Mountain Bikes Indianapolis

Town Run Trail Closed during Spring Thaw

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Jay Hardcastle

Passing along an update on local trail conditions from Mark Finney, an avid off-road rider and BGI employee.

Please, if you see people with MTBs and/or gear, do your best to dissuade them from riding the trails for the next few weeks.

As the ground thaws, the trail turns into "grease mud" with a layer of ice beneath. It is VERY susceptible to damage from tire ruts (or footprints), which hold more water and create more mud. If the trails get to thaw and absorb without being disturbed, they can be re-opened WEEKS earlier, and without requiring a ton of volunteer labor from the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association to repair the damage.

Town Run is officially closed (gate closed @ 96th St entrance), but too many people still "poach" in from other points. Other trails to avoid are Westwood (New Castle), Brown County, and Versailles.

Rangeline (Anderson) is the exception. It is an old gravel quarry, and is less prone to the freeze/thaw cycle.

Please refer to http://www.HMBA.org/ (and specifically to the fresh info in the Forums area) for more information. Thanks to Mark Finney on the Bicycle Garage Indy Staff for this trail update.

Brown County is great for Family Mt. Biking

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Customers, Friends and Fans of Bicycle Garage Indy

Since today is such a nice day with the first hint of spring I wanted to make sure that people make a point to get to Brown County this season. The Hoosier Mt. Bike Association (HMBA) has done an amazing job here, creating a truly world class track with miles and miles of awesome trails and routes for the entire family regardless of skill level. I've ridden here with my 9 year old and I've ridden with people from around the country who made me beg for oxygen. (of course all on Bikes from Indy's best bike shop) Brown County is close too. There are a bunch of us in the Indy Business community who meet early on Friday mornings there and are back in the office before lunch. A great way to top off the week....Indiana Mountain Biking.

Name: Chris
City: Greenfield
State: IN

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

IMPD Receives Bicycles from BGI Fitness and CIBA Foundation

Monday, January 4, 2010 by Connie Schmucker

On November 14, Sgt. Joshua Shaughnessy was injured and his bike was totaled when he was on-duty riding in downtown Indianapolis. While his injuries were not serious, the bike was damaged beyond repair. When Bicycle Garage Indy/BGI Fitness learned of Sgt. Shaughnessy’s accident, first there was a sigh of relief that the officer was not seriously injured. Then, once it was determined the bicycle was damaged beyond repair, BGI President and Founder Randy Clark opted to donate a replacement bike for the officer to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD). The new bicycle, a Trek 2010 Police Bike, was presented to Sgt. Shaughnessy on Tuesday, December 22, 2009. (Photo L-R: Joey Antico, BGI Fitness Commercial Division, Sgt. Joshua Shaughnessy, Sgt. Robert Hipple).

“It is my vision that Indianapolis become as bike-friendly as possible and that includes having active bicycle patrolmen with quality equipment. BGI has been involved with outfitting bicycle police and security officers for many years. We wanted to take this opportunity to give back to the community and to those who serve us day in and day out, keeping the city safer. It is truly our pleasure to support our local police force and we all very happy that the accident didn't result in any major injuries to those involved.” Randy Clark, founder and president of Bicycle Garage Indy / BGI Fitness.

“I’d like to thank BGI for making such a significant contribution to community policing in Indianapolis. This patrol bike will enable officers to more effectively deter crime through proactive crime fighting initiatives. On behalf of IMPD, we are very grateful to BGI for their donation and positive role in the community,” Sgt. Joshua Shaughnessey.

In addition to the police bicycle donated from Bicycle Garage Indy/BGI Fitness, there were four mountain bikes (Giant Yukons) and helmets (Trek Vapor) presented by CIBA Foundation board member Irwin Prince. The bikes and helmets were provided to the IMPD by a $2500 grant from CIBA Foundation. CIBA Foundation has given more than $220,000 in grants supporting all forms of bicycling. Through its grant program, the foundation strives to provide resources to partner organizations that support its goal of promoting the benefits of cycling to the community.

Sgt. Robert Hipple, IMPD Bicycle Liaison, states “The four bicycles will allow IMPD Downtown District Officers to continue policing by bicycle while in a plainclothes capacity. The IMPD Bicycle officers appreciate the tremendous support from the CIBA Foundation and the Indiana cycling community.”

