The Race the Ridge Stage Race presented by Local Ride Bike Shop in Maple Ridge, BC, is confirmed for May 1-2, 2010 and it’s set to be the best edition in the race’s eight-year history. Registration is now open for the challenging three-stage race that showcases the diversity and beauty of the Maple Ridge area, while offering exciting, high-speed, and spectator-friendly cycling events.

“This year, I feel we have the best trio of courses ever,” said Race Organizer Barry Lyster. “Everyone loves the Golden Ears Time Trial, the Thorn Hill Road Race is the perfect mix of climbing and high-speed action, and the new and improved Town Core Crit is back by popular demand.”

Also new to the Race the Ridge repertoire is a youth stage race. “We’re adding a U17 stage race for girls and boys aged 10 to 17. This is a real stage race for kids,” said Lyster. In addition, younger children will have the opportunity to race for free at a kid’s competition in downtown Maple Ridge on May 2, during the criterium races.

“With three fantastic races combined with the new provincial category structure and a 75-rider limit on each field, we expect races to sell out quickly,” said Lyster. Along with high-quality races, $5,000 in cash and prizes are up for grabs.

Registration for the grueling stage race is now open online here and riders who register by February 28 will benefit from the early-bird discount rate.

Light Up Your Life

Light up your life and your way with new bike lights from Giant. We have to models in stock that will suit your low-light riding needs. The numen is a five-LED headlight best suited for commuting. It’s waterproof and has two flashing modes and up to 120 hours of run time. Batteries included! Make your commute safer with the Giant numen for $29.95.

If you need more wattage for really dark roads or trail riding at night, Giant has the answer in the Recon: 3.0 LED light system. This is a high-powered rechargeable headlight system at a very budget-conscious price. A single three-watt LED combined with Panasonic lighting technology and full aluminum construction offers four hours of illumination on the medium setting and two hours on the high beam. Illuminate your world with the Recon: 3.0 for $119.95.

Local Ride Racing is pleased to announce that they will be hosting Barry’s Roubaix on April 11th 2010. This will be a new twist on the old classic Harris Roubaix road race. It will be a modification of the old course, and in the spirit of the classic Paris Roubaix it will contain more gravel, and an additional series of corners on the back side of the course. It is sure to serve up a tooth rattling and gritty good time.

“We are very excited about this new course” says team manager Barry Lyster. “This is one of the local classics, in the tradition of one of the true Classics, Paris Roubaix. When the opportunity to host this race presented itself, we had to jump. The new changes to the course will make it even more physically and technically demanding, so that it will further live up to its name and tradition.”

Please stay tuned to our website for details and early bird registration information.

A bicycle is the perfect gift for just about anyone on your list. Make your favourite tyke giggle while zipping around on a run bike.

Give your six-year-old confidence with her first two-wheeler. Help that rambunctious kid channel his energy with a BMX bike, and get that tween active with a cool mountain bike. We have a huge selection of kid’s bikes in all sizes and colours that are sure to please.

But as we all know, bikes aren’t just for kids. Have a loved one with a fitness goal? How about a Giant Dash to get her on track? Your husband loves to hit the dirt, but has been dreaming of an upgrade? The Giant Trance X is the rig for him.

Your best friend wants to go green? Gift him a commuter bike, like a Giant Seek, a Giant Rapid or a Giant Twist Freedom DX Hybrid electric bike!

How about that guy who’s impossible to shop for? Get him a beautiful piece of design: Giant’s Simple Single cruiser bike with smooth lines.

Or do you know a speed demon with shaved legs and huge quads? He would be thrilled to unwrap a Giant carbon fiber road bike like the white and blue TCR Advanced 3 this Christmas!

Snowshoes are here!

We have a whole line of Louis Garneau snowshoes in stock just in time for Christmas. Snowshoeing is a great outdoor winter activity. Embrace the snow, get fit, and take in some fresh air while enjoying the woods in wintertime.

Not only are we offering snowshoes for sale, but we have a whole fleet of for rent. Rates are $12/day and $20/weekend. Decide if snowshoeing is for you! If you decide you want to buy a set after you rent from us, we’ll take your rental fee off of the sticker price. We have men’s, women’s, and kid’s snowshoes too! Louis Garneau snowshoes are in stock, starting at $101.05.

Introducing Local Ride Women’s Only Rides

Local Ride Bike Shop is introducing women’s only fitness road rides, starting January 2, 2010. Any women interested in joining a fun group of motivated ladies for a regular weekly Saturday road ride in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows area are encouraged to attend an info session at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 30 at Local Ride Bike Shop at #7 22214 Dewdney Trunk Road in Maple Ridge.

Women planning to participate in the rides must RSVP at the shop, either in person or by phone: 604-466-2016. We’re looking forward to seeing you!

What: Women’s Only Road Rides
When: Every Saturday, starting January 2, 2010
Time: 9:30 am for coffee at Local Ride Bike Shop, depart at 10:00 am
Duration: 1-2 hours
What to bring: Ride-ready road bike with full fenders (including fender extender available free of charge at the shop), helmet, water bottle, ride food, spare inner tube, and a sense of adventure.

Specials!

We’re blowing out a tonne of Specialized products with savings of up to 60%!

All in-stock Specialized clothing is 50-60% off.

All in-stock Specialized helmets are 50% off.

In-stock Specialized computers, saddles, shoes, and grips are 30% off.

Happy Holidays!

Your friends at Local Ride Bike Shop would like to wish you and yours a safe and wonderful holiday season, and all the best in 2010! We hope you’ll continue to choose us for all of your bicycling needs. Please note our holiday hours below.

Store Hours

10-6 Monday-Saturday
Closed Sunday
Holiday Hours: Regular hours apply, except we are closed December 25, 26, and January 1.

