You Get More Than You Pay For

I have a co-worker, and he and I often joke about customers that grouse about paying retail, paying for good labor, or just paying anything period. We say that, "Yeah, we're here to rip you off and send you out there with substandard repairs. We are EVIL!"

And we do that because, of course, that is so patently false that it is humorous to us shop mechanics. We don't try to "screw" anyone over. We really don't.

In fact, as today's Tweet from a fellow mechanic in a Kansas City shop illustrates, we actually do things to your bicycles you don't ask for or even know about because, well.......we are mechanics. It actually pains me to hear a squeaky chain. Really, it does, so if you have a flat repair and your chain is squeaky, guess what? I probably lubed it for you. I cannot count how many times I've made free head set adjustments when the customer never asked for that. Truing wheels? All the time when it comes to brake adjustments, because,well.......I am a mechanic. 

Look, if we actually charged for everything we did, you would be livid. Really. You have zero idea how many freebies we throw out there as mechanics, and the upshot is, we really shouldn't be doing these things we do for free. 

But we cannot help it,because we are mechanics. 

Tales From The Bike Shop Series

Like a snowy commute in mid-April, this blog has been cold too long!

First off, I apologize for the lack of posts on this blog. However; in the interim silence, I have discovered a new purpose for this blog and it will be updated more regularly now.

The idea is to give some space to issues regarding navigating the current retail marketplace as it pertains to the "Local Bike Shop", or "LBS".

I'll be giving my takes on how current retail practices and those of the disruptive, "internet" based commerce are affecting the consumer's experience from a "real world" perspective. Not some talking head's opinion of what is going to happen to retail, but what actually is happening in current retail in bike shops. 

So, hang on as I delve into big issues and small. I'll have some views from the shop floor and tales of  the industry at large. I hope that it proves to be an interesting change in direction here.

Stay tuned............................

Commuter Tips

I commute all year long, but many of you will just be getting started soon.

The weather is turning early this year and cyclists have already been out in droves over the past weekend. While we may see a dip back to Winter-ish conditions, they are sure not to last long. March is nigh and the days grow longer.....

So, I decided to list some early season tips for commuting to help get you started in 2017. These may also work for anyone that is just getting their bike out for the year as well.

• Check Your Bike: You haven't ridden in more than a few weeks? Months? Then you need to air up your tires, dust off the bike entirely, and check to see if your chain feels wet with lube. If it doesn't- lube your chain before you ride and let it sit 24hrs before use. Lubing a chain just before a ride doesn't do anything but make your frame messy and throw lube off the chain. Just exactly what you don't want to do. 
• Test Ride Your Bike: Don't wait till the morning of your first commute or the final minutes leading up to that first big ride to realize that your bicycle needs work. Take it for a short ride, shift through ALL of the gears, and test the brakes. If anything seems out of sorts, bring in your bike to Europa Cycle & Ski for your tune up.  
• Watch For Early Season Debris: Since you last rode your bicycle in the Fall, all kinds of garbage has collected on the streets. Sand is the worst of these things. Heading into corners, be aware that traction will be compromised. Also- bits of car plastic broken off in fender benders, from car valances and rocker panels, glass, and all sorts of sharp objects are in the gutters mixed in with that sand. Beware of running through this stuff because it is easy to flat this time of year until we get that "gully washer" rain or the street sweepers come out. 
• Make Sure You Can Be Seen! Bontrager and several other cycling brands are doing scientific research which is showing that daytime flashers and wearing brightly colored and reflective bits on our moving parts is the best way to be seen by motorists. So, get a front and rear flashing light, and consider wearing reflective ankle bands or brightly colored bits on your legs. I've been wearing bright orange bands, brightly colored bandanas, or reflective ankle bands for years, and with the lights, you get a lot more respect from cars out there. 
• Research Your Route: make sure that you are using the lowest traffic count roads that you can. These will not be the ones you would use in your car going to work, typically. Make an adventure out of looking into a route by trying it out on a weekend or another time when you don't have to actually use it for getting to work. The pressure will be off to make time and you can critically analyze your route to tweak it out to be the safest and most effective cycling route possible for your needs. 

Any questions? Call me up at Europa and ask for Guitar Ted. I'd be glad to help out, or anyone else there could answer a question as well.

RAGBRAI Overnight Towns Announced

Image courtesy of Bike Iowa

Saturday the RAGBRAI overnight towns were introduced as a part of the Iowa Bicycle Expo. The annual ride is coming up on its 45th edition and will have a Northerly track this time which means pretty flat until you get into the last day.

The overnights are as follows:

• Orange City
• Spencer
• Algona
• Clear Lake
• Charles City
• Cresco
• Waukon
• Lansing

 Please see BIKE IOWA for more details.

We expect that along with the easier route, that the proximity of the route to Waterloo will amp up interest in doing RAGBRAI this year over last. With that in mind, you should get your rig in NOW and have it tuned up. Beat the rush and all that, don't cha know.

So here is a bit of mechanic insider info for you. Many folks wait to get their bikes tuned up right before the event so that (a) they have a "fresh tune up", or (b) "insure themselves" against failures. Okay, let's take "a" first.....

If your bicycle gets an early Spring tune up, and you train on it, assuming you weren't on the verge of wearing out parts and opted not to replace them, your bicycle tune up will still be "fresh". A good, thorough bicycle tune up done by a professional will be good for a season of use, barring unforseen issues like crashes, getting hit, or what have you, which leads me to.......

