We Need to Point Something Out

We have a new website that is alive.

What do I mean by alive? Well, we are no longer posting our blogs here. We are posting them to our website, which is powered by WordPress. The RSS feed for all blog activity is here. However, you should definitely check out our new website.

We added a calendar and loads of pictures. Every ride we go on will be announced on Twitter (sorry if you hate Twitter, but it works so well for this purpose). All the newest posts will be on the front page of the new site. It is an exciting step for us. Plus, you can comment on pretty much everything that you would want to, including products.

Our latest ride (from yesterday) is on the new website. We even included a Google Earth file for you to see all the subtleties of the ride Phillip and I (scott t.) took.

All this, we hope, adds up to more fun for all cyclists. Thank you for reading and keep the suggestions coming!

I Feel Like an Adult Again

Phillip and I (Scott T.) just rode from the shop to Big Phil's house. Big Phil lives out at Monaco and Alemeda. It is definitely not a long haul. It was nice and pitch black, except for when a car would be lurking behind us. I mentioned that I loved when I felt like a kid on my bike, so we began a little list to define when riding feels like you are a kid (again) or when it is too serious. We came up with some ground rules for when it feels like you are a kid, and as a general rule, it seems like an adult ride when the opposite is true:

To feel like a kid:
1. You don't have to be in a car in order to ride. Examples - Races, far away mountain rides, driving to Washington Park for laps.
2. You don't know exactly where you are going. This does not have to include getting lost.
3. You aren't in a hurry.
4. You aren't in serious ride clothes (though sometimes that just happens).
5. When you don't discuss anything about the bikes you are on.

This is not to say we don't love adult style rides, but sometimes it is nice to just pedal along like school is out.
Any rules you need to add should be thrown into the comments.

Palmer Park Spring Ride

Palmer Park Spring Ride by Scott T.

Brian and I went to Palmer Park yesterday. We met one of our friends, Scott N., who promised us a tough, but not TOO tough tour of Palmer Park.

Brian: Maverick Durance - 9 speeds
Scott: Titus Racer-X Carbon - 27speeds
Scott N.: The 'Don' McLean - Rigid 29 SS

We ended up each wrecking several times. After clearing something that I didn't think I would make, I found small rocks to stop me in my tracks. Brian and Scott both had little pedal issues that caused little problems. We had NO FACE PLANTS, which is always a plus.

At the completion, we went to The Curry Leaf in CO Springs. Highly highly highly recommended. Great after ride meal. They need to have cots for nap time after.


47 Photos right here!

The Perfect helmet?

Yeah. It has a movie camera.
And yeah, that is a light.
And if you aren't able to speak, the sticker is a good start to find help for you.
We think we may have nailed it.

Stopped Sweating

Pueblo was hot on Wednesday. by scott t.

HOT. Like sunburn hot.

Brian, Chris, Lorraine and I went to Pueblo for a mountain bike excursion. Did we mention that the weather was warm?

We had been been warned that the trails would be dry and possibly super fun. None of us had been there before.

The bike line up was as follows:
Brian - Maverick Durance
Chris - Maverick ML7
Lorraine - Jamis Dakar XAM
Scott - Titus Racer-X

The ride started out on a high note with a fast rolling, lots of curves downhill. Not really downhill, but not flat or uphill. It was great. We were following a map that was to say the least, not accurate. Maybe we shouldn't even say following. As we got to the bottom of the map, we knew it wasn't quite right. There were signs posted that weren't included with the map. So, we went left instead of right (always go right). This was a super duper long cut. We *had* decided a distance that we could cover in a reasonable amount of time. But, with the wrong turn we went a lot further than planned.

Long story short, we had a good time. That is until we all ran out of water. Chris especially was hurting. The rest of us just stopped sweating. This was noticed as we once again had a good idea of where we were and where we wanted to go. These trails were interesting because when they were technical, they were super duper fun and technical. When they weren't, they were dusty dirt and shale. It was definitely a practice at knowing what speed you like before you go through a turn.

We made is safely back to the car and went immediately to recover with some pizza and water. (Chris slept most of the way home)

This is where we were, but we didn't listen to this music.

