Bike Rack Indianapolis

March 3-7, 2013 I had the opportunity to go to the Women's Bicycle Forum and the National Bike Summit in Washington DC, Here's a summary of what I did while in Washington DC:

SUNDAY March 3
I arrived Sunday evening and went to the Women Bike Launch party and met a woman who does similar work in a Chattanooga TN bike shop and some bicycle advocates from Minnesota who work for BikeMN.

MONDAY March 4
I went to the Women's Bicycle Forum Monday. There were 325 women (and about 50 men) signed up. Great presentations and keynote addresses. I met up with Elysa Walk (head of Giant Bicycles USA) and got my picture taken with her. She was on a panel about bicycle manufacturers and efforts to make products for women. 

At Women's Bicycle Forum, I was inspired by Georgena Terry (keynote speaker), Rep. Tammy Duckworth (IL), Black Women Bike organization.The only presentation I was somewhat disappointed with (and was the main reason I wanted to attend this pre-summit event) was the presentation about what bicycle retailers can do to attract more women customers. First of all, the original proposal I sent in to present was about what BGI does to attract and keep women customers. So I was hoping to hear something that we aren't already doing and hear what other creative folks were doing. There were 4 panelists including 1 company that has been featured in many publications - Pedal Chic (started 3 years ago) and 1 retailer who just started 1.5 years ago.  Their criteria for choosing the panel was shops that had 40% or more business from women.

The top 9 ways the shops gave to attract women: location of store, clean bathrooms, comfortable dressing rooms, friendly staff, women staff, wide selection of products, positive retail experience, layout of store, communication and didn't go into much detail of any of them. Although I could say that might mean we're doing as much or more than everyone else, I think there are things out there we could be doing or doing better.  So I was disappointed that I didn't learn anything new and they didn't have a retailer on the panel who had been in the business for a long time, had made changes and saw those changes pay off. I got more insight in one-on-one discussions with other women who work for retail shops and are doing similar things to what I do.

Monday evening I met up with the Indiana/Indy delegation and spoke with Mayor Ballard and Chad. I also made a point to introduce myself to John Burke, president of Trek Bicycles. He spoke at the evening's session and mentioned that only 300 of the 4500-5000 bicycle retailers are involved with advocacy. So I told him I was a full-time bicycle advocacy director for Bicycle Garage Indy and that I was on a panel tomorrow talking about the role BGI has played in helping make Indianapolis more bicycle friendly.  I asked him if he knew how many bike shops had a full-time bicycle advocacy director, because I didn't think there were many of us, and I'd like to be able to network with them and share ideas. He thought there were about 20 and gave me his card so I could email him and he would forward it to someone at Trek who could find out.

 

 

TUESDAY March 5
Mayor Ballard was a hit in this morning's session and got interviewed by Bicycling Magazine; also got interviewed or will be featured in a PBS show (I think). Maybe Indy will make it into the Bicycling's Top 50 Cities for Bicycling this year. Several folks wanted to ask questions of him after our presentation.

Mayor Ballard at Summit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcqfWdkF-e8

SLO bike blog - mentions Mayor Ballard
http://slobikelane.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/nbs12-day-2-recap/

Our Indy presentation went well - we had a lot of people attend because the Mayor had spoken at the plenary session and they wanted to hear more. John Burke was in the audience of Indy's presentation. Our presentation was about how the various entities have combined efforts to create a more bicycle friendly Indianapolis: public/government - Jamison Hutchins and Mayor Ballard; public/private partnerships - Cultural Trail / Karen Haley; business/retail - I covered Indy's timeline, Bicycle Garage Indy's advocacy efforts and Indy Bike Hub; and advocacy organizations - IndyCOG / Kevin Whited. Our presentations along with other summit presentations are now posted online at http://www.bikeleague.org/conferences/summit13/

I also went to the presentation called "the business benefits of advocacy for bicycle retailers". Most of the discussion from the panel was how they got started in advocacy and then they had Q&A. Jerry Hiniker, Claudia Nix, Jeff Selzer and Dan Thornton were the panel. They each had a unique perspective in how they supported advocacy within their store. Most of the questions were how can an already busy business owner make the time or devote the resources to advocacy.  The panel was fairly unanimous is saying you have to make the time - advocacy is what develops the opportunities for new customers. Liberty Bicycles has "Pedal Link" a fundraising effort - customers record mileage on website. Shop donates $0.01/mile as well as any additional donations people give - they raised $27K for advocacy efforts - enough to support development of a trail. I thought that was a unique way to engage customers and provide a source of revenue for advocacy projects.

