Reynolds Spin It Up Test Ride Program

Colonel's Bicycles is now participating in the Reynolds Spin It Up wheel rental program. If you have a big race or event coming up, then Spin It Up is your chance to rent and test a set of Reynolds wheels. Stop by or give us a call for details.

Humbled by the Red River Riot

For the last two months I've been preparing for this ride. I've done rides of 70-80 miles every weekend with rides of 25-30 miles during the week. Some of the longer rides being as much as 40% gravel. But nothing I did prepared me for the hills that the Red River Valley had to dish out. Kevin had said he wanted the course to be as scenic and tough as possible and I think he succeeded on both counts. I went in feeling pretty fit and ready but found myself pushing my bike up several hills that were extremely long and crazy steep. Maybe I rode too hard the week before; maybe I could've run thinner/lighter tires; maybe I was carrying more gear than I needed; but after 68 miles of gravel, wind, and hills I was done. I never really thought I could pull off the full 130 mile route but I was pretty sure I could handle 100, boy was I wrong. I was happy to finish the 68 mile leg and more than happy to call it a day at that point. I'll definitely give it another shot next year, better prepared with the lessons I learned from this year, and a goal in mind of completing the entire distance.

Colonel's Sale 15% of all long fingered gloves

Now through Mother's day we will be selling all our long fingered gloves 15% off. We have Giro DND, Giro Gilman, Giro Tessa LF, and Westerly Wool. Stop on by and grab you a pair.

1 Legged Cyclist Blog

As you may have read in a prior blog, long time Colone'ls friend David Regier will be embarking upon the Million Dollar Challenge this October. The ride will start in San Francisco and end in San Diego and proceeds will benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation. To learn more about Dave and the CAF, make sure to check out his blog! http://www.1leggedcyclist.blogspot.com/

Dave feels like he has been fortunate to be able to enjoy different athletic activities, even with his disability, and he wants to help others do the same. Seriously folks, take a minute and give it a look.

Electra Mother's Day Sale (now through May 8, 2011)

If you've racked your brain trying to come up with the perfect mother's day gift and are still stumped...then we have a possible solution. Now through Mother's day we are having a sale on all in stock Electra Cruisers. These babies are perfect for camping trips, neighborhood rides with the grandkids, or treks down the Trinity Trail. Get your mom to something special this year.

Check out our Electra album on Facebook for individual pictures of in stock bikes http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150219088036077.350513.214823411076

Bikes we have on the floor (while they last):

Surf 3i- Reg: $599.99 SALE: $499.99

Hawaii Custom 3i (lilac)- Reg: $499.99 SALE: $399.99

Hawaii 3i (pink)- Reg: $499.99 SALE: $399.99

White Betty 3i- Reg: $499.99 SALE: $399.99

Red Betty 3i- Reg: $499.99 SALE: $479.99

Huli Huli 3i- Reg: $499.99 SALE: $399.99

Gypsy/Karma 3i- Reg: $619.99 SALE: $529.99

Super Deluxe 3i (mens')- Reg: $699.99 SALE: $579.99

Cruiser 1 (womens')- Reg: $299.99 SALE: $269.99

Cruiser 1 (men's)- Reg: $299.99 SALE: $269.99

2011 Red River Riot

The 2011 edition of the Red River Riot is upon us. The Rambler and I are gearing up for the ride this weekend, him on his new Moots PsychloX and me on my Vaya.

Check out info here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-River-Riot-Off-Road-Endurance-Bicycle-Ride/170439707690 and here: http://www.spinistry.com/

Also, check back in a week or so for pictures and a full ride report.

This Saturday's Special (4/16) 10% off all in stock Electra Cruisers

Help sponsor longtime Colonel's friend David Regier as he rides the Million Dollar Challenge

Dave Regier is an amputee cyclist who has been riding for six years and has been a customer of Colonel's from the beginning. He has ridden over 24,000 miles on his Moots Mootour and is undertaking a significant challenge and wants to ask for your help.

He has been chosen to ride in the Million Dollar Challenge as one of the disabled riders for the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). CAF was started by a high level Triathlete who was injured in an accident and is now competing in sports from a wheelchair. CAF's focus is providing funds to other disabled individuals who want to compete in athletics but do not have the support or funds to do so. The Million Dollar Challenge is their major fundraiser of the year. If you want to see more about the foundation and their activities throughout the country, go to www.challengedathletes.org .

On October 15, 2011 Dave will start from San Francisco and ride to San Diego in seven days (620 miles) with 100 able bodied cyclists and 6-10 disabled riders. It will be a very challenging ride to complete but well worth riding and raising funds for the CAF.

He would like to ask you for your support by donation on line to this foundation and helping him help others. You can donate by going to www.challengedathletes.org , choose Million Dollar Challenge, click on Sponsor Participant, type in David Regier and then click on his name to donate. If "online" does not fit your way of donation, you can print the donation form on the donation page, call in your donation (# on the donation form) or come into the Colonel's and pick up a donation form in the shop.

Please feel free to contact David if you have any questions or comments dregieratc@gmail.com

Colonel's Saturday Special (April 9 2011) Tifosi Sunglasses

Another weekend is upon us and hopefully for most of you this means an opportunity to do some riding. If you're needing some new eyewear then stop by the Colonel's before you head out. This weekend's (April 9) "Saturday Special" will be 15% off all Tifosi sunglasses. Whether you're looking for eyewear that has interchangeable lenses or ones that adjust rapidly to changing light conditions, Tifosi has you covered.

Trying to decide if you're a 26er or a 29er? Come on down to the shop and hop on one of our big wheel beauties that we have on the floor and see why we dig'em so much. With 29er wheels you can roll over obstacles (roots, rocks, etc.) with ease, and confidently blaze down paths on the trail that you'd normally try to avoid. Bigger wheels allow a bigger contact area with the ground, giving your ride grip and stability. Making singletrack heaps of fun! We carry a wide variety of 29er bikes from hardtail, single speed, to full suspension.

Brands: Giant, Orbea, Surly, Salsa, Redline, Moots

Colonel's Saturday Special (April 2, 2011)

We are going to start having a weekly Saturday sale at the Colonel's called the "Saturday Special". Every week we will be choosing new items for the one day sale. To kick things off this weekend (April 2) we are starting with
15% all Rubber.
This will include all tubes and tires. Tire brands include: Continental, Vittoria, Serfas, Geax, Surly. Tubes include: Slime, and all standards.

This sale is for one day only! So come on up to the shop and take advantage of the discount.

2011 Salsa Vaya/ 65Ob Salsa Vaya

So I loved the 2010 Vaya I had as a demo so much that when it sold I immediately bought myself the 2011 with Sram Apex. The first pic shows it stock except for the Lizard Skins bar tape, the Dean Ti seat post (a Colonel's heirloom passed on from Colonel to Sully to me), and my WTB Devo saddle. The second pic shows it set up with 650b Pacenti Quasi-Moto 2" tires. One of my favorite rides these days is riding the gravel out to Gateway park, doing a couple loops of the mtb trail, and then riding home. This set up knocks it out of the park.