"b"- There are NO GUARANTEES that you will not have a flat tire, broken spoke, bad shifting due to someone inadvertently hitting your rear derailleur, or some other malady. Most RAGBRAI issues that occur happen NOT because you did not get a tune up just before RAGBRAI, but because something happened to your bike ON RAGBRAI. So, if you think, "I got a tune up a few days before RAGBRAI, so I am good.", well that won't stop most of the failures that happen on RAGBRAI from happening. The most common of which are flat tires and broken spokes, by the way.

So, if you want to relieve some stress just before RAGBRAI, have that bicycle tuned up now. That'll be one less thing on your list, and barring the unforeseen, you should be good to go for the event.

Stop in and see us now before the end of January for some really good tune up pricing.

Note: The "unofficial blog of Europa Cycle And Ski" reflects information that you cannot get anywhere else about Europa Cycle and Ski- not even from Europa's own social media channels. So stay tuned here for the best info you can get anywhere on Europa. 

Flash Sale Saturday

Join us for bagels & bicycles this Saturday from 9:00am - noon. The entire store will be on sale!

There are big savings on some models we've had for a while that need to find their "forever homes". If you've ever wanted a cool road bike, touring rig, or fat bike, we've got some crazy deals waiting, but this is only for three hours this coming Saturday. 

We will also have clothing deals, accessory deals, and more. So much there is to little room to write about it all here.   

Plus, ask about our service specials we are running for the month of November.

Bikepacking/Endurance Seminar This Saturday!

The cycling phenomenon called "bikepacking" may be something you've heard about, but do not quite understand. Is it something for you? Well, this weekend at Ingawanis Woodlands at their Eagle Lodge, you can come for free and find out. There will be cyclists there with set ups on their bikes showing what the concept is and answering any questions you may have.

Bikepacking doesn't have to be all about some far flung adventure in some exotic place. You could use the concepts for going on a picnic, for example, and haul it all on your bicycle to George Wyth. Or you might even use some of these concepts to camp by bicycle, or even use the ideas for a RAGBRAI trip.

There will also be some talk about how to ride and use the extensive network of gravel roads in Iowa. The types of bicycles used, techniques for riding, and more will be discussed. The venue is at Ingawanis Woodland, a Bremer County park. To get there take County Road C-50 from Janesville toward Denver and turn Left/North on Hawthorne Avenue. (Gravel road) Proceed North until you reach the wooded area at the top of a hill. Look for a driveway to the left #2588. If you go downhill and to the right you went too far!

We'll be there from 4:00pm Saturday until 7:00pm with the bikes and experts talking about bikepacking and gravel road riding. There will be chili and a campfire. Feel free to bring a beverage and a lawn chair. Camping over night in tents is also optional. Keep in mind that Ingawanis Woodland is a primitive site and that there are no amenities.

Hope to see ya there!

It is easy to access this area by C50.  Take county road C50 from Janesville toward Denver and turn north on Hawthorne Ave.  You will find a hidden driveway (2588) that takes you in to Eagle Lodge. There is a second parking lot that is always open on 260th. - See more at: http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Bremer/Park/Ingawanis-Woodland.aspx#sthash.Beb58NkV.dpuf

It is easy to access this area by C50.  Take county road C50 from Janesville toward Denver and turn north on Hawthorne Ave.  You will find a hidden driveway (2588) that takes you in to Eagle Lodge. There is a second parking lot that is always open on 260th. - See more at: http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Bremer/Park/Ingawanis-Woodland.aspx#sthash.Beb58NkV.dpuf

It is easy to access this area by C50.  Take county road C50 from Janesville toward Denver and turn north on Hawthorne Ave.  You will find a hidden driveway (2588) that takes you in to Eagle Lodge. There is a second parking lot that is always open on 260th. - See more at: http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Bremer/Park/Ingawanis-Woodland.aspx#sthash.Beb58NkV.dpuf

Time To Ride Gravel

Europa Cycle's own Lauren on the left riding with two of our customers.

here at Europa Cycle & Ski we like to explore all manner of fun and adventure on our bicycles. Paved trails in Waterloo and Cedar Falls, plus the surrounding area, add up to 100 miles or so. These are probably the most used and obvious of the ways one can do bicycling in the Cedar Valley. We also have our mountain biking opportunities. Places like George Wyth State Park and up at Ingawanis Woodlands, not to mention the Green Belt and some other areas where dirt ribbons can be ridden and explored. That's all really great stuff, but did you know that there is a cycling opportunity right at your fingertips that most rarely consider and that there are more miles of this than anything else in the Cedar Valley? Well, let me tell you about gravel roads then.

Gravel roads? Who'd want to bicycle on gravel roads? 

Fair enough question, but when you consider the opportunities to do gravel road cycling around here, and what the benefits are, you may end up thinking, "Why not bicycle on gravel roads!

Iowa has somewhere around 70,000 miles of gravel and dirt roads, at least one third more miles than we have of pavement. Of course, we all know how stressful and dangerous riding on even the secondary paved roads can be, and highways are usually out of the question. Really, how many miles we can safely use versus gravel and dirt roads is probably more like one half as many paved roads or less.  The cool thing is that out in the country, on gravel, there are barely any worries at all. On many a 40+ miler I have done over the years, it is rare to see over five automobiles during a single ride, and many times we never see any cars or trucks! Plus, these vehicles often are slower, make way for you, and the drivers actually wave hello!

I know! Amazing, right? 

You can enjoy the beauty of Iowa at bicycle speed in the country.