The last session I went to had 3 short segments about getting businesses involved with bicycling (outside of the bike business) - most interesting was about the National Bike Challenge.

Plenary sessions included AAA unveiling their new "Share the Road" public service announcement (http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2013/03/bike-summit-aaa-debuts-new-share-the-road-psa/) - and the background on the inspiration for the video by the ad firm was very interesting. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4629Ic25-Ko)

The League of American Bicyclists has posted most of the videos online - the easiest way to access them is here (scroll down to see Summit videos): http://www.youtube.com/user/bikeleaguevideo/videos?view=0 or links to specific videos from their blogs about the event: http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/

WEDNESDAY March 6
Snow was predicted for Wednesday when we all were to descend upon Capitol Hill (4-6" predicted). What we got was mostly rain. I went to three appointments - Sen. Dan Coats, Rep.  Susan Brooks and Sen. Joe Donnelly. As we were leaving Sen. Donnelly's office he made a point of coming out and greeting us and we got our picture taken with him. We were scheduled to go to Rep. Carson's office, but they didn't have the office opened. The federal government offices were all closed due to the prediction of snow. The senate and representative offices were all trying to get out early so we had a few meetings rescheduled to earlier.

The meetings I went to and the other meetings that were covered by others from Indiana went very well - even those we didn't have any expectations for - Rep. Larry Bucshon being a big surprise (he didn't even want to meet with bicyclists at last year's summit). The Indiana delegation was mostly from Indianapolis area, but we covered all but 3 of the 11 senators/districts. Nancy Tibbett, Executive Director of Bicycle Indiana, arranged the congressional appointments and who would be the lead in each meeting. It was stressed that the meetings were the start of a long-term relationship building. The leads for each meeting will be continuing to contact them and invite them to special events in their districts.
 

  After lunch with the Indiana delegation I had a bit of time before going to the reception, so I took some pictures of the Bikestation at Union Station. Since it was locked/closed to non-members, I had to take photos from the outside. Better photos and more info are here: http://home.bikestation.com/washingtondc

 

 

 

 

Wednesday night everyone got back together for the congressional reception and heard of the successes on capitol hill. I got reacquainted with several advocacy folks I met at previous National Bike Summits and Thunderhead Alliance (now Alliance for Bicycling and Walking) retreats. When I came to the National Bike Summit as executive director of Indiana Bicycle Coalition (now Bicycle Indiana) I stayed at the home of Ellen Jones, then ED of Washington Area Bicyclists Association. It was great to catch up with her.

 

Then there was a party at a normally hip-hop place filled with bike advocates instead for the night. At the party, I was able to talk with Andy Clarke, president of League of American Bicyclists, and thank him for having Mayor Ballard and Indianapolis featured at the Summit. He is going to be in town for the grand opening of the Cultural Trail May 10-11 and again at the end of May for the American College of Sports Medicine conference so he'll get to see the Hub and the progress we've made first hand (the last time he was in Indy was April 2010). I hope to get him to BGI's North store while he's here as well, but his time will most likely be filled. I also spoke with Ginny Sullivan (Adventure Cycling Association) and Jeff Miller (Alliance for Bicycling and Walking) - they were interested in BGI's advocacy efforts and would like to see other retailers be as involved in bicycling.

THURSDAY March 7

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday morning was sunny and I had a bit of time before my flight so I went sightseeing at the Mall. I had hoped to find a bikeshare bike and ride around for a short ride, but was not able to locate any (and had forgotten to look online for a location before I left my hotel). I did see people on the capitol bikeshare bikes but only saw one corral the entire time I was in DC. Besides photos of the Washington Monument and the Capitol, the other photos are of  a unique bicycle shaped bike rack right by my hotel in Arlington, VA and the bikes lanes that are on Pennsylvania Ave. 

