Raleigh Tamland 1- The Road Bike With No Limits

Raleigh Tamland 1: Image courtesy of Cyclo Cross Magazine.

Here at Europa Cycles, we are stoked to be able to offer the Raleigh Tamland 1 model. This is a very unique bike that hasn't been available before. It is a very versatile design.

But first, it has to be said that one of Europa's own employees, (yours truly), actually had a hand in helping to develop the geometry and some of the features of the Tamland. (<==Click the link to find out the story.)

The Tamland is billed as a "gravel bike", but that's selling the design a bit short. Here's why the Tamland matters and why you might find it to be the perfect "all around" bike for most of your road biking needs:

• The Tamland has a stable geometry: This means you have an easier time keeping the bike going forward over rougher roads, gravel, and even dirt!
• The Tamland is constructed from Reynolds 631 tubing: This means that the ride quality will be smooth, but not "dead" feeling. It is a certain quality of higher end steel that seasoned cyclists seek out in a bicycle. There is a reason why......it feels good!
• The Tamland has full rack and fender braze ons: This means it can be the perfect commuter, RAGBRAI rig, light touring bicycle, or perfect for your next, long adventure. In other words, it is versatile!
• The Tamland can fit a wider range of tire widths: The Tamland comes stock with Clement's excellent all around purposed MSO 40mm tires, but you can just as easily mount 28mm road tires all the way up to 42mm dirt road tires and anything in between. Did we mention the bike is versatile? 
• The Tamland has disc brakes: Disc brakes do several things for you- You can stop safely in any weather, you can use less hand force to stop more quickly and under control, the pads tend to last the average rider at least twice as long as ordinary road brake pads, and if you break a spoke, you don't have to compromise your brakes to keep rolling. The TRP Spyre disc calipers are also unique and powerful compared to the competition. 
• The Tamland has a Shimano 105 spec level: This means you get reliable shifting, smooth operating drivetrain parts with a reasonable lightweight yet durable cassette, chain, and chain rings. Oh yeah......and it is 10 speed. A compact crank and wide range cassette mean that any hills around here are toast when you attack them. You've got plenty of gear on tap here!

Essentially, you can think of the Tamland as "the road bike with no limits". It can be fitted with accessories, no problems, unlike most lightweight, road racing bikes that are not meant to have racks, fenders, etcetera. It can run on pavement, busted up chip seal, gravel, dirt roads, fire roads, and essentially anywhere there is a path that doesn't require a mountain bike. It may be the only bike you'll ever need.

We've got a full size run of Tamland 1's in now. Stop by and see this and our other 2014 models in stock now. We'll have the coffee ready for you.......

Ready For Spring

Updated service counter

At Europa Cycles, we have been doing some "Spring Cleaning" and sprucing up for the coming season. Many of the things we have done are behind the scenes changes. Things like how we store bicycles, how we track things, and more, which you, the customer, won't really notice other than perhaps we will be more efficient and be getting things done faster than before.
 Other things are very noticeable, like our new Service Counter. We have moved it to be separated from the retail sales counter to make busier times less chaotic for the customers. Service and repairs will now not be in the way of your checking out and getting out there to ride!

We also updated our service packages to better reflect our customer's needs. We sat down and took stock of how many repairs were basic, just check overs, or more serious repairs. Data and experiences over the last decade were considered. The old packages we offered weren't very flexible in terms of "add ons", and some were antiquated, based on tradition which has been rendered obsolete.

So what we came up with is more flexible, reflective of today's rider's needs, and in many cases, will actually ring up to be less money than they would have with the old packages we offered. We're dedicated to doing a better job up front, when we check in bikes, and we feel that will also raise the bar for our service department versus the competition. We're pretty proud and stoked to offer this new system to you in our Service Department, and we look forward to seeing you and your bicycles very soon.

Clothing: We're revamping the entire clothing department, and we are clearing out all of the old stuff. (Yes- bargains on all current inventory!) In turn, we are changing displays and we will be offering two new clothing lines very soon that will be exclusive to the area.

We're pretty stoked about the new lines and how they will enhance your cycling, help you gain higher performance, and look better on your bicycle. Who doesn't like to look better? Yeah........you know you do! So, stay tuned for announcements of the new lines and be prepared to check out the new stuff coming in this Spring for all your Summer cycling needs.

We also just received delivery of all our new Burley trailers for 2014. Burley has always been the premier child trailer brand and commands the highest resale prices aftermarket. But the newest Burley trailers are even better than their predecessors. More features, easier to fold and unfold, and better safety for your little ones are all things that not only separate Burley from the competition, but have made 2014 Burley trailers their best ever.

We've got four models to choose from and also the Burley Travoy commuter/urban cargo unit, which is a trick little two wheeled cart you can take off the bike and right into your office or shopping store. (Even Waterloo's Mayor has one!) We also carry the Nomad, Burley's cargo trailer made to haul a variety of stuff, or use it to haul your baggage on your next tour. Perhaps carry that stereo and "adult beverage cooler" on that cross state ride at the end of July? Yes!

We've also stocked up on tools, accessories, and supplies you'll want to be checking out to help make your 2014 cycling experiences the best ones ever. One of the cool little gizmos we have now is the PRO mechanic stand which is portable and comes with its own carrying bag so you can easily tote this on vacation, to events, or just to use as your stand at home to keep your bicycle happy.

We've been busy to get ready to be busy helping you. We believe 2014 will be the best year for you to visit Europa Cycles ever. We are ready and waiting to get your bicycles serviced, and to supply you with anything you might be needing to get off on the right foot this cycling season. Stop in and see all the 2014 Raleigh, Trek, and Salsa bicycles plus the Sun recumbents and trikes. And have a cup of coffee on us while you are there. See ya soon......