What?

It's true. We're open.

Can you feel it?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? Can you hear the buzz? It's unfolding before your eyes.... Can you feel it in the community? Can you see it on the faces of people walking by?... No we are not talking about the Olympics (but those are pretty cool aren't they?). We are talking about opening our doors to the public! We will be open for business by the weekend and we are totally pumped! We are also excited to finally be able to reveal the rest of the brands we've got in our lineup.

We are pleased to report that along with Batavus and Opus, we are carrying the best in spanish bikes: Orbea, the largest bicycle company in Spain. Orbea are some of the most aesthetically pleasing road bikes on the market, and have the added reputation of being ridden in the pro tour by Euskatel-Euskadi, including 2008 gold medalist Sammy Sanchez.

If you are looking for a more unique bike with a custom build, we've got Traitor frames and build kits from Ferndale, Washington. Carrying Traitor bikes allows us to custom-build a bike to your style and specifications. We'll build a few up as singlespeeds and 9-speed commuters.

On the classic urban side we are also carrying the beautiful Pashley bikes. Pashleys hail from England and have the most stylish finishings of any bike on the market - leather saddles, baskets and the greatest sounding bell ever (we really mean that)!

Keep an eye and and ear out for our advertising announcing our Grand Opening in March. This is going to be a huge event but we are just in the beginning planning stages so we don't want to say to much until things are more concrete.

Please stop by soon to say hi; we are looking forward to meeting you in person!

Bionx: Alternative & Intelligent Mobility Solutions for Bicycles

Okay, first off, the February 8 opening day isn't going to happen. I guess we'll just pretend when the torch comes by, and hopefully we will be open for business sometime mid-week. Now, here's some good news.

A few days ago, Tim and Jon went to a workshop for Bionx, a Canadian company that has become a world leader in electric-assist systems for bicycles. Basically, what you get in a Bionx package is a battery pack, a rear wheel with a motor built into the hub, and a controller unit for your handlebar. This package is designed to fit virtually any bike on the market. Now, before all the purists out there start freaking out that we’ve gotten excited about an electric bike – and a retrofit Bionx kit at that – let us assure you that we also had our doubts coming into this workshop. Really, how much assistance could a small hub motor and a battery pack actually provide? And how could a retro-fit product actually fit well with my bike? And, if you've looked at Bionx before and thought, 'It seems cool, but that battery pack is too obtrusive for my beautiful bicycle,' then we advise you to check out the classy new PL-350 RR model that hides the battery pack under the rear rack.

(you can find more pictures in the Bionx Gallery)

To answer our questions about power and usefulness, they let us test ride a few bikes. We got to try out some specifically designed electric-assist bikes from the competition and some normal bikes fitted with a Bionx unit, and the Bionx bikes blew their competition out of the parking lot. These things were more powerful, more efficient, a million times smoother, definitely much quieter, and a zillion times lighter. All you need to do is get the bike rolling at 3km/h and then press the throttle. The motor will take over from there and quickly have you zooming along at a max speed of 32km/h. If you opt to pedal along, you could find yourself cruising at 45km/h without breaking a sweat. The motor has a sensor that gauges how hard the rider is pedaling, and adjusts its power output accordingly, so that you get more help when you need it most.

Obviously, nobody will want to race you on your new Bionx, but these units seem very appealing in many other situations. If you have a fairly tough commute or if you don't want to bike because you get to work and need to take a shower, Bionx can help. If your toddler is too heavy to pull around in the trailer, get Bionx to do the pulling. If you’ve just had knee surgery or have a heart condition, a Bionx unit on your bike will allow you the pleasure of outdoor recreation without too much strain on your body. If you just like to cruise around town and have fun without getting tired, Bionx will do that too.

We should have one in the store soon, so come on by and take it for a spin in the parking lot. I’m sure you’ll be amazed as we were just a few days ago.