On Thursday, Rep. Brooks was on my flight and as we were waiting in baggage claim, I introduced myself to her (we had met with her legislative assistant for transportation issues). She seemed genuinely interested in going to a Safe Routes to School award school in her district (to be determined).

I had 4 very long days (up 'til midnight, rising at 6 am). I returned Thursday evening (flight was delayed due to snow in other areas of the country) just in time to get ready for BGI's Spring Bicycle Expo which started the following week (March 15-17).

Overall the Summit was good. I still have about 12 pages of cryptic notes yet to go through. (may translate into 3-4 pages of typewritten).

Connie

 

 

 

What is it? Cranksgiving Indy is a fun, unique new bike event that is part bike ride, scavenger hunt, food drive, tour of downtown Indy.

Riders will be given the locations of places in and around downtown Indianapolis where they will ride and purchase food items.  Locations are not announced in advance and there is no predetermined route – or even an order in which you must follow.  Best we can tell, you’ll be riding ~15 miles – but that is up to you!  Your mission is to figure out the best route to these locations, purchase the food item specified and bring your bounty of nourishment to the start/finish area safely.

Cranksgiving will be Sunday November 18  from 10 am - 3 pm, with the Start/Finish location at the Rathskeller Biergarten at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan Street, downtown Indianapolis.36

 

I am a fan of rack trunks for my longer rides and on our tandem.  They are great for carrying the extras you might need when you're out for more than just a workout, or have gear for a change in the weather.  But sometimes you need a bit more space, and you don't want to go all out with full panniers.  A great example is carrying a change of clothes or bringing home a few extra groceries.

Arkel has come up with a new solution with their Tailrider Expedition Rack Trunk ($189.99), now available at Bicycle Garage Indy.  What makes the Expedition unique are the two waterproof side panniers that connect to the rack trunk body with QR buckles.  This allows you to add capacity on one or both sides, for moderate loads ( 10-12 lbs in each bag) for day trips and errands.   The side bags can stored in the large side pockets, or left home if you don't expect to need them.  

The Expedition is ideal for minimalist "credit card: touring, where you can check-in to your lodging, drop off your side bag luggage and then go exploring with just the main rack trunk still on your bike.  

Arkel quality is legendary, and the Expedition's tough cordura nylon will take plenty of abuse.   The main compartment includes mesh pockets and a removable divider, and is foam lined to protect a camera or other electronics. The bag also has a built-in rain cover, D-rings for an optional shoulder strap, and a band for a clip-on tail light.  On top of the bag, the combination compression straps and carry handle are very handy for tying down a wet jacket away from the rest of your gear.

My personal Expedition is normally at home on my touring bike, and I will add the side bags for commuting, where I can drop in a change of clothes and a pair of shoes .  And without the side bags, I have used it for carrying all the gear for a century tour like the spring Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV).  TOSRV is famous for unpredictable weather, and the Tailrider lets you pack for almost anything.

Find a full selection of bicycle packs from Arkel, Bontrager and others at all three Bicycle Garage Indy locations: Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, Dean Rd at 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market.

When you ride with the 30° temperature swing typical of fall (and spring) days, where to stash your extra clothing is a challenge.  Tying your new cycling jacket around your waist is neither comfortable or good for the jacket, especially it it comes untied at the wrong moment!  

If you are riding a bike without rack eyelets, you may not appear to have many options.  If your bike has an alloy seatpost you, can use a clamp on rack, like the Bontrager Seat Post Rack.  However, this rack is not recommended for carbon seat posts.

To solve this dilema, Bicycle Garage Indy is now offering the Arkel Randonneur Rack® ($99.99).  This inovative, lightweight (495 gr. - 17 oz) rack hangs from the seat rails,  and avoids any clamping pressure or leverage on your seatpost.  The Randonneur mounts with a tool-free, quick-release mechanism, and comes with adapters to fit a wide variety of frame sizes and seat combinations.

