I Live Too Far Away to Commute

"I live too far away to commute."
We hear this excuse all too often at the shop.  Sorry to rain on your non-commuting parade.  No. You don't live too far away to commute.
Living "too far away" to commute is a blessing.  Put your bike on the car rack, drive to a point that you deem "not too far away to commute," then park and ride.
If you're feeling ambitious, today's commute might be a 15-miler.  Tomorrow's commute might be a 5-miler.  You choose.  Just choose to commute.

The 27.5" Wheel Revolution

In the beginning, there were 26" wheel mountain bikes.  And they were good.  After many uncontested years, the 29" wheel mountain bike wheel made an appearance.  And they were good, pretty much.  The bigger wheels were a fair amount heavier, and the industry didn't quite know how to adapt the bicycle frame geometry to make the bikes handle well, but man did they roll fast and easy over ugly terrain.
The 29" wheel survived the "this is a fad" stage.  Manufacturers embraced the wheel size as serious stuff and began to tweak mountain bikes around the new hoop diameter.  Handling got better, weight was reduced and selection of components improved.  29" mountain bikes became a force to be reckoned with.
Now, enter the 27.5" wheel, also called a 650B.  Use the terms interchangeably.  27.5's have gone through all the same growing pains as the 29ers.  They've proven themselves as serious stuff.  Most importantly, they absolutely rock in all conditions.  They're not just for the super serious riders anymore.  This season, we're starting to see 27.5" wheels on entry level trail bikes like the one pictured below.  The Trail X650 sells for about $570.00.
Without spending any time on the physics, the 27.5" wheel takes nearly all of the benefits from both 26" and 29" wheels, and leaves behind nearly all of the disadvantages of both wheel sizes.
For a confidence inspiring, smooth rolling, easy handling, back trail exploring ride, make sure to check out the 27.5" mountain bikes this season.

Out with the old (parts) In with the new.

This well loved trike has just undergone an impressive transformation.  Thousands of miles had her running rough, really rough.

After a complete tune-up, a new chain, derailleur, cassette, shifters, brake and derailleur cables and casings, she's running literally better than new, ready to take on several thousand more smooth running miles with a comfortable and happy pilot. 

Winter Hours

November Brings Winter Hours to SPIN Bicycle Shop.

During the cold months, we're open Tuesday-Friday 10-6, Saturday from 10-4 and closed Sundays and Mondays.

Ride your bike to work!

I saved $3.35 in gas alone by riding my bicycle to and from work yesterday.  Plus, I got an hour and 10 minutes of exercise that only cost me 20 minutes.  I would have been sitting in my car for 50 minutes had I driven.   I had a really good time because riding a bike is fun.  When's the last time you had a good time on your trip to the office?  If you ever want your ear talked off, call me and ask about commuting.  It's one of the best forms of cycling.

Best time of the year for cycling (IMO)

Cooler weather and phenomenal views make this time of year the BEST to ride.  Don't be turned off by a little transitional weather.  During this season, some days call for your standard fare of cycling clothes, ie. shorts, jersey, etc.  Other days might call for a bit of layering.
Keep a light weight cycling vest, some arm and leg warmers and a pair of long finger gloves handy.  You'll be happy with temps down into the low 50's.  Add a few more key pieces, and you'll be riding in comfort below freezing too.  Swing by and we can talk about riding more as the temps continue to slide.

Sometimes wear is amazingly good.

An excellent customer brings his bike to SPIN at a minimum of once a year for general maintenance, then as often as necessary to fix or replace whatever has worn out in between services. Here's a fantastic picture of his bottle cage. The entire surface of the cage has been machined or ground off from literally thousands of uses and tens of thousands of miles of vibration and gentle constant wear. So, how is the wear good? The wear is an indication of enormous amounts of time riding, reflecting, exercising and stress relieving. Beautiful.

Cat Attack!
The new CatBike Musashi arrives at SPIN tomorrow. I can't wait.

Time for Fenders on the Cat

Raining earlier this morning... On my way out of the neighborhood on my recumbent trike on wet pavement, I noticed a light mist. I stopped to get my glasses and noticed the mist was gone. It wasn't raining a drop anymore. My tires were throwing up a light mist of worm guts, dirt and other choice ingredients, directly into my face. I think it's time for front fenders.

Continuing the Catrike Commute...

We've been a single car family all spring and summer. The Catrike has been a huge contributing factor. I've been splitting my commuting miles about 50/50 on my red Catrike Expedition and my road bike. The road bike is about 5 minutes faster over my 10 mile commute, but the Catrike is decidedly more fun. I'm approaching 1300 miles this season from commuting alone.
If you ever have any questions about commuting, from equipment to route planning to traffic strategy, please feel free to visit and bend my ear. I love to talk about the commute. In my opinion, riding to work is one of the best ways to stack miles on your bike... or trike.

NEW NAME - NEW LOCATION!

What's the name of that bike shop in Old Town? Spin Cycle? Spin City? Spin...? I dunno...it's Spin something...

Since no one could remember the full, correct name of the shop we decided to make it easy.
The bicycle shop in Old Town is now officially known as, SPIN. Plain and simple.