 The gravel roads can reveal Iowa's beauty and splendor like no paved road can. Check out the miles of wild flowers in the ditches during Spring, Summer, and Fall, or surprise a pheasant, quail, or grouse while cruising a gravel road. See quaint Iowa farms, homes, rural churches, and even a marina in the middle of nowhere! You'll never know what you can find out there in the country that you'd never see from your car.

Here at Europa Cycle and Ski, we're "gravel experts". Many of us enjoy riding gravel. Europa Cycle and Ski is also the birthplace of Trans Iowa, the 300+ mile long ultra-distance gravel road race now in its 13th year. In fact, the whole "gravel bike' scene can trace its existence in modern times back to Trans Iowa. Europa is also home to Guitar Ted,otherwise known as Mark Stevenson, who is part owner of RidingGravel.com, the first calendar of gravel road events in the nation, and a site where reviews, a forum, and more exist to support the gravel and back road scene in America and abroad.

So yeah......we know about riding gravel roads. 

Gravel road riding is fun, adventurous, and quite the experience and it is readily available to you in the Cedar Valley. You should check it out. For more on routes, gear, and bicycles good for your gravel road experience, look us up at the shop. And check out one of our latest rides in this report here. 

 

Salsa Cycles Demo August 15th

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Model year 2017 bikes have been released by Salsa Cycles for our viewing pleasure, and many of you have seen these bikes splashed all over the innergoogles. Okay, so when could you actually see one of these unicorns? 

Well, as it turns out, you can not only see one, or many other 2017 Salsa Cycles models, you could ride them. 

That's right, Salsa Cycles has a demo van stuffed with new 2017 bikes and it is showing up at George Wyth State Park between 4:00pm and 7:00pm at the "turn around" at the end of Wyth Road at the Josh Higgins Shelter/Lodge site. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Europa Cycle & Ski at 319-277-0734. Business hours at the shop are as follows: Mon-Fri: 9:00am - 8:00pm, Saturday: 9:00am -5:00pm, and Sunday:12:00 noon - 5:00pm.

Hope to see you there!

Crazy Daze

Ask about special pricing on some cool fat bikes!!

Often times in smaller cities they have what we used to call, "Crazy Daze", or maybe "Sidewalk Sale" days, where merchants would slash pricing during the Summer months for one day to move old inventory. Well, at Europa Cycle & Ski, we have some bikes we need to move. Prices will never be better on items like these, (limited to in store stock), so get yerself on in to find out what great deals are to be had. I cannot even list the prices here, but if you want to know, give us a call at 319-277-0734. There are some fat bikes, a few nice road bikes, and maybe an odd deal here or there, but ya gotta call. Business hours are Weekdays: 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am -5pm, and Sunday Noon to five.

The next crazy thing coming up is Saddledrive, which is when we will find out what Salsa Cycles has cooked up new for 2017 and beyond. I know there will be a fat bike introduction, some "plus" bike madness, and more. But if you want to know the coolest thing about these new bikes, well, read on....

Europa Cycles will be welcoming Salsa Cycles' demo truck on August 15th at Geo Wyth State Park, and guess what? That truck will be stuffed with the newest bicycles for you to try out. Look for a more detailed announcement coming soon!!

Tire Air Pressure Settings For The 21st Century

 Recently new research by several independent sources has shown that, in all likelihood, your ideas about what is "right" for air pressure is wrong in terms of your bicycle. There is also a long history of repair related to poor air pressure maintenance that could easily be rectified by doing a couple of simple things. The long and short of it is this: Your tire air pressure is probably too high or too low.

Too High: There has been a lot of research recently that points to how tire air pressures for road cyclists is affecting the rolling resistance and ride quality of their bicycles. Traditionally, the recreational cyclist has assumed that a higher pressure, or shall we say highest pressure allowable, is going to yield the lowest rolling resistance and thus, the fastest, less energy sapping ride. This has been proven to be far from the truth in reality.

Research recently published on the Silca site suggests that what we assumed about bicycle tire air pressure is all wrong. Read it starting HERE. There are about ten entries in all, and it is pretty technical, thick reading, so this may not be for everybody, but if you demand "science" then this is for you.

The short version is that while there is no "right" air pressure, there are wrong choices, and it would appear that by going to the highest allowable air pressure settings riders are actually increasing rolling resistance, work load, and lowering speeds by a dramatic amount. Conversely, low air pressures, (those just below what many would consider rideable), seem to have a less deleterious effect than previously thought, and in many cases actually will increase not only speed, but comfort levels while simultaneously reducing work load. There is much more to it than this, but there are the main talking points so far.

Too Low: On the other end of the scale we are seeing a lot of riders that do not understand tire air pressure maintenance. They typically are running far too low on air pressure and usually end up causing themselves pinch flats as a result. In the Europa repair area, we see more failures due to pinch flats than we do punctures from foreign objects. Far more pinch flats and they are almost always caused by folks that do not maintain air pressure settings on a regular basis, or know that they even need to do this.

Tubes, found in most bicycles today despite all you hear about tubeless tires, are bladders that reside inside the casing of your tire and are typically made from butyl rubber. These tubes used to be pretty thick walled back 50 years ago, and required little air pressure maintenance. This was because the thicker tube was more resistant to the passage of air molecules through its walls. The downside was that these tubes were heavy. Really heavy!

