Ken's Bike Shop

A mild Monday afternoon in January

2012-01-30T20:50:00.004-05:00

Click on the photos to enlarge them

Poor Ole' Joe with my Bike.

It sure was nice to have a Monday afternoon with clear skies and temperatures in the 50s! Since I was off work I made sure to make time to go for a bike ride. This was my second ride with a fixed Powertap rear hub. A Powertap allows measuring of the power output of the rider. Powertap hubs use strain gauges to measure torque and velocity to calculate power. Many riders these day use power meters when they ride, but it is unusual to have one on a fixed gear bike. A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed-wheel bicycle, sometimes known as a fixie) is a bicycle that has no freewheel, meaning it cannot coast, as the pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving. The sprocket, or cog, is threaded or bolted directly to a fixed rear hub. When the rear wheel turns, the pedals turn in the same direction.

Fixed Powertap Pro

Fixed Powertap Hub Installed on the bike

I headed out on my bike to the general area of "The Mill Loop". This is a classic loop to ride that is just outside of Winston-Salem, NC and located between the communities of Lewisville and Clemmons, NC. I knew some of my friends would be riding around there. They regularly leave from Union Hill Baptist Church at 2:00. I was already running a few minutes late and lost a few more when my rear wheel slipped in the dropouts as I hurried away from a traffic light. It's best to use chain tensioners that keep the rear hub pulled back in a track style drop out. I rode a portion of the ride in the opposite direction than I thought the group would be going. I wasn't exactly sure how they would be riding the loop since it has been awhile since I was able to get out to ride at this time of day. I hadn't gone far when I saw them headed my way. Jenny, Wanda, Alan, Louis and Ronnie. It was great to see everyone and especially on such a nice afternoon. We rode at a casual pace and chatted. After a few variations on "The Mill Loop" I peeled off and headed home before rush hour traffic became heavy on Peacehaven Road. The Powertap made riding a fixed gear much more beneficial as I could tell how much work I was really doing and what my speed and cadence was during the ride. I have a 50x18 gear on the bike and the highest cadence I saw was 178. I hope I have some more Monday afternoons with weather like this in February! Good friends, great weather and a bike ride. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Alan, Ronnie, Jenny and Louis

Wanda

Ronnie and Alan climbing

Louis Climbing out of the saddle

Jenny cruising by a plowed field

2012 Speed Concept 7.0 WSD

2012-01-30T18:25:00.000-05:00

Emily is looking sharp with her new Trek Speed Concept 7.0. She will enjoy the fast efficient ride of her new bike while training and competing in Triathlons this season. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Emily!

Stop in Ken's Bike Shop to buy your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

Emile Georget

2012-01-30T07:35:00.000-05:00

Emile Georget

Emile Georget was born on September 21, 1881. He died on April 16, 1960. The French rider twice stood on the podium of the Tour de France. Georget was 3rd in the 1907 Tour de France behind Lucien Petit-Breton of France and Gustave Garrigou of France. In the 1911 Tour Georget was 3rd again, this time behind Gustave Garrigou of France and Paul Duboc of France.

Emile Georget

Nadéah - Odile [Official Video]

2012-01-29T19:15:00.000-05:00

The Velodrome at Rock Hill, SC is getting close to being finished!

2012-01-29T08:59:00.001-05:00

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

January 13, 2012

Videos by Dave from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Cycle Touring in Tibet.

2012-01-27T20:50:00.000-05:00

An exploration of some of the highest, most remote, and most challenging roads in the world, filmed while on a 4500km cross-Tibet cycling trip in 2007. A visual account of the local culture, the challenges faced there, and a sampling of the cycle touring lifestyle.

Journey as Destination - HD from Dave A on Vimeo.

Cycle Touring the Tibetan Plateau from Dave A on Vimeo.

Tibetan Timescapes - HD from Dave A on Vimeo.

Albert Dejonghe

2012-01-27T20:37:00.001-05:00

Albert Dejonghe

Albert Dejonghe (1894 - 1981) was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He won Paris-Roubaix in 1922, one stae in the 1923 Tour de France and finished 5th and 6th in the 1925 and 1926 Tour de France.

Albert Dejonghe on the Tourmalet 1921

2012-01-27T06:37:00.002-05:00

I love Budapest. I bike Budapest. from Cyclechic hu on Vimeo.

Apo Lazarides

2012-01-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

Apo Lazarides

Apo Lazaridès (1925 –1998), was a Greek-born French champion cyclist.

Born Jean-Apôtre Lazaridès in Marles-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais of Greek ancestries (became French in 1929), he cycled in the mountains as a boy. During the German occupation, Lazaridès used his cycling to transport supplies to the French Resistance.

Nicknamed "Apo", a short version of his middle name, he competed in races throughout France during the war. In 1946 Lazaridès finished fifth in the "Ronde de France", then won the most important competition of the year, the "La Course du Tour de France", a 1316 km race from Monaco to Paris. This was organised by the group who took charge of organisation of the Tour de France.

In the 1947 Tour, Lazaridès finished tenth but captured second overall in the mountain class. In 1948, he finished ninth and went on to take second place in the world championship. He retired in 1955 and moved to Cannes, where he was president of the Etoile Sportive de Cannes."

Lazaridès died in Cannes in 1998 and was buried there.

2012 Trek Mt 60

2012-01-26T06:02:00.000-05:00

Noah's New Bike!

Noah and his dad took advantage of the mild January weather we are having and went for a cycling adventure. We were glad both of them came to visit us. Noah's Mt 60 has a suspension fork and lots of gears. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Noah!
Stop in and visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to get the right bike for you. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2012 Trek Marlin 29er

2012-01-26T05:51:00.001-05:00

Guy has a great new 29er mountain bike. The 2012 Trek Marlin 29er is one fun bike. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Guy!
Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

Jill St. John rides a bike.

2012-01-24T19:55:00.002-05:00

TYLER FERNENGEL: EARLY 2012 EDIT

2012-01-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

Tyler Fernengel: Early 2012 Edit from Redline Bicycles on Vimeo.

Not bad for a kid that isn't old enough to drive yet.

1911 Tour de France

2012-01-24T06:05:00.001-05:00

Route of the 1911 Tour de France

The 1911 Tour de France was the 9th edition of the race and the first to include the alpine climb of the Col de Galibier. It was composed of 15 stages over 5,344 kilometres (3,321 miles) ridden at an average speed of 27.32 km/h (16.98 mph). The longest stage was 470 km (292 miles) taking almost 18 hours for the fastest riders to complete. Out of the 84 riders who started the tour, only 28 completed the race.

The start of the 1911 Tour de France

The 1911 Tour was scored using the point system again. With this system the rider with the fewest points at the end of the race won. Cyclists who had abandoned the race were removed from the rankings of the previous stages, and the classification was recalculated. Today's Tour de France is scored based on the cumulative time of each racer, with the rider that completes the route in the shortest time winning.

The Tour's route crossed over into Germany each year from 1906 through 1910. After 1910, the German authorities did not allow this any more, so the tour stayed in France.

Col de Galibier

Two members of the Alcyon Team, Gustave Garrigou and Francois Faber, were trading the lead of the race in the early stages. Garrigou won the first Stage. Faber won the third stage, after a 206 km (128 miles) solo breakaway. During the third stage while leading, Emile Georget was hit by a car and fell down a ravine. Faber won the third stage by 17 minutes over the next racer despite being penalized 2 & 1/2 minutes for not stopping at a checkpoint. Faber was in the lead at the end of stage three.

A rider has his hand stamped at one of the checkpoints during the 1911 Tour de France.

Garrigou took the lead back from his team mate Faber, in the fourth stage. Emile Georget was best in the alps, but Garrigou retained the overall lead. A newcomer, Paul Duboc, was a surprise contender at this part of the 1911 Tour de France.