With Christmas just weeks away, the folks at Local Ride Bike Shop have got your back. We’ll help you find all of the cycling neccessities you or the cycling enthusiast on your list need. Here are some bells and whistles your favourite bike nut would love to unwrap this holiday season:

• Anything carbon fiber, like the stealth looking 2010 Giant Defy Advanced 3 for $2,299 or a BBB carbon bottle cage for $63.95
  
• Socks are always good stocking stuffers. We have a selection of novelty cycling socks, starting at $12.95
• Comfort courtesy of a Specialized Body Geometry saddle. These saddles are medically tested, scientifically proven, and designed to take the pressure off your important parts, so the terms “saddle” and “sore” can remain exclusive. Starting at $79.95.
• Hydration with a versatile Camelbak system, stylish Laken aluminum bottle, or Local Ride stainless steel or plastic bottle. Camelbaks start at $86.95, get bottles from $6.95.
• A good pump goes a long way. Getting a flat tire is bad enough, so every cyclist needs a good pump to back them up. We have Lezyne mini pumps starting at $39.95 and Specialized Air Tool floor from $44.95.
  
• GORE Bikewear is both a luxury and a necessity, especially in the Lower Mainland climes. The makers of Gore-Tex, the guys and gals at GORE know what they’re doing when it comes to making waterproof breathable outerwear. GORE also has a line of cycling shorts, pants, and tops, as well as accessories, like booties and gloves. Get GORE from $59.95
• Spinning shoes for the avid spinner in your circle of friends and family. We have a selection of spin-specific shoes from Specialized and Louis Garneau, as well as some spin-worthy options from Shimano starting at $79.95
• A safe and fashionable MET helmet. These lids are comfy, comply with all of the bicycling safetly standards, and are made in Italy. Let your loved one be chic and safe with a MET helmet, starting at $44.95
• A trail bike for Her – if she likes singletrack, roots, and railing corners, she’ll love the Giant Cypher. This women’s specific dual suspension all mountain bike looks great and it has five inches of suspension travel front and rear, courtesy of Fox Shox. Get a Giant Cypher 2 for $2299.95
• The super cool Giant Seek 0 commuting machine with hydraulic disc brakes and fuss-free internally geared rear hub. Get the Giant Seek 0 for $1159.95 or another model of Seek, starting at $849.95
• Giant trainers are a great way to stay fit or get fit during the dark, wet days of winter. Throw your own bike on this stationary trainer and pedal. It’s that easy. Giant indoor trainers start at $230.95
• Run bikes are the best way for kids to develop the balance and coordination they need to ride a bicycle! Get your little one started on a Euro chic wooden Skuut for $159.95 or a steel Adams Run Bike for $99.95
  
• A Local Ride Gift Certificate is the perfect fit, style, and colour for any cyclist! You name the amount.

Featured Products

2010 Giant women’s bikes are hot and they’re here. For a sublime entry-level women’s specific mountain bike with disc brakes and Rock Shox front suspension, check out the Giant Yukon W, starting at $739.95.

If you’d like to make your commute faster and more efficient, hop on a Dash. Giant’s women’s specific commuter bike has the svelte design of their road bike, complete with ALLUX frame and 700c wheels, plus a comfortable flat bar. Pick up a Dash, starting at $629.95.

The Avail is a full-on road specific bike from Giant for the ladies out there that like speed and performance on two wheels. Pick up an Avail, starting at $1019.95.

Yes, the bike-loving staff of Local Ride Bike Shop are in a frenzy since Giant shipped a stack of boxes filled with beautiful 2010 TCR and Defy carbon road bikes. Since our trusty mechanics have built them up and given them homes on the showroom floor, we’ve been regularly wiping them down on account of all the drool… just kidding! We’re all very sanitary here at Local Ride. We’re also excited to announce many other models of brand new unisex and women’s s Giant bikes as well, including the Rapid, Dash, Avail, Trance X, and Cypher. Drop on by and have a look.  

Local Ride at the Forefront

Giant Bicycles, the world leader in bicycle manufacturing, released its new custom bicycle retail Point of Sale system to the world last week at Local Ride Bike Shop. “I’m honoured for our shop to have been chosen as the first in the world to help develop this new system for Giant dealers worldwide,” said Barry, Local Ride’sOwner. The new system will be beneficial for the shop’s customers, said Bryan Kao, GM of Giant Bicycles Canada. The software allows transactions to be completed very easily and quickly. If the customer would like a product that the shop does not have in stock, employees can instantly look up Giant’s inventory in real time and give an ETA for delivery. The system also stores customers’ information and their bikes’ maintenance records, which will allow the shop’s mechanics to improve their service and increase the life of customers’ bicycles. “Barry is our partner and we really want to support him in what we see is a growing area,” said Kao.  

Weekly Specials

We’re having a massive clothing sale. There’s always a great find on our 60% off rack, plus we’re offering 30% off in-stock Specialized jackets, jerseys and shorts and 15% off GORE and Louis Garneau short-sleeve jerseys, GORE and Sugoi shorts, and Specialized tights! It’s time to suit up for winter riding, so you might as well do it when prices on these high-quality, comfortable, and functional duds are low!

Featured Products

Giant carbon bikes are replacing purse dogs as the hot new accessory of the season. You don’t have to feed them, they look good with any outfit (especially if it’s Lycra), and they’ll help you get fit! We’re pretty excited about Giant’s 2010 carbon road bikes, especially the classic white and blue TCR Advanced 3 for $2759 and the stealth looking Defy Advanced 3 for $2,299. The folks at Giant are serious about bikes – they design, engineer, and manufacturer all of their bikes in-house, plus they even make their raw materials, like their carbon fiber and ALUXX aluminum.