Today tubes are much lighter, and the wall thicknesses of inner tubes are really thin these days. This allows for an easier escape for air molecules. This results in as much as a 10% decrease in tire pressure in a 24 hour period on a high pressure road tire. Hybrid bike tires lose pressure at a slower rate, but they still will end up flat after several months of no air pressure maintenance. We recommend the following:

• Road tires from 23mm-30mm (typically run from 90psi to 110 psi) Check pressure before every ride!
• Hybrid/Gravel Road/Dual Sport tires from 30mm-45mm (typically from 30psi to 80psi) Check pressure every other ride and at least once a week.
• Mountain Bike from 2" to 3" wide (typically from 15psi to 30psi) Check once a week minimum.
• Fat Bike from 3" to 5" tires (typically run from zero to 20psi) Check once a week minimum. 
• It is best to check any bicycle tire before every ride for proper air pressure!

This may seem like nit-picking, but tire pressure is one of the single most effective ways to tune your bicycle to operate at its highest potential. This gives you the power to be in control of how easy, fun, and safe your bicycle can be, Neglect air pressure maintenance and proper use and you will be working harder, have less comfort, and suffer more failures than you need to.

The choice is yours.

Salsa Cycles Marrakesh: Adventure Machine!

The flat bar version of the Marrakesh

Salsa Cycles surprised many by introducing a new, touring specific bike, in two formats, dubbed the Marrakesh. This is kind of a first, as far as I am aware, that a bicycle company would give you the opportunity to choose drop bars or flat bars and make the geometry work in the best possible way for either choice.

Okay, so there is a lot going on here. Let's break this down into what the differences really are. Make no mistake here folks- both bikes, the drop and flat bar versions- are COMPLETELY different in fit and feel. 

So, how can that be, really? Well, it is quite simple to just say the following, which best describes what Salsa did, in my own words: The drop bar bike is a traditional, drop bar, touring specific fit. If you are used to Trek 720's and 520's, Surly Long Haul Truckers, or Cannondale T-800's or any of their old touring bikes, you will completely understand the drop bar version of the Marrakesh. It fits the mold of the predecessors quite nicely.

The flat bar Marrrakesh, however, is a completely different animal. It doesn't fit like the same sized drop bar Marrakesh at all. We compared the flat and drop bar bikes, and if you simply cross from one size to Salsa's same size on another, the top tube of the flat bar Marrakesh is much longer. We measured a full 1 1/2" between Larges. That's a lot of front/center difference!

I didn't quite have the rack leveled here yet, but this is the drop bar Marrakesh.

In our estimation, and again- these are my own words- the flat bar Marrakesh fits best if you size it like a mountain bike. I ended up fitting best on the Medium versus how most 29"ers are Larges that fit me best. I'm a bit over 6', by the way, with a 34" "cycling inseam". So, if you've got a hankering for a flat bar Marrakesh, be prepared to look at a size smaller than you might typically take. The front/centers are long on these, and the top tube lengths are more like a mountain bike's.

So- why have both types of Marrakesh models? I think this is a fair question, and I would answer it as follows- Many folks don't use drop bars, don't like them, or if they do have them, wish they were higher and maybe would never venture to using drops at all. The flat bar Marrakesh is definitely for them. If you have shorter legs/longer torso, the flat bar version may fit you perfectly. If you want swept back bars, higher rise bars, or- and this would be my choice- Jones type bars, the flat bar Marrakesh would be great. Finally, if you want to go into rougher terrain, get the flat bar one. Here's why......

We mounted Panaracer Driver Pro 2.1" 29"er tires on one of our display Marrakesh flat bar bikes, and they fit beautifully. If you want a gravel going, dirt road going, fire road tackling touring bike, the flat bar Marrakesh would be great with 2.0" and maybe some versions of other 2.1"er 29"er treads. Oh yeah.......the drop bar Marrakesh has the same clearances. 

You can also check out the sturdy rack, spoke holder, bottle mounts, front fork with Three Pack bosses, fender mounts, and kickstand plate. Every Marrakesh has those and a beautiful Brooks B-17 saddle. The drive train is smartly spec'ed and there are disc brakes, good, solid wheel spec choices, and sharp, understated graphics. There are even constellations on the top tube to inspire a little navigation by the stars!

Come check out our selection of Marrakesh bikes soon!

Want A Great Deal On A Fat Bike?

Waiting for you......

We've got an overage of 2015 fat bikes and we need to move these down the road, or trail, or.....wherever you want to ride. Fat bikes are great training aids for Winter, great, stable mountain bikes, and super-capable sand, snow, and mud bikes. They can take you where other bikes cannot, or won't without a lot of hassles.

Hunters, explorers, and those who like to get off the beaten path are tailor made for fat bikes. Is this describing you? Think you cannot afford a quality fat bike? Well, now you can.

Get in while we have the bikes to deal on. While we cannot publish the prices that we would sell these for, it is definitely "deal time". Come see for yourself before they are all gone. This won't happen again in this area, so don't wait. Seriously. It's crazy deal time at Europa Cycle & Ski on fat bikes.

Don't say I didn't tell ya........

Salsa Cycles Warbird Tiagra: Quick Impressions

I test rode this 56cm Salsa Cycles Warbird

NOTE: this previously appeared on Guitar Ted Productions blog 9-22-15: 

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned..... 

Today I'm going to offer some of my opinions on the Salsa Cycles Warbird Tiagra model. Long time readers will remember my take on the original Warbirds, seen HERE, and I will refer back to those thoughts for these impressions on the new Warbird.

Secondly, I am going to copy and paste a paragraph here which I wrote in those initial impressions back in 2012, which is as relevant today as it was back then:

"This is not a review: I don't believe that ride tests, demos, or whatever you want to call them are in any way, shape, or form a "review" of a bicycle or component. This is merely more of an impression of mine regarding this Warbird rig. Want a review? See the guy that has ridden the bike in the heat of a race, or done significant time with a component for a long time, (my thinking is more than a couple months), and get his take. Obviously, there are very few that can say this about a Warbird now, and they are all Salsa Cycles sponsored riders and employees. (Not that they wouldn't know, but.....) I don't typically ever do a review here. I will give my opinion though. You may find something different, but be that as it may...."