After the ninth stage Gustave Garrigou was leading with 27 points. In second place was Paul Duboc with 37 points. In the ninth stage Maurice Brocco, who knew he would not win the race, sold his services to another rider. According to the rules riders could not receive help. Desgrange, the Tour de France organizer, wanted Brocco removed from the race. Brocco objected and pending the decision he was allowed to start the tenth stage from Luchon to Bayonne. In the tenth stage, Brocco attacked and finished first. After the stage, he was disqualified, and his stage victory removed. In the tenth stage, Duboc collapsed with debilitating abdominal pain that was attributed to a poisoned water bottle.

Maurice Brocco

The suspicion fell on Garrigou since he had the most to lose if Duboc continued to ride so well in the mountains. It is now thought that perhaps the bottle given to Duboc at the sign-in contained the poison and that Francois Lafourcade, who had done so well in the mountains in the 1910 Tour, may have concocted it. Garrigou is now considered to be innocent.

Paul Duboc

Supports and fans of Paul Duboc were threatening Gustave Garrigou with retaliation for Duboc's poisoning. In later stages, as the Tour went through Duboc's home area of Rouen, someone put up signs along the road that read;

"Citizens of Rouen! If I had not been poisoned, I would be leading the Tour de France today. You know what to do when the Tour passes through Rouen tomorrow."

Desgrange knew his tour leader was in real danger. For the stage through Rouen, Desgrange had Garrigou ride a bike painted a different color. Garrigou was also given different clothes and new goggles with blue lenses. The disguise was good enough for Garrigou to ride safely and finish the Tour without harm.

Duboc regained his strength and went on to win stages eleven and fourteen. He couldn't close the gap on Gustave Garrigou, who continued to ride well and went on to win the 1911 Tour de France. At the end of the race in Paris, Duboc received a heroes welcome that overshadowed the arrival of Garrigou. Francois Faber had retired from the race during stage twelve.

Final 1911 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Gustave Garrigou (Alcyon): 43 points

2. Paul Duboc (La Française) 61

3. Émile Georget (La Française) 84

4. Charles Crupelandt (La Française) 119

5. Louis Heusghem (Alcyon) 135

Gustave Garrigou
Click here for more information on Gustave Garrigou.

Paul Duboc
Click here for more information on Paul Duboc.

Emile Georget

Charles Crupelandt
Click here for more information on Charles Crupelandt.

Louis Heusghem
Click here for more information on Louis Heusghem.

2012-01-23T07:23:00.001-05:00

ED WONKA from Matt Reyes on Vimeo.

W. C. Fields rides a bike

2012-01-21T05:58:00.000-05:00

2012-01-20T19:30:00.001-05:00

Knife Man (Amolador) from mattquann on Vimeo.

SON delux dynamo hub

2012-01-20T07:55:00.000-05:00

SON delux

The SON Deluxe is the first hub dynamo, whose generator was specifically designed for modern LED lights. An LED is - in contrast to the halogen bulb - even at partial load is highly effective, ie if it is operated below its rated capacity. So it is no longer necessary to build the dynamo so that it reaches its full power at the lowest possible speed. The SON Deluxe is therefore smaller and lighter than a hub dynamo for halogen lighting. The idle power reduction compared to the classical SON 28 is by 30 - 35%.

The SON delux is made in Germany by Schmidt Maschinenbau ( Schmidt Engineering )

Wilfried Schmidt Maschinenbau

In 1992, Wilfried Schmidt before the prototype of a gearless hub dynamo, which became the starting point and benchmark for modern dynamo lighting. The series production started in 1995 in Ulm. The aim was to use reliable, low maintenance and durable products to make cycling more comfortable and safer.

1998 we moved into separate rooms in a building in the French Quarter in Tübingen . In this ecological objectives with planned, mixed-use suburb of our SON hub dynamo and LED headlights are not only developed and marketed. Even a majority of parts production and assembly takes place here under socially and environmentally manageable conditions. For purchased parts is also true: preferred short distances.

In 2011 the workforce has grown to 28. Almost all employees are on a bike or walk to work.

Come see us at Ken's Bike Shop for all your bicycle lighting needs!

2012 Trek Marlin 29er

2012-01-20T05:57:00.000-05:00

Jason's new Trek Marlin 29er is one of our favorite bikes at Ken's Bike Shop. He will enjoy many cycling miles on this fun comfortable bike. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Jason!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to buy your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2012-01-19T08:07:00.001-05:00

bike ♥ from Rick Darge on Vimeo.

Now is the time to bring in your bike for it's yearly service

2012-01-18T14:36:00.000-05:00

START OUT WITH YOUR BIKE IN PERFECT CONDITION READY FOR THE 2012 SEASON

1) Bring your bike into Ken's for a major tune up or overhaul.
a) replace cables & housing every year
b) replace chain every 2,500 miles
c) have drive train cleaned in ultra sonic cleaner and lubed
d) clean out shifters {dirt piles up in shifters and will cause them to wear out or stop shifting}
e) replace Bottom Bracket bearings every year & load Bottom Bracket with grease
f) replace wheel bearings every 2-3 years
g) re-wrap handlebars with new tape
h) check tires - take off tires & check rimstrips for wear
i) if overhaul - strip frame of parts & clean & wax - inspecting frame for wear

This is a great time to get an appointment with Charlie to check your fit. Call for an appointment.

Also remember to turn over your shoes and look at your cleats for wear.- We recommend you replace cleats at least every year.

BROOKS B68 IMPERIAL

2012-01-18T05:47:00.004-05:00

BROOKS B68 IMPERIAL

We have a great selection of Brooks Saddles at Ken's Bike Shop. If we don't have the model you are looking for in stock, we will be glad to get it for you. Stop in and see the fine craftsmanship that goes into these most comfortable saddles for yourself. Click here to visit the Brooks web site.

The B68 Imperial features the central cut-out, first designed by BROOKS over 100 years ago. The “registered cutting”, as can be read in the 1890 catalogue, is “a sure preventive to all perineal pressure".

Brooks Saddles on display at Ken's Bike Shop

How Brooks Saddles began.

Over almost a century and a half, Brooks England has grown from a small workshop to a byword in quality craftsmanship. Back in 1865, John Boultbee Brooks left his hometown of Hinckley in Leicestershire with just £20 in his pocket.

He headed for Birmingham, where in 1866 he established a business in horse harnesses and general leather goods in Great Charles Street under the name JB Brooks & Co. In 1878, the unfortunate death of Mr Brooks’ horse led to a stroke of inspiration. Unable to afford another horse, he borrowed a bicycle in order to commute to work. He found the seat so uncomfortable that he vowed to do something about it.

On 28 October 1882, Mr Brooks filed his first saddle patent. Waddling cyclists everywhere rejoiced and the new product was a roaring success.

Jean Rossius

2012-01-17T18:54:00.000-05:00

Jean Rossius

Jean Rossius (1890 - 1966) was a Belgian road racing cyclist who won five stages in total in the Tour de France. In the 1914 Tour de France he finished in fourth place in the overall classification, his best placing.

Fixed Gear Bike Tricks by Ines Brunn on an Artistic Bicycle

2012-01-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

Bordeaux-Paris

2012-01-15T19:50:00.000-05:00

The Bordeaux-Paris professional bicycle race was first held in 1891 and the last edition was in 1988. It was one of the longest of Europe's classic single day races with a length of approximately 560km (350 miles). It started in northern Bordeaux in south-west France and finished in the capital city of Paris. It was often called the "Derby of the Road".

Tom Simpson in the 1963 Bordeaux- Paris Race.

What make Bordeaux-Paris notable, besides the distance of the race, is that rides were allowed to be paced (slipstream or draft). In the early editions racers drafted behind other riders not in the race that were riding on tandems or single bicycles. From 1931, pacing was by motorcycles or small pedal assisted Dernys. Pacing was also briefly by cars. In the early races pacing was from the beginning in Bordeaux. In later events, it was part-way towards Paris. From 1946 to 1985, more than half the distance was paced, Dernys being introduced at Poitiers or Chatellerault, roughly half-way.

The organizers of the first Bordeaux-Paris planned on riders taking several days to finish the race. George Pilkington Mills won the first edition in 1891 riding continuously through the night to finish in just over a day.

George Pilkington Mills 1891

Louison Bobet winner of the 1959 Bordeaux-Paris Race.