(Photo L-R: Irwin Prince, CIBA Foundation, Sgt. Joshua Shaugnessy, Sgt. Robert Hipple.)

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

Kids racing!

Monday, December 14, 2009 by Toby Holsman

Bike racing is a tough sport for kids to get started in. A lot of parents worry about the startup cost and the risk of injury. Fortunately, the fastest-growing race category in the US is also the most kid-friendly: cyclocross!

Most kids' bikes are not well-suited to road or mountain bike racing, but a cyclocross racer can use just about anything--as evidenced by these fellas trying to negotiate the sand pit.

The Ohio Valley Cyclocross Series has put a strong emphasis on encouraging kids' participation. They frequently get junior-aged fields of 30 or more. Many of the stronger junior riders compete in the senior categories and put a hurt on them (myself included)!

Josh's bike handling skills are second to. . . well, many, but they're still pretty good.

Cyclocross races are generally much friendlier to kids or other inexperienced racers. There are no high-speed packs of riders to negotiate. The consequences of a fall are generally much less than in a road race or on a rock-strewn mountain bike descent. And you get to do lots of different fun, playful things on your bike--like trying to leap back onto the seat after running up a hill!

BGI has several riders who participate in cyclocross races in Indianapolis and surrounding cities. This picture is of Josh Prater, assistant service manager, en route to winning the Category 3 state championship in 2008.

You can also get cyclocross advice from some of our other riders: the South store has Shane Meadows, Daniel Bartholomew, and Bob Locke; the North store has Mark Trousdale, Josh, and yours truly.

The cross season is over for this year, but keep an eye on www.ovcx.com next year as the summer winds down--there'll be plenty more muddy, sandy, snowy, awesome action to be had.

Fenders For The All Season Rider

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Jay Hardcastle

My first extended tour was 11 days and 900 miles, riding from Toledo, Ohio to St. Ignace, Michigan, and back. It rained 7 of those 11 days; not rain showers, but all day, record breaking, cats and dogs cloud burst rain. That was over 500 soaking wet miles. At the end of the trip, everything with bearings on my one year old bike needed to re-packed, and the headset and bottom bracket had to be replaced. Ever since I have never toured without fenders, and they stay year round on my touring/wet weather bike. I also keep fenders on the bike I ride for bicycle commuting in Indianapolis.

With routine care and maintenance, it is fine to get caught in the rain on your bike. It is when you regularly ride in wet conditions that you want to consider fenders. The muddy streak running up your back is just half the story. That grime is also being dumped on the exposed moving parts of your bike (chain, headset, bottom bracket and pedals), shortening their time between maintenance and usable life. And when you ride year round or on early spring training rides, you also expose your bike to the sand, salt and other chemicals used on the roads during the winter.

There are many styles of fenders available from Bicycle Garage. From Giant, we have the

Splendor Full and Half Length Fenders. Partial length fenders are more common for mountain bikes, which must stop mud but still have wide clearance to prevent mud build up. If you don’t want a dedicated wet weather bike, clip on fenders like the

Planet Bike Freddy Fenders are available for road or mountain bikes, and can be installed and removed without tools. These are just a few of the brands and styles available at BGI.

Along with protecting your bike from the elements, fenders are also part of your personal rain gear. Your feet and legs stay dryer, and your clothing and gear are protected from from road grit and grime. And if you are commuting, you co-workers will appreciate that!

Different seasons, different rides.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by Toby Holsman

One of the nice things about this time of year is that one has an impetus to seek out different types of bike rides.

Town Run too muddy to mountain bike? Find an off-road alternative that isn't as sensitive to wet weather.

Not enough daylight to get your long ride in? Get a new trainer, like I just did, and add some intensity to get maximum results out of a shorter workout. Robbie Ventura's videos are the best I've seen.

Too cold and wet to ride fast on the road? Consider some fat tire options that will bring the speed, and the wind chill, down.

Ride your MTB on the road. You'll go a little slower, and maybe notice some new detours. Or you'll ride a bumpy or gravelly road that you'd normally avoid.

After a summer of goal-oriented riding, it's time for exploring.

