Bike Rack Indianapolis

Rack Trunks: Great for Day Trip Essentials

Thursday, July 8, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Bontrager Rack Trunk at Bicycle Garage Indy

Rack Trunks are great for day trip essentials: Bicycle Garage Indy

There are a lot of bicyclists who can put their complete riding needs for a day in a couple of jersey pockets. I am not one of them. It is not that I am a totally fred rider. While a strong believer in self-sufficiency on the road, contrary to rumor, I can't quite overhaul a bike on the roadside. However, I am the family ride sherpa, responsible for sunscreen, food, spares, rain gear, our restaurant lock, and anything else that I was supposed to bring. And then there is a camera that comes on almost every ride ride. So I have a rack trunk on my touring bike and our tandem. Rack trunks are also great for 3-season and day-trip riders with space for jackets, vests, arm and leg warmers.

The Trek Rear Trunk Bag is good basic bag of 600 to 800 cubic inches. It easily has room for day trip sundries. For quick errands, small packages easily fit in a trunk, or you can get drop down pannier models like the Bontrager Interchange Deluxe Plus Rear Trunk. This type of bag is also popular with commuter cyclists. Rack trunks will attach easily and securely using combination of straps and velcro, or the Bontrager Interchange system of spring loaded clips and matched racks.

Bontrager Deluxe Plus Rack Trunk at Bicycle Garage Indy

Obviously, a rack trunk needs a rack, and there are two types. Traditional 4-point racks from Blackburn or Bontrager, which require eyelets on your bike. Or seat post mounted racks like the Bontrager Seat Post Rack. Note that if your bike has a carbon fiber seat post, check with the manufactures specs before using a seat post rack.

Bontrager and Blackburn are just two of the hundreds of brands of Bike Accessories Indianapolis, in-stock now at Bicycle Garage Indy North in Indianapolis, and Bicycle Garage Indy South in Greenwood.

Bicycle Road Trip Tips

Sunday, May 30, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

A road trip for 4 with bikes just takes a little planning

Loading 4 bikes and gear may appear challenging, so here are some tips from our many summers of practice. We are a typical family of four, and we sometimes leave town for a ride, or to explore a new locale. We started our family outings when our boys were infants, so we have LOTS of practice.

First of course, you need to carry the bikes. For our combinations of 3 to 4 bikes and tandems we have both a roof rack (for the tandem) and a hitch mounted Yakima Big Horn 4. This hitch mounted rack is easy-on and easy-off between use, and bikes are an easy lift to load.

Our roof rack uses the Yakima Landing pad system, and while it requires some lifting by two adults, it can also be locked on in just minutes.

The Yakima Big Horn 4 with 3 bikes - Bicycle Garage Indy

When loading bikes on the Big Horn, each bike alternates front to back, and it may take a couple of tryw to find the combination for your families bikes. The bike holders can slide (tip, a quick shot of Formula 409 or similar cleaner eases sliding them). We also run a security cable through all the wheels to secure the bikes onto the rack.

Once you have the bikes, next comes the gear. For many years, we have relied on Rubbermaid Rough Stuff tubs for our helmets and bike gear. It is keeps it all organized, and works when loading at home, the ride start, and especially for the trip home. We also have a few of those ubiquitous fabric shopping bags for the and odds and ends, like shoes, hydration packs.

A storage tub and carry bag keeps your gear organized in the car.

Finally comes your apres ride extras. Fresh clothing is nice, especially on hot days. A a cooler of of drinks is also a good idea. If showers aren't available, we throw in some baby wipes, for quick clean for the drive home.

This Yakima Big Horn 4 is just one of the dozens of car Bike Rack Indianapolis options from Yakima and Saris, available at both Bicycle Garage Indy-North and Bicycle Garage Indy-South in Greenwood.

Detours Money From Trash Bags now at Bicycle Garage Indy

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Detours Juicy Box - Money from Trash bag series at Bicycle Garage Indy

We are now carrying the Detours Money from Trash recycled bags from Detours. Bicycle Garage Indy has in stock the Detours TooCan pannier ($84.99), the Transit Box rack trunk ($54.99), and Day Tripper handlebar bag ($29.99), all in the woven, Juicy Box material.