Jacques Anquetil winning Bordeaux-Paris 1965.

Be sure and click here to learn more about Anquetil's amazing double in 1965.

Herman Van Springel in Bordeaux-Paris 1974. He won the race a record seven times from 1970 to 1981.

Bordeaux-Paris began to lose prestige in the 1980s. It required special training and clashed with riders' plans to compete in the Vuelta a Espana or Giro d'Italia stage races. Fields began to dwindle and the lst motor-paced version was 1985; three non-paced versions were held from 1986 but 1988 proved the last as a professional race.

2012 Project One Trek Madone 6.5 With Electronic Ultegra Shifting!

2012-01-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Robbie and Barbara with her great looking Project One Trek Madone 6.5. She will have lots of fun riding with the Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting on this bike. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Barbara!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to buy your dream bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

25 % OFF EVERYTHING ON THE SALE TABLE !

2012-01-14T07:23:00.000-05:00

Stop in and visit us at Ken's Bike Shop. While you are there be sure and check the sale table. Everything on it is on sale for 25% OFF!!!

2012 Trek Marlin 29er Single Speed

2012-01-13T15:32:00.000-05:00

Ben has a great new bike. The Trek Marlin 29er is one of our favorites. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Ben!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2012 Trek Madone 5.2

2012-01-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

Dean is looking sharp with his new 2012 Trek Madone 5.2. This bike is a great performer and the classic color scheme will look great for years to come. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Dean!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to get your new bicycle. Click here to view all the fine bikes available from Trek.

2012-Madion-Bike-Swap

2012-01-10T19:54:00.000-05:00

2012 Cyclocross Nationals

2012-01-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

Mounting and Glueing Tubular Tires

2012-01-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

Bartolomeo Aimo

2012-01-09T18:28:00.000-05:00

Bartolomeo Aimo (1889 - 1970) was an Italian professional road racer. He finished on the podium of the Giro d' Italia four times (1921, 1922, 1923, 1928) and on the podium of the Tour de France two times (1925, 1926) but never won a grand tour.

Bartolomeo Aimo 1925

Wake Forest University Cycling Team On The Road Racing Cyclo-Cross

2012-01-08T20:22:00.001-05:00

Click on the photos to enlarge them

James

Austin

James

James and Austin

Greg

Austin

James

The trailer loaded with bikes

Race Ready

Click here to visit the Wake Forest Cycling Team's web site.

Mild Sunday Afternoon Ride

2012-01-08T20:10:00.004-05:00

Click on the photos to enlarge them

Poor Ole' Joe checking out my bike

We had a mild afternoon with temperatures around 50 in the Winston-Salem area today. I was glad to get out for a short easy ride to test the waters a little. For the past six and half weeks I have been recovering from a fractured Fibula in my left leg. My route headed out through the country side towards Tanglewood Park. When I was getting close to the back of Tanglewood I saw another cyclist, which turned out to be a long time friend Kelly Holmes. We cruised through the park and made a loop on the newly finished two and half mile paved greenway. Then we rode over towards Kelly's house and I rode on home. It was a nice ride and I didn't seem to have any problems riding other than being off the bike for way to long.

Before I was injured my plan was to spend some time riding a fixed gear bike this year. Not because I think it is particularly good training for the type of riding that I do, but simply because I enjoy riding one for a change of pace. Since I hadn't been riding for a while I thought it would be best to try things out today by riding a bike that would coast. I used a Sturmey-Archer S2 hub instead of a fixed gear hub today. This hub is a "two speed kick-back" hub. It has two internal gears and to change between them you pedal back just a bit. The low gear is determined by what ever size cogs you have on the bike. The high gear is an increase of 38%. This worked out fine for the type of ride I did today.

This bike is equipped with a tab to connect a coaster brake. I have ridden this bike with a Sturmey-Archer S2C hub built into the wheel. That is the same type hub only it has a coaster brake. It had been almost forty years since I had spent much time on a bike with a coaster brake. It was kind of cool to be able to brake and change gears without any controls at all on the handlebar. There are some problems that arise when you ride with a coaster brake that you don't have with hand brakes. The problems are:

Stopping. Your finesse of the brakes is not near as fast or accurate as it is with hand brakes.
Getting going. You can't pedal backwards to get the pedals in the position you want to get the bike moving. You have to kind of push off.

All of this is even harder if you are using clipless pedals or toe straps. In addition the speeds I travel at on a bicycle now are much higher than they were when I was a child riding a bike with a coaster brake. I think coaster brakes are fine for cruising around while using flat pedals.

I hope my next ride I will be able to go ahead and ride fixed. That's something to look forward too. All I have to do is play around with the size of the cog I want to use in the back. This bike has a 50 tooth chainring on the front. It's been several years since I rode a fixed gear bike. I guess part of the fun is figuring out what gearing works best for the terrain. This is one of the things that keeps cycling interesting.

Trek 1.2 . 43 cm

2012-01-08T10:21:00.001-05:00

Abby is going to be extra fast this triathlon season with her new Trek 1.2 road bike. She just upgraded her bike to this much faster model. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Abby!

Brookland is proud of her big sister Abby and her new racing bike.

Trek 1.5

2012-01-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

Ben has a great new bike. The Trek 1.5 is a fast versatile bicycle. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Ben!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bicycle. Click here to view all the fine bikes available from Trek.

Chili Sunglasses 25% off for a limited time!

2012-01-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

Grant is looking sharp in Chili Sunglasses! Get your's while they are on SALE FOR 25% OFF.

The 2012 Lush - Trek's new women's mountain bike

2012-01-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

2012 trek 3500

2012-01-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Jason will have lots of great rides on his new Trek 3500. This is one great bike.

Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Jason!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to get your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

Jules Buysse

2012-01-06T05:15:00.027-05:00

Jules Buysse (1901 - 1950) was a Belgian racing cyclist.

Buysse was the youngest of three brothers who competed in the Tour de France. He won the first stage of 1926 Tour de France by 13 minutes and 6 seconds, allowing him to wear the yellow jersey for two days until losing it to fellow Belgian Gustave Van Slembrouck. He finished the tour in 9th place.

His brothers were Lucien Buysse who won the 1926 Tour de France, and Marcel Buysse who won six stages on the 1913 Tour.

Jules Buysse

2012 Trek Mamba 29er

2012-01-06T04:48:00.000-05:00

Eric picked out a great bike when he selected the Trek Mamba 29er. With it's 29 inch tires it rolls smooth and fast. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Eric!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to pick out your next bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2011 - 2012 Wake Forest Cycling Team

2012-01-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

Click on the photo to enlarge it

Joseph Bolton, Wade Collins, Brandon Gaston, Austin Dale Jones, Mat Payne, Greg Grosicki, Matt Muney, Philip R. Schroder, Jordan Strober, Stephen Vogel, Gilberto Navarro, Katy Applin and James McCabe

2012 Trek 8.4 Dual Sport

2012-01-05T06:23:00.000-05:00

Trish is taking her first ride on her new Trek 8.4 Dual Sport on the trainer. Her new bike is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes, front suspension, 29er wheels & tires and a light weight aluminum frame. Have fun riding your New Trek Bicycle Trish!

Pay us a visit at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

George Pilkington Mills

2012-01-04T20:03:00.001-05:00

George Pilkington Mills

George Pilkington Mills (1867-1945) was the dominant English racing cyclist of his generation, and winner of the first edition of the Bordeaux - Paris bicycle race in 1891. He set many records on bicycles and racing tricycles. He later won races and set records as an early car and motorcycle racer.

At the age of 18, 1886, Mills set the record of the shortest time for riding from one end of Britain to the other. A distance of approximately 900 miles. He broke the record twice that year. Once on a large wheeled penny-farthing bicycle and once on a tricycle. On the bicycle he rode the distance in 5 days, 1 hour and 45 minutes. It took him 5 days, 10 hours on the tricycle. The record he set on the penny-farthing still stands today. That same year he also won the North Road 24-hour time trial on a penny-farthing with 288 miles and set records on a bicycle for 50 miles and 24 hours (259 miles) and set a tandem-tricycle record for 50 miles.

