One of the "insider secrets" of the bicycle industry is the majority of "stock" bicycles are designed for lightweight racers. And by lightweight, we mean 160lbs and under. The frame styles are designed for the purpose of going as fast as possible, or in the case of off-road, handling "technical" singletrack trails AND going as fast as possible. Things like rider comfort and the ability to carry packages and bags, outside of a couple of water bottles, aren't considerations.

So if you are looking to bump your CAT rating or accumulate enough points for a pro license, those are the bikes for you. For the other 99% of people that ride bicycles, well, we need something else.

The question for the "Rest of Us", is what bicycle should we buy? The answer in each and every case is - it depends. There are several factors that we condsider when recommending a bicycle for you. Your riding ability, fitness, weight, age, and flexibility are obviously important and are factors we consider. Equally important is how often you ride, what weather conditions will you be riding, and how you plan to use your bicycle.

With all of these factors coming into play, the chances of getting a stock "off the floor" bicycle to suit your unique needs are slim to none. And like a a former footbal coach once said, "Slim just left town". You are a unique individual. Shouldn't your bicycle be designed to fit you and your cycling style and needs?

We are "out of the ordinary" in our shop in that we don't have dozens of stock models on the floor. But we can - and do -build an infinite variety of bicycles that can suit anyone's needs. Even a finicky racer that's trying to shave a few seconds off of their time. We build our bicycles the way we did in our racing days. we take a frame and fork, then add components that we know will work for you, and your needs.

Most of our bicycles also come with wheels that we build in our shop. Just as with bicycles, many wheelsets are designed for light riders that are using them for racing purposes. Racing wheels typically have fewer spokes that are "bladed" to reduce wind resistance, and are laced differently then wheels designed for daily use. They are completely inappropriate for any rider over 200lbs, as well as for anyone using them on a daily commute, or anyone that wants to carry packs and bags. Just as with bicycles, wheels need to be designed for the rider and the purpose for which they will be used.

No machine built wheel is going to be customized for you and your riding needs. They need to be built by a wheelsmith that considers you unique needs and is familiar with the hundreds of rim, hub, and spoke combinations available.

When you are shopping for a bicycle, come in and see us and see what we have to offer, and what we can build for you. Then, go to other shops and compare. You can probably go elsewhere and buy a bicycle the same day, but we can guarantee that we can build a bicycle for you that will suit you, and your unique needs. And, at a competitive, or even lower price.