Money From Trash is a grassroots effort of several women-owned and operated business in the Philippines. With the cooperation of families, school and business, thousands of soft polyethylene juice boxes are collected, washed and sorted. The boxes are then transformed into colorful durable materials used by companies like Detours, to create unique products like the Juicy Box bag series.

Detours is just one of the hundreds of brands of Bike Accessories Indianapolis, in-stock now at Bicycle Garage Indy North in Indianapolis, and Bicycle Garage Indy South in Greenwood.

Bike To Work: Tips from Experience

Friday, May 7, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Here are a collection of tips based on my 10+ years with a 3 mile, one-way, commute, and 4 years of a 16-18 mile one-way commute.

Reduce your load. Stock your office ahead of time with things you need. Leave a spare pair of shoes, an office toilet kit, a sport coat or jacket at the office, so they don't need to make the trip by bike.

Casual Fridays are great commute days. If office dress codes make packing your office wear prohibitive, save your bike commute for casual Friday.

Dedicate your commuting gear. Once you are commuting regularly, don't switch gear (Bags, locks and lights) around for other uses.

Get a routine. Pack for the the next trip as you unpack at home after work; clean essentials can go right in the bag for the next trip. Pick the rest of your outfit that morning.

Check and prep your bike the night before. Charge your lights if you need, air tires, and check your other gear; bags, racks, lock, etc.. Commuter bikes rack up miles, along with wear and tear, in a hurry.

Long Commute Tip: Since I was going to shower at work after my commute, I saved 15 minutes by not showering at home before riding in.

Long Commute Tip:Your metabolism may vary, but I didn't eat a sit-down breakfast before my commute. Even when I ate breakfast at home, I needed a second breakfast after riding in. So I brought along a breakfast bar or other "portable" breakfast and fruit, etc., and ate at work.

Short Commute Tip: Learn to ride below your exertion pace. When commuting just 3 miles, I took extra time to ride at just 10-12 miles an hour. I never broke a sweat, and that allowed me to ride to work and not need a shower or change clothes.

National Bike To Work Week is May 17 to 21, part of May National Bike Month. On Friday, May 21, Bicycle Indiana and Bicycle Garage Indy host the Bike to Work Day Corporate Challenge, including organized group commutes converging on the Circle in Downtown Indianapolis.

Bicycle Garage Indy has accessories and advice for Bike Commuters Indianapolis at our two Indianapolis locations: Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis in the Clearwater area) and Bicycle Garage Indy South (Greenwood, just west of I-65 on County Line Road).

Be Prepared for Week End Rides

Friday, April 30, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Pack with a check list, to avoid leaving essentials behind.

The weekend riding season is upon us! We check the calendar, get dressed, load up the car, drive to the start of the ride, unload the bikes, get ready to roll and then have that Doh! moment we we realize our helmet, bike shoes or sunglasses are still at home! I see this happen at almost every ride I attend, from local weekend CIBA rides to big out-of-town events like TOSRV or Hilly Hundred.

The easiest way to avoid these disappointments is have a road trip check list to use while you are packing, and before you leave the driveway. While our check list started when we began bicycle touring, it really became useful when we began to ride with our children. Here is are basic outline for day rides and weekends where car travel is involved.

Bike: Bike (w/ front wheel!) Tools (on-bike), frame pump, bike computer, on-bike bags.

Tools (off-bike): Tire Pump, chain lube, spare tubes and tires, bike lock and keys!

Clothing: Shorts, jersey, socks, shoes, helmet, gloves, glasses, (and weather appropriate gear; tights, jackets, vests, rain gear, hats, etc.).

Food: Bottles, hydration packs, energy bars and drink mix & fresh fruit.

Extras: Sunscreen and chap stick, maps, after ride clothes, bike lights.

I can tell you that anything on the list has been forgotten, or needed, at least once. We didn't leave a front wheel at home; although we almost left one behind after the ride. However, we did leave the keys behind for bikes locked to the roof rack! Typically, we pack bike gear separate from our street clothes, and we also use storage tubs for packing helmets and on-bike gear as the bikes are loaded on our car rack. This was handy for a family of 4. If it is just yourself, you may not need that much organization, but even a mental check list before you leave will save you a lot of frustration and get you on the road!

The experienced staff at either Bicycle Garage Indy location, North, (Indianapolis in the Clearwater area) or South in Greenwood (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd.) can help you choose the right bike accessories Indianapolis for a trip around town or across the state.