In 1988 he set the 100 mile tricycle record at 6 hours, 58 minutes, and 54 seconds. Mills also set the 50 mile tricycle record that year at 2 hours, 53 minutes and 42 seconds. It must be remembered that these records were set on dirt roads. The tires used in those day were not of the quality today's tires are and they were often slowed by multiple punctures.

George Mills won the first ever Bordeaux - Paris bicycle race in 1891. The organizers of the race, Veloce Sport, invited him because of his reputation and records in long distance races. Long distance cycling events were very popular in this era. Bordeaux - Paris is a race of approximately 350 miles. During the early races pacing was allowed behind tandems and regular bicycles. In 1931 the pacing was taken over by motorcycles. In the inaugural event there were 38 cyclists entered.

Mills took his first break 215 miles into the first Bordeaux - Paris race. He stopped for five minutes and ate some raw meat and a "specially prepared stimulant". He continued on to the finish in Paris where an estimated 7,000 spectators awaited the racer's arrival. The second place finisher was over an hour behind Mills. Riders were still coming in two days later.

Mills served in the military during World War I and joined the Home Guard during World War II. He was a founding member of the North Road Club (cycling club) in London. And remained a member until his death in 1945.

George Pilkington Mills

Redline Flight Carbon Bike Check

2012-01-04T06:20:00.000-05:00

2012 Trek Marlin 29er

2012-01-03T19:05:00.000-05:00

Chaz has a great new bike. He will enjoy the great ride and handling provided by his new Trek Marlin 29er. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Chaz!

Visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to get a new 29er for yourself. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2012 Trek FX 7.3

2012-01-03T18:58:00.000-05:00

Mary's new Trek FX 7.3 is just what she was looking for. She added bar ends, a bike computer, top tube bag and a water-bottle cage to set her bike up just the way she wanted it. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Mary!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to get your perfect bike. Click here to see all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2012 Trek 520

2012-01-03T18:49:00.001-05:00

Hannah's new Trek 520 will provide her with many years of cycling adventure. The 520 is Trek's touring bike and the first model they produced back in 1976. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Hannah!

Visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to get set up for bicycle touring. Click here to view all the fine bikes available from Trek.

Imerio Massignan

2012-01-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

Imerio Massignan

Imerio Massignan (born Janurary 2, 1937) is a former Italian professional road cyclist. He was born in Valmaran di Attavilla Vicntina.

A pure climber, he debuted as a professional in the 1959 Giro d' Italia and finished in 5th place overall. He followed that up with a series of good placements in the next editions, including a 2nd overall in the 1962 Giro behind Franco Balmamion.

At the Tour de France he won the "King of the Mountains" classification in 1960 and 1961. He also finished 4th overall in the 1961 Tour. Later on in 1961 he placed 2nd in the Giro di Lombardia.

Massignan retired from racing in 1969.

Park Tool Factory Tour

2012-01-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

Trek Mt 220

2012-01-01T20:08:00.000-05:00

Riley is ready to ride his new Trek Mt 220. This is one great bicycle that will provide him with years of fun riding. The Mt 220 is great on pavement or dirt trails. It has a strong light weight aluminum frame, 21 gears and a front shock. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Riley!

Visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your next bicycle. Click here to view all the fine bikes available from Trek.

Surley Long Haul Trucker

2012-01-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

Tim with his Surly Long Haul Trucker

Tim's Surly is really looking sharp. His latest upgrades are a Surly rear rack and Velo Orange fenders. This is one bike that is ready to take on anything. Have fun riding your new Surly Bicycle Tim!

Surly rear rack and Velo Orange fenders.

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to get your bike set up just the way you want.

funny ad awareness test

2012-01-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

2012 New Years Day Polar Bear Ride- Ride For Courage

2012-01-01T11:10:00.004-05:00

We saw lots of friends today while volunteering for the Polar Bear Ride For Courage in Winston-Salem, NC. All proceeds from this ride go to Cancer Services. A Metric Century and a Half Metric Century ride are both offered. For more information on this ride click on www.gopolar.org.

Who is Cancer Services?
Cancer Services provides assistance for individuals and families dealing with cancer in Forsyth, Davie, Yadkin and Stokes Counties. Through medication & financial assistance, providing equipment needs and emotional support a variety of wellness groups and programs, the organization stands tall in its mission "To enhance the quality of life for those living with cancer, and to provide the gift of life through education." More than 75% of the community will be either personally diagnosed or affected by cancer in their lifetime. Cancer Services provides hope for those facing cancer and for those sustaining them. Learn more about them at www.cancerservicesonline.org.

Below are some of our friends at the ride.

Karen

Doug

Carole and David

Matt, Randy and Carole

Alan and John

Dennis

Tom

Toby rode along in a pannier

David

Lewis

Mr. Brown

Ronnie and Ken

Elizabeth and Charlie

Ken giving instructions before the ride.

Lining up to start the ride.

The Star Spangled Banner was played before the ride.

Riders Off!

Trek 4300

2011-12-30T19:05:00.001-05:00

Randy, Chrisy and Kyle with Chrisy's new Trek 4300. The 4300 is a great bike that will provide many years of fun rides. Have fun riding your New Trek Bicycle Chrisy!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bicycle. Click here to view all the fine bikes available from Trek.

One of Our Favorite Musicians, Bill, Played For Us Today!

2011-12-30T18:59:00.001-05:00

Bill runs errands and visits friends by bicycle. It's always a pleasure to see a friend like Bill!

Thanks for the Music Bill!

Surly Long Haul Trucker

2011-12-30T18:39:00.000-05:00

Tim is standing tall with his great looking blue Surly Long Haul Trucker. He will enjoy many adventure rides on this bike. Tim has already upgraded his Long Haul Trucker with the comfort and style of a Brooks Saddle. Have fun riding your new Surly Bicycle Tim!

Stop in and visit us at Ken's Bike Shop and get going with your fun adventure rides. Click here to view all the great bicycles available from Surly.

Trek Speed Concept 7.0

2011-12-30T18:29:00.000-05:00

Jimmy is looking good with his New Trek Speed Concept 7.0. Speed is part of the name of this bike. Look for him riding fast at Triathlons this season. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Jimmy!

Visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to buy a cool bike. Click here to see all the fine bicycles available at Ken's Bike Shop.

History of the Belt Buckle - Leadville Trail 100

2011-12-30T07:41:00.000-05:00

Gustave Garrigou

2011-12-29T07:58:00.000-05:00

Gustave Garrigou

Gustave Garrigou (1884 - 1963) was a French professional racing cyclist that is considered to be one of the best of his era. He is most famous for winning the 1911 edition of the Tour de France. A couple of his other major victories are Milan - San Remo in 1911 and Paris - Brussels in 1907.

Garrigou was a thin cyclist who was able to climb well in the mountains but had the power to ride hard on flat sections as well.
He turned professional in 1907 and that year won the French National Championship, the Tour of Lombardy, Paris-Brussels and finished second in the Tour de France.

He won the Tour de France in 1911 while receiving death threats from fans of another French rider, Paul Duboc, who believed Garrigou to be behind an incident in which Duboc collapsed in the Pyrenees and lay in agony for an hour after drinking from a poisoned water bottle .Garrigou had to ride with a disguise on to prevent being attacked by Duboc's supporters. The culprit was eventually caught and was found to be a helper of a rival tam of Duboc's.

Gustave Garrigou's career ended with the out break of World War I in 1914.

Gustave Garrigou riding through the Pyrenees during the 1911 Tour de France.

Biking Santa!

2011-12-28T18:53:00.001-05:00

Trek Madone 4.5 WSD

2011-12-27T21:34:00.000-05:00

Christine has a great new bike. While already a great cyclist, her new Trek Madone 4.5 WSD will inspire new found motivation. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Christine!

Stop in and buy a new Trek for yourself and get some new motivation. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek.

2011-12-26T18:02:00.000-05:00

Bikerafting Alaska's Lost Coast: Yakutat to Glacier Bay. from lacemine29 on Vimeo.