With a 13 lb. capacity, the Randonneur will support a rack trunk , like the Arkel Tail Rider ($114.95) or Bontrager Rack Trunk ($54.99), with capacity for your riding extras, and essentials like tools, inner tubes and snacks.  I have used a variety of rack trunks, including the Arkel for centuries, day rides and supported tours, and the capacity is perfect.

Find a wide selection of bicycle packs from Arkel, Bontrager and others at all three Bicycle Garage Indy locations: Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, Dean Rd at 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market.

 

I don’t have an office at work, and I don’t like doing all of my work at home.  I find the call of housework and teenagers too distracting.  So this summer I have had great fun putting my office on wheels.  I load up my commuter bicycle and head out in search of a wireless café or coffee shop.  There I can settle in for a morning or afternoon of uninterrupted work. 

I chose my Trek hybrid bike for this conversion to commuter bike.  I considered some of the really pretty commuter bags that are now being made – my favorite being the Sherpani brand.  I love their colors and feminine designs.  But surprisingly, I dug up our old, faded Eclipse folding baskets from years ago.  They are no longer pretty to look at – but I love the design.  Just big open bags that I can drop my supplies in.  No need to “pack” things in and then close up the top.  Granted, this works well for me, as I am definitely a fair-weather commuter.  If I had to contend with the elements (i.e. rain) – then I would definitely opt for the cinched up designs.  

You can find very similar bags today,  like the Bontrager Grocery Bag ($49.99 ea.), or Arkel Shopper ($94.99 ea.).  Both are open top withe a water resistant drawsting cover, and clip to your rear rack.  Or the Arkel Metropolitan ($169.99 ea.) is shopping bag sized, but has an over sizes zip closure and carry handles, along with a cover for the pannier hooks.

My favorite routine is to get up and head right out on the bike.  Five miles is a good distance for me – just enough to wake me up, loosen up the body and feel good.  The round-trip back home makes for a total of 10 easy miles for the day.  Not so much that I am too tired to do a full “workout” later in the day – but enough to feel like I’ve done something in case that is all the time I have to devote to exercise. 

Find a full range of urban and touring bags and packs, from Arkel,  Bontrager,  Koki and Sherpani at all 3 Bicycle Garage Indy locations; North (Dean Rd at 82nd, Indianapolis) Downtown (Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market) and South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood).

 

 

 

 

 

What is the difference between a bike pack that is “water resistant” versus one that is “water proof”?   Ride often enough, and you will get caught in the rain.  That is just a fact of cycling life.  If you are participating in multi-day rides and tours, or regularly bicycle commuting to work, dealing with rain is a certainty.  Keeping yourself dry is complete topic by itself.  But what about the gear you carry on your bike in rack trunks, panniers and handlebar bags?  

Most nylon fabrics used in bicycle packs have an internal coating that is water resistant.  This coating that holds a nylon fabric together will also keep items inside dry through the occasional shower  However, this water resistance is compromised where the bag is sewn together.   Also, the outer fabric layer can still get wet, and gradually soak through the internal coating and sewn seams.  So most fabric manufacturers will add a external fabric coating (Scotchguard or similar products) that repels water and also prevents stains.   Water will bead up and run off the pack, slowing down the process of soaking through.   You can also improve water resistance with design features like flaps over zippers, (or using water resistant zippers) and seam placement. 

When there are multiple pockets and zippers on a pack, the only way to completely keep water out is with an accessory rain cover.  The rain cover will typically fit around and over the pack like a shower cap, will have as few seams as necessary, and may include a drain at the bottom. Rain covers are usually very light fabrics, and intended to be used only has needed.  This will keep the rain cover from loosing both its external and internal coatings (and water resistance) from daily wear and exposure to sunlight. 

So by combining a water resistant fabric, good design and and another layer of water proof protection, the end result is a water resistant pack system.  

Next, I will  talk about water-proof packs

Bicycle Garage Indy is now offering Tourwise one-on-one classes to help you plan and equip for you bicycle adventure.  Learn more at bgindy.com/for/tourwise.