Bicycle Friendly Community Presentation this Thursday.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will formally receive the "Bicycle Friendly Community" award from Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, on Thursday the 22nd, at 2pm, at City Market in downtown Indy. Indianapolis received a Bronze level award for for 2010-2012 in the fall of 2009.

Bicyclists should show their support by attending this event and showing the strength of our numbers.

Mayor Ballard & Mr. Clarke will address these topics:

- Indianapolis' Status As A Bicycle Friendly Community

- BGI's Status As A Bicycle Friendly Business

- Mayor's Bike Ride on June 5th

- Bike lane plans for 2010

- Review of Bicycle accomplishments over past year (bike racks downtown, new miles of lanes etc)

Bike to Work Day, 2009 (Jay Hardcastle photo)

Want to show your support of bicycling initiatives in Indianapolis and learn about the vision for the future? Come to this event!

(Bicycle Garage Indy is long time advocate for Bicycle Improvements in greater Indianapolis and across Indiana.)

BGi's 27th Annual Spring Bicycle Expo Starts Friday

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

This Friday thru Sunday, March 19th, 20th & 21st, Bicycle Garage Indy will hold the 27th annual BGI Spring Bicycle Expo. The Expo takes place at both BGI Locations: BGI North on 82nd Street in the Clearwater area, and BGI South, just west of I-65 on County Line Road in Greenwood. Our North Store will feature an 18,000 sq. ft. tent with 1,000 ready to ride bikes, all on sale. Also at North, bicycle car racks will be on sale from 20% to 30% off, with Free Installation. Full Details are at www.bgindy.com/for/expo.

Every product category at Bicycle Garage Indy will be on sale: Helmets (20%) Bicycle Clothing and Shoes (15% to 50% off), all accessories (15% off) and all Fitness Equipment (10% off). Cannondale, Giant and Trek Bikes Indianapolis will all be on sale during the BGI Spring Bicycle Expo.

Make sure IndyConnect's plans include bikes

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Connie Schmucker

Want to help shape the future of transportation in Central Indiana and make sure the needs of bicyclists are met? Here’s you chance!

For the next several weeks (through March 25, 2010), IndyConnect is holding public meetings to gather input and support for a bold transportation plan. The visionary plan calls for increased investment in mass transit, road improvements and bicycle and pedestrian pathways to address the transportation needs of the area.

Suggested Talking Points supporting bicycling in the plan:

Incorporate the SustainIndy BikeWays Plan within the plan (200-mile bike lane plan for Marion County) and show how the transit stops will connect with the bike lane plan
Bicycle parking at every transit stop – long-term (bicycle lockers) and short term (bicycle racks) are both needed.
Allow bikes on transit (light rail)

If you can’t make the public meetings, public meeting comment forms will be available online.

Visit IndyConnect.org for more info, a schedule of upcoming meetings and opportunity to comment online.

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
Indianapolis & Greenwood, IN

Something Completely Different, the XDK Slug

Sunday, February 28, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Sometimes a product comes along that is very difficult to describe, or explain in words how to use or why you need it. When I first saw the XDK Slug, A Hydration Pack Tool I knew I had to have one.

Now I am a rarity, a road rider who uses a CamelBak. I know a CamelBak on road bike just yells FRED, but hear me out. I was first introduced to them while riding in Washington State. Off-road riders are constantly in mud, so CamelBaks were used for both for hands-free drinking, and reasonable clean access to water. A lot of the off-road riders would train on the road, so they kept the CamelBak habit. I am on a tandem a lot, so hands free is nice for that. Finally, our kids were tandeming with at a very early age, and a strapped on pack let them drink without playing the "drop-the-water-bottle" game. So our work-out storage includes hooks for four hydration packs and extra's.

Now the Omegaport lid is a great improvement over the original CamelBak. You can easily add ice (especially nice at quick shop ice machines!), and clean and dry the bladder. But for some, it can be very difficult to open. In our household, I am the official CamelBak "opener". (Along with bike mechanic, roof rack bike loader, tire inflation specialist, etc.) With the Slug, which inspired the video below, I have 1 less official job at home. Now if someone will just invent a PowerBar opener. . . .

CamelBak and XDK are just two of the hundreds of brands of Bike Accessories Indianapolis, in-stock now at Bicycle Garage Indy North, in Indianapolis, and Bicycle Garage Indy South in Greenwood.

