Local Ride is open, despite the blanket of white stuff covering the Lower Mainland. We’re excited about the winter wonderland, but it makes riding bikes a little difficult. So difficult, in fact, that poor Steve was the only one who showed up for yesterday’s snowy Sunday Morning Ride. Roy and Alan had the right idea. They pulled out their mountain bikes and hit the snow with fat knobby tires instead of skinny slicks. Remember, if you do want to brave the snow, Local Ride has all the gear you’ll need to insulate yourself against the elements, like Sugoi and Sierra Designs clothing and accessories.

Weekly Specials
This week, we’re offering a whopping 20% off the current marked sale price on all 2005 and 2006 road bikes. That’s WAY below suggested retail. Come and check out our large selection of Giant, Specialized and Jamis bikes in lots of different styles and sizes. We’ll help put you on the bike that’s right for you.

Featured Products
The Giant Halfway folding bike is our feature of the week. This ingenious piece of bicycle engineering is the ultimate in space saving and portability. It’s ideal for people with small living spaces, boats and RV’s. It’s also great for commuters. If the public bus bike rack or the train is full, fold up the Halfway and carry it on. The Halfway has 7 speeds and can be taken anywhere when folded, and ridden anywhere when extended. The fork and rear stays are single sided to allow for an even more compact profile. It folds down in seconds to its amazingly small size of 32x32x12 inchs and weighs only 28 pounds.

Spinning!
Monday Night Spin Sessions start today, Monday, November 27! We’ll start things off at 6:15 p.m. Bring your bike, trainer, shoes, two towels (one for yourself and one for under your bike) lots of water and $5 for the drop in fee. If you don’t have your own trainer, we’ll have a limited number of rental trainers available for $5 per session. Workouts generally last between one and two hours.

Want to do some indoor training at home? We offer Spinerval DVD rentals at $5 for two days. Titles include: Recovery and Technique, Suffer O Rama, The Uphill Grind and The Sprinting Machine. We’ll also have new training DVD’s available in December.

Sunday Rides
Yesterday was a bit of a bust for the Sunday Morning Ride, but the snow never lasts long around here. Before you know it, it’ll be balmy and raining again — perfect winter cycling weather! Join us for a great group road ride every Sunday. Depending on numbers, we’ll try to split into an “A” and “B” group. The “A” Group normally averages around 30kph for 3+ hours, while the “B” Group hovers around 25kph for 2+ hours. Road bikes and fenders (with extenders) are highly recommended. Make sure you join us for coffee before we head off:

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall, Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge
When: Sundays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m.

Fall Hours
10-6 Monday-Thursday
10-7 Friday
10-6 Saturday
CLOSED Sunday

Have a happy snow day. They say it’s going to start all over again this Thursday!

Barry, Dave, Steve, Brian, Sandra, Tanya and Andrew!

Local Ride Racing’s Barry, Steve and Rob K. are licensed to race on the track at the Burnaby Velodrome! Yesterday the trio completed their Learn to Race clinic on the 200-metre wooden track with its gravity-defying 47-degree corners. Steve showed some natural track racing talent when he rode away from the group in a practice Scratch Race. “I’m definitely going to do more track racing,” he said enthusiastically. He’s eagerly awaiting his new Jamis Sputnik single speed, brake-less, fixed gear track bike, which can also be converted into a fully freewheeling, stopping, commuting machine.

Robbie celebrated his birthday on an epic Sunday Morning Ride with seven other die-hards, including new rider Ryan. The birthday boy got to choose the route and he took full advantage of his cyclocross skills and his Giant TCX ‘cross bike, taking the train of riders on a series of gravel roads by Alouette Lake. The guys were in the windy, wet weather for three hours. Happy Birthday, Robbie!

Weekly Specials
It doesn’t look like the rain will be clearing up anytime soon, so this week we’re bringing out the big guns and offering 30% off men’s and women’s Sierra Designs waterproof/breathable jackets and pants. The Entrant DT jacket and pants are lightweight and highly breathable shells that are great for cycling, hiking, snowshoeing and lots of other outdoor activities where you’re continuously rubbing shoulders with the elements.

Featured Products
The Giant Tempo spin bike offers a comfortable and realistic indoor cycling experience, with infinite handlebar and seat adjustability that allows you to mirror the feel of your own bicycle. Spinning is a great way to stay fit and achieve high quality and specific training indoors, so you can make the most of your time. The Giant Tempo can be yours for $1239.95.

Local Ride Racing Team
The guys and gals of the Local Ride Racing Team have started their winter training. They have their sights set on next season, which will kick off with the Escape Velocity Spring Series, which starts in March. That’s only three and a half months away!!! The provisional National Cycling Calendar is on Canadian Cyclist and it says Mountain Bike Nationals are in B.C. again — at Mount Washington!