Mike Curiak, Eric Parsons, Dylan Kentch, Doom Fishfinder, and Roman Dial did just that this summer. The crew biked and packrafted along Alaska’s Lost Coast from Yakutat to Glacier Bay.

Curiak put together a beautiful video from the trip that does a great job of capturing the Alaska’s rugged, wilderness coastline. Watch it and enjoy ten minutes of vicarious adventure.

Bing and Lynn Crosby, Gary, Phillip and Dennis Crosby ride bikes.

2011-12-26T07:52:00.002-05:00

Louis Heusghem

2011-12-25T22:24:00.003-05:00

Louis Heusghem

Louis Heusghem (December 26,1882 – August 26,1939) was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was the brother of cyclists Hector Heusghem and Pierre-Joseph Heusghem. His best Tour de France finish was his fifth place in 1911. In 1912, he won a stage in the Tour de France and Paris–Tours.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

2011-12-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

Santa Claus visited Ken's Bike Shop on Christmas Eve. He was handing out every one's favorite, Candy Canes. He even knew that one Holiday Celebrator preferred bananas and handed those out too!

1910 Tour de France

2011-12-23T22:31:00.005-05:00

The 1910 Tour de France was a tour of several firsts. It was the first Tour de France to have two stages in the Pyrennes mountains, first time for a broom wagon, first death of a racer during the Tour and the first time a few of the racers used bicycles with gears.

With 110 starters the 1910 edition of the Tour was 4,737 km (2,944 miles) raced at an average speed of 28.680 km/hr (17.82 miles per hour).

The first death of a racer during the Tour de France happened in 1910. On a rest day between stages 6 and 7 cyclist Adolphe Heliere died while swimming.

Adolphe Heliere

The course of the Tour de France since the first edition in 1903 had been drawn up each year by Henri Desgrange's, the tour organizer, assistant Alphonse Steines. For the 1910 Tour de France Steines wanted to include the high mountains and 2 stages in the Pyrennes. Desgrange was not in favor of adding these difficult mountain passes for fear that it might not be possible for the racers to complete the stages.

Prior to the start of the Tour Desgrange sent Alphonse Steines to see if it was possible for the riders to climb the mountains in the Tour de France. He went there on January 27th, 1910 and asked an innkeeper about the mountain pass. The innkeeper told Steines that it was barely passable in July and practically impossible in January. Steines hired a car anyway and headed up the mountain. The car was stopped by a snow drift while trying to get up the mountain. Steines continued on by foot. Eventually he fell off a ledge of snow into a ravine. A search party formed by locals didn't find him until 3:00 AM. The next morning Steines sent the following famous telegram to Henri Desgrange: "No trouble crossing Tourmalet. Roads satisfactory. No problem for cyclists. Steines"

Desgrange announced in L'Auto that the 1910 Tour route would include ascents of the Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque mountains. Originally there were 136 cyclists that had entered the Tour, 26 of these racers dropped out when they heard about the route. Other newspapers reacted to the Tour's route as "dangerous" and "bizarre".

A first time addition was the broom wagon to pick up cyclists that abandoned during the race. During the tenth stage over the four mountains in the Pyrennes it was ruled that riders that couldn't make it could finish the stage in the broom wagon and still start the race the next day.

Riding with gears on their bikes for the first time ever in a Tour de France were Lucien Petit-Breton, Maurice Brocco, Henri Cornet, Charles Pavese and Jean Alavoine.

As in the 1909 Tour the 1910 Tour de France was scored on points. This made it possible for a sprinter or a climber to win. As in modern times a major team was split over two potential winners among their teammates. Alcyon had assembled a huge amount of talent within it's team members. Two Alcyon team members, Octave Lapize and Francois Faber, were both contenders capable of winning.

Alcyon teammates Francois Faber (left) and
Gustave Garrigou.

Faber had won the 1909 Tour de France and was set to win again. He was a big man and had trouble getting across the mountains. His teammate, Octave Lapize, excelled at climbing mountains on his bike.

The tenth stage of the 1910 Tour was 326 km (202.57miles) that included the 4 monster mountains, the Peyresourde, the Aspin, the Tourmalet and the Aubisque. Desgrange didn't want to watch this stage and sent his assistants to supervise. The riders started at 3:30 AM so that they would be able to finish the stage.

On the Aubisque Steines and an assistant, Victor Breyer, stationed themselves 150 km from the finish of the stage. Beyer described when they saw the first man coming up the mountain:

And suddenly I saw him, a rider, but one I didn't know. His body heaved at the pedals, like an automaton on two wheels. He wasn't going fast, but he was at least moving. I trotted alongside him and asked, "Who are you? What's going on? Where are the others?" Bent over his handlebars, his eyes riveted on the road, the man never turned his head nor uttered one sole word. He continued and disappeared around a turn. Steines had read his number and consulted the riders list. Steines was dumbfounded. "The man is Francois Lafourcade, a nobody. He has caught and passed all the "cracks'. This is something prodigious, almost unbelievable!"

Still the minutes passed. Another quarter-hour passed before the second rider appeared, whom we immediately recognized as Lapize. Unlike Lafourcade, Lapize was walking, half leaning on, half pushing his machine. His eyes revealed and intense distress. But unlike his predecessor, Lapize spoke, and in abundance. "You are assassins, yes, assassins [Vous etes des assassins!]" To discuss matters with a man in this condition would have been cruel and stupid. I walked at his side, attentive to all he said. After more imprecations, he finished by saying, "Don't worry, at Eaux-Bonnes [the town at the bottom of the mountain] I'm going to quit".

Octave Lapize walking his single speed bicycle up the Tourmalet.

Lapize tore down the unpaved rutted paths of the descent of the Aubizque. He regained his strength, caught Lafourcade and won the stage. Lapize didn't quit.

Both Alcyon riders Faber and Lapize and many flats. The lead was traded back and forth between them. Faber had the misfortune of colliding with a dog during stage 7 and crashing hard. At the end of the 1910 Tour de France Lapize won over Faber by a mere 4 points.

The Alcyon Team was dominant in the 1910 Tour de France, winning 9 out of 15 stages and taking the top 4 places in the general classification.

Top 5 places in the General Classification:

1. Octave Lapize (Alcyon) 63 points

2. Francois Faber (Alcyon) 67 points

3. Gustave Garrigou (Alcyon) 86 points

4. Cyrille Van Houwaert (Alcyon) 97 points

5. Charles Cruchon (independent) 119 points

Octave Lapize winner of the 1910 Tour de France

Lapize won Paris-Roubaix 3 times, Paris-Brussels 3 times and the Championships of France 3 times. He never again finished the Tour although he tried 4 more times. In World War I he was a fighter pilot and was shot down and died. He was only 29 years old. Click here to learn more about Octave Lapize.

Francois Faber

Click here to learn more about Francois Faber.

Gustave Garrigou during the 1910 Tour de France

Cyrille Van Houwaert

Click here to learn more about Cyrille Van Houwaert.

Charles Cruchon

Marcel Buysse

2011-12-22T22:35:00.000-05:00

Marcel Buysse 1913

Marcel Buysse (1889 - 1939) was one of three brothers who were Belgian Road Racers. He and his brothers Jules Buysse and Lucien Buysse all raced the Tour de France. Marcel's brother Lucien Buysse was the winner of the 1926 Tour de France. Two of his sons, Norbet and Albert Buysse, were also racing cyclists.

While competing in the 1912 Tour de France, Marcel Buysse was the led rider for two days until he had the misfortune of breaking a handlebar. He won six stages of the 1913 Tour and finished in 3rd place.

In the 1919 edition of the Giro d'Italia, Marcel, finished in 3rd place in the general classification.

2012 Trek Madone 6.9 SSL Project One with Ultegra Di2 Electronic Shifting

2011-12-21T22:02:00.000-05:00

Beverly selected a 2012 Trek Madone 6.9 SSL for her new bike. Then she utilized Trek's Project One program to have it painted the color and scheme she wanted. She smartly chose a 2012 Shimano Ultegra Di2 component group. The electronic shifting on this bike will make her riding even more enjoyable. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Beverly!

Visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to design your Project One bicycle. Click here to view all the great bikes available from Trek.

Trek Madone 3.1

2011-12-21T21:49:00.000-05:00

Cheryl has a great looking new Trek Madone 3.1. She will enjoy the smooth ride of it's all carbon fiber construction and the great fit the the Women Specific Design will provide. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Cheryl!

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to select your new bike. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek!

2011-12-21T21:35:00.000-05:00

Winter in the Cycling City from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

Jean Aerts

2011-12-20T21:45:00.002-05:00

Jean Aerts

Jean Aerts (1907-1992) born in Laken near Brussels, Belgian, was a professional road racing cyclist. Aerts won the 1927 Amateur Road Race Championship and the 1935 Professional Road Race Championship. His greatest ability was that of sprinting. His climbing ability wasn't strong enough to make him a contender in the great tours. Jean Aerts won 11 stages in the Tour de France, 6 of those victories were during the 1933 race. He also finished 9th over all in the 1933 Tour.

Jean Aerts

Paul Component Engineering

2011-12-20T13:57:00.001-05:00

Paul Component Engineering has been making nice parts for bicycles since 1989 in Chico, Ca. The quality and appearance of their components is legendary.

Paul's Neo-Retro brakes, inspired by Mafac Tandem brake, is considered the best cantilever brakes available. It has long arms that stick straight out for the most leverage possible. The straddle wire is high and wide for fender or mud clearance. These brakes come in silver, black or polished finishes.

Riders that remember Campy High Flange Hubs will appreciate the beautiful styling of Paul's High Flange Hubs. These front hubs are available in a bolt on track hub or a quick release road hub. Black or polished finishes are both available.

Add some beauty, style and great performance to your bike with "Nice Parts" from;
Paul's Component Engineering! Made in Chico, California, USA.

Stop in and see us at Ken's Bike Shop to buy Paul's Components. We have many years of custom wheel building experience and would be glad to help you with your wheel needs.

A Paul's High Flange Track Front Hub With A Polished Finish.

Paul's Front Track Hub Laced Into A Wheel.

Complete Wheel Built With A Paul's High Flange Track Hub and A Velocity Pro Elite Tubular Rim.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Congratulations on a great weekend of racing Kara!

2011-12-19T22:51:00.000-05:00

Kara won her Cyclo-Cross Race on Saturday and finished 3rd on Sunday!
Congratulations Kara! Way to Go!

Frederico Bahamontes

2011-12-19T05:19:00.003-05:00

Fredrico Bahamontes Wearing The Yellow Jersey.

Fredrico Bahamontes ,nicknamed the "The Eagle of Toledo", is a former Spanish professional road racing cyclist. He is most famous for his 1959 Tour de France race and winning the "King of the Mountains" classification in that race six times (1954, 1958, 1962, 1963 and 1964). He is considered one of the best climbers ever and was the first Spaniard to win the Tour de France.

Bahamontes started cycling in an effort to scratch out a living after the brutal three years of the Spanish Civil war. He was from a poor family that like millions of others was devastated by the war. This is how he describes becoming a cyclist: "I became a cyclist at the age of 10 because I would have starved otherwise. I used to nab fruit off the lorries in the local market and sell that, and with the money I made I bought my first bike in order to sell more fruit faster. I'd ride around with up to 150 kilos of fruit and vegetables on the back of the bike, but all that extra weight, I think, helped me become a better mountain climber. Once I shed it all, I could fly." He describes his first race and victory experience at age 17 as:

"I only had a lemon and a banana to eat all day, and I was so hungry I ate the lemon peel and all, but I still won. I'd done 60km that day selling stuff on the black market, but I attacked from the gun and that was that. It was the same as the Tour [in 1959]; they all reckoned I'd crack out there by myself. But nobody could catch me."

Frederico quickly realised he could make more money racing his bike than he could selling stolen fruit. He traveled around spain to various races by catching rides on freight trains. He was winning races and making some money. Word of his racing winning skill got around Bahamontes was selected to ride the Tour de France for Spain in 1954.

Frederico Bahamontes describes his race tactics as simply attacking. "I had only one tactic, and that was attack, attack and attack again," the Eagle admits. "From start to finish."

One of the most famous stories about Bahamontes racing was that he had once attacked on an Alpine mountain pass so that he could have time to stop and eat an ice cream at the top. He tells what really happened as: "One of my wheel spokes broke halfway up, so I attacked so the repairs could be carried out at the top without me losing time," he explains. "But the team car carrying the spares got stuck behind the main bunch, so I bought an ice cream to pass the time. After that I was known as the 'ice-cream rider' - I wish I'd never stopped!"

Frederico Bahamontes during the 1954 Tour de France.

He was known as a rider with a terrible temper. Once he was insulted by a spectator during a race, Bahamontes promptly turned around and wielding a bike pump, chased after him for an hour. Another time when the Tour of Spain organizers re-admitted six riders who had pulled out exhausted as they could not handle the pace set by Bahamontes, he got so angry he quit the race himself.

Bahamontes at the top of the Col de Tourmalet during the 1954 Tour de France.

While a fantastic climber Bahamanotes must be described as a cautious descender who often put one foot down to make it around bends in the road. This most likely can be contributed to him once crashing during a descent as an amateur and landing in a cactus bush. Once he waited at the top of Col during the Tour de France for other riders to arrive so he wouldn't have to descend the mountain alone.

Frederico Bahamontoes

Bahamontes retired in 1965 to open a bicycle and motorcycle shop in Toledo, Spain. The town where he was born July 9, 1928.

Frederico Bahamontes in his bicycle shop.

Frederico Bahamontes during the 1956 Tour de France.

In 1950 Frederico Bahamontes won the National Amatuer Road Race Championship of Spain. In 1958 he won both Spains National Time Trial Championship and the National Road Race Championship.

Bahamontes cheered on by fans.

Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill,SC - Coming Soon!

2011-12-18T09:19:00.002-05:00

The 250m world-class Giordana Velodrome, endorsed by USA Cycling, will host national and UCI caliber events while introducing the local community to the Olympic sport of track cycling through a variety of rider development and outreach programs. The Giordana Velodrome is part of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center at Riverwalk. Over the next few years the center is planned to feature:
BMX Supercross
Cyclocross
Mountain Bike Course
Road Course

Cycling at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center

Location: 2850 Cherry Road
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Information: 803/329-5620

Trek Ex 7 - A Great Bike, A Great Christmas Gift - At an Unbelievable Price- Buy Yours at Ken's Bike Shop

2011-12-17T19:31:00.000-05:00

The EX 7 is a great bike. Riding is just more fun on this bike. With it's air adjustable dual suspension and 3x10 drive train you'll be faster on the trails or races. This bike is on sale for $400.00 off our already low price at Ken's Bike Shop. You'll feel like you JUST GOT PAID when you get a great deal on this bike or others at Ken's Bike Shop.

ZZ Top performed a song about how it feels when you JUST GOT PAID!

2012 Trek Speed Concept

2011-12-16T20:33:00.001-05:00

Grant is looking sharp with his New 2012 Trek Speed Concept. He is already a fast rider and the Aerodynamics, Fit and Integration of the Speed Concept will all work together to help make him even faster. Have fun riding your new Trek Bicycle Grant!

Stop in and visit us at Ken's Bike Shop to make a Trek Speed Concept your new bicycle. Click here to view all the fine bicycles available from Trek. Watch the videos below to find out more about the design and features of the Trek Speed Concept bicycles.

The Science of Speed Concept: Aerodynamics

2011-12-16T20:32:00.000-05:00

The Science of Speed Concept: Integration

2011-12-16T20:31:00.001-05:00

The Science of Speed Concept: Fit

2011-12-16T20:31:00.000-05:00

Campagnolo EPS - Electronic Power Shift

2011-12-15T19:50:00.004-05:00

Bicycle advocates, check out this short film from Chicago…

2011-12-15T14:18:00.000-05:00

Kinzie Street: Chicago's First Protected Bike lane from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Bicycle Advertising Posters

2011-12-15T00:52:00.000-05:00

Bicycle advertising posters are artistic fuel for the imagination. Best of all they are promoting bicycles and the fun they offer! Hopefully you have noticed that on the right side bar of this blog there is often a cycling advertising poster. These will change almost daily as long as fresh ones can be located. Keep an eye out for them and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

At the turn of the nineteenth century, bicycles were all the rage throughout Europe and North America. New bicycle manufactures were springing up everywhere. The invention of multicolor printing was developed along the same time and transformed the advertising industry. Artists were moving to Paris and other major cities to try it out. Suddenly posters were being seen as an art form.

Rory Mcdermott December 2011

2011-12-14T18:34:00.000-05:00

Italian Racing Bicycles -It's A Coffee Table Book and a Wonderful Christmas Present- Buy it at Ken's Bike Shop

2011-12-14T13:49:00.001-05:00

Italian Racing Bicycles

The People, The Products, The Passion

by: Guido P. Rubino

There are bicycles. And then there are Italian bicycles. As with high fashion or sports cars, when the world speaks of racing bicycles the conversation soon turns to Italy. Seasoned cyclists know that an Italian bicycle is more intimately yours, a more personal possession, than a bicycle of other origin. Italian bicycles are built to race with passion, and to win.
Italian Racing Bicycles traces the rich history of 40 landmark brands intimately connected with racing. Not surprisingly, the brands have deep roots, some tracing their lineage back more than 100 years to the early days of the velocipede. They also share a hunger for advanced technology, pushing engineering to new heights with exotic metal alloys, elaborate weaves of expensive carbon fiber, and aerodynamic studies that help their bikes and riders cheat the wind for greater speed.
Beyond these commonalities, though, the stories diverge. The restless inquisitiveness of Ernesto Colnago could not be more different from the methodical calm of Ugo De Rosa, for example, and yet these two iconic frame builders contributed immeasurably to the racing victories of the great Eddy Merckx. The passion for experimentation of Pinarello, the brazen creativity of Cinelli, the barrier-bursting hour machine of Moser - in search of racing victories, the volcanic inspiration of Italian artisans has repeatedly reshaped the dynamics of cycling.
Melding painstaking historical research with personal visits to each artist's workshop, author Guido P. Rubino has unearthed the stories, the methods, the dreams, and the personalities of these cycling firms, large and small, that have contributed so fundamentally to the glory of the sport.
40 Historic Brands
3TTT Alan Ambrosio Atala Bianchi Bottecchia Campagnolo Casati Cinelli Colnago Columbus Daccordi Dedacciai De Rosa Ganna Gios Gipiemme Guerciotti Legnano Masi Miche Milani Modolo Moser Olmo Olympia Passoni Pegoretti Pinarello Rossin Scapin Selle Italia Selle Royal-Fi'zi:k Selle San Marco Somec Tommasini Torpado Universal Viner Wilier Triestina
Hardcover with jacket 230 color and b&w photographs throughout
10 5/8" x 9 1/2", 192 pp.
Download the Table of contents and an excerpt (2 meg pdf).

Kramer on Seinfield once wrote a coffee table book.

Beryl Burton

2011-12-14T05:18:00.000-05:00

For more on the amazing Beryl Burton click here.

2011 Trek HiFi Deluxe on sale for $500 off - Great Bike at a Great Price!! - Buy One at Ken's Bike Shop

2011-12-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Trek HiFi Deluxe is one great bicycle. A 29er with dual suspension is a blast to ride. This bike has a Fox rear shock, Fox suspension fork, 3x 10 speed drive train, hydraulic disc brakes and Gary Fisher designed G2 geometry. Your fiends will be JEALOUS when they see you riding this bike. They will be JEALOUS AGAIN when they found out you bought it when it was on sale for $500 off of Ken's Bike Shop's already great price!

The Black Crowes are Jealous Again!

Greg Lemond's Amazing Time Trial To Win The 1989 Tour de France

2011-12-12T21:15:00.000-05:00

Greg Lemond and his 1989 Tour de France winning Time Trial Bike

Greg Lemond rode the time trial of his life during the final stage of the 1989 Tour de France. Going into the final stage he trailed the race leader by 50 seconds. Before the final stage began he had already been congratulated for finishing the Tour in second place. No one thought that he would be able to gain enough time in the 24.5 km (15.223 miles) time trial from Versailles to Paris to win.

Lemond had done the work to prepare his bike for the race against the clock. He had done wind-tunnel testing and perfected his riding position. He used an aerodynamic helmet, in a time when most racers didn't ever wear a helmet, and he used the then controversial aero handlebars. Lemond also rode an aerodynamic bike that had a disc rear wheel.

He pushed a gear of 54 x 12 to a Tour de France time trial record average speed of 54.545 kmh (approximately 34 mph)! Some calculations have suggested he was producing around 513 watts. Lemond's time trial was the fastest of the day and he was 58 seconds faster than Laurent Fignon. This gave Greg Lemond his second win in the Tour de France by the closest margin ever in the race.

The final 1989 Tour de France General Classification:
1. Greg Lemond (ADR-Agrigel): 87 hours, 38 minutes, 35 seconds
2. Laurnet Fignon (Super U) @ 8 seconds
3.Pedro Delgado (Reynolds) @ 3 minutes, 34 seconds
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse (PDM) @ 7 minutes, 30 seconds
5. Marino Legarreta (Patemina) @ 9 minutes, 39 seconds

Below is a video of his historic ride.

This video describes the development of early Aero Bars.

Tools To Fix A Flat Tire Are A Wonderful Christmas Gift For Any Cyclist - Buy Them At Ken's Bike Shop

2011-12-12T09:05:00.000-05:00

Every cyclist and every bike needs a flat repair kit. A flat tire is the most common mechanical problem to have while riding a bicycle. Weather you are riding on the road or off. You should have everything necessary to fix a flat tire, even if you don't know how. A full kit or any individual piece of a repair kit makes a great Christmas gift. The tools pictured above are:
Top row left to right; tire levers, C02 cartridges, seat bag.
Bottom row left to right; patch kit, tube, C02 kit.

Don't let a flat tire ruin your ride. A flat repair kit will get you ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Canned Heat sang a song called; ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

They must have fixed a flat tire.

Jean Dotto

2011-12-12T06:13:00.001-05:00

Jean Dotto

Jean Dotto (March 27, 1928, - February 20, 2000) was the first French racing cyclist to win in 1956 the Veulta a Espana. He rode the Tour de France 13 times, finishing in fourth place in 1954.

Dotto was a good climber. He became an independent, or semi-professional, in 1948. His first year as a independent he won a race up Mont Ventoux and also won Marseille-Toulon-Marseille. In 1950 Dotto won the climb of La Turbie, near Nice. He turned professional in 1951 for France-Sport-Dunlop and won five races, including three hill climbs, in his first season. He rode until 1963, winning 35 races, including the Dauphiné-Libéré twice. He won stage 19 of the 1954 Tour de France and next year won the Vuelta by beating Julio Jiménez of Spain and Raphael Geminiani of France.

Jean Dotto at the 1956 Vuelta a Espana

Trek Madone 3.1 - A Fantastic Bike - An Unbelievable Price!

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The Trek Madone 3.1 is a super bicycle. We have only one of these 2011 models left in a size 54cm. Don't miss this UNBELIEVABLE DEAL on a full carbon fiber bike. Buy this bicycle for a Christmas gift for someone special or for yourself. This bike is on sale at a price that is reduced by $200.00. Come see us at Ken's Bike Shop to get your best deal on a Trek Madone. With the smooth ride of a full carbon fiber Trek Madone frameset and the dependability of Shimano 105 STI shift levers and derailers; you will be able to ride OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY on this bike.

Led Zepplin performed a song about; OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY!

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Zack Gerber - Redline Edit from Zack Gerber on Vimeo.

DERNY

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Derny is the brand name of a French manufacturer, Roger Derny. The Company was founded in 1930 and closed in 1958. He was the inventor of the moped used in Bordeaux-Paris. The Derny is considered a hybrid; half-light motorcycle, half-bike. The speed of a Derny is controlled by pedaling. The faster you pedal, the faster the engine runs. This way the changes in speed are similar to the way a bicycle changes speed. Making it easier for the cyclist to draft behind it. The size is approximately that of a bicycle. The machine is equipped with a fuel tank located between the handlebars and the front wheel. It was first used in Bordeaux-Paris in 1938.

A 1952 Derny

The Derny, pictured above, features a hand-made steel frame and is equipped with a 2-stroke ZURCHER motor. The motor has a displacement of 90cc and produces 2 horsepower @ 2400 rpm. The front gearing is a single 60 tooth chainring. In the rear gearing has cogs of 14-17-21 teeth. A Cyclo 3 speed bicycle rear derailer changes the chain from cog to cog in the back. This Derny is equipped with a rear rack, a rear wheel stand and a pump.

Louison Bobet in Bordeaux-Paris 1959

A Flashing Red Light Makes A Great Christmas Gift For Any Cyclist - Buy Them At Ken's Bike Shop

2011-12-09T17:43:00.000-05:00

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

We have a large selection of lights at Ken's Bike Shop. A flashing red light on the back of your bicycle is a good idea day or night. Two or three lights on the back of your bike greatly increase the chance that motorists will SEE THE LIGHT. Every cyclist needs a flashing red light. It's nice to have a spare red light even if you already have one. These make perfect affordable Christmas gifts!

The Bontrager Flare One is our most popular and best value in a red flashing light. It comes with three different mounting brackets: a clip on bracket, a larger bracket to mount the light to a seat post and a smaller bracket to mount the light to a bicycle seat stay or other smaller diameter tube. The Flare One features three very bright led bulbs that will leave no doubt if motorists are able to SEE THE LIGHT. The batteries in this light last a l-o-n-g time. When the batteries do need replacing they easy to replace with no tools and are a standard size that is inexpensive and readily available.

Poor Ole' Joe is modeling a Bontrager Flare One flashing red light. These lights work wonderfully to clip to your belt or a pet's collar for walking in low light conditions. Buy your favorite walker or dog one for Christmas. It's a gift they will certainly enjoy.

Jeff Healy performed a song called; See the light.

Paris-Roubaix 1990: The closest finish in this race ever. Decided by less than a centimeter!

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Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Eddy Planckaert and Steve Bauer sprinting for the finish line of the 1990 Paris-Roubaix.

In 1990 the 88th edition of Paris-Roubaix had the closest finish ever for this race. There were 186 starters and only 92 finishers. The average speed of the race was 34.855 km/h or 21.658 mph. After racing 265 km (165 miles) of the toughest of all the classics, the outcome was decided by two riders tossing their bikes toward the finish line. Eddy Planchaert won by less than a centimeter.

Only 20 km into the race three riders, Stefan Joho, Peter Pieters and Rob Kleinsman, broke away from the main field. Over the next 76 km the three racers built a 16 minute lead as they entered the first section of cobbles at Troisvilles.

A group of 21 riders had been chasing for 100 kilometers and had closed the gap to the three break-a-way rider to only 50 seconds at the beginning of the famed cobbled section in the Arenberg Forest. Kleinsman had a flat tire and was elimanated from the break. The Belgain Eddy Planckaert attacked solo out of the 21 chasing riders. Planckaert quickly caught and passed the two riders remaining in the initial break. Planchaert's lead built to 1 minute and 15 seconds, but there were 65 km left in the race. A strong chase group was working to catch up to Planchaert. Two riders from the chase group, Martial Gayant and Kurt Van Keirsbulck, bridges up to Planchaert and the three built the lead to 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

A chase group formed of 15 riders lead by Laurent Fignon. The Panasonic team did their best to slow the progress of the chase. Fignon, despite Panasonic's efforts, closed the gap down to 20 seconds. He was unable to close the final meters. At this point Steve Bauer, Eddy Van Hooydonck a 2 others rode across to the Planckaert breakaway.

At the next cobbled section, Camphin-en Pevele 25 km from Rouabaix, Bauer attacked hard. Panckaert and Van Hooydonck were the only two that were able to latch on to his wheel.

The peleton was closing in on the three riders as they reached the town of Roubaix. Several riders joined them while they were on their finishing lap on the Velodrome. Bauer started his sprint and Planckaert responded. The two were pretty much even as their sprint drew near to the finish line. Both riders gave one final push as they threw their bikes forward toward the line. Neither rider raised their hands in victory.

The photo finish.

The huge crowd at the velodrome was silent. Finally the finish line judge, Joel Menard, made the announcement: "Eddy Planchaert, the winner by less than a centimeter!"

265.5 km from Cmpiegne to Roubaix (Veledrome), winning time of 7 hours, 37 minutes and 2 seconds.

Below is a video of the last part of the race.

Below is around an hour of coverage of the 1990 Paris-Roubaix from Eurosport Vision with commentary by David Duffield divided into 4 parts.

HELMET CAM By Redline BMX Racer: Damien Godet on December 04, 2011

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A Bicycle Light is a GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT - We have many to choose from at Ken's Bike Shop. One of our favorites is the Niterider MiNewt. 600 Cordless

2011-12-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

nNiterider MiNewt.600 Cordless

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The new MiNewt.600 Cordless is everything a one piece, modular bike light should be. This compact light features best in class lumens per dollar ratio, tool-less quick release mounting and a retina searing 600 lumens of light output. With this much power on tap, the Cordless not only blasts your way through the city street, but the trail as well. The reflector and lens are custom tuned for bike riding application delivering a superior beam pattern when compared to off the shelf optics.

System includes:

LED Headlamp
Internal Li-Ion Battery
5.5 HR Smart Charger
Helmet Mount
Handlebar Mount – Fits up to 31.8mm

Parliament Funkadelic performed a song about Flashlights back in 1978. They would love the Niterider MiNewt.600!

Georges Speicher

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Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Georges Speicher leading up the Tourmalet during the 1933 Tour de France

Georges Speicher (Paris, June 8, 1907 - January 24, 1978) was a French cyclist who won the 1933 Tour de France, and the 1933 World Cycling Championship. He was the first to win both of these races in the same year, and also the first French World Champion.

Speicher had never ridden a bicycle before he turned 18 years of age. In the post World War I years his sport was boxing. He was an up and comming boxer when he came upon cycling quite by accident. He answered an add for employment and got the job as a courier for deliveries by bicycle. He had never even learned to ride a bicycle. The first day he pushed the bike with his left foot and used the right foot to balance the bike.

Georges Speicher first started racing at the age of 22 as a member of the prestigious Bicycle Club Santa Clara. Only three years later in 1932 at the age of 25 he rode his first Tour de France and finished the race in eighth place.

In 1933 Speicher rode his second Tour de France, winning three stages and finishing in first place over all. The World Cycling Championship were to be held in France only about 20 days after the final stage of the Tour de France. He had not planned on racing the World Championship because of the extreme fatigue he experienced after winning the Tour.

When one of the French riders fell ill and was not able to race the World Championship, it was decided to ask Georges Speicher to take his place. At first they could not locate him. Finally he was found in a Theater at midnight on Saturday Night August 12, 1933. The World Championship race was to be held on the morning of Monday August 14, 1933. On Sunday the 13th, Speicher went to the factory of his sponsor, Alcyon, to pick up a new bicycle.

Monday morning at the start of the race Speicher attacked as soon as they left from the starting line on a new bicycle he had never ridden. He was joined by three other racers. The break was eventually caught. As soon as they were caught he attacked again. At this point there was 78 miles to go (125 km). He won the race and was 5 minutes and 33 seconds ahead of the second place rider. Speicher had cover the 155 miles (250 km) course at an average speed of 22 mph (35.5 mph).

Georges Speicher was the French National Cycling Champion during the years 1935, 1936 and 1939.

Georges Speicher in the front.

Georges Speicher fixing a flat during the 1934 edition of Paris-Roubaix

Below is a short video of the 1933 Tour de France.

Even if you can't understand the commentary, it's interesting to get an idea of the race - spectators,roads, bikes and riders.