B-B-BRRR... be prepared, winter is coming

The lack of snow has some pondering if winter will really rear its' ugly head. Even when it does, remember that on January 29th you will have an opportunity to take your bike out of the garage and ride it on the Red River between Minnesota and North Dakota. The event poster doesn't really explain it, but this event is whatever you want to make of it. Yes, some may want to race, but many others are just out for a good time, some comraderie, or the chance to win some great prizes. Don't forget that the main idea here is enjoy riding your bike in January.

The course is 6 laps around a 1-mile loop over prairie grass, paved multi-use path, and the frozen Red River. Depending on the condition of the river, studded tires may be desired, but certainly are not necessary. Along the course there will also be bonfires for the spectators to stay warm and heckle the riders. If you didn't make it out last year, you don't know what you're missing.

It's that time again... B-B-BRRR

Registration has officially begun. Get your registration form filled out and sent in to Great Northern Bicycle Co. This year we're only doing the 10k as 90% of last years participants chose that option, and it should allow us to have more accurate results. That aside, we have decided to do a separate Fatbike category for those with tires wider than 3.7". Stay tuned for more info and stuff to be given away. Registration forms can be printed from here or found at Great Northern Bicycle Co., www.gncycles.com, and a few other select businesses around the F-M area.

Brrr registration2012

Think snow... think Surly Pugsley

Surly Pugsley Necromancer has arrived, and just in time for SNOW. Now, the Surly Pugsley was already a great bike, but Surly took thinks up a notch with the Pugsley Necromancer.

Equipped with the MWOD (Mr. Whirly Offset Double) crankset. This gives you more clearance if you want to run the new BIG FAT LARRY tire. That said, you can already run a fatter than usual 3.7" tire.

The shifting moves from the trigger-style to the top mounted levers. I'm a huge fan of these and currently have a similar setup on my own Pugsley. The headset also sees an upgrade to the Cane Creek Forty.

Last, but not least, Surly also made some changes to the front of the bike. The fork, still 135 spaced, but is the fork that comes stock on the new Moonlander. That means you add mounts for bottle cages or stuff, and you don't have the offset wheel build. You also switch the rims on the Necromancer to the Rolling Darryl w/o cutouts. That increases the rim width from 65mm to 82mm which gives you a much wider footprint.

One Way Killer Deal

If you've been looking for that singlespeed to do it all and have contemplated going 'fixie', the One Way has both. This bike not only works as your daily commuter, but at least one current owner of this bike has take the fenders off, put on some knobbies, and raced a full season of cyclocross. Certainly this bike would qualify as a jack-of-all-trades.

The SRAM torpedo hub allows you to switch back and forth between 'fixed' and 'free' without having to take the wheel out and flip it around. The only tool that you need is a micro flathead screwdriver.

Staying with the Heritage theme, Raleigh also includes a pretty classy chainguard that runs the full length of the chainstay.

And who wouldn't appreciate the Brooks B-17 and matching synthetic leather bar tape.

One piece stem and a bell!

To top it all off, your matching polished Lezyne frame pump.

Swiftwick Socks

Swiftwick socks are now at Great Northern Bicycle Co. I've been using these socks for a while now after my Smartwools died, and I love 'em. They come in a number of different heights and essentially two different flavors, the Pursuit (merino wool) and the Aspire. Personally, I love wool socks year-round, and with winter coming, I'm looking forward to warm toes. Nothing says 'Merry Christmas' like a new pair of socks.

Downtown Baby... with the Raleigh Back Alley

We just got in the new 2012 Raleigh Back Alley and they look stellar. As we all know, it's pretty flat here in Fargo-Moorhead, so it's the perfect playground for 'fixie' riding. The only thing it's missing is a matching purple-ano bell.

 Raleigh start with a great Reynolds 520 frame and pairs it with a solid 4130 chromoly fork. This creates a very stable and fun bike to ride.

They also add some great highlights with matching purple grips, seat collar, and go even as far as purple alloy spoke nipples. Raleigh's steel 'Heritage' bikes really go back to the roots that Raleigh is known for.

Shimano Di2 is here!

We just got in a Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL3 with Shimano Di2 electric shifting. Come down and take a look, and possibly a spin on it. Larry put the finishing touches on it last night and it's ready to ride. The automatic trim on the front derailleur is pretty sweet. It weighs in at just over 16 lbs and has everything you could possibly want in a new bike. Here are some pics to wet your appetite; you've got to come down and see this one in person...

Snow or No Snow - Ride On

We're back... and there's still no snow. Either way, join us tonight for a ride around on some larger-than-average rubber. Tonight is the first of what I hope are many Tuesday nights spent on my Pugsley. We're meeting at 7:30 at Great Northern Bicycle Co. The route is TBD, so bring your ideas as well as your lights. See you there.