Cannondale Bikes Indianapolis

I had an opportunity to ride the other day in Anderson IN. Normally I go to Brown County which is awesome as everyone knows. But for something closer that is different from 96th St. The trails are well maintained and there are a lot of man made features in a little extra park they have on the side. Here is my map from www.MapMyRide.com. If you don't have this yet I really suggest you check it out. Works great with the iPhone and is a great way to check out other rides you may not know about.

Name: Chris Baggott
Bicycle: Cannondale Rush
City: Greenfield
State: IN

Chris: Thanks from everyone at Bicycle Garage Indy for sharing Your Bicycle Ride suggestion.  And of course, you are now in the running for our next- Your Bicycle drawing - Visit our two Bicycle Garage Indy locations, North (Clearwater area in Indianapolis) and South (just west of I-65 on County Line Rd, Greenwood)

What to do when you are a couple who wants to bike together, but one of you is so much stronger than the other?  We have seen this scenario play out so many times.  The stronger spouse is holding back, putting the brakes on their speed and fun.  And the slower spouse is busting a gut – struggling to hold a pace that is much too fast.  The ride is frustrating and not much fun for either person.  After a few more attempts, the slower spouse usually gives up, leaving only the faster one to continue with the sport of bicycling.  This is where a tandem bicycle comes in handy.  A tandem is the great equalizer – allowing couples with greatly varying abilities to ride together seamlessly. 

My husband Jay and I are the perfect example.  Being a triathlete, my training miles are spread between three different sports.  As a die-hard cyclist, Jay’s miles are focused entirely on the bike, and therefore he is a much stronger cyclist.  Yet we can come together on the tandem and BOTH have a fantastic ride.

The other benefit of tandeming is the ease of talking which it provides. A couple on two single bikes can have quite the disjointed conversation what with moving back and forth to accommodate passing cars and road hazards.  With a tandem you are always together and the talking flows so much easier. From the female perspective, definitely a big plus.  But from the male perspective, I wonder, ……do you consider this a positive or a negative?????? 

Tandems have come a long way from the single speed resort bikes you rode as a kid.  The Cannondale Road 3 feature a light weight aluminum frame, has a 30-speed Shimano drive train, front and rear disc brakes, and is ready for fun for couples and families of all abilities.  It  is just one of the performance Cannondale Bikes Indianapolis, available at both Bicycle Garage Indy North and Bicycle Garage Indy South in Greenwood.

Having recently moved to the Indianapolis area I have been enamored with the trails and bicycle friendly atmosphere around the city. I've been riding my 14 year old Giant CFR two for several years, and so I thought it might be time for a new ride as well as something more commuter friendly. I looked on Bicycle Garage Indy's website and was smitten with the look of the Cannondale Bad Boy Disc (love that Lefty front fork). I e-mialed with some questions and got a quick response which I greatly appreciated. A few weeks later I visited the store for the first time. Victor lugged out at least five different bikes for me to try in the parking lot. He never pressured but only wanted to help, which was a great experience! Later that week I ordered the Cannondale (despite riding several other very nice bikes) and I picked it up a week ago today. While I only have a little over 100 miles on it so far, I love it! Couldn't have asked for a better experience or be happier with my decision. Thanks BGI and Victor too.

Name: Rob Miller
Bicycle: Cannondale Bad Boy Disc
City: Indianapolis
State: IN

Rob:  Thanks from everyone at Bicycle Garage Indy for Your Bicycle story.  The Bad Boy Disc is just one of the many Cannondale Bikes Indianapolis we have ready for test rides at both BGI locations.

I bought this frame about 2 years ago and built it up with great help & advice from Bicycle Garage Indy's South's own Mark Degunya. Specs: Frame-1998 Cannondale Super V Raven 4000 Fork-Lefty Carbon Max Drive Train-all Shimano XTR Wheels (built by Mark Degunya)-Sun Rhyno Lyte, Shimano hubs, Michelin DH-15 tires(BGI) Pedals-Shimano PD-M545(BGI) Saddle-Serfas Hybrid Rx (BGI) Grips-Ergon w/integrated bar ends (BGI) Seat Post-Cannondale carbon fiber-wrapped. I also wear Shimano SH-MT52 cycling shoes (BGI). This baby is a real hill climber w/Shimano 14-36 rear cassette! Thanks to Mark & the entire team @ Bicycle Garage Indy South for helping make this dream bike a reality. I love My Dream Raven!

Name: Steve Kirts
Bicycle: Cannondale Raven(1998)
City: Franklin
State: IN

Steve:  Thanks from everyone at BGI for Your Bicycle story.  While the Cannondale Raven is no longer in production, BGI is still happy to offer a full line of off-road Cannondale Bikes Indianapolis.