Okay? So on with the impressions....

The rig I rode yesterday is a stock, 56cm Warbird Tiagra model with test ride pedals installed. It is for sale on the floor of the shop I work at, Europa Cycle & Ski. I did this test ride for a potential customer, who wanted my opinion on it. I figured I may as well share my opinion on it here as well. This is purely my opinion and that's all. Read into this what you will........

Salsa Cycles did a complete, ground up redesign of the Warbird and the crowning jewel of that design, if you will, is their "Class 5 VRS" feature. This "Class 5" part refers to the typical gravel size on Mid-West gravel roads and the "VRS" part stands for "Vibration Reduction System". Salsa's engineers used accelorometers to discern how much vibration was being damped along the way during the design phase and what they came up with was actually more compliant than the titanium frame they used to have. The new, aluminum frame tested out 6% better in terms of damped vibrations than the old titanium frame, and while no figures were given for how much better it is than the old aluminum Warbird, I can tell you it is much, much more smooth. That old aluminum frame was not a nice riding frame. Very stiff!

So, I took the new Warbird out for an hour on various surfaces ranging from smooth tarmac to heaved pavement, busted up pavement, sandy tracks, gravel, and dirt. I only missed getting into more "typical" gravel which abounds around here only because this is a new bike, and I didn't want to risk chipping the frame up. I climbed steep hills, bombed down a couple, and ground out some fast paced miles as well, just to get an overall feel for the rig.

The tires were aired to 40psi rear and 38psi front. The stock tires are 35mm Schwalbe Sammy Slicks and this was my first introduction to them. They were tubed, of course. Off I went, and my immediate thought was that the Class 5 VRS system has something to it for sure. This bike is so much smoother than the original aluminum Warbird frame it isn't even comparable. Okay, great so far. Now off to zip around on some gravel and busted up pavement. Hmm.... A concern came up when diving around some quick corners. I felt something give in the rear. Was it the tires on the narrow-ish WTB SX-17 rims? Maybe it was the 28 hole spoke lacing? Perhaps it was due to the Class 5 VRS stays? Hard to say in a quick, hour long ride, but I felt this a couple of other times, so something needed looking into there. 

 Okay, who makes swervy moves in gravel races or rides, right? I went onward, and as things got bumpier, it was apparent that the Class 5 VRS deal is the real deal. My only observation was that if you hit a sharp edged bump, it would rebound you out of the saddle. Pretty dramatically at times. I also felt that while the back end was working, the rest of the bike was more, well.......not as smooth. I don't want to say it was harsh, but the front end wasn't in concert with the rear end. That said, this is the best riding aluminum bike I've tried. 

It climbs well, and the Tiagra shifters and derailleurs were snapping off shifts just fine. Gearing was great. But I couldn't get away from the feeling that something was off......draggy, if you will. I'm blaming these unfamiliar Schwalbe tires for that. I rechecked the bike afterward and all was well mechanically, so I feel it was those Sammy Slicks. Perhaps a bit different pressure would have made them come alive, but alas! I had no time to mess with that. 

The fit was "okay" for what I would have considered a too small of a size up front. I would use a set back post here and maybe a hair higher handle bar position, but it wasn't bad, really, for a guy that normally rides 58's. Of course, those Cowbell handle bars were perfect, and the WTB Silverado saddle wasn't too bad. I could tweak this out, if it were mine, and make it mine, but given the choice, I'd likely opt for the 58cm for my 6'1" frame. I always seem to be a "tweener" in Salsa's sizing! 

I compared and contrasted with my steel Raleigh Tamland.

 Contrast:

After my quick hour long ride, I went back over the same ground with my Raleigh Tamland Two. I wanted to see how the smoother Warbird was in contrast to a fine steel tube set, like the Reynolds 631 that the Tamland is built with. 

What I found out was that the feel of both bikes is very similar, but certain nuances stood out quite plainly. The aluminum had a "higher frequency buzz" that I could feel easily through the handle bars and the saddle. The steel, while also vibrating, was a "rounder, lower frequency" feel. It was "quieter" versus the Warbirds "nervous" jittering which maybe makes the Warbird "feel faster", but that's all that is. Feelings that I have that others may not. Read into that what you will. 


The biggest difference was how the Tamland handled bigger depressions and sharper hits. It was definitely rounding those off, and not "bucking back" at me like the Warbird did. Yes- the Tamland is set up with bigger tires, but I tried to compensate somewhat by using 50psi front and rear. I think in terms of "smoothness", the Tamland was edging out the Warbird aluminum frame, but the differences are much, much closer than they were with the older Warbird design. 

Final Thoughts: Again, the Warbird Tiagra ride was a short one, but a telling one. I would have enjoyed being able to tweak this bike out, put wider rims on it, bigger tires, and have a correct fit, not one that is "close". I think the Schwalbe Sammy Slicks needed attention, and maybe the wheels are a bit flexy on this spec level, but otherwise this bike is a solid choice for gravel racing. Versatility isn't in its wheelhouse. Meaning that if you want racks, fenders, the ability to commute with bags, or do light touring, this isn't the bicycle for that. However; that isn't the main focus of the Warbird's misson, and Salsa Cycles has set this bike up with a singular focus: Go fast on any surface for a long way, if you want. In that light, they have succeeded. 