Find a full selection of bicycle packs from Arkel, Bontrager and KoKi bicycle packs at all three Bicycle Garage Indy locations: Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, Dean Rd at 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and the new BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market.

 

 

We have just sent out the details on our 29th Annual Spring Bicycle Expo.  Once again BGI will have over 1,000 bikes ready to ride and all on sale at our locations in Indianapolis (Dean Rd at E. 82nd Street) and Greenwood (just east of I-65 on County Line Road.)  Our Spring Bicycle Expo starts at 10 AM on Friday, March 16, and runs through Sunday, March 18.

This year's Spring Bicycle Expo will also be the Grand Opening of the New BGI North, just a few steps away from our former location.  We could think of no better way to introduce this exciting new store then our biggest sales event of the year!

At the BGI Spring Bicycle Expo find savings of 15% (or more) on all accessories, clothing, shoes and helmets.  And at BGI North, Yakima or Saris car racks are installed while you wait, so you can take your new ride home in style.  

And once again, Jeff Lenosky will be amazing you with his amazing freeriding bike skills at BGI North, with scheduled rides and Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

You can find more details at the this link:  www.bgindy.com/for/expo.  And we all have more details all week on the BGI Facebook page, Twitter (@BicycleGarage) and here on the BGI Blogs.

If you would like to receive the Bicycle Garage Indy newsletter (sent out about twice a month, year round), click here to sign-up. Our newsletter keeps you up-to-date on in-store events, clinics and sales, along with the local bicycle scene.  

 Here are more ideas from Bicycle Garage Indy for that hard to buy for bicyclist on your shopping list.



Saddles: We have a wide range of saddles for all types of riding styles.  The Serfas RX Mens/Womens Gel Saddles ($54.99) are very popular for hybrid and casual riders.

Hydration Packs:  The CamelBak Classic at $54.99 is a great value, and we have the Mule at $99.99, still the most popular pack for off-road riders.  We have over a dozen hydration packs to choose from, including packs just for kids.

Racks and Panniers:  Add errands to the store to your weekly riding with the Blackburn MT-1 rack ($44.99) and the Bontrager Grocery Bag Pannier ($39.99).  We also have rack trunks, handlebar bags, and tourning panniers from Bontrager and Arkel.

Cycling Outerwear: We have lots of cool weather accessories, like Arm warmer or Leg Warmers from Pearl Izumi and Gore Bike Wear, starting at $34.99. 

Training DVDs: A fresh training DVD is a great add-on for the rider with a trainer. We have the CycleOps Real Ride series ($39.99) and other assorted race and training DVDs starting at $29.99.

Cycling Shorts: For men and women we have the best selling Pearl Izumi Quest shorts ($49.99) or the Cannodale 4-Panel ($39.99).  We have a wide selection of shorts, bib shorts, and off-road shorts for men and women, and more 2012 models arriving every day.

Helmets: Bicycle Garage Indy offers 16 helmets under $60.  New at BGI this year are the Giro Surface and Section "urban" helmets at $54.99.  Our adult helmets Bell, Bontrager, Cannodale and Giro start at $37.99.

And if you are still at a loss, a BGI Gift Card can be purchased in any denomantion, and we will mail your online or phone-in order for free!

Bicycle Garage Indy now has three locations for your holiday shopping; Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and the new BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market.

Beth Lindsey of Indianapolis is the final winner of our weekly drawing for visitors to Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown during November. Beth has won a Showers Pass Storm Jacket and Storm Pants outfit.

Our prize winner were:

• Week 1 Tifosi sunglasses - Jane Chammers and Harlon Wilson, both of Indianapolis.
• Week 2 Koki Rover rack bag - Paul Gottesburen of Indianapolis
• Week 3 Koki Vespa bike pack - Jessica M. Leonard, Indianapolis
• Week 4 Showers Pass Storm Jacket and Storm Pants - Beth Lindsey of Indianapolis

Bicycle Garage Indy would also like thank Tifosi, Koki and Showers Pass for providing these prizes.

Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown, inside the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at Indianapolis City Market, is BGI's third and newest location. Visit www.indybikehub.org for more info about this unique facility, the only combined bicycle parking and fitness facility in the United States.