I wanted to write and thank Bicycle Garage Indy for my Trek Commuter bike conversion. I originally bought this bike for my daughter several years ago. It wasn't expensive but it was a great entry level Mountain Bike that we used a lot around Indiana...esp the trails at Brown County. For her 16th birthday she got a new dual suspension Cannondale Rush and we were deciding what to do with this old Trek. Since I was interested in commuting the always awesome Toby Holsman suggested that I convert this bike instead of buying a new commuter bike. So we put smooth tires on, fenders and a new handlebar stem & seat post to make it fit better. Needless to say I love it :-) I even rode it to the track this week for the Indy 500. The only way to get to the race :-) This picture is taken in front of Starbucks on the circle in Indianapolis....my usual parking spot.

Name: Chris Baggott
Bicycle: Trek 4500 Mountain Bike
City: Greenfield
State: IN

(Thanks Chris- we will pass your thanks along to to Toby and the rest of the staff at Bicycle Garage Indy)

All Cannondale bikes at Bicycle Garage Indy are on sale now through May 23, 2010.  You can find the details for this special offer in our latest email newsletter, linked here.

The Discover Cannondale Event details are:

The Discover Cannondale Sales Event takes place at both Bicycle Garage Indy locations, BGI North, (Indianapolis, E 82nd St. in the Clearwater area) or BGI South (Greenwood, just west of I-65 on County Line Rd).

So here's the new bike (or "whip" as my younger, cooler friends liked to say in 2002.  I have no idea what they're saying these days):


It's a Cannondale CAAD9.  I bought just the frameset, since I had an old Campagnolo kit lying around. 

So how does this compare to last year's Trek Madone 6.5 Pro?  The Madone weighed just under 16 pounds; the CAAD9 is about 18.  That can be attributed to the lighter carbon frame and the top-of-the-line Shimano Dura-Ace kit.  The Campy kit works just great, but it's a couple of steps down from their tip-top, lightest-available stuff. 

The Trek handled and accelerated beautifully, as does the Cannondale.  The Trek was somewhat smoother over a long, rough ride, but I can't say it's prevented me from having a blast riding the Cannondale.  I've done three races on it so far (more on that later) without a single hiccup.

A couple of component highlights: 
-the Prologo saddle, which is a new brand for me, is pretty good!  It comes stock on many of the 2010 Cannondale road bikes, such as the CAAD9 5. 
-I love my Speedplay pedals.  This is the sixth bike that I've installed this same pair on, and they're still going strong.
-Fizik bar tape:  the best.

The Madone was a better bike but carries a commensurate cost.  The CAAD9 is probably the best value you can get in a racing bike.  I'm stoked to be riding one.

Next time:  the early race season, and how I've been training for it.

(Complete Cannondale CAAD9 bicycles are among the performance Cannondale bikes Indianapolis available from Bicycle Garage Indy North, in Indianapolis, and Bicycle Garage Indy South, in Greenwood - the BGi Blog Ed.)

 The Carmel Sprint Triathlon was held this morning, Sunday, April 18, 2010. My 4 year-old & I biked to 110th St and watched the turnaround point of the bike portion.

This rider was the first female to reach the turnaround of the bike leg. (Shameless plug: notice she's on a Serotta bike!)


Here's a pic of BGI alumnus Scott Mansberger, riding his Cannondale road bike:



There was a freeze warning last night and the 9am temperature was in the low 40s. It was interesting to see folks racing side by side with completely different biking clothing. There were jackets, sweatshirts, bare arms, & even some bare torsos. 

I have no picture, but here's a shout out to racer #285: "Your helmet was on backwards." I suppose that's easily done in a hurried transition from the Carmel High School pool.

Among all the high performance bikes, there were plenty of racers on mountain bikes and hybrid bikes. This woman is riding a Trek hybrid bike, which is built more for comfort and less for speed. She must have had a strong swim, because she was racing in the midst of men on $3,000+ triathlon-specific bikes.




This lady is showing a very efficient & aerodynamic position on the bike:


Racing on 110th St, just east of the Monon Trail:


(Congratulations to all Carmel Sprint Triathlon participants.  You will find Triathlon Bike Accessories Indianapolis,  and Triathlon bikes in-stock now at Bicycle Garage Indy North in Indianapolis, and Bicycle Garage Indy South in Greenwood.  Blog Editor)

My youngest son, 14, is an avid rider, but still learning the importance of routine bike maintenance.  Last week, he set on a ride without checking his tires.  It was about a half hour later that we got the call about his flat tire.  We picked him up, and repairing the tire, I found the tell tale "snake-bite" or pinch flat, the result of riding over a sharp bump with an under inflated tire.