2016 Warbird

Warbird CARBON Rival 22

2016 Warbird:

Today I am going to outline Europa's Warbird offerings for 2016. The Warbird has been around for a few years, but Salsa Cycles recently stepped up their game in regard to this bike, and now it makes more sense than ever for many cyclists to take a harder look at this bike. 

So, just what is this thing?

Isn't this just a road bike? What's the big deal? Well, these are all great questions. Here's the deal here- these are not your typical road racing based bicycles. The Warbird is the fast paced road going bike that doesn't flinch when you hit that pothole. It doesn't mind those rail road crossings. Rumble strips? Big deal. The Warbird soaks all that up and spits it right back out. But that's just scratching the surface of the capabilities of the Warbird line. 

The Warbird Tiagra

   The Warbirds are bikes that can also go on gravel, dirt, and anything that resembles a road is its domain. 
So, don't limit yourself! These bikes are waaaay more versatile and capable than anything you've thought about for a road bike. 

But what about those tires? Won't they slow me down?  

See, this is the perception of a lot of cyclists. What is ironic is that studies are showing, based off of scientific findings using power data and measurements of other kinds, that fatter tires are actually faster than skinnier ones, especially at moderated pressures. Think about that in terms of a car. You don't put the skinniest tires with the highest pressure rating you can get on your car because it would make the car less efficient, not to mention less comfortable. The same rules apply with bicycles. Weight? Take a look at that white Warbird. It weighs 19lbs. So, no, you aren't going to be held back by anything this bike has on offer. Get a racing bred machine with skinny tires and you'll maybe feel faster, but you won't be, and you'll be less comfortable and stuck on smooth paved trails or roads. Why do that to yourself when Iowa has so many roads you could be riding on that aren't baby-butt smooth? How about upwards of 70,000 miles of gravel roads? There are soooo many places you could be going, but you can't, on a traditional road bike. 

The Class V Vibration Reduction System starts here

I haven't even told you about the ClassV Vibration Reduction System that these bikes have, which erase high frequency vibrations, give you tons of comfort, and smooths out any road you want to try. In fact, the aluminum framed Warbird is so smooth, it supplanted titanium in Salsa's line up because they found it was better than their previous titanium frame in reducing vibration. Up to 6% better, as measured by accelorometers placed on their test bikes over gravel test tracks. The carbon frame is 9% smoother than the Ti one was!  

There is a whole lot more we can talk about when it comes to the Warbird bikes. Things like lightweight, state of the art carbon construction, a custom designed carbon fork just for this bike line, or how the SRAM Rival 22 comes with hydraulic disc brakes. The aluminum line can be had with Shimano 105 or Shimano Tiagra groups, and both come with the excellent Avid BB-7 brakes. The aluminum frame is hydraulically formed for optimum frame wall and strength characteristics. Through axles grace both ends of the bike, and are so ridiculously easy to use, and make the bike track so well, you'll wonder why on earth you've never had them before. 

Check out the Warbirds on offer at Europa Cycle & Ski soon!  

Salsa Cycles 2016

The all new Drop Bar Marrakesh

Here at Europa Cycle & Ski we are always excited for mid-July and the announcement of Salsa Cycles line up for the coming year. We were no less excited this time, but we were taken a bit by surprise by a couple of developments within the line. Here I will make some comments concerning the Salsa line up as it pertains to the shop, and explain why the shop is doing a few things differently this time around with the Salsa line.

First up, we weren't at all ready to see a new model aimed squarely at touring/gravel road/commuter cyclists, but we are the most excited about the bike Salsa is bringing out for these cyclists. It's called "Marrakesh" and Salsa defines it as their "World Tourer" as far as its capabilities. It is certainly all that and more. The Marrakesh has an impressive feature list-

• Steel frame and fork for durability and good ride feel. Made with new Cobra-Kai steel spec'ed by Salsa engineers for heavy duty use.
• Touring Geometry: Low bottom bracket for stability, longer chain stays for stability, slacker angles for comfort and stability.
• Room for up to 29 X 2" tires without fenders. 40mm with fenders. You can keep your definition of "road" pretty broad here! 
• The Alternator Low Deck 135 Rear Rack comes stock
• Alternator Drop Out: Can adjust wheel base, turn the Marrakesh into a single speed in an emergency, or utilize IGH type drive trains. 
• Brooks B-17 saddle stock 
• Disc brakes for ultimate power in stopping a fully loaded touring bike.
• Three bottle braze ons for frame, two for the fork, or utilize the Three Pack bosses for an Anything HD Cage for more capacity in carrying stuff. Low Rider mounts are also there as an option for those who use front panniers. 
• Spare Spoke carrier on chain stay.
• Kickstand plate on chain stays behind the bottom bracket to mount a traditional kickstand. 

So, as you can see, the Marrakesh isn't a "pretend touring bike", it is the real deal. All for $1599.00 and we will have these on the sales floor late Fall.

Don't like drop bar bikes? Don't like "bending over too much" when you are seated on a bike? How about a Marrakesh specifically designed for flat bars? Yep! Same basic spec only with a flat bar specific geometry.

The Marrakesh Flat Bar in Creme

We will also be stocking the flat bar version as well. We are excited about these bikes because they are bikes you can use on our bike paths, on county roads, on our single track dirt trails, (remember- it can handle bigger tires), and an all-year round commuter bike. Or use it for touring, of course. The Marrakesh would also be a fine gravel road bike, should your roads take you that direction.

To compliment the Marrakesh, we will also be restocking Salsa's venerable Vaya. The Vaya sees a color change, some spec upgrade, and a move to a 44mm diameter head tube. This is important because now you can get a carbon fork on a Vaya to save more weight. The Vaya is Salsa's "all round" road" bike that our customers have used as a fast tourer, RAGBRAI bike, gravel road bike, and as a more comfortable road bike than the traditional road race bike. Look for those to show up in late Fall as well.

Waebird Carbon

We will also be bringing in the Carbon Warbird and the Warbird Tiagra to compliment the Warbird 105 model we already stock. The Carbon Warbird Carbon is a fantastic bike that can go on any road, paved, chip seal, or gravel, and comes spec'ed with SRAM Rival 22 which features hydraulic disc brakes. The entire bike weighs in at under 20lbs, and features Salsas VRS Class 5 Vibration Reduction System which yeilds a significantly smoother ride. Maybe you just want a bike for the road with a smooth ride? This is your bike. Featuring three bottle bosses, you can go a long way and be very comfortable on a lightweight bike that is any road capable.

The Tiagra Warbird features the same aluminum frame as the 105 Warbird we already stock, but spec'ed with Tiagra for a lower price point. These bikes should show up late in the year.

Now for a word on the situation as we sit on currently in stock Salsa bicycles. As you all may know, Winter was a bust last year, and as a result, we are sitting on a pretty healthy amount of 2015 Salsa and Trek fat bikes. We have slashed prices on these bikes to make them more attractive to customers. So, if you are looking for that elusive "deal" on a fat bike, now is the time. We will not be restocking on our fat bike line until we clear out the current inventory, so we have no plans on bringing in any 2016 fat bikes unless they are special ordered.

Salsa Fargo bicycles are another area where we have a fair amount of current stock and, as a result, deals for customers. Again- we want to clear out that inventory before we make any future commitments to pull in more Fargo bikes. These are fantastic, versatile machines, so we hope to be able to bring in more in the future.

27.5+ is a big deal now, and Salsa Cycles has responded with the Pony Rustler 27.5+ bike line up. We do not plan on bringing any of those in, however; because we are really not in an area where this bike makes sense for our clientele. That said, if you'd like to special order on, better get on the bus! These are going to be really hard to get. 

Stay tuned. More coming soon!

A Big, Fat Sale

Get some big savings on this fat bike and more!

It is no secret that this past Winter wasn't too friendly for fat biking here. We didn't really have any good snow until late in January, then it got brutally cold. By the time the weather straightened out, many of you out there were over Winter and were looking forward to Spring. Subsequently, our forecast for how many fat bikes we'd sell was wrong. We did sell some, but not to the level we thought we would. So, it's quickly becoming Summer, and shortly we'll be hearing about 2016 models. That can only mean one thing....

A Big, Fat Sale!

Get 15% off any fat bike we have left. Models must be currently in stock. We have some outstanding fat bikes just waiting to be ridden and these all would make excellent all-year around mountain bikes or platforms for a 29+ conversion in many cases. Some of the excellent bikes include...

• Beargrease Carbon XX1
• Titanium Mukluk
• Beargrease Aluminum
• Farley 8

Check out Europa Cycle & Ski or email me @g.ted.productions@gmail.com for prices and sizes available. Sale is on till everything we have in fat bikes is gone. First come, first served.  

Mechanic Classes, RAGBRAI, & More

Mechanic Classes:

We ran an intensive Mechanic Class to teach folks how to do a tune up last year which was pretty successful. This year we're going to do it again at Europa.  It also will be complimented by a Basic Bike Knowledge Class taught by our owner, Russ. Class times, details, and more will be forthcoming, but as of now expect that this will happen right at the end of February or during the first week of March.

The class I will teach will be modified just a bit from last time to include more about wheels and wheel truing, which was asked about last year. Stay tuned! Each participant will get a set of tools included in the fee for the class.

From RAGBRAI '14

RAGBRAI Is Coming To Cedar Falls!

The announcement was made recently that RAGBRAI will be stopping at Cedar Falls as part of the 2015 route, which traces parts of the first RAGBRAI route across Iowa. Largely along the I-80 corridor, either North or South of that a bit, this year's route should be a big deal. It goes through several bigger towns and will be well attended since it won't be a Southern route!

What this means for you locals to Europa is that the shops will be busy in the area, so get those bicycles in NOW for tune ups and repair work. I guarantee we'll be swamped in June and July, and we are already doing RAGBRAI tune ups at the shop now.

We are also seeing a big uptick in road bike sales since the announcement, so get in now and find that rig for this year's big ride.

Raleigh Willard One

Special Gravel Loop:

This year's RAGBRAI will also feature a special gravel loop in honor of Steve Hed of HED Wheels fame.  What better bike than a Willard or Tamland from Raleigh Bikes to tackle it on? Europa has both models on the floor to check out and more from Salsa Cycles and Trek that also would make for excellent gravel steeds.

While these bikes are great for gravel, they are not "one trick ponies" either. They all do any road surface well, are stable, and versatile with rack mounts, fender mounts, and can do light touring easily.

So, don't get stuck on a bike that is meant for one thing only, (racing style bikes anyone?), and start to think out of the box for your next road bike which should be able to go on any road surface whether that be paved, gravel, or dirt. Your next road bike should be more comfortable, be able to carry stuff, and also have fast, zippy capabilities while being smoother than the jarring ride that racing bikes have.

Check it out. We have hot coffee and tea for you while you browse.

Winter-Lite Means Good Deals For You

Killer deals on new '15 fat bikes await you....

It's a new year and the Winter is about half over. As you know, it's been an odd one. Not enough snow to XC ski, snow shoe, nor to have a lot of fun with the fat bike's capabilities. Not that you couldn't still be out there doing one of these three activities!

Anyway, all this means that the "powers that be" down at the shop have instigated a plan to unleash more attractive pricing on remaining, in stock Winter gear. You could be fat biking on an awesome, hard to find Farley 8, (which makes a great, stable platform for any mountain biking adventure, by the way), or a rare Titanium Mukluk, or the exotic, 24lb Carbon Beargrease 1.

This also includes snow shoes and XC skis. Get 'em while they are priced low. This only lats through the end of January.

Salsa Cycles New Anything Cage HD And More!

Field testing the Anything Cage HD recently.

Today Salsa Cycles announced a new component for Fargos, Mukluks, and Blackborow fat bikes that are equipped with the Three Pack bosses on their forks and down tubes. It is a nylon reinforced plastic rack/cage for carrying roundish objects like tents, dry sacks, or what have you. I got to field test a pair on my awesome Blackborow DS and you can read my review of the Anything Cage HD's HERE. Salsa Cycles has a nice post on the development of this product you can read HERE.

We can hook you up with a set of Anything Cage HD's for your bike, or if you'd like to check them out on my bike, let me know and I can arrange for that. These will be a great addition to any Salsa bike with Three Pack bosses and could really help you "Adventure By Bike" be that on the Tour Divide, camping trips locally, or just for running errands.

2014 Mukluk Forks were recalled. Did you get yours checked?

Mukluk Fork Recall:

Salsa Cycles has issued a recall of Aluminum Bearpaw forks as used on 2014 Mukluk 3, Mukluk 2, and Titanium Mukluk bikes. If you own one of these bikes, and you have not had your fork checked out, please see the recall notice HERE, stop riding your bike immediately, and see a Salsa Cycles Dealer for your solution. 

Here's what you can expect: At Europa Cycle & Ski, we contacted all owners of Mukluk 3, Mukluk 2, and Titanium Mukluks that were purchased from Europa Cycle & Ski. Those bikes were checked and 100% of them were in the recall. Next, we offered the Carbon fork upgrade option or just to have the original fork replaced. Upon getting confirmation of which way the customer wanted to go, it typically took two working days to receive and replace the forks at no charge to the customer, (original fork replacement only), or at a modest upcharge, (Carbon option is $200.00 and includes through axle, end caps, and a carbon fork plug for the steer tube.)

So, if you are reading this out there and haven't gotten your 2014 Mukluk checked out, do it NOW!!

Custom 2013 Mukluk 2 trade in.

Killer Muk 2 Trade In:

Looking for a super-sweet Mukluk in a size Medium for a song? Look no futher than this highly customized Mukluk 2 built from a frame and fork for a local rider that just traded up to a Carbon Beargrease 2.

This bike features the alternate black/purple scheme for the Mukluk 2 from 2013 and is super rare. Add to this the impossible to obtain Limited Edition Purple Rolling Darryl rims laced to Mukluk 2 hubs.

The bike also features custom purple anodized bits like the head set spacers, cable ferrules, and even the cable crimp ons are purple anodized! This amazing looking bike, a one of a kind you'll never see anywhere else, was meticulously maintained by the previous owner and is in almost mint condition save for a few very hard to find mars in the paint in the usual places. Really- this bike looks almost brand new!

Check it out today at Europa Cycle & Ski. It won't last long at our price.

Blackborow And Blackborow DS: Salsa Cycles New Fat Bike Platform

Blackborow is the ultra-flotation fat bike from Salsa Cycles

Hey there! Today I want to walk all of you through Salsa Cycles' newest fat bike platform- Blackborow. I'll share a video which gets to the specific technical features of this model line hosted by Salsa Cycles' product engineer, Pete Koski in a minute. First, I wanted to answer the obvious question many of you may have about the Blackborow bikes, "Why do we need fatter fat bike tires?"

In other words, we already have these gigantic 3.8"-4.0" fat bike tires, so what in the world would you do with these things? Aren't they just going to slow you down and make the bike harder to ride?

Okay- maybe there are more questions than just one! 

First off, I will tell you from personal experiences that a fat bike just may spark an interest in you to take the bike to the least obvious places to ride a bike that you can think up. When I got my first Mukluk which was shod with 3.8 inch tires in 2011, I went for the whole snow biking thing. I found snowmobile trails were a ton of fun to track down, and sometimes, if conditions weren't just perfect, my rear tire was apt to bust through that crust that the tracks of snowmobiles make and forward progress was tougher. 

My original Mukluk with 3.8" Larry tires

Then in Summer, I found out that the super low lake levels meant that there was a ton of sand and muck to traverse. Ordinarily, I could never have ridden a bike here, and the fat bike was allowing me to do a lot more than I ever could before, but it also still did the things my other mountain bikes did as well. I had an ever expanding palette of places to ride. More than ever before. Exploring places to ride became a much looked forward to activity. However; there was always the thing in my mind that said, What if you had even better flotation? 

The fat bike world was and still is changing very quickly, but one thing is certain, the Alaskan idea of ultra-flotation bikes, sparked by Surly's leading with the Big Fat Larry tire, has resulted in a new, wider tire platform that has proven to remain as nimble as 3.8" tires but far more capable in terms of going off the beaten path. The newest tires are all 4.5" to almost 5" wide, and because that plays havoc with the previous 170mm wide rear spacing, the newest fat bikes are all using a standard based on a 190mm rear end. Blackborow follows suit, but with its through axle, which sets