This time of year, you may meet Local Ride Racing members logging long miles on the roads and trails of the Lower Mainland. And since it’s nearly winter, it’s the perfect time to add some spice to training, so you could even spot the racers running, climbing, lifting weights, cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Be sure to say hi!

Spinning!
Monday Night Spin Sessions will start on Monday, November 27 at Local Ride Bike Shop. We’ll start things off at 6:15 p.m. Bring your bike, trainer, shoes, two towels (one for yourself and one for under your bike) lots of water and $5 for the drop in fee. If you don’t have your own trainer, we’ll have a limited number of rental trainers available for $5 per session. Workouts generally last between one and two hours.

Want to do some indoor training at home? We offer Spinerval DVD rentals at $5 for two days. Titles include: Recovery and Technique, Suffer O Rama, The Uphill Grind and The Sprinting Machine. We’ll also have new training DVD’s available in December.

Sunday Rides
Last Sunday, eight riders came out for the Sunday Morning Ride. Join us every Sunday. Depending on numbers, we’ll try to split into an “A” and “B” group. The “A” Group normally averages around 30kph for 3+ hours, while the “B” Group hovers around 25kph for 2+ hours. Road bikes are highly recommended and as the rain rolls in, we’re making fenders (with extenders) mandatory, unless you’re content to ride at the back of the pack. Make sure you join us for coffee before we head off:

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall, Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge
When: Sundays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m.

Fall Hours
10-6 Monday-Thursday
10-7 Friday
10-6 Saturday
CLOSED Sunday

Have a great week!

Barry, Dave, Steve, Brian, Sandra, Tanya and Andrew!

Local Ride Racing’s Jeanine won her first bike race ever on Sunday at the Vancouver Island Cyclocross Series in Parksville. She picked up an Adidas prime for the LeMans start, as well as a 12-pack of beer for the fastest first lap. The grand prize for winning the Women’s Beginner race (this was only the fourth race in her young career), was a set of Crank Brothers SL pedals. Way to go Jeanine!

Robbie raced in Saturday’s National Cyclocross Championships in Nanaimo. He placed 32nd in a competitive Master Men’s 30-39 field. This was Robbie’s first season racing and his first National Championship experience. We’re expecting big things from him in the next couple of years!

Local Ride staffer, Sandra, pulled a double-header weekend, placing 11th in the Elite Women’s race at the National Championships on Saturday and going on to finish fifth in the Vancouver Island Cyclocross Series Finals on Sunday.

Weekly Specials
This week we’re helping you deal with the impending winter by offering you 20% off Sugoi cold weather accessories, including booties, leg warmers, arm warmers, knee warmers, headbands, toques, ponytail adaptable beanies and gloves. The weather’s not going to get any better, so it’s time to equip yourself for it.

Featured Products
Specialized shoes and footbeds are a great way to improve your performance and on-bike comfort. They use Specialized’s patented Body Geometry technology to ensure your foot is properly supported to prevent hot spots that cause nerves and blood vessels to be crushed during pedaling. The footbeds, sold separately, offer a semi-custom fit and are also compatible with Shimano shoes and some other brands. We have 2007 Specialized shoes and footbeds in stock in a variety of sizes and styles for road, mountain bike and fitness use. Come slip your feet into a pair of Specialized shoes today.

Local Ride Racing Team
The season is winding down for the Local Ride Racing Team and the guys and gals are starting to think about winter training. That means long rides in the rain, quality time on the indoor trainer and cross-training — all of which Local Ride can help with. Our popular Sunday Morning Ride lasts at least three hours and is a good way to get motivated to train. As for the indoor training work out — we’ll be offering weekly spinning sessions soon! Cross training, you ask? Well, we have functional sports clothing you can use for cycling, running, hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and almost any other outdoor activity you may want to try to change things up a little.

We may not be completely finished with racing for the year. There’s another ‘cross race we’ve been toying with the idea of doing:
* Northwest ‘Cross Series, Bellingham, WA, November 25

Spinning!
Yes, we’ve nailed down a date and it’s about time! It looks like Monday will be Local Ride’s Spinning Day. The first session will be Monday, November 12. We’ll start things off at 6:15 p.m. Bring your bike, trainer, shoes, two towels (one for yourself and one for under your bike) lots of water and $5 drop-in fee. We’ll also have a limited number of rental trainers available for $5 per session. Workouts generally last between one and two hours and usually focus on intensity.

Sunday Rides
Last Sunday, we had four riders show up on Local Ride’s Sunday Morning Ride, despite the long weekend. Rob K., Mark P. (of course), Barry and Steve braved the rain and logged a solid base ride, which included a slippery ascent of the Gun Club Hill.