Down Under

We stumbled upon this article of interest today:

Bike sales 38 per cent higher than car sales in 2008

Apparently in Australia, it goes a little something like this:

Economy bad.
Car sales bad.
Bike sales good.
Bike sales > Car sales

In America, we rarely see an article about a drive to work that is without incident, but a car crash is a whole different story!

The economy is a car crash with flames and kabooms.

Keep your eyes forward and don't rubberneck and we will all come out on the other side.

Younger Still

Younger Still by Scott T.

This morning, I went through my old photos that I took at random times and it occurred to me that many of our current customers have no idea what Salvagetti looked like when we were much younger.




When we started out, we didn't have new bikes for sale, which often times made people walk in the store and walk right back out. They had heard we were nice people, but weren't sure about the name and what we stood for.




Every single piece of inventory was out where you (and I) could find it. If you didn't see it, we didn't have it. But, surprisingly, we usually did. Pure luck?



Salvagetti started out as Fix My Bike, but moved on to Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop in a unanimous vote of Scott's Wife, Brother and Brain.

It is strange, because I have many photos of this location, but almost none of the *even smaller* one we had before. We were only there for about 3 months before we found a better location (313 W. 11th). And only a little over a year later we moved on to 1234 Speer Blvd.. What a roller coaster ride!

Shimano Alfine Hub

Nerds! Nerds! Nerds! Please check this out.

The Shimano Alfine Hub is officially great. Here goes:

1. Internally geared 8 speeds.
2. Disc brake compatible.
3. Not expensive compared to *other* hubs

So, it isn't quite a mountain bike accessory yet. But, it will be. And I know I haven't sold you on it yet. So here goes:

The Salvagetti Team went to the Shimano Show Off Clinic (my name, not theirs) and heard all about Dura Ace 7900 and the new XTR. Both very impressive in their own right. But, after we were set free to look at what we wanted, we made a bee line for the Alfine section. We had ridden the Giant Seek and wanted to know if our love was a pure love or just some silly fling. Our love runs deep.


You see? The Alfine hub comes apart very easily with only minimal tools. Then, as if by magic, the gearing system comes out in one lump of beautiful gears. It isn't a pile of parts balancing inside that will shatter into your hands when you glance inside. We enquired how difficult it is to rebuild and the gentleman explained that the maintenance process (done about once every 2 years) will not be a rebuild, but a full cleaning of the gears and a relube! SOLD!

We got the Giant Seek 1 for our towny rental fleet and we will get to test these hubs to the nth degree. We feel confident in their ability to withstand everything we can throw at them. We'll let you know.

The law of love

By Scott T.

I have had a bike stolen. Not today. Don't feel too bad for me. I'm over it.

But, not really. I recently had a chance to relive my Yellow Schwinn being stolen from the front of the store.
It was stolen because someone didn't bring it in after we closed. Still, stolen is stolen, even if you don't lock it. I looked around everywhere for that stupid bike that wasn't even worth 30 bucks. It was heartbreak.

Then I found it... It was parked at chipotle and locked up. So, I left the new "owner" a note stating that if they wanted, they could keep their lock and if they didn't, I would just cut it off for them. And also that my bike is my bike, not their bike. MY BIKE!

After some time, the police came got the bike and gave it back to me.

And I thought I was happy. But, the truth is that I haven't ridden the bike since I got it back. It is sitting in the basement of the store. And I can tell the bike is sad. I used to ride wheelies for blocks with it. I used to make coffee runs with it. It was my dear friend. And now that someone else took it home and rode it (sorry for the imagery in your head), I don't feel the same about it anymore. I feel that it isn't my bike anymore.

Where I am right now, I don't know that I can give it away either. I feel like the Karma needs to be washed or some sort of seance needs to be performed to remove the devil from inside the bike. I haven't really even sat with the bike since I picked it up from the police station. What to do. What to do.

Recovered bicycles can never be loved the same way. I think someone may have to intervene.