My First Ride of 2010

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Customers, Friends and Fans of Bicycle Garage Indy

My name is Sandy Spears and I work at BGI South and this is the story of my first bike ride of 2010. I like many others have been itching to get outside and ride bicycles, the weather on the other hand has not cooperated, unleashing on the city mounds of snow and bitter cold temperatures. This past Sunday however, held the promise of warmer temps enticing me to make a date with my bike and my friend, I was not going to let this opportunity slip through my pedals. Donned in my cold weather clothing I loaded my bike on to the car rack and made my way downtown to meet my friend. They sky was cloudy and the streets were wet and sloppy from a light misting of rain and melting snow, I knew my bike was going to be a mess before I even started to ride, but I didn’t care I was not to be denied this day or the anticipation of the simple pleasure of being back on my bicycle. On the road we encountered a wide array of conditions including puddles of water, sheets of ice, piles of shoveled snow and light drizzling rain. Now you might be thinking that’s a little reckless getting out on a road bike in those conditions. Rest assured this was not a job for my road bike, nor would I be using one of my mountain bikes or my hybrid, no this ride was going to take a very special type of bike to handle these conditions. I would need to use my sweet little single speed Trek Wasabi for this journey. Oh the fun that was had that day as we rode around the Canal and White River trails. We barely noticed the 39-degree temperature and wet feet as we pedaled away the 14.5 miles made up our adventure. Ah, how could it possibly get any better? Well you end it all with a shared meal and more relevant conversation. “Life is Good”

Name: Sandra Spears
Bicycle: Trek SS Wasabi
City: Indianapolis
State: IN

2009 in Review - NUVO Highlights Bicycling in Indianapolis

Friday, January 1, 2010 by Connie Schmucker

I'm not a patient person. Bicycle Advocacy seems to go at a snail's pace sometimes. But every so often I'm reminded that progress is being made. I got such a reminder when Kevin McKinney of NUVO forwarded me this article about 2009 Year in review, highlighting all that has happened in the past year to improve bicycling in Indianapolis: NUVO Article

What's even more impressive than the list of accomplishments for bicycling in Indianapolis is that BGI had quite a bit to do with nearly everything mentioned in the article:

BGI supported the Handmade Bicycle Show as a sponsor, promoted the event and helped recruit volunteers
For the Mayor's Bike Ride, BGI was not only a financial sponsor, but also served on the organizing committee and provided mechanical support for the event
BGI sponsored the Corporate Challenge for Indianapolis Bike to Work Day and several BGI staff lead and participated in the group commuting rides
BGI sponsored and helped promote the Indiana Bicycle Summit
BGI sponsored the Mass Ave Crit
BGI has been involved in not only developing but getting the SustainIndy BikeWays bike lane plan implemented
BGI Founder and President Randy Clark and I serve on the Indianapolis Bicycle Advisory Council that submitted the Bicycle Friendly Community application leading to the Indianapolis receiving a Bronze Award
Randy Clark helped facilitate getting tickets on the Monon reversed
IN BikePort supplied the bike racks mentioned in the article

I'm hoping 2010 may be just as exciting for bicycling in Indianapolis!

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy / BGI Fitness
Indianapolis & Greenwood, IN
cschmucker@bgindy.com

GPS Recovered, Lesson Learned

Thursday, December 31, 2009 by Brian Clissold

It's been quite a while since I posted on anything on the BGI Blog, and my last post was about my super cool, way fancy, totally awesome Garmin Edge 705 GPS. Soon I'll be doing some posts about winter bike commuting in Indy, but I have a very valuable story to tell before I do that....

Early in December I rode my bike to school. It was a chilly day, probably about 25 degrees, and various plastic accessories on my bike were buckling under the cold. When I arrived at school, the little bracket for my cable lock broke. While fussing with it, I also removed my computer (the Garmin) from its bracket. I must have placed the computer on the rear rack while I futzed with my lock. I finally got my ride locked and, seeing I was running late, I grabbed my bags and headed inside to get changed for classes.

About six hours later I headed outside to get on my bike and ride home. I discovered my GPS was not in my bags. It was not in my pockets. It was not on my bike. It was not near the bike rack. It was not in my office. It was gone. I put out an APB at the Butler School of Music and many people looked for it, but to no avail. It was completely gone. I gave it a couple days to turn up, and finally filed a stolen property report with the BUPD. You should have seen the look on the officer's face when I explained what it was, that it was for a bicycle (yes, officer, a bicycle) and the approximate value. So that was the end of it. I was depressed.

I put an APB with all my colleagues at BGI, and one friend posted on a local cycling blog. Still nothing.

I checked Craig's List and eBay. Still nothing.

So, then, last Saturday, I did a different search on eBay. I searched by the specific unit and didn't pay any attention to location. Previously I'd searched and then sorted by "distance from buyer". Bingo. I saw a very, VERY fishy post from someone in Illinois trying to sell a 705. There was no stock photo, it was being sold "without a charger or holster," and there was zero useful information on how the gps actually worked. It was very fishy.

So, I did a super quick Google search with part of the seller's name, Butler University, and the location of the seller. Bingo...an article from the Butler website popped up with the seller's full name. A quick Facebook status update and in about 30 minutes I had a mutual friend who knew this guy call me, agreeing to work as a kind of mediator.

In exchange for this young man sending me the unit via FedEx and removing the eBay post, I agreed not to press any charges and remove the stolen property report from BUPD.

I'm writing this on New Year's Eve (also my birthday) and I have just received my beloved GPS in tact, working perfectly, and without any damage whatsoever.

It is all happy, but I thought I should share this experience with you for a couple reasons. First, I learned a lot and was very fortunate to be able to track down the seller on my own and get the unit back. That said, if I hadn't, it would have been sold. Second, and most important, here's what COULD have happened.....

When I filed the police report, I also contacted Garmin. They said as long as I had the serial number and could email them a copy of the police report, they would tag my account. If my 705 had been sold, it is very likely that the new owner would have tried to register the unit, or at least update the software. At that time Garmin would have recalled the unit for "repair" and worked with BUPD to get the item back. This young college student would have been on the hook for selling stolen property, and it's entirely possible that I would have eventually gotten it back anyway.

Here's what else I learned: Even though my account was flagged, that's about all Garmin could do. The unit does NOT emit any kind of signal to enable Garmin to track it. Ironic that a sophisticated GPS can get "lost" ain't it? In my next email to customer support I'm going to suggest adding this feature for a couple reasons. The first is in case of theft, but the other reason is for those of us who use the 705 on extended cyclotouring adventures. If I got into a serious bike crash and was keeled over on the side of the road on a solo tour, relatives could alert Garmin that I have been MIA for an extended period of time and they could track me down, potentially saving my life. Hmmm, that could be a nice little marketing bit, dontchya think?

So, I've learned many lessons at the end of 2009. I'm looking forward to getting back on my bike, now that I won't get lost, and I'll be super-gluing my 705 to my nose.

Stay safe, keep the rubber side down, and remember that a clean bike is a happy bike!

brian

Trip to Tennessee - One of My Best Ride(s) of 2009

Monday, December 7, 2009 by Connie Schmucker

I spent a week in Tennessee in early November and nearly didn't come back. It was an awesome week with 180 miles of riding in the mountains. My husband had to convince me we needed to take a day off so we could ride some more! I took about 500 pictures – including awesome views of layers of mountains.

Kayakers on Tellico River, TN
VeloVixens Indian Boundary Lake

We saw kayakers (at least 40 on one day) on the Tellico River. We saw groups of bicyclists on the Skyway and on River Road. We met 5 "VeloVixens," a group of women bicyclists from Chattanooga TN taking on the challenge of Cherohala Skyway. Some of them had just been to Estes Park CO (Rocky Mountains) and were equally impressed with the Cherohala Skyway. We were riding a 30-mile ride on Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains to Indian Boundary Lake the day we met them.

Baby Falls, Cherokee National Forest, TN River Road, Cherokee National Forest, TN

We also rode our favorite road - River Rd in Cherokee National Forest. River Road is much different than Cherohala Skyway - the scenery is close up and awesome with waterfalls everywhere. In contrast, the Skyway has grand vistas - very different and much more challenging.

Sunset at Tellico Plains Reaching the Summit of Cherohala Skyway Tennessee Mountains

Riding in the mountains you get a different sense of when you need to take a break. You don't measure your ride by miles, but by time. Our last ride we rode 30 miles on Cherohala Skyway from Turkey Creek Overlook (2300 feet) to Santeetlah (5390 feet). The first 15 miles were almost all uphill at 6-10% grade with 2 downhills. On one 2-mile downhill stretch we rode 44.4 mph. However, most of the time we were riding about 4-6 mph on the uphills and 35+ mph on the downhills. It took us 2 hours to go the first 8 miles (with stops). After 3 hours of riding and stopping for rests and pictures, we got to Santeetlah, the highest point on Cherohala Skyway. When we turned around we back to the Turkey Creek Overlook where we had started in about 40 minutes. We averaged 6.5 mph on the way up and raised it to 9.9 mph on the way down. We stayed at the overlook and watched the sunset – a perfect end to our week in Tennessee.

When you ride in areas that have little support, you need to be prepared and carry enough food with you. We took 8 Clif Bars with us each time we rode the Skyway. Even though our mileage wasn’t high on those days, the effort was significant. We took 6 Clif Bars each time we rode River Road in Cherokee National Forest. In addition we carried a gallon of sports drinks to keep us hydrated and energized. We also packed extra clothing for the descents on the Skyway. The temperature was 45-55 degrees and sunny. We stayed warm while climbing. But when we turned around and were going 40+ mph it was time to pull on neck gators, wind mitts, and extra layers of clothing we had taken off on the way up. Our Cannondale Bobby Cargo rack pack was just the thing for carrying all of our food, extra clothing and 3 pints of sports drink in addition to our 4 waterbottles on our bike.

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
Indianapolis/Greenwood, IN
cschmucker@bgindy.com

Trek Belleville First Impressions

Thursday, December 3, 2009 by Jay Hardcastle

My first "adult" bike was an Austrian-made, 26" wheeled, Sturmey-Archer 3-Speed from Sears. It was a black with with white trim, with upright bars, fenders and a rear rack. Purchased with $50 of mowing and paper route money, I rode it almost a 1,000 miles over two summers around the 9th grade. It was followed by my first "speed" bike, but the freedom that 3-speed offered meant more to me than starting to drive the following year.

I am always a little nostalgic when I come across one at a garage sale, or leaned against the trash at the end of a drive way. The 3-Speed all but disappeared from the bike shops for much of the time since. Now they are making a come back, in a wide variety of bikes classified as Café, Urban or Stand-Over bikes. One such bike is the Trek Belleville. I recently had a chance to assemble and test ride a Trek Belleville at Bicycle Garage Indy.

On the surface, the Belleville is the reincarnation of the classic 3-Speed, with current technology embellishments. The fenders, upright bars, and 26" wheels are all there. The handlebars and stem are a one-piece assembly on an Aheadset style fork. The wheels are Shimano Nexus hubs with aluminum rims from Bontrager, who also supplies the natural gum tire. The front hub is also a generator, powering the internal-wired, LED head light and tail light. The Belleville has a rear rack and a front platform rack, both of tubular steel painted to match the bike. The bike reeks classic practicality, and would be at home in some worn black and white photo from the 1940's, leaned against the front of a café in a French village.

But the practicality is only part of the story. As explained in this video from Trek, the Belleville was designed from the ground up for a minimum environmental impact, from the reliance on steel where possible for ease of recycling, the natural gum tires, to the dyno hub light system to eliminate the need for batteries. Component suppliers were selected based on their proximity to one and other to reduce transportation costs. Even the packing materials for shipping from the factory to the shop were chosen for their recycled content.

The Belleville's ride is upright and comfortable, and well suited to the 2-5 mile "errand" riding it is intended for. It would be right at home for riding the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, or for picnics on the Monon. The racks, with the right baskets or bags, will easily accommodate 3 bag of groceries, or a stack of books for the library. If you ever wanted to ride home from the market with a bottle of wine and loaf of french bread leaned over the handlebars, this is that bike. (You can test ride Trek Belleville in Indianapolis at Bicycle Garage Indy.)

Of Aglets and Other Bicycle Noises

Thursday, November 12, 2009 by Jay Hardcastle

The quiet of a bicycle is part of the attraction. Once away from the urban din of Indianapolis, we only expect the sounds of tires on pavement or trail, the mechanical buzz-purr of the chain, and our own exertion. But sometime there will be another noise, a tick, or click or rub. It may be continuous, only occur in certain gears, or have an infrequent mystery source.

In my first summer of riding, my bike was plagued by a recurring tick from the cranks. It would vary from side to side, and could not be found when in a repair stand. In the course of a month I repacked the bottom bracket and pedals, without a solution. It wasn't until I purchased my first pair of cycling shoes later that summer that I realized the source. It was the aglets, the metal end of the laces on my sneakers, hitting the steel cranks when tied just right.

In the years since my aglet mystery, I have encountered other many noises while JRA (Bicycle Mechanic for Just Riding Along) on my own bikes and with other riders. The sources have included:

Tire bulges (Both failing tires, and tires not seated correctly)
Stones stuck in brake pads
Rusted chain links
Sand and tar on tires contacting the frame. (Don't laugh, a couple riding in Australia totaled a tandem frame with this one!)
Out of true wheels hitting the frame
Jackets and packs rubbing on the rear wheel through a rack
Loose or broken spokes
Small pieces of metal inside bicycle rims and frames
Loose bottle cages and racks
Springs in frame pumps
Slipped front derailleur
Those extra, unused, mounting bolts in some cycling shoes

Many of these can be found and resolved with an ABC Quick check before you ride (a few will require a bicycle mechanic):

Air (Check tire for pressure, and check for tire damage from your last ride)
Brakes (Levers don't touch the handlebar, pads adjusted to clear the rim)
Chain (Lubed, with no visible rust)
Quick Releases (Wheel mounted in frame correctly, and quick releases correctly set)
Check (Make sure accessories bolted to your bike are snug)

Make this a very simple routine before every ride, with more extensive periodic checks throughout your riding season. It will help keep your bike quiet and safe. And if you would like assistance with a noise, or want more extensive review of your bike's condition, the trained bicycle mechanics at either Indianapolis Bicycle Garage location will inspect your bike for free, and offer you tune up or overhaul alternatives. It is good for peace, and quiet, of mind.

Do you have a good bicycle noise or service story? Please tell us below:

Mackinaw Island Bikes

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by Tim Gale

Mackinaw Island is a no-cars zone. They have lots of bikes and lots of horses. If you're a student looking for a fun summer job on Mackinaw, I suggest applying early. Here's the bike that the later applicants get to ride in the vacation wonderland.

Yep- that's what you think it is. "Where thar be horses, thar be horse $@#%! (poo)". I'm not sure to whom I should attribute that quote, but it's true nevertheless. This is the bike (well, trike) used by the manure-picker-uppers. I like the shopping bag saddle cover. Wouldn't some rainfall do this bike some good?

This next pic is more idyllic:

You're living in a cottage on Mackinaw. You've got flowers on your doorstep. And, you've got a stylish Trek mountain bike customized for island living. Remember: apply early.

In some parts of town, there's no open parking spaces at the bicycle rack Indianapolis should have such a problem.

And we're off!

Friday, August 14, 2009 by Brian Clissold

The trip is fully and completely underway! Tuesday afternoon I had some time to kill, so I walked around Oak Park, IL a bit and walked by the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio, as well as some of his other houses.

I thought it would be a nice way to tie in the trip to Fallingwater that was coming up in two days time.

So, off I went to Union Station. Boarded the train without any problems, and enjoyed LOTS of legroom in the top level of a Superliner. Everything was fine until I decided to sleep. A word of advice...pack a sweatshirt and long pants for a long ride on the train. I was absolutely freezing, and only slept for about an hour, from 4:30 to 5:30 a.m., and then the conductor came by and woke us up because we were coming into Pittsburgh.

Once off the train, I started to unpack and reassamble my bike. As it turned out, there was a couple only a few feet next to me the whole time on the train that were doing the same trek. So, we assembled our bikes and headed out. They left before me, and gave me some WONDERFUL advice. Instead of the $45 shuttle service to the trailhead, they tipped me off to the city bus, which goes to McKeesport. All of the buses have bike racks, and for $3 I was there in no time. If you do the trip, it's bus 56c and the stop nearest the train station is at 4th and Grant.

I tooled around McKeesport for a bit, looking for the trailhead. I finally found it, and by 9:00 a.m. I was in the saddle.

My new friends, Allison and Eddie, leapfrogged a couple times on Wednesday. It was nice to know someone on the trail, and we decided to stay at the same campground. We all stopped at the River's Edge campground in Adelaide, around milepost 92. Including my riding in Pittsburgh to get breakfast and find the bus stop, and my searching in McKeesport, I logged 45 miles on Wednesday. Not bad on 1 hour of sleep! It was a great campground and I highly recommend it. I purchased some firewood and had a nice blaze going as the sun set behind a ridge. All in all, despite the sleep deprivation, it was a great 1st day.

bc

Bicycle Touring in Indianapolis

Friday, August 7, 2009 by Brian Clissold

GAP Tour Preparations

On Wednesday, August 12th, I'll begin my solo, self-supported bicycle tour from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. The ride will take place along the Great Allegheny Passage railtrail and the C & O Towpath for approximately 350 miles (including side trips). I'll ride an average of 60 miles a day and will take 6 days to complete the journey. This first post is not very fancy, but serves as an introduction to some of the nitty-gritty details of the tour. I'll post lots of information on what I'm taking, riding, and using for this ride in these first few posts.

My beloved 520...being left behind for this trip.

We'll start with the most important equipment...the bike. I own several (c'mon, I work at a bike shop!), and among them is a Trek 520 loaded touring rig that I absolutely LOVE. Truth be told, it's my favorite bike (don't tell my racing bike that). However, for this trip I'm using my newly acquired Trek 7.3 FX Hybrid. I really struggled with the whole bike decision, because it's obviously the heart and soul of the equipment for any bike ride, but eventually the terrain made me lean toward the hybrid. Both trails that I'll ride have a gravelly, crushed limestone type surface. If you're familiar with the Indy area, think of the surface of the Towpath near downtown that heads up to Broad Ripple. Michigan readers, think Kal-Haven Trail. So, the bike that's designed to be ridden on rougher surfaces and runs wider tires won out. Here's the list regarding the bike....

2008 Trek 7.3 Hybrid

· Aluminum frame, chromoly fork w/ rack, fender, and low-rider eyelets

· Shimano Deore components, Avid v-brakes

· Bontrager wheels

· Continental Tour Ride tires

· Topeak “Explorer” rear rack

· Blackburn “lo-rider” front rack

· Planet Bike fenders

· 3 bottle cages (installed bottle boss under downtube)

· Ergon “ergo 1” grips

· Serfas bar ends

There aren't any major upgrades to the stock 7.3 hybrid that we sell. I've obviously added front and rear racks and fenders, different grips, and bar ends. Beyond that, it's a stock bike. I do prefer 3 bottle cages on a tour, so we used our shop tools to drill holes for and install bottle bosses underneath the downtube. I also swapped out the tires, as the 2008 model came with Bontrager slick tires and I need a bit of grip on these gravel surfaces. I didn't go super wide, however, and am using 700 x 32 c tires.

Check back soon for my packing list and other updates. See you on the road!

bc

Smart Cycling Traffic Skills 101 Class

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Connie Schmucker

BGI partnered with CIBA to sponsor Smart Cycling Traffic Skills 101 class. The League of American Bicyclists developed the Smart Cycling Traffic Skills 101 curriculum which involves in-classroom discussions, on-street test, on-bike skills tests and written tests. Part of the class involved learning how to change a flat tire. I helped teach part of the on-road portion of the class and helped grade a group on their street skills and parking lot skills (emergency stop, rock dodge, scan and instant right turn). There were 14 in the class and upon completion of the class they were much more secure and safe bicyclists.

The on-road test was quite challenging and the group I graded did a great job. If they can ride that test course and feel confident riding in traffic, they can ride anywhere. BGI gave $25 gift cards to each participant. I ran into one of the participants who was using her gift card to help subsidize her purchases of necessary on-bike tools and supplies (tubes, tire levers, mini-tool kit, lights) as well as a bike rack for her car so she can go to more out-of-town bike events.

from left: Photos of the group leaving for their on-street ride (pre-test) and flat tire clinic.

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy

Call me jaded...

Friday, May 8, 2009 by Mark Finney

Call me jaded, but not many bikes really trip my trigger these days. Yes, I love bikes, but there are so many that are so "the same." Average just isn't good enough any more. I need innovation or great design to get excited over.

Enter the Trek District. A belt-drive single-speed urban bike built to ride, not tinker with. No grease, no shifters, no flats. And whoever dreamt up those orange rims was either inspired or nuts. I love 'em!