With the new name is a new location!
SPIN is now located right around the corner on Grand River across from the Sir Pizza parking lot. You can't miss it.

We're still in the process of arranging everything, but sales and service are in full swing.
Stop in and check out the new place - it's shaping up to be a beautiful location with all the Old Town charm you'd expect.

SPIN
206 E. Grand River Ave.
Lansing MI 48906
517.372.3000

Back to Warm Weather Hours!

We're back to being open on Mondays. We're hoping to stay open later one evening...still working on that. If you've got an evening that works better for you, please let us know!

MON: Noon - 6pm
TUE-FRI: 10:30am - 6pm
SAT: 10am - 4pm
SUN: Closed

Catrike Blue Jean Commute

Chad has logged almost 200 miles on the Catrike riding back and forth to work.
This is what he says about the Catrike Road, "I can't remember having so much fun on a bike! Here are a few cool things I've learned about riding a Catrike":

• Staying clipped in at stop lights is cool!
• Motorists think you're a unique object and give you LOTS of room while passing
• I can answer cell phone calls with no problem - and even carry on a conversation while sipping my water...all while keeping it on the road
  
• I'm only about 1mph slower on the Catrike than on my road bike
• It's fabulous to lay back and relax while coasting down hills
• There is absolutely NO way to appreciate this type of trike without taking a serious test ride.
  

There is a Catrike available for test riding at SPIN - any time it's dry outside! Come take it for a whirl :)

Demo Bike Special #2 - Bianchi Milano Cita 18" Black

The Milano Cita is a blast to ride. She's taken us on a handful of trips to the hardware, made a few lunch runs and and has seen both ends of the river trail a few times.
Fenders and a sturdy rack make this bike a perfect commuter, campus cruiser or recreational ride.
Light use has left her in exceptionally good health, very close to showroom condition in fact.

Regular price: $600.00
Demo Sale Price: $399.00

Demo Bike Sale #1 - Rans Hammer Truck

One lucky commuter will own this amazing Rans Hammer Truck.
This is a demo bike with very few miles.
The crank forward model has incredible versatility. Payload capacity is 300 lbs and the rider weight limit is 275 lbs for a total maximum capacity of 575 lbs.
In spite of the huge carrying capacity, the Hammer Truck provides a very efficient ride. It's perfect for cross town jaunts to the city market, fully loaded camp touring or anything in between.

Our Hammer Truck Demo bike is equipped with:
Runners: $30
Runner Covers: $80
Orange Sling Bags: $230
Topper Deck: $85
Regular retail as spec'd: $2420.00
Demo Bike Sale price: $1400.00

Spin's Early Season Checkover Special

We're running a limited quantity checkover special. Here are the details:

• Only 30 checkovers will be sold at $45.00 (regular price $65.00).
• Checkover must be booked by March 5th.
• We will install any upgrades and accessories that you purchase from us for no additional labor charge.
• This is a great opportunity to replace a chain or cassette, brake and derailleur wires, brake pads, tires and tubes, or have a new computer installed. How about fenders and a rack for the commuters out there?
• Call the shop to reserve your checkover or to be placed on a short reserve list in case there are any cancellations.
  

Winter Commuting and Recumbent Trikes

For most "all weather" commuters, the one stopper to pedaling for transportation is fundamental safety. When roads get snowy and iced over, staying upright on a conventional two-wheeler is a challenge. Enter the three wheeled recumbent.
This ride will transport you faithfully in all conditions short of deep snow in stable, efficient comfort. Equipped with a fairing, frozen fingers are taken out of the equation as well. This beauty stopped one of my die-hard commuters in his tracks as he approached the sales counter. "You're tempting me, man", he said, before I was able to deliver my sales pitch.
Trikes are available for test ride now. Come see what I'm talking about.

Jamis Bicycles Have Arrived!

Jamis Bicycles fell off the back of a truck just a few days ago! We quickly threw them through the front window. Jamis has a great line of bikes for all riders. Check JamisBikes.com and come visit the shop to see these shiny new rides.

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Thank you so much for supporting Spin Street in our opening year. We're off to a solid start.
Every purchase made by our loyal customers has a profound effect on our business. My family and I are very, very grateful.

We will close Wednesday December 24th at 2:00 and reopen on Tuesday January 6th at 11:00 am. Feel free to drop us a line at chad@spinstreetbikes.com if you have any pressing issues. We'll check email periodically during our "vacation".

Wishing you and yours Happy Holidays,

Chad and Nicole Cottom and Family

We're Open Sunday12/7.

We're Open on Sunday 12/7 from 11:00 am til 4:00 pm. Old Town is bustling with Holiday activity. This weekend is the Old Town Dickens Village event. Lots going on, so check out www.iloveoldtown.org for details.

Running Bikes?

Look, no pedals! This Running Bike, by Strider Sports, teaches kids age 1-5 years old how to balance and steer a two-wheeler. The simple design offers easy control and helps build confidence. Skip the tricycles and training wheels. These work amazingly well. And don't worry about your child outgrowing the running bike. They're surprisingly popular among the two-wheel riding crowd as well.