Links for the HMBA Brown County Breakdown

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 by Jay Hardcastle

Normally I am a road guy. My 1983 Trek 850 is now my commuter / Urban Assault Bike. But our regular off-road specialist was tied up, so I am posting this collection of links for last weekends Brown County Breakdown, attended by over 600 riders. (BGI sponsored one of the sag stops.) Tony reports that at least 30 riders completed 100 miles off-road & single track on Sunday. Here are just few of the links Tony passed along.

http://alexmtb.smugmug.com/gallery/9960918_qWRWr#680289587_eKA8r

http://gallery.me.com/fzryasky#100169

a blog entry:

http://northstarcycles.blogspot.com/2009/10/brown-county-breakdown_12.html

and a video of Jake Gretz (Local Trek rep) and his mad bike skills:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjwIbGJjUxg

You can also become fan/friend of 'Brown County Mountain Biking' on FaceBook.

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.

Friday ride 10/2/09--OFFROAD

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 by Toby Holsman

We'll be riding as usual this Friday. Meet at 7:30 and start shortly thereafter, and we're mountain biking this week. Just for the sake of change. Back at the shop at 9.

Friday ride ON for 9/18

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by Toby Holsman

The Friday ride is on for 9/18. However, we do have to make the melancholy adjustment of starting at 7:15 rather than 7. The route will be modified accordingly to get us back to the shop by 9.

I've been riding a little less now that race season is over, and spending some quality time on the mountain bike. I'm compensating for my lower number of miles by accumulating far more skin abrasions. Give and take.

We've had some truly beautiful riding weather lately--grab as much saddle time as you can!

Change your Chocolate!

Friday, September 11, 2009 by Tony Simeone

And by that, I mean your chocolate foot. Everybody has a foot that they prefer to ride with forward when coasting, jumping, bunny-hopping, riding over obstacles, through rock gardens, etc... That foot is often refered to as your 'chocolate' foot. For me, that's my left foot.

Now why would you want to change that? Every now and then, you'll run into situations where due to coming up on something unexpected, or just by where your foot is located in the pedal stroke while you're riding, you're going to have your non-chocolate foot forward when having to ride over something difficult. In that past, that would usually lead to me crashing or just looking silly as I stumble through whatever obstacle I might be riding over, so this past summer, I've worked on getting used to riding with my other foot forward when riding over obstacles. I started out just rolling over smaller logs with my right (non-chocolate for me) foot forward. After getting used to that, I moved on to small drops and jumps. It was about the most un-natural feeling I've ever encountered on the bike, but I slowly got used to it.

Well, last week, all that work finally paid off. Out on a mountain bike ride, I came around a corner at speed, and encountered a new log on the trail. Due to the timing of my pedaling, I was forced to go over the log with my right foot forward instead of my usual left. To my amazement, I didn't realize what I had done until I was 20 feet down the trail after cleanly clearing the log crossing.

Now, I'm always still going to prefer having my usual foot forward when going over things or jumping, it's just nice to know if that can't happen, I'll be better prepared for it!

Race report: Mass Ave crit.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by Toby Holsman

Mayor Ballard getting ready to lead the parade lap for the cat 1/2/3 race.

This is my second time doing the Mass Ave Crit (or Massachusetts Avenue Criterium, if you prefer). I liked the event last year, and this year I loved it! Huge improvement. Course design, community participation, overall excitement level--just great. It was everything that urban racing should be. Looking forward to more of the same next year.

My race started at 8. Pretty early considering warmup, registration, and the fact that I had just gotten back from a three-day trip to Trek World the night before (more on that in a later post). So I wasn't exactly feeling spry when we came off the start line and into the first of dozens of 120 degree turns.

A brief aside to my fellow category 3 riders: let's try to get over ourselves a bit. Let's not ignore the basic instructions that the officials give us on the start line, since we seem to have trouble following them. Let's not pretend we're incredible bike handlers, since we're creeping through those turns at 18 mph. And let's not scream at each other to "hold your line" at the slightest deviation from ruler-straight; this is a criterium, not a team time trial, and some amount of jostling around is unavoidable. And that's not a sarcastic use of the first person plural; I am guilty of those same sins. Just trying to get better.

Anyway, my legs started coming around as the race went on. I never quite found the sweet spot at the front, and kept finding myself drifting toward the back, with the legs but not the position to respond as dangerous-looking attacks materialized. Luckily, the relatively high pace kept anything from getting too far off the front.