Paul Gottesburen of Indianapolis is the latest winner of weekly drawing for visitors to Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown during November.  Paul has won a Koki Rover Rack Bag. Our next drawing is Friday, November 25.

Visit our newest locaton, Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown, during November for your chance to win in four weekly prize drawings. To enter, drop by BGI Downtown in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at Indianapolis City Market, no purchase required.  While you're there, take a look around this unique facility. Visit www.indybikehub.org for more info about this facility.

Visit Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown at 222 E. Market, Suite E-101, Indianapolis, IN 46204 to enter.  
Only in-store entries at BGI Downtown are eligible.
No entries at other Bicycle Garage Indy locations allowed.
Only one entry, per person, per day.
No online entries allowed.
Winners are ineligible to win another prize for 90 days from date of winning drawing.  

Visit our newest locaton, Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown, during November for your chance to win in four weekly prize drawings. To enter, drop by BGI Downtown in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at Indianapolis City Market, no purchase required.  

Bicycle commuting in the fall and winter can be challenging, but the right gear can make all the difference.  So during November, Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown is giving away some great gear from Tifosi, Koki and Showers Pass to help make your ride easier.

Visit Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown at 222 E. Market, Suite E-101, Indianapolis, IN 46204 to enter.  Only in-store entries at BGI Downtown are eligible. No online entries allowed. No entries at other Bicycle Garage Indy locations allowed.

 

 

 

Have you had a chance to visit the new Indy Bike Hub YMCA? If not, take a leisurely bike ride to downtown Indianapolis and visit us!

We offer several different services that make visiting our facility easy. If you are interested in parking your bike in one of our secure bike racks, it’s just $1.00 an hour! If you are going to be spending the whole day downtown, you can lock up your bike all day for $5.00, a cheaper alternative to parking your car! (You must have a bicycle lock, and we recommend a U-lock to secure your bike in our Saris Stack Racks).

And lastly, if you would like to visit us for a workout, a shower and a place to store your bike, we offer a day pass for just $10.00. This pass includes use of our entire facility, access to our secure bike lockers and a warm shower if needed. All you will need to provide is a valid government issued ID and a form of payment.

It’s just that easy! We are looking forward to seeing you, and your bicycle down here at the Hub!!

The Indy Bike Hub YMCA is in the East wing of the Indianapolis City Market, at Market and Alabama, and just off the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. And if you need bicycle service or a rental, Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown is at the Hub too!

We are very excited about the changes to the Rivers Edge shopping center, and what it means for all our old and new neighbors.  With almost all parking lot work complete, and the new east stop light, access to Rivers Edge and Bicycle Garage Indy has never been better.  

As our way of saying welcome, if you shop or dine at Rivers Edge between now an Monday, October 31, bring your receipt and this coupon by Bicycle Garage Indy and BGI Fitness, and you will receive 25% of any 1 accessory or clothing item. (Bicycles and fitness equipment are excluded from this offer.)


Besides Bicycle Garage Indy, the shops in Rivers Edge include: The Container Store,  Brides by Demetrios, Nordstrom Rack, Sprint and Wild Birds Unlimited.  Two stores coming are buybuy Baby,  Arhaus Furniture.

Dining is currently available at Jason’s Deli and Sangiovese (Italian).  And coming soon will be Harry & Izzy’s, a downtown Indy favorite.  You learn more about all the changes and Rivers Edge events at www.riversedgeindy.com.






Bicycle Garage Indy now has three locations to serve you; Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and the new BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at the Indianapolis City Market. 

You have trained all summer (or maybe since October 1st) with your friends, and now you need to get a car load to the big ride. But what do you do when there is no room in the car? Time to think car rack for hauling 2 to 4 bikes (and sometimes more) You have 3 basic choices, strap-on trunk racks, hitch racks or roof racks.

Strap-on car racks are economical, easy to mount and good for the traveler with with 2 or 3 bikes. The Saris Bones 3 Rack  is a very popular rack that fits a wide variety (but not all) car, minivans and SUVs. Even if you just haul 2 bikes most of the time, picking up the 3 bike rack give your two bikes more room.

Hitch rack are solid and secure, and a good value if your car or SUV already has trailer hitch receiver. The big advantage of the hitch rack is it does not contact the car's finish, and is it easily locked directly to your car. For some, the downside is your bicycles being between the guy tailgating you and your rear bumper. Both hanging and tray style are available.

Our family hitch rack of choice has been the Yakima BigHorn 4. Ours has now been on 3 different vehicles. It has been used for dropping off and picking up bikes around town, and for long distance cross country trips.

Roof racks systems are very secure, protect your bike, and may be the only solution for a recumbent or tandem. They also offer flexibility with a myriad of options for mounting your bikes and other sports. They also can be very high capacity, with up to 6 bikes on some vehicles, or bikes mixed with a cargo box.  You can also start with a basic cross bar set and roof rack, like the Yakima Copperhead, and then add more bike and sport mounts as your needs change.

The downside of a roof rack can be the difficultly in loading on taller vehicles, and having to be aware height clearance while driving and parking.

Which ever rack type you use, follow the manufacturers installation and bike mounting instructions.  Be sure to have a locking system for your rack and bikes, and it is best to remove accessories and bags when driving and parking overnight.  All the rack systems available at Bicycle Garage Indy have been used for thousands of miles of trouble free miles.

Bicycle Garage Indy offers dozen's of rack options Saris and Yakima from our locations in Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St. and Greenwood, just west of I-65 on County Line Rd. (Car racks are not available at Bicycle Garage Indy Downtown in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA.)

For more tips and links, visit the Bicycle Garage Indy Hilly Hundred Resource Page.

Of course, to get to the Hilly Hundred Weekend, you drive down SR-37, find the Ellettsville exit, and then follow the signs to the school complex. But how does your bike, or the bikes of a car load of friends get there, intact, with a minimum amount of hassle, and no damage to your bike(s) - or the car. Here are some tips for problem-free bike transporting bikes for any event.

Obviously, if it is just you, and your car is not 2-seat sport car, you have a trunk and/or back seat to use; this is easy, especially if you remove both wheels from your bike.  To start, you should have an old, heavy blanket, and a bungie cord. The blanket is going to protect your car upholstery, and you can use he bungie cord to keep the chain in place with the rear wheel off. Tip: Shift the chain the big ring first, and that will keep the teeth from poking through the blanket. Don't leave the wheels at home, and be careful not to smash things by sliding a car seat back.

Many of the same tips apply for using your trunk. Along with a heavy blanket, pick up a couple lengths of foam pipe insulation. Cut into 8 to 15" lengths, you can then slip the pipe insulation over your bike or components anywhere it looks like metal-on-metal or metal-on-paint contact. Don't slam the trunk lid until you have checked that every thing fits.

No room in the car? Time to think car rack. You have 3 basic choices, strap-on trunk racks, hitch racks or roof racks.  I will cover racks from Saris and Yakima at Bicycle Garage Indy in the next post.

For more Hilly Hundred advice and links, visit the Bicycle Garage Indy Hilly Hundred Resource Page.

Bicycle Garage Indy now has three locations to serve you; Bicycle Garage Indy North (Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St.),  South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood), and the new BGI Downtown, in the Indy Bike Hub YMCA at City Market, the perfect stop for those last minute items before you leave work on Friday Brown County.   

I told you about basic bicycle rain gear options of waterproof shells from Louis Garneau and O2 available from Bicycle Garage Indy in Bicycle Rain Gear Basic, part 1. These are effective and economic choices for the fair weather rider. The rider looking for rain gear for long training rides and tours, or for four-season riding, is going to want the features that come in more technical gear.  

These "technical" jackets and shells combine breathable fabrics with a variety of vents and other features that allow you to adjust for changing riding conditions. They are made with fabrics that will meet the lightweight packability needs of the sport rider, or the durability needs of the regular bicycle commuter or long distance touring rider.