It'll Change Your Life

One of our favorite faces around the store, Brendan, has turned into a cyclist. He loves it. He loves riding bicycles. It makes him feel whole again. But, I am paraphrasing here. He says it best all by himself.

http://www.dirtbagdiaries.com/index.php?post_id=403304

This is a spoken word piece. It is 8 minutes of real bike love. You'll enjoy it. Unless, you are a bad person.

As a side note, Salvagetti was edited out of the story. We sold Nick the Black Steel Road Bike that made him so obsessive. We cannot take credit for anything else.

An utterly blatant plug for a product

The first time the owner used it, his wife accused him of skipping work.
But, she was happy with him.

It is Phil Wood Hand Cleaner.

This is the best hand cleaner for getting off grease and oil from your hands and arms. You only need a dime sized glob of the cleaner and a tiny bit of water. Work it around the greasy spots until it starts to collect into little balls. Start rinsing it off. Be happy with your clean, pristine, bourgeois appearance. Now dry your hands and go back to your life.

I also know that this stuff is not a "gross" product. How? I know this because the herbalist at Moondance Botanicals went gaga over it. She was going to offer me some stuff that had almonds and oils, but she stopped when she saw this stuff. (The dirty boy soap they sell is fantastic, by the way). She was exceedingly impressed.

If you want some of this stuff, it is about $8/lb. I think it is mostly oatmeal, but I'm not eating it.

Not for the faint of heart

This video has been around for a while.

***PLEASE DO NOT WATCH IT IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WATCHING SOMEONE GET HURT.***

But, I have to say, this is karma. Instant karma.
Don't mess with the cyclists.

Public Transit

It is coming upon the time of year when we prove how (wo)manly we are. Snow and rain and cold and dampness.

With this, Google has announced a new search feature that should let a few of us avoid the car for a few more months, if not for the whole winter. It is called Google Transit: http://www.google.com/transit.

Basically, you can put in your starting and ending location and it will tell you how to take the bus or walk. The key here is that it will be even faster if you ride your bike instead of walking, then load your bike up on the front or underneath the bus.

We tried a search for Denver to Nederland (which is an amazing place to ride bicycles). (When you get up there, check out the caboose by the bus station. Cool Bike Shop/ Coffee Shop. )

Try it out. Take the bus. Take your bike.

Corn Maze

This has nothing to do with bikes. It has to do with fun though, so there!

Several of us went to Anderson Farm's "Terror in the Corn" last night. Between feeding the goats, hot apple cider and riding in the barrel train we lost track of time. It was $10 to get in and a quarter to feed the goats. It was $1.50 for the cider and $3.50 for the pie. It was terribly fun.

So, I am giving them a plug because everyone needs to go do this. Bring friends who you wouldn't mind meeting in a dark field of old corn. Because when you go out into the tremendously monotonous, yet creepy maze, you will prefer to know that someone will find you when you are lost. And chances are you will not be scared of them.

Here is the link: http://www.terrorinthecorn.com

It is open until November 1st. Don't be bummed that you missed it. Just find a group of friends and go. You will have a blast.

Stepping Stones

There was a recent article in Velonews about whether people jumping on the bicycle bandwagon with a ss road bike is a bad thing or not... This got me thinking.

One of our favorite customers, who we will call Tobi, because that is her name, got into cycling this last year or so. Her trainer felt that cycling would be a great way to cross train and that she would just like it. We sold her a bike that she liked aesthetically and would function for her needs. She was absolutely not comfortable with a bike that was going to have a lot of things to adjust and play with. She just wanted a bike to figure things out with. We obliged. And she reacted with such incredible vigor and excitement that we got worried about her. She rode that bike a lot. So much so that she became very comfortable with paths and sidewalks and roads. She became comfortable with other cyclists and us. In essence, she graduated to the next level. As a reward, she bought a different bike; it is a bike that appealed to her new aesthetic wants and her new level of needs. It was really fun to watch.

My question is this: How is that different than the accused fixie rider that is still figuring out that they aren't as big as a car? We have seen a great deal of riders come in and discover their life's passion is cycling. Personally, I don't care how this happens. But, people are in a stink about it. The pattern is there. The aesthetic wants and the simplicity needs. Function (sometimes but not always) before form?