As we came down to the last few laps, I found myself near the back, but felt like I had the rhythms of the race figured out. I started picking off a few places with each corner, and found myself in prime position heading into the last lap. Then I got a lesson in why you try to avoid the outside line on the last corner: people slide out in front of you!

Thank you, fortuitously placed curb cut!

The crash piled up right in front of me, against the curb, and there wasn't any more road to use. Luckily, there was a curb cut right in front of me! Heart pounding, I rode up onto the grass, under a tree limb, onto the sidewalk, and back on to the course via a driveway about 50 yards later. I passed a couple of riders and wound up 11th.

Kind of a bummer, since I thought I was on my way to top 5 or better. But I'm really just happy to be out of it with all my skin.

My teammate Michael Schroeder won the cat 4 race for the second year in a row. Time to move up--I was the only MOB rider in my race!

One more to go, the Marion Classic. Then some easy riding and mountain biking during September. Then a long winter's nap. And by "nap," I mean "hours and hours of dripping sweat on the trainer."

Day 3...up and down

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by Brian Clissold

Today turned out to be a really beautiful day in many ways. From the gun, however, it was a steady climb for 20 miles. Granted, it was only a 1-2% grade, but with a loaded bike, and no downhill relief at all, climbing for 2 + hours really is taxing. After the long uphill, I finally reached the Eastern Continental Divide, then Big Savage Tunnel (super cool!) and started downhill.

The descent is certainly a relief, but it was not a completely easy ride, as I did have to keep the pedals turning to ride 16-17 mph on the rough trail surface. I stopped in Frostburg, about 15 miles down the hill, for lunch. There's a really great little switchback system for hikers and bikers, so instead of riding up to the cafe at a 15% grade, the max is only 4. I had a nice lunch at the cafe, and while finishing up, the Western Maryland Scenic Railway rolled in. It's a great steam engine that pulls old timey passenger cars from Cumberland up to Frostburg and back. So, I had the good fortune of watching the WMSR spin around on the turntable before I headed on down the hill.

I headed on down the hill into Cumberland, stopping along the way to take a picture or two. Cumberland is a lovely town...not big, but the largest along the route. I stopped to refill my bottles and swing into a grocery store for some ingredients, then headed on down the path to start the C&O Towpath.

The Towpath is a completely different trail. While the majority of today was spent along beautiful rivers, winding up and down scenic grades of mountains, and watching old trains go by, the canal, as it is today, is mostly standing water with lots and lots of algae, and the trail itself is overgrown a big, bumpy, and really more of an easy mountain bike fire road than a bike path. Regardless, it was an enjoyable ride, and I tried out the first of the "hiker biker" campsites at Purslane Run. In total, it was a 73 mile day, but about 20 of it was downhill. I leave the post with a great shot of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad comin' right at you!

bc

Back on the trails

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 by Mark Finney

Ah, mountain biking...! It's great that "monsoon season" has finally abated, and we're able to ride Indiana's stellar singletrack again.

Right across the river from BGI, Town Run Trail Park is Indianapolis' only public trail system. It's seven miles of rolling sweetness. The Hoosier Mountain Bike Association's volunteers have preened it to within an inch of its life, and all the mud holes, fallen trees, and even the stinging nettles have been banished. The trail is firm and dry, with just enough moisture to offer perfect grip.

I haven't been riding "enough" lately, and found myself over-braking out of distrust for mid-corner traction. ...Then I'd pitch the Trance into the corner and rail though, obviously -well- within my limits. Sweet! (I love my bike!!!) I'm not sure what heart rate or O2 zone I was running, but I was able to have a sparse conversation and my peripheral vision never narrowed. Just a comfortable romp in the woods.

Few wildlife sightings... Trail was too busy for the deer to come out to play. I did see a great blue herron in the gravel pit lake at the south end of the trail, across from BGI. And the wildflowers were stellar! Purple coneflower, daisies, queen anne's lace, and something blue I can't name.

Last night, the HMBA's Bike 'n Brew Tuesday gathered a goodly crowd. The parking lot at TRTP was full, but as usual, the trail swallowed us all and it was quite possible to ride an entire 7-mile lap without seeing another rider. Word spread (via the crew gathered at the picnic table) that B&B would convene at the Moon Dog "whenever you're done riding." Some folks had already left before I got there, but at one point our table grew to about a dozen, including some folks we'd not broken bread with before. (Welcome to Brian, Fabrizio and Kelly!)

Home by bed time, slept like a log, and sporting a Cheshire Cat Grin today over having "gotten one over on the world" last night: when most folks were couch potatoing, we were enjoying the ride!!!!!!!!!

Hot out? Juice your water!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Tony Simeone

Ok, I'm a big guy, and I sweat a bunch when I ride. Normally, if my ride starts to go over the 3+ hour mark in the summer, my legs start to cramp and stop functioning. I've tried several different sport drinks and whatnot over the years, and nothing ever seemed to help. But this summer, I've started using Camelbak Elixir. Just drop 4 tablets into my 100 oz. Camelbak bladder, and I've got all the electrolytes I need, without all the sticky sugar that I don't need. Just enough flavor, and doesn't leave an aftertaste in your Camelbak. I recently was on a 5 hour mountain bike ride at Brown County State Park in 90+ degree heat, and this stuff did the trick!

Getting dirty on the new Anthem.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 by Toby Holsman

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.

Race Report--Eagle Creek.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 by Toby Holsman

Got my race on again last weekend. This was the Eagle Creek Traditional Criterium, a staple of the Indianapolis racing scene. We averaged over 25 mph the last time I did this race, and I was expecting another fast one.

Our team's plan was to keep things together for the first 20 minutes or so, neutralizing any breakaways, and wait until the end to set things up for Farmer Dave Anderson. However, a strong break of several riders got away while we were napping, and we could never bring them back. The other teams did a great job of breaking up our chase. Frustrating.

Eric doesn't seem too excited about winning--but it probably pales in comparison to winning the Little 500, which he did two weeks ago.

I felt strong during the race, and was able to make up time on the breakaway each time I took a pull--but then another team would get to the front and slow things down. Kind of a bummer, but the good news is that it was probably the best race I've ever done in terms of tactics, positioning, and aggression. I have no doubt that we would have produced a strong result if we had executed our plan. Live and learn.

Other notes:
-don't go too hard at the opening
-be ready for the counterattack if your teammates are coming back from a breakaway
-we averaged 24.8 mph according to my co-worker and opponent Mark Trousdale. Still pretty fast!
-I'm doing a somewhat better job in the Looking Cool Department.

Next up: the DINO mountain bike race at Brown County State Park. I got destroyed at the road race, but hopefully I'll be a little fitter and lighter for this round. If you've never ridden at Brown County, or never raced your mountain bike, this would be an excellent time to try both. It's great riding and challenging racing.

Thanks for reading!

Safety Second

Thursday, April 30, 2009 by Mark Finney

Safety Second.

This title can lead to so many thoughts... but for now, it's because I'm thinking about helmets. Over the past few days I've been riding on the Monon Trail, the first of Indianapolis' bike paths, and was simply stunned at the low percentage of riders wearing bicycle helmets.

It doesn't take much to "ring your bell," and the downside risks are enormous. All you have to do is catch your wheel in a rut, slip in some gravel, or have a moment of inattention, and... Oops!

Why not wear a bike helmet, Indianapolis?

Too fashion conscious to be seen in one?
Can't find it?
Just going around the block?
None of the cool kids wear helmets?
It's too hot?
It doesn't fit right?

The responses to these objections are sooooo simple that they don't even bear repetition... --You already know them. Please please please, don't slack on this! Do you wear a seatbelt in the car? Then by all means wear a helmet when you ride a bike! Ridership is increasing, and incidence of bike accidents will inevitably increase, too. Please don't become a statistic!

Drop by Bicycle Garage Indy and take a look at our wide variety of helmets. From infants to triathletes, we have helmets to fit the head AND the budget. My favorite is the Bell Influx. It's a mid-priced helmet that offers the versatility I need to use it for mountain bike riding, road bike training, and neighborhood jaunts. Let us help you find the perfect helmet for your uses!

It just takes a second to be safe.

Time for a change

Thursday, April 30, 2009 by Kelly Crimmins

While I am sad that I can no longer ride my trusty Mountain Bike, I have decided to look at this positively and take a look at what's new. Recently I tried the Giant XTC and was pleased with the feel. Disc brakes - huh! Everyone seems to have them - time for a change.
Will this improve my mountain biking skills - look out trails.

Kelly - a novice Mountain Biker.