.

Airless tires for a 4 wheeler.

Live canoe and kayak demos.

More off-road vehicles.

Tony talking to some booth guests at the show.

Featured Customer Bike - Super Dave's Bianchi SL3

When Super Dave brought us his killer De Rosa a couple of weeks back, he dropped off this Bianchi as well. Here is a short run-down on the bike with a pretty cool story behind it.

• 2003 Bianchi SL3

• Size 60cm

• Bianchi Ultra Lite Aluminum Frame

• Bianchi Carbon Fork

• Full Campy Record 10 Speed Components

• Scirroco Wheelset

• Thompson Post and Stem

What makes this bike specials is that this Bianchi SL3 is the same bike that Jan Ulrich rode during the 2003 Tour De France. It's even more special due to the fact that only about 100 were made, and maybe even less because of its big 60cm size. 

Do you have an interesting, fancy, hand-build, or unique bike you'd like to share?! Email James@summitcitybikes and tell him what you've got!

Buyer's Guide to Cycling Shorts

This topic got me thinking after Shimano and Pearl Izumi put out a comedic video earlier this week about a customer visiting a store with some confusion about buying his first pair of cycling shorts. (Check it out here). I realized that this topic often can be a little confusing and awkward for first time cycling short buyers, so I'd like to share a few guidelines and tips about purchasing your first (or another) pair of cycling shorts.

Why Cycling Shorts?

Many people usually wonder why. What makes the cycling short so special? What's the benefit? There are quite a few reasons to make the investment including; Aerodynamics, protecting the skin from friction, wicking away sweat, reducing weight, and improved comfort.

The Fit.
First, you typically want to wear what is comfortable and practical for your riding type. There are basically two types of riding shorts. Baggy or tight. Usually, the mountain bikers stick with more of a loose fitting short that has a tighter inner short, while the road bike community tends to lean more toward the aerodynamic tight fitting short. It also depends on your ride. If you're a commuter that needs to make some pit stops at the store or a coffee shop on your way to work, you may want to go with a baggier short. If you're out for a serious ride to hammer on the road, you will want to go with a more slim tighter fit.

Bib or No Bib?
Another option for buying shorts is weather or not you want a bib short or a non-bib short. The bib has a suspender-like shoulder straps that keep your shorts up while riding, eliminating any sagging or drooping that may occur. Some feel that the suspender may be uncomfortable or annoying and have no problem keeping their shorts on their waist. This rider will lean more towards the non-bib style short. With no suspender in the way, it also makes it easier to take care of business when duty calls.

The Chamois.
The chamois, pronounced "shammy" is the pad you'll find on the inside of cycling shorts. It has two main functions. Extra padding and moisture wicking. The padding helps those sit bones stay comfortable when you're spending a lot of time on the saddle. If you often complain about the your saddle hurting your butt, then a chamois is your saving grace. Its also great to keep you dry down there because many chamois are made with moisture wicking materials.

The Cost.
With most things at the bike shop (and in life) you really do get what you pay for. Entry-level can be excellent and work really well, but more expensive items really do have significant benefits over their less expensive counterparts. In most entry-level chamois (pictured above-right) you'll tend to find a thinner pad and less panels. With more expensive chamois (pictured above-Left) you'll find a higher quality build with better materials that will typically last longer.

Featured Customer Bike - Super Dave's De Rosa

Our newest featured bike comes from long-time customer and past employee of the shop "Super" Dave Gable. His custom-built De Rosa King3 is just about as fancy as it gets, with a couple really unique features.

The bike is complete with...

•61cm Toroyaca T-700SC Carbon Frame (approx. 950 grams)

•De Rosa Custom Mizuno Full Carbon Fork

•De Rosa Custom Integrated Seat Post

•SRAM red front and rear brakes

•SRAM Quarq Crank

•Easton EA90 Carbon Bars

•Zipp Zedtech 404 rear wheel

•Campy Scirocco front wheel

•Campy Record Headset

•Campy Record Pedals

Dave recently made a trip to Italy and swung through the De Rosa factory for a tour of the facilities. While at the factory he snagged a couple of autographs from founder and frame builder Ugo De Rosa, and Ugo's son Christiano. Dave's wife, Laura, later surprised him with vinyl decals of the autographs of the De Rosa's signatures that he now displays on the frame of his bike.

Dave also brought us a couple more really unique and interesting bikes that we will post at a later date, so stay tuned!

Do you have a cool bike you'd like to show off? Shoot us an email at James@summitcitybikes.com.

Is a fat tire bike right for YOU?!

Well, the answer is pretty simple I suppose. Ask yourself these few simple questions. Are you a cyclist? Do you ride in the winter? Do you WANT to ride in the winter but that skinny tire'd road bike isn't cutting through the show? If you answered yes, then these bikes are right for you. Plus, lets face it, these things are really just a good time... and one heck of a conversation piece.

The trick to fun and effective riding with these bikes is all about your tire pressure. The lower the PSI the better. Think low psi.... now think lower psi. You're probably getting close, but still way off. For effective riding in a decent amount of snow or sand you're going to need to run about 5 psi. If the trail is harder or there isn't much snow or sand to work with then 10-12 psi will do the trick. 

We're currently getting a decent amount of snow, so its a great time to come in and give one a spin here at the shop. We have a bunch of different colors and sizes to choose from, so come check them out for yourself!

Top Winter Cycling Must-Haves

Winter riding can be a blast.... IF you are dressed properly. Here are some tips to stay warm for the remainder of the winter riding season. When dressed properly for winter cycling, you can stay dry from sweat and insulated from the cold without being restricted like you would from bulkier winter clothing. Check out our top winter cycling must-haves.


1. Shoe covers - Keeping those little piggies warm is a must for comfortable riding in the cold. These booties zip over your cycling shoes leaving room for your cleats on the bottom to snap into your pedals.

2. Gloves - Keeping your hands warm, in my opinion, is one of the most crucial parts of winter  riding. Having your fingers go numb and losing crucial function for braking and shifting is uncomfortable and unsafe. Try to pick something windproof and waterproof and well insulated. Your fingers are up front getting the most wind, so make sure they are well insulated!

3. Insulated Windbreaker- Keeping your core warm is essential. Cycling jackets are a great way to stay warm and not feel restricted like a big bulky winter coat. A lot of winter jackets have back jersey pockets like many of your summer jerseys to store essentials.

5. Base Layer - The great thing about the base layer and windbreaker combination is that it's all you need to keep your core warm. A nice snug fitting base layer will keep your body temperature warm and most have moisture-wicking material to help you stay dry from sweat.

6. Balaclava - A warm face always makes for a more comfortable ride in winter weather. The beauty of a balaclava is the face mask can be pulled down if your face gets too warm, or if you need to sip water out of your bottle. It also protects your head, ears, and neck from the elements. Throw in some ski goggles for those really snowy days and your covered top to bottom. Don't forget your helmet folks! Balaclavas are fairly thin, so a helmet will still fit comfortably.

6. Insulated Tights - The last must-have is insulated tights. A lot like the windbreaker jacket, these are insulated and windproof protecting you from the elements. Zip the bottom up right over the top of your shoe covers and your bottom half is warm and toasty. Many are made with moisture-wicking material to help you stay dry while keeping you warm.

If you have any questions or need some personal tips feel free to stop in so we can help you pick out the winter cycling apparel that is right for you. I hope this will help keep everyone rolling this winter!