A cyclist is born when they see a bicycle as a part of who they want to *be*. Then, they can *become* a cyclist. Try before do.

Pancake Breakfast Ride

At this time last year, we attended an event for the Sunday Morning Breakfast Ride that was truly worthy of noting:

Pablo's 2nd Annual Pancake Breakfast.

Well, that time is here again.

We just received the email announcement that it is happening again on the 14th of this month. It is all-you-care-to-eat pancakes with all the sides you would expect. The food last year was prepared with love and care (and tasted amazing). It happens to be for a great cause. And, on top of that, it is REALLY FUN!

We will meet at the back of the shop at 8am and leave by around 8:15am. The ride will be pretty direct. You will eat until you are about to burst, but you will be energized from the music, the company and the caffeine. From there, we will ride back to the shop, unless you already made other plans. You will probably need a light lunch and should plan to go to bed early that night. You will then have an AMAZING MONDAY. We promise.

A Small Word of Warning to Cyclists

Prices are going up for 2009. We recently received our new Jamis and Giant catalogs. We have seen prices go up over the last few years, but never like this. It is partially from the cost of transport and partially from the increased cost of materials. Regardless, if you are thinking of buying a bike in the next few months, consider buying a 20008 sooner than a 2009 later. Some examples:

Jamis Aurora 2008 - $865 vs 2009 $1000
Giant OCR 1 2008 - $1100 vs Giant Defy 2009 $1300 (Same Bike)

Certain companies are keeping the prices the same (to fool consumers) while the quality is going down per dollar. Do your research and you will find that getting an older bike is more bike for the money.

The list of items going up in price goes on and on... the price of anything tires and tubes is going to be most noticeable. We haven't increased our prices yet because we got a warning of the future price increases. However, it is coming. If you know you need tubes, stock up now, even if it is for friends who aren't in the know.

Spread the truth, help out your friends. And the rest will become the norm, like $4 gas.

EJ

(by scott t)

My friend EJ was hit by a car last night on a group ride in Colorado Springs, CO. He died.

A 64 year old woman was driving away from a grocery store at high speeds after allegedly stealing some stuff. She turned directly into EJ and one of his co-workers. She hit them head on and killed them instantly. They were on a group ride with several other people who all witnessed the entire event.

EJ was one of the most-fun-to-ride-with cyclists I have ever known and he will be missed severely.

Ride in Evergreen

(by scott t.)

Several of us took off this morning to Evergreen. We don't actually know the name of the trail, but it is connected to one of Evergreen's RTD Park-n-rides. So, that is what we did. We parked. We rode.

The trails were perfect. The temperature was fantastic. And all of us needed some time in the woods.

As I was climbing, I knew in the back of my head that the pain I was feeling going up would be redeemed in a downhill of the same lines. It still didn't make it any less painful when my teeth hurt from breathing so hard. We took very infrequent breaks to that the climb would be over sooner. Then the flat/down/flat part of the trail began. Evergreen is a fun place to ride bikes. We started seeing people as we approached the 3 sisters trailhead. We turned around and explored for a bit, then started the back portion of our out and back.

It was beautiful and fun and we are gonna do it all again soon.

Here are the pictures:

Alright, let's ride!

This is the only place we are announcing this first demo ride, cause we need the right people for our trial. (We are gonna try it out and get your feedback.)

On Saturday July 26th (2008), we will meet at the back parking lot of Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop at 8am. Scott will be taking the new van and up to 9 bikes and 8 people on a trail ride. This also means if you have a car with bike racks, maybe you should bring it along... There is a time constriction, so the trail will be a close one (probably Golden), but it promises to be fun.

We will bring along with us a combination of the following bikes:
Giant Trance
Giant Trance X
Giant Anthem
Brooklyn Machine Works Park Bike
Black Sheep Ti 29er SS
Maverick Durance (oh, mommma! Scott gets this one first)
Jamis Dakar XAM
Jamis Dakar XCR

You don't *have* to have (or bring)a mountain bike to join us. Please bring water, a helmet, a snack, some money for a post-ride snack and a can-do smile.

We'll get you back to the shop by noon, cause Scott has to go back to work then!

See you there.

Here is the van: