Why we are so far out
08/02/08 10:06
The title may
have made it sound like we were going to talk about
our groovy 70’s inspired psychedelic lava lamps...
but no.
Actually, the title refers to the more concrete issue of our location. We are kind of “far out,” in terms of being out of town.
Why did we do that? Well, when we opened the shop, we weren’t sure how ready this area was for a bicycle shop like ours. We figured that it might be a while before walk-in traffic really pays for itself, and that in the meantime we’d continue doing the web business. So we looked for a location that had a relatively low rent, but was still close enough to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the NC Triangle that people who want to visit can visit us. We didn’t want to start out in the high-rent district, if we were going to have to pay the rent out of our own pockets. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened.
The good thing about being a small business is that we are flexible and can adapt quickly. We have had the store open for a few months now, and it is clear there is interest from the local community. It is also pretty clear that this kind of store is needed and wanted in this area. So we are looking strongly at a move that would bring the shop into town (probably Carrboro).
Besides, there are some other reasons we’d like to be in town:
- It is kind of ironic to have a transportation-focused bike shop, to which most people end up driving to get there!
- We like the idea of being part of a community, and community events. Being in town would make that a lot easier
- It can get a bit lonely out in the “middle of nowhere” as one customer put it
So, anyway, we’ll post more here as soon as we know more. We are looking for a suitable space with reasonable rent. If anyone has any great ideas on that, please drop us a line!
Actually, the title refers to the more concrete issue of our location. We are kind of “far out,” in terms of being out of town.
Why did we do that? Well, when we opened the shop, we weren’t sure how ready this area was for a bicycle shop like ours. We figured that it might be a while before walk-in traffic really pays for itself, and that in the meantime we’d continue doing the web business. So we looked for a location that had a relatively low rent, but was still close enough to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the NC Triangle that people who want to visit can visit us. We didn’t want to start out in the high-rent district, if we were going to have to pay the rent out of our own pockets. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened.
The good thing about being a small business is that we are flexible and can adapt quickly. We have had the store open for a few months now, and it is clear there is interest from the local community. It is also pretty clear that this kind of store is needed and wanted in this area. So we are looking strongly at a move that would bring the shop into town (probably Carrboro).
Besides, there are some other reasons we’d like to be in town:
- It is kind of ironic to have a transportation-focused bike shop, to which most people end up driving to get there!
- We like the idea of being part of a community, and community events. Being in town would make that a lot easier
- It can get a bit lonely out in the “middle of nowhere” as one customer put it
So, anyway, we’ll post more here as soon as we know more. We are looking for a suitable space with reasonable rent. If anyone has any great ideas on that, please drop us a line!
We have lots of bikes, and electric kits too
06/27/08 21:46
We just returned from our train trip, and found that
Greg had the store in good order. Most of all, we
have a lot of new products on the floor. We’ll be
expanding the website a bit to go into more detail,
but here is a brief rundown:
• Bicycle cargo trailers from Bob and Burley, to carry groceries, camping gear, hardware, whatever... we have both kinds of trailers in stock as of today, and if there is demand, we will be getting more.
• Lots and lots of bicycles from Marin Bikes in california. We are especially focusing on their commuting and city bikes. The Muir Woods is a great, inexpensive steel framed urban assuault vehicle (pictured below, $455 MSRP, with our in store price lower). The Novato is a slightly more expensive aluminum version of the same ($570 MSRP). And the Belvidere and Corte Madera are very nice 700C wheel commuter bikes, purpose built with fenders, racks, and all the fittings, at very affordable prices, $635 MSRP for the Corte Madera, and $530 MSRP for the Belvidere (our in store prices are often a bit lower for items in stock). Last but not least are the more style and comfort oriented bikes, including the Euro-stye step through frames on the San Rafael (pictured below) and the Stintson.
• Bicycle cargo trailers from Bob and Burley, to carry groceries, camping gear, hardware, whatever... we have both kinds of trailers in stock as of today, and if there is demand, we will be getting more.
• Lots and lots of bicycles from Marin Bikes in california. We are especially focusing on their commuting and city bikes. The Muir Woods is a great, inexpensive steel framed urban assuault vehicle (pictured below, $455 MSRP, with our in store price lower). The Novato is a slightly more expensive aluminum version of the same ($570 MSRP). And the Belvidere and Corte Madera are very nice 700C wheel commuter bikes, purpose built with fenders, racks, and all the fittings, at very affordable prices, $635 MSRP for the Corte Madera, and $530 MSRP for the Belvidere (our in store prices are often a bit lower for items in stock). Last but not least are the more style and comfort oriented bikes, including the Euro-stye step through frames on the San Rafael (pictured below) and the Stintson.
• We have the
comfort/semi-recumbent bikes from Day 6 in stock. We carry both the
Dream and the Journey models. We’ll post a picture
soon!
• We have started carrying frames from Soma Fabrications. We can build a
complete bike for you, or just sell you the frame.
These are high quality, very nice steel frames
using Tange Prestige chromoly, the best in the
business. They make a nice 29er (Juice), a hardtail
mountain bike, a cyclocross frame, a track bike,
and a road bike model. Morgan is building up a
Juicy 29er that will be available for demo rides
(when she doesn’t have it out on the trail). We
are also happy to build a custom electric ride
that combines the frame, parts, and electric kit
of your choosing.
• We now, finally, have some of the eZee kits in
stock again. Hurray for that. Get your order in
early, these premium electric bike kits are going
fast. The price is still $1250, and you can buy one
in the shop, or order online through our web store.
• We have an order of Crystalyte gear and NiCad
batteries arriving very soon.
• We have a bunch of accessories in stock, and we are
way overstocked on tubes and lights, so that stuff is
on sale. Drop by, make us an offer we can’t refuse,
and we won’t!
• Sadly, the cargo bikes and accessories are out of
stock for now. The Xtracycles are all sold out
through at least mid August. We have one Yuba Mundo
left in stock, but we have a customer who says he’s
going to buy that one. Those won’t be back in stock
until August at soonest, either. The Big Dummy is
very backordered, and though we’ll do our best, the
soonest we can hope for is August.
• In better news, our Cycle 9 Dolores bicycles are on
their way, and should be arriving in a few weeks.
Hurray for that, it has been a long wait! The waiting
list is growing, and there are only a few of these
that aren’t already spoken for. So get your order in
early.
• The BionX electric wheel kits will start arriving
in the second week of July. However, most of those
are spoken for, we already have a waiting list.
Please drop us a line or give us a
call if you want one, we’ll do what we can to
get you one as soon as possible.
• Last, but not least, we have some other great
things brewing. Keep your eyes open here, and we’ll
announce them as soon as we can.
Hub motors, ebikes, and Xtracycles
06/05/08 00:58
We
are very low on stock of the electric bike products -
apparently there was some pent up demand around this
area.
However, we have a number of things on the way within the next few weeks, and most should be arriving by mid to late June, with some stragglers showing up in July. This includes Crystalyte kits, eZee kits, NiCad batteries, more LiFEPO4 batteries, and some custom Cycle 9 kits for electrifying your bike.
Unfortunately, the stock situation isn’t looking so good on the Xtracycle front. In the past week, we’ve sold all the stock we had of Xtracycle kits, including our demo! Not to fear, if you want to try an Xtracycle-equipped bike, we will have one of our personal bikes available in the store for test rides. However, the kits themselves aren’t expected to arrive until August at the earliest. The same is true for the Yuba Mundo (we have only 2 left, and they are sold out from the distributor until August), and the Big Dummy. Longtail bikes must be the rage. We do have waiting lists for all these items (except Yuba, since it is not sold out yet), so just drop us a line if you want to get on the list.
However, we have a number of things on the way within the next few weeks, and most should be arriving by mid to late June, with some stragglers showing up in July. This includes Crystalyte kits, eZee kits, NiCad batteries, more LiFEPO4 batteries, and some custom Cycle 9 kits for electrifying your bike.
Unfortunately, the stock situation isn’t looking so good on the Xtracycle front. In the past week, we’ve sold all the stock we had of Xtracycle kits, including our demo! Not to fear, if you want to try an Xtracycle-equipped bike, we will have one of our personal bikes available in the store for test rides. However, the kits themselves aren’t expected to arrive until August at the earliest. The same is true for the Yuba Mundo (we have only 2 left, and they are sold out from the distributor until August), and the Big Dummy. Longtail bikes must be the rage. We do have waiting lists for all these items (except Yuba, since it is not sold out yet), so just drop us a line if you want to get on the list.
Bikes by Breezer and Marin
05/27/08 21:52
We just wanted to mention another exciting
development we've had lately. We had the great
fortune of signing on to be a dealership for two
great lines of bicycles. Some people don't need an
electric assist or cargo bike, they just need a
reliable, great ride designed from the ground up for
riding every day. Things like integral
fenders and racks, integral
lighting systems, swept back
handlebars for reduced wrist strain, a more upright
riding position to see and be seen, wide slick tires
that roll fast on the pavement but can handle the
gravel or grass too. These are the kind of bikes that
we used to morph our old mountain bikes into with a
lot of effort and not always satisfactory results.
But now, these companies are doing it for us,
designing the bikes from the ground up, purpose built
as transportation bicycles.
The first line we'll mention (because we signed up with them first) is Breezer. This California-based company was founded by Joe Breeze, who is one of the legends involved in getting the sport of mountain biking off the ground. They now focus exclusively on bicycles as beautiful but practical commuting vehicles. Bikes like the Breezer Uptown pictured here:
The first line we'll mention (because we signed up with them first) is Breezer. This California-based company was founded by Joe Breeze, who is one of the legends involved in getting the sport of mountain biking off the ground. They now focus exclusively on bicycles as beautiful but practical commuting vehicles. Bikes like the Breezer Uptown pictured here:
We're excited about these bikes, they are well
built and top rated for commuting. We have a bunch
of these on the way, and they should be here before
our grand opening.The second line of bikes we will
be carrying are from Marin. Marin is
another California-based company that was
involved in the mountain bike business from
the early days, building high quality cycles.
One of our parents had their first Marin in
1987, and it was a great bike. Marin still
makes mountain bikes, but they also produce a
really nice line of commuter and comfort
oriented bikes, and we've got a shipment of
these on the way, starting at very reasonable
prices. But the bike we're most excited about
is the humble Muir Woods. This is a steel
bike, that reminds us of the good old days
when bikes were simple, reliable, and very
durable. For those who've only ridden an
aluminum bike, steel has a special quality to
it - it is more forgiving. But, this is also a
great platform for adding an electric assist
due to steel's resilience. We have a range of
bikes from Marin on their way, and if we don't
have the bike in stock that you are looking
for, we are happy to order one for you (same
is true for Breezers).
Why do we exist?
05/17/08 22:27
Ok, so the title makes it sound like we're going to
get all existential here about the meaning of life
and all. But we'll save that for the book Morgan is
working on. In the meantime, we've got a much
simpler blog post in store for you....
We've got the store open at Cycle 9. Given all the long hours we've put in, its a good time to reflect on why we're doing this. Basically, we were frustrated with the focus of the bicycle industry on racing and recreational products. It's not that we don't like recreational riding (we do, especially mountain biking!), its just that the products ideal for everyday commuting are not the same as the ones promoted by the industry for recreational riding. Recreational bikes are often purpose built - road bikes to be very light weight, and mountain bikes to have suspension, knobby tires, etc - none of which is good for commuting every day of the year, rain or shine. Most recreational road cyclists wouldn't be caught dead with a chain guard or fenders on their bikes - those would just add ounces and slow the bike down by a fraction of a mile per hour. And racks? Forget it. That's pounds. Why would someone add 1/2 pound to their bike, when they just paid $5k or more to shave a few ounces off their bike (and while they are at it, the hair off their legs, too!)?
Our focus is different. We promote racks to haul gear, fenders to keep the rider dry, and chain guards to keep clothes clean. Sure, they add pounds to the bike. But they also add practicality, so that you can ride to the grocery store - or ride when it is raining, or ride with your fancy work duds.
And we also promote electric assist bicycles for people who think it would encourage them to ride more often. The electric assist is not for everyone. Some people are happy waking up every day with the energy to pedal their bike up the hills, rain or shine, healthy or sick, whatever. But most of us real mortals have days we don't feel like pedaling. Or we are carrying a big load of groceries on our Xtracycle, and don't feel like dragging it up a long hill in the 95 degree weather. Or we don't want to get to work drenched in sweat. Electric bikes are great for those reasons and more. Our electric bikes encourage us to ride more often, instead of taking the car. And, since riding an electric bike is very energy efficient (they get the equivalent of over 500 miles per gallon), it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly.
As we look forward, we're considering what other products we might want to introduce here that fit with our core mission. We welcome feedback on this topic. We're definitely interested in the recumbent bicycle scene, and also think trikes would be great for load hauling. Then there are the Bakfiets, which is the Dutch way to carry tons of stuff. We're also enamored of simple, long lasting steel frames made by the likes of Soma and Surly, so we might be setting up a test ride or two in those. And, we love alternative handlebars - go into most bike shops, and you'd think the only types of bars made are either flat (mountain bikes) or drop bars (road bikes). But there is a world of other handlebar configurations out there, many of which are better suited for commuting. My (Morgan's) personal favorite are the Nitto Albatross bars. But there are many other great ones.
Last but not least, we need to give a huge thanks to the two Gregs, our first official employees. Greg T is a young cycling enthusiast who has poured his energy into getting the shop open. And Greg F has brought a treasure trove of cycling industry knowledge to bear, which has been highly valuable. Most importantly, both clicked with our core mission from the start - both of them love cycling in all forms, but like us, want to see more of the practical everyday cycling gear promoted and sold to the general public. We don't need to promote cycling for more Lance wannabes - we need to promote more people to get out of their cars and ride their bikes, walk, ride public transit, or whatever it takes to make our cities more peaceful, quiet, and clean, while reducing our dependency on foreign oil.
So, please come visit our shop - or send us email with your wishes for the type of cycling shop you'd like to see. We want to hear from you!
We've got the store open at Cycle 9. Given all the long hours we've put in, its a good time to reflect on why we're doing this. Basically, we were frustrated with the focus of the bicycle industry on racing and recreational products. It's not that we don't like recreational riding (we do, especially mountain biking!), its just that the products ideal for everyday commuting are not the same as the ones promoted by the industry for recreational riding. Recreational bikes are often purpose built - road bikes to be very light weight, and mountain bikes to have suspension, knobby tires, etc - none of which is good for commuting every day of the year, rain or shine. Most recreational road cyclists wouldn't be caught dead with a chain guard or fenders on their bikes - those would just add ounces and slow the bike down by a fraction of a mile per hour. And racks? Forget it. That's pounds. Why would someone add 1/2 pound to their bike, when they just paid $5k or more to shave a few ounces off their bike (and while they are at it, the hair off their legs, too!)?
Our focus is different. We promote racks to haul gear, fenders to keep the rider dry, and chain guards to keep clothes clean. Sure, they add pounds to the bike. But they also add practicality, so that you can ride to the grocery store - or ride when it is raining, or ride with your fancy work duds.
And we also promote electric assist bicycles for people who think it would encourage them to ride more often. The electric assist is not for everyone. Some people are happy waking up every day with the energy to pedal their bike up the hills, rain or shine, healthy or sick, whatever. But most of us real mortals have days we don't feel like pedaling. Or we are carrying a big load of groceries on our Xtracycle, and don't feel like dragging it up a long hill in the 95 degree weather. Or we don't want to get to work drenched in sweat. Electric bikes are great for those reasons and more. Our electric bikes encourage us to ride more often, instead of taking the car. And, since riding an electric bike is very energy efficient (they get the equivalent of over 500 miles per gallon), it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly.
As we look forward, we're considering what other products we might want to introduce here that fit with our core mission. We welcome feedback on this topic. We're definitely interested in the recumbent bicycle scene, and also think trikes would be great for load hauling. Then there are the Bakfiets, which is the Dutch way to carry tons of stuff. We're also enamored of simple, long lasting steel frames made by the likes of Soma and Surly, so we might be setting up a test ride or two in those. And, we love alternative handlebars - go into most bike shops, and you'd think the only types of bars made are either flat (mountain bikes) or drop bars (road bikes). But there is a world of other handlebar configurations out there, many of which are better suited for commuting. My (Morgan's) personal favorite are the Nitto Albatross bars. But there are many other great ones.
Last but not least, we need to give a huge thanks to the two Gregs, our first official employees. Greg T is a young cycling enthusiast who has poured his energy into getting the shop open. And Greg F has brought a treasure trove of cycling industry knowledge to bear, which has been highly valuable. Most importantly, both clicked with our core mission from the start - both of them love cycling in all forms, but like us, want to see more of the practical everyday cycling gear promoted and sold to the general public. We don't need to promote cycling for more Lance wannabes - we need to promote more people to get out of their cars and ride their bikes, walk, ride public transit, or whatever it takes to make our cities more peaceful, quiet, and clean, while reducing our dependency on foreign oil.
So, please come visit our shop - or send us email with your wishes for the type of cycling shop you'd like to see. We want to hear from you!
Store Hours
05/10/08 07:29
We're pleased to announce our regular operating
hours:
W 12-7 PM
Th 12-6 PM
F 12-6 PM
Sa 11-5 PM
Su 1-4 PM
You can find us at:
3501 Hwy 54
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
This is about 6 miles West of Carrboro Plaza on Highway 54, towards Burlington. It is very close to the Fiesta Grill, in the back of the old White Cross School building. It is right by the intersection of White Cross Road and Hwy 54.
Come see our electric assist bikes, sports utility/cargo bicycles, folding bicycles, bicycle stereos, bicycle safety gear, and more.
We'll announce a grand opening celebration/date soon!
W 12-7 PM
Th 12-6 PM
F 12-6 PM
Sa 11-5 PM
Su 1-4 PM
You can find us at:
3501 Hwy 54
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
This is about 6 miles West of Carrboro Plaza on Highway 54, towards Burlington. It is very close to the Fiesta Grill, in the back of the old White Cross School building. It is right by the intersection of White Cross Road and Hwy 54.
Come see our electric assist bikes, sports utility/cargo bicycles, folding bicycles, bicycle stereos, bicycle safety gear, and more.
We'll announce a grand opening celebration/date soon!
Extended battery warranty policy
04/30/08 07:18
The lithium manganese batteries used in our
high-end electric bikes are one of the most
expensive parts on the bike. They represent great
technological achievement, giving the light weight,
high power feel of our bikes. With proper care,
such as keeping them charged, they should last for
many years. But because they are expensive, we
realize that customers wonder what will happen if
or when they need to be replaced.
So, we are going to do something that nobody else in the electric bicycle business does, with a unique warranty policy on the lithium-manganese batteries that come with our bikes. Our original 6 month warranty will remain in effect, where if there is any battery failure in that period due to manufacturing defect, we will replace the battery. But, on top of that, we will offer an additional pro-rated, 2 year warranty on the lithium batteries*. That means the batteries will be covered by an unprecedented 2.5 year warranty. So, for example, in the unlikely event that your battery fails after 1.5 years of use, replacement would go as follows. The first 6 months would count as the free replacement period. The subsequent 1 year of use would count as 1/2 of the two year pro-rated warranty period. We would replace your battery at 1/2 the original retail price (as of 5/1/08, $399 is the full retail price). And, at that time, if you want to upgrade to a different type of battery, such as the long-lasting Li-Fe-Po4, we will apply that credit towards purchase of this type of battery.
We will have a similar policy for the lead-acid powered bikes, but with an addtional 1-year pro-rated warranty period, instead of two (for a total of 1.5 years).
Before you buy an electric bicycle from another manufacturer, be sure to check on their warranty policy. Do they stand behind their product with a warranty that will protect you if the most expensive part of the bike has a problem? We want you to own an electric bike with confidence that it will serve you for years to come.
*The warranty covers manufacturer's defects, and excludes neglect and abuse of the battery, such as: opening or modification of the bike or battery, discharging the battery further after its low-voltage self protection circuit has been activated, failing to keep the battery charged, intentional short-circuit of the battery, using the bike for offroad and/or stunt riding, using the bike for racing, etc. This warranty is only for Cycle 9 brand electric bikes that will be arriving late May/early June. Other hub motor kits and bikes may have different warranty periods depending on the manufacturer.
So, we are going to do something that nobody else in the electric bicycle business does, with a unique warranty policy on the lithium-manganese batteries that come with our bikes. Our original 6 month warranty will remain in effect, where if there is any battery failure in that period due to manufacturing defect, we will replace the battery. But, on top of that, we will offer an additional pro-rated, 2 year warranty on the lithium batteries*. That means the batteries will be covered by an unprecedented 2.5 year warranty. So, for example, in the unlikely event that your battery fails after 1.5 years of use, replacement would go as follows. The first 6 months would count as the free replacement period. The subsequent 1 year of use would count as 1/2 of the two year pro-rated warranty period. We would replace your battery at 1/2 the original retail price (as of 5/1/08, $399 is the full retail price). And, at that time, if you want to upgrade to a different type of battery, such as the long-lasting Li-Fe-Po4, we will apply that credit towards purchase of this type of battery.
We will have a similar policy for the lead-acid powered bikes, but with an addtional 1-year pro-rated warranty period, instead of two (for a total of 1.5 years).
Before you buy an electric bicycle from another manufacturer, be sure to check on their warranty policy. Do they stand behind their product with a warranty that will protect you if the most expensive part of the bike has a problem? We want you to own an electric bike with confidence that it will serve you for years to come.
*The warranty covers manufacturer's defects, and excludes neglect and abuse of the battery, such as: opening or modification of the bike or battery, discharging the battery further after its low-voltage self protection circuit has been activated, failing to keep the battery charged, intentional short-circuit of the battery, using the bike for offroad and/or stunt riding, using the bike for racing, etc. This warranty is only for Cycle 9 brand electric bikes that will be arriving late May/early June. Other hub motor kits and bikes may have different warranty periods depending on the manufacturer.
Store opening!
04/30/08 06:47
We heard all the customer feedback, and realized
that we could have the most positive impact in the
local community (Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Burlington,
Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh, etc) by having a
physical storefront where customers can drop by to
meet us and see the bikes. We have leased a
building, located on Highway 54 just west of
Carrboro, and are in the process of setting it up.
It's where Furniture Follies used to be (he was so
successful, he moved to a bigger space - we only
hope that we will be so successful!). We aren't
open quite yet, but we expect an opening by
mid-May. We'll announce a grand-opening sale and
the exact location here, so keep your eyes on this
space.
Items we'll have in stock in the store include:
- Hub motor kits from Crystalyte, Forsen, eZee, etc. We are in discussions to also get the Stokemonkey once that is back in production.
- Folding bikes from Downtube and Anyrider
- Cargo/sports utility bikes from Yuba and Xtracycle. We are also considering getting a Big Dummy or two if there is customer demand
- Cycle 9 electric bicycles, custom manufactured to our specifications to be light weight, high power, integrated electric bikes
- Accessories, including: Cycle Analyst, Down Low Glow, Bicycle Cup Holders, Bicycle Stereo, Safety Gear, Batteries, controllers, spare motors, riding gear, bike bags, etc.
Other products we are exploring include various trike configurations, Bakfiets style bikes, recumbents, etc. If there is a particular bicycle-related product that you think we should carry, just drop us a line, we'll gladly take your feedback into consideration.
Items we'll have in stock in the store include:
- Hub motor kits from Crystalyte, Forsen, eZee, etc. We are in discussions to also get the Stokemonkey once that is back in production.
- Folding bikes from Downtube and Anyrider
- Cargo/sports utility bikes from Yuba and Xtracycle. We are also considering getting a Big Dummy or two if there is customer demand
- Cycle 9 electric bicycles, custom manufactured to our specifications to be light weight, high power, integrated electric bikes
- Accessories, including: Cycle Analyst, Down Low Glow, Bicycle Cup Holders, Bicycle Stereo, Safety Gear, Batteries, controllers, spare motors, riding gear, bike bags, etc.
Other products we are exploring include various trike configurations, Bakfiets style bikes, recumbents, etc. If there is a particular bicycle-related product that you think we should carry, just drop us a line, we'll gladly take your feedback into consideration.