 

Under inflation is a common cause of bicycle flats. And along with flat tires, expensive rim damage may result.  Bicycle tubes, especially with narrow, lightweight wheels, may easily drop 10 to 20 lb. of tire pressure in just a week.  For this reason, a floor pump is good way to protect your bicycle investment.  

 

There a few basic features to look for in pump.  A built-in pressure gauge allows you to add air and check pressure in one step.  A dual head will handle either automotive (Schraeder) style valves, or the narrower Presta valves found on lightweight wheel.  A long hose will allow you reach the valve in any position.  You also want a stable base and comfortable handle.  Some pumps will also include inflator pins for spot balls and other inflatable items like beach and pool toys.

 

Bicycle Garage Indy stocks may floor pumps.  The Bontrager Charger is very good pump with all the basic features you need.  If you have both road and off-road/comfort bikes at home, the Cannondale Airport Maximum Floor Pump is able to  switch between hi-pressure road tires and large-volume, low pressure,  off road tires.  Blackburn and Giant pumps are also available.

 

They are just a few of the bike tools Indianapolis you will find at Bicycle Garage Indy North in the Clearwater area, or Bicycle Garage Indy South, in Greenwood,  just minutes west of I-65 on County Line Road.

Mountain biking in Indianapolis is just around the corner. The sun is starting to shine, the trails are starting to dry up and my Cannondale Mountain bike is ready to get muddy! Today I stopped in at the Bicycle Garage Indy Spring Bicycle Expo and picked up some fantastic gear. I am really excited about my new Re-spun Cannondale bike jersey. The coolest thing about this jersey is that it is made from discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles or excess fabric scraps.

Name: Kaila Woodside
Bicycle: Cannondale
City: Indianapolis
State: Indiana

(Thanks Kaila from everyone at BGi.  We hope you in enjoy your Cannondale Re-Spun jersey.)

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.

I really value the relationship we have with Bicycle Garage on the north side of Indianapolis. In spite of being a big store with a lot of business, They always make me feel special. Yesterday I went in looking for a Mt. Bike for my daughter Caroline who is a high school junior and ready to really step up her game this season. Toby was awesome and was a little concerned about her size and that they might not have the right bike in stock. We never felt any pressure to buy one of their bikes and he did a great job of explaining every detail. the result was this fantastic Cannondale Rush Mt. Bike (same bike I'm riding) that was just her size. She was happy it was in Colts blue, but is most excited to be tearing up the trails in Brown County as soon as they dry out! Thanks guys!

Name: Chris Baggott
Bicycle: Cannondale Mt. Bike: Rush
City: Greenfield
State: IN

I was getting started in triathlons back in 2007 and needed a bike. The guys at BGI were incredibly helpful in guiding my decision. They warned me against spending too much, and not getting a sport specific time trial bike. This was invaluable advice and one that I have heard echoed many times since in various publications. BGI also made sure that the bike I selected fit me properly and worked for exactly what I needed it to. Since that day in 2007 I have finished a number of triathlons including some half-Ironman distance races, all on that bike. Without the expert advice of BGI, I wouldn't have come as far as I have. Thanks BGI!

Name: Blake Matheny
Bicycle: Cannondale Six13
City: Indianapolis
State: IN

I am completely at home taking care of the different types of bicycle brakes I have used over the years; side pulls, center pulls, cantilevers and linear-pull/V-brakes.   I have had them on the bikes I have owned, assembled and maintained.  But disc brakes are a completely new animal for me.  I don’t own a disc-equipped bike (yet, of course!), and they only came into wide-spread use after my days as a full-time mechanic.  However, I had a unique opportunity to learn more about Hydraulic Disc brakes when Josh Prater, one of the service leads for Bicycle Garage Indy, scheduled a training session for BGI’s Service Department to share what he learned at a recent Park Tool Tech Summit, I jumped at the chance, and it turned out to be a very interesting couple of hours!

Bob Walters, a customer of Bicycle Garage Indy - North, has a great blog post about a new Cannondale Touring 1 bicycle being assembled and customized for his missionary work in Africa.  Looks like a very interesting story worth following.

The Touring 1 is just one of many high performance Cannondale Bikes Indianapolis, available at both Bicycle Garage Indy-North and Bicycle Garage Indy-South in Greenwood.

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. 

 

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.















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.
















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

Selecting the right bicycle clothing for the Indianapolis area is challenging any time of year, and late summer and fall is no exception.  With average temperatures in the 50's and 60's and ranging from the low 40's to high 70’s, a cyclist needs flexible cycling wear options.  This is especially true to enjoy longer fall rides that may start with a brisk morning, but still have lots of miles with summer-like conditions.  A few simple clothing accessories will allow you to extend the use of your favorite summer gear, ride comfortably in the morning, and keep the extras on you, and your bike, to a minimum.

For years, experienced cyclists have relied on arm, knee, and leg warmers for cool weather riding in the spring and fall.  Available in a variety of combinations fabric combinations of Lycra, Lycra & Fleece and wool, warmers for cycling are designed for wind protection and warmth while minimizing the restriction of movement and weight.  Along with the elastic construction, some feature "gripper" fabric bands at the tops to keep them securely in place on the upper arm and thigh.  Full-length (thigh to ankle) leg warmers may include a zipper for a snug fit over the ankle and easy removal over shoes.   At Bicycle Garage Indy we feature arm, knee and leg warmers from Pearl Izumi and SmartWool.

For women, a new and popular to alternative to the traditional arm warmers is the Terry Thermal Bolero.  The Bolero combines the coverage of arm warmers into single piece shoulder shrug.  This is an especially nice piece for women who prefer sleeve-less jerseys.

 Another good item for those between season rides is a lightweight wind jacket or vest.  Compared to heavier outerwear, they are a single layer of wind-proof, breathable fabric, and will pack down small enough to fit in a jersey pocket. Some of the items in this category from BGI include the Pearl Izumi Zephrr series (jacket or vest), Louis Garneau Stratos 2 Jacket, or the Cannondale Pack-Me Vest.

A kit of arm and knee warmers, combined with a wind jacket or vest, gives any cyclist comfortable, lightweight options for spring and fall riding conditions.   They are a great way expand both your riding wardrobe and riding season!

(Would you like to come into BGI for a cold weather clothing consultation?  Contact BGI's Clothing Buyer, Kelly Crimmins, by email: kcrimmins@bgindy.com or by phone at 317-842-4140)

I thought I'd post a little bit more of a review about my Giant Anthem, pictured at right.

Indianapolis is becoming a much better place to be a mountain bike rider.  There are two itch-satisfying trails in the city, two more varied trails within a 60 minute drive, and several wonderful trails in Brown County and points South.  The Hoosier Mountain Bike Associaton does a terrific job of posting up-to-date information about Indiana's various trails systems, including when it's OK to ride after a mud-inducing rainstorm.

The most popular mountain bike trail in Indiana happens to be five minutes from my house.  That's Town Run Trail Park, and while my primary focus is road, I've long felt that it wasn't right for me to be so close to Town Run and not be able to ride really really fast there.  So I ventured there this morning in the hopes of beginning the fastification process.

I'll skip the workout details and get right to how the bike did.  There were a few particular characteristics that I was eager to assess:

1) Rear suspension performance.  I had demo'ed Anthems in the past and absolutely loved the feel of the rear suspension--very firm under pedaling, but bump-absorbing in a way that makes you go "wait, isn't there usually a big bump there?"  This new bike was equally impressive.

2) Handling.  The old Anthems had very, very quick steering.  That was never my cup of tea, since I tend to get sloppy with fatigue, and prefered something with a bit more stable feel.  My last bike, a Cannondale Scalpel, was just how I liked it.  The new Anthem has a much more reassuring handling feel than the old one did, but is still a bit twitchy for my taste.  However, it's likely that I'll get used to this over time, and wind up with fewer bruises like the one I got this morning on my right ankle after kicking a tree after my foot came unclipped after grazing the bar on another tree just enough to cause an adrenaline-spiking swerve.

3) Tires.  Never know quite what to expect with a new tire.  This tire, the Michelin Dry, is rapidly becoming a favorite.  A Town Run tire needs to roll fast and grip well in fast, dry corners, and this one does the job. 

It's early in our relationship, but all signs are positive. 

Come and see us and we can help you find an Anthem--or whatever full-suspension bike is best for you.  And right now, we have several full-suspension models on SALE!

Thanks for reading.  I'll be racing this thing on 5/31, and I'll be sure to let you know how it does.

I had today off so I decided to go for a long one. The weather window looked like I could stay fairly dry if I wore the right clothes. It was around 65 degrees and there was a 10mph wind out of the WSW.
This Picture is White River from the Henderson Ford Access Site off of SR 37. You can't see that I have on a Short sleeve jersey with arm warmers and a wind vest. Thought I was rained on twice I stayed warm and comfy with what I was wearing. The day turned out perfect for a slow 64 mile ride even if I have to wash the bike now.

Bike courtesy of Cannondale Bikes, helmet= Giro, Shorts=Pearl iZumi, Shoes= Sidi, Jersey/vest= Trek