Typical features of technical bicycle rain gear may include a vented back, with a covered mesh panel,  a zipper or mesh opening along the arm and arm pit, zipper storm flaps and/or water resistant zippers, adjustable wrist openings, a cycling cut waist line, and an adjustable collar. Some will have an attached or removable hood.

The primary difference in these jackets is the packed size and overall ruggedness. Some fabrics will allow for a lightweight or even "ultra-light" jacket that will fit into a jersey pocket. The heavier fabrics that will hold up to daily commuting and long distance touring will need to go into a rack trunk or pannier once they are stripped off.

Bicycle Garage Indy's light-weight offerings include the Showers Pass Club Pro ($109.99) and Double Century ($124.99).  Both are designed for full weather protection that will fit in a jersey pocket. Another packable jacket is the Gore Bike Wear Path Jacket ($199.99).   Along with functioning as rain gear, these jackets are also serve well as spring and fall shells in cool weather.

I will cover the  commuter and touring oriented rain gear, and my first 600 miles with a Showers Pass Elite 2.0, in part 3 of this series.

Showers Pass, Gore Bike Wear and Louis Garneau are just a few of the brands of bicycle clothing you will find at either Bicycle Garage Indy location, North (Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St.) and South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood).

We had almost a dozen bike commuters today at Bicycle Garage Indy North. The bikes are as varied as the staff at BGI: state-of-the-art road bikes,  a hand-built touring-cyclocross bike, and a menagerie of older road and mountain bikes adapted specifically for commuting.  

BGI employees are encouraged to bike commute with indoor bike parking, an employee shower room, and a commuter incentive program. This is all part of Bicycle Garage Indy's Gold Bicycle Friendly Business designation from the League of American Bicyclists.  



Join hundreds of Indianapolis Bicycle Commuters on Monument Circle for Bike To Work Day, Friday May 20th, 2011 during National Bike To Work Week.

After 25 years I have a new bike. It's been a source of good-natured ribbing from my fellow Bicycle Garage Indy employees that my bike was 25 years old. If you work in a bike shop and you don't have a new bike every year, you are definitely not normal! I planned to get a new bike the first year I was at BGI as a reward for landing such an awesome job. It only took four years until I got my dream bike. For a while it seemed like it was only going to be a mythical bike and not something I'd ride anytime in my lifetime. But last fall I finally ordered my bike - I got a custom frame, custom paint job which I designed (dreamed up) myself. It came with gears that would allow me to be able to climb extremely steep hills/mountains and yet not run out of gears when I wanted to go faster than 25 mph. I still have some things to put on my bike so it's able to do everything I want (rack, computer, seat bag) but it's getting there. So far (after 3 rides and 28 miles) it's been a joy to ride. I hope the joy continues for the next 25 years!

Name: Connie Szabo Schmucker (Advocacy Director, Bicycle Garage Indy)
Bicycle: Co-Motion Nor'wester Tour
City: Indianapolis
State: IN


Connie, Thanks from everyone at Bicycle Garage Indy for sharing Your Bicycle picture and Story. (And I guess that leaves me still riding one of the oldest bikes in the store. )

Did your schedule keep you from stopping by Bicycle Garage Indy during our Expo last weekend (March 18-20)?  Just for you, we have our Somehow-I-missed-the-tent-and-the-email-and-the-paper-and-the-radio, any-one-item-at-Expo-pricing Coupon.  Or, simply, our Expo Hangover coupon.




With this coupon, at either Bicycle Garage Indy location, you get Expo pricing on any one item you choose.  This means you can get one more chance on a great deal on a 2011 Trek, Giant or Cannondale bicycle, or 20% off on a Yakima or Saris bicycle racks, or 15% of any accessory.  And if you buy a new bike from Bicycle Garage Indy, you always get 20% a new helmet purchase, the same as our Expo helmet discount of 20%.

The only limits on our post Expo coupon, is that you can only get the Expo deal on one item, and the coupon expires on Sunday, March 28, 2011.

If you want to be sure to hear about the next BGI sales event, sign up for our email newsletter online, or the next time you visit either Bicycle Garage Indy locations,  North (Indianapolis, in the Clearwater area on 82nd St.) and South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood).