Ibis demo tour @ Colonels 5-18-11

Kirk from Ibis cycles will be at Colonel's Bicycles on Wednesday, May 18 @ 2:30 p.m. His demo van will be loaded up with a full range of awesome mountain, road, and cyclocross bikes that you can come test ride. He will even have a pre-production MOJO S-LR here for viewing. Sully and I are pretty darn excited about this and we're not the only ones. Demo enthusiast Marty Nolen is driving up from Austin and, local cyclocross hero and national contender Buck Smith will also be there. Kirk will be setting up some tents in front of the shop and Colonel's will be supplying some refreshments. So stop on by, say hello and hop on an Ibis!

You can find more info on the Ibis demo tour here: http://www.ibiscycles.com/buytry/ibis_demo_tour/

Orbea Orca With Sram Force On Sale

The 2011 Orbea Orcas are arriving daily so we are putting this 2010 Orca with Sram Force on sale. This is a 54cm bike with a 55cm top tube. The bike is equipped with the complete Force group; shifters, derailleurs, crankset, brakes, chain and cassette. Wheels are Mavic Ksyrium Equipe in white. Weight as it is shown in the photo: 16.09lbs. Fast, light and beautiful! Original retail price was $5069 and we are clearing this one out for $4100. Give us a call at (817) 924-1333 if you have questions. Or email, info@colonelsbikes.com

Tuesday Nighter Sunset

If you missed the Tuesday Night Ride you missed this great view coming back in from Gateway Park. (my crappy camera phone doesn't quite do it justice)
You also missed getting stuck with us under the Main St bridge while lightning and pouring rain kept us trapped for about half an hour!

National Bike To Work Week 2011

National Bike to Work Week will be kicking off on Monday, May 16 and continuing until Friday, May 20. Now is a good time to consider ditching your gas guzzler for a week and hopping on your bicycle instead. Cycling saves gas, reduces emissions and gets your blood flowing. If you can't commit to riding the whole week, consider riding on Friday (National Bike to Work Day).

If you're worried about leaving the car behind, plan a route that combines biking with riding the bus or the Trinity Railway Express (TRE).
DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT (DART): http://www.dart.org/
FORT WORTH BUS ROUTES :http://www.the-t.com/Routes/routes.html
TRE: http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/

If you happen to be in the market for a bike and are looking for cushy commuter or just something to pull the kid's trailer with, come take a look at the Giant Cypress we have up at the shop. It's lightweight frame, suspension seatpost and padded saddle, soak up bumps, and make for a smooth ride.
Retail: $380 (Women's frame size available in XS, S, M) (Men's frame size available XS, S, M, L, XL)



If a zippy single speed is more your style then the Gian Via might be what you're after. It's distinctive split top tube adds character, and a double-butted chromoly frame make this bike tough, fast, light, and functional. It even comes with a nifty frame mounted U-lock holder.
Retail: $380 (Men's frame size available S, M, L , XL) (Women's frame size XS, S, M)





Another good piece of gear any commuter needs is a sturdy bag. Osprey offers active everyday packs with tons of storage. They can safely carry a laptop, a change of clothes, and everything else needed for a busy day around town. The FLAPJILL COURIER comes in two sizes and has interchangeable straps. (Also available for men: FLAPJACK COURIER)





If a back pack is what you're looking for, then the Talon is a sure bet. It is a long-standing staple in the Ospery Line. It has an adjustable harness, a lightweight , ventilated back panel, tons of storage, and a LidLock Helmet clip. This unique pack is also hydration compatible and has a pocket for the Osprey Hydraform Reservoir.



Stop on by the shop and you can test ride the Cypress, Via, or any other bike we have in the shop.

For more information on planning your ride to work visit: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/pdf/BTWW_Booklet.pdf

Flat fix kits in stock and on sale!

We now have Colonel's complete flat fix kits in stock. Each one comes with two tubes, tire levers, two CO2 cartridges, one microflate adapter, one patch kit, and a Colonel's Bicycles seat post bag (made in the USA). On sale for $48 while supplies last.

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.