Join us on our great group road ride every Sunday. Depending on numbers, we’ll try to split into an “A” and “B” group. The “A” Group normally averages around 30kph for 3+ hours, while the “B” Group hovers around 25kph for 2+ hours. If you’re unsure whether you fit into one of our groups, come along for a flat, half-hour warm-up. Road bikes are highly recommended and as the rain rolls in, we’re making fenders (with extenders) mandatory, unless you’re content to ride at the back of the pack. Feel free to call us if you have any questions. Make sure you join us for coffee before we head off:

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall, Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge
When: Sundays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m.

Fall Hours
10-6 Monday-Thursday
10-7 Friday
10-6 Saturday
CLOSED Sunday

Have a great week and try to stay dry!

That’s right, we have tonnes of new bikes, parts, clothing and accessories for you to check out. Every day feels like Christmas (if you can imagine the Purolator guy as Santa Claus), as the boxes of 2007 goodies roll in the door. The showroom and our storage space are filling up fast. Come check out what’s new, so you can start writing your Christmas list. Come on, it’s never too early to write a wishlist!

Track riding is another new item we need to mention. Last Saturday, Barry, Robbie, Steve and Tanya took to the track at the Burnaby Velodrome for a fun, yet somewhat scary Learn to Ride clinic. Apparently it was addictive as well, ’cause everyone wants to go do it again and Barry’s starting to order track stuff, like the Jamis Sputnik track bike/efficient single speed commuting machine.

Weekly Specials
This week we’re having a super sale on all 2005 model bikes. They’re already at rock-bottom prices, but if you buy one this week, we’ll throw the tax in for you. It’s better than staff pricing! We’re extending our sale on all in-stock Bell and Giro helmets (excluding Bellistic model) at 20% off.

In addition, we’d like to offer a free fender extender installation to anyone who comes in this week. This nifty fender addition is designed for people who ride in groups (listen up, Sunday riders)! Basically, it just mounts on to your existing rear fender, extending it, so people riding behind you won’t get their faces full of road grit on wet days. Stock fenders don’t have this feature.

Featured Products
Shimano wheelsets are here and they’re spectacular! From the beautiful, svelte XTR and Dura Ace hoops to the high quality, yet more affordable XT and Ultegra models, the Shimano line-up definitely has something to suit your cycling needs. Come in and have a gander. Plus, there are lots of other cool things to see, like brand new bikes from Specialized and Giant, new shoes, socks and more.

Local Ride Racing Team
We at Local Ride want to wish Local Ride Racing’s Robbie and staffer Sandra lots of luck at the National Cyclocross Championships in Nanaimo, November 11. Canada’s top ‘cross racers will bump elbows as they battle for national titles, the jersey and the glory. Racers and spectators alike will be treated to one heck of a course, which includes a gallop through a barn and jaunt on a BMX course. The following day, racers go at it again as part of Vancouver Island’s Cyclocross Series in nearby Parksville. It’s open to all categories, which means Local Ride’s newest addition, Jeanine, will be ripping it up too! Are the rest of you coming or what?

Look for the Local Ride Racing Team at these upcoming events:
* Canadian National Cyclocross Championships, Nanaimo, November 11
* Vancouver Island Cyclocross Series #3, Parksville, November 12
* Northwest ‘Cross Series, Bellingham, WA, November 25

Spinning!
As the days get shorter, colder and wetter, Barry is starting to talk spinning. That means we’ll have dedicated weekly spinning nights at Local Ride, where you can bring your bikes and trainers and join us for a good group workout. We’ll also have rental trainers available. Stay tuned for more information on days, times, fees, etc.

Sunday Rides
Last Sunday, we had 10 enthusiastic participants on Local Ride’s Sunday Morning Ride, despite some iffy weather. The rain held off for the most part, and riders enoyed the great roads of Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Mission. We had a whole gaggle of first-timers, including Jeanine, Mike, Tanya and Allan. Mark P, our most consistent attendee, showed his level of commitment, when he hired a sitter to look after his kids, while he came out and hammered with us.

Join us on our great group road ride every Sunday with a cool band of cyclists. Depending on numbers, we’ll try to split into an “A” and “B” group. The “A” Group normally averages around 30kph for 3+ hours, while the “B” Group hovers around 25kph for 2+ hours. If you’re unsure whether you fit into one of our groups, come along for a flat, half-hour warm-up. Road bikes are highly recommended and as the rain rolls in, we’re making fenders (with extenders) mandatory, unless you’re content to ride at the back of the pack. Feel free to call us if you have any questions. Make sure you join us for coffee before we head off:

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall, Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge
When: Sundays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m.

Remembrance Week Hours
CLOSED Monday, November 13
10-6 Tuesday-Thursday
10-7 Friday
CLOSED Saturday, November 11
CLOSED Sunday

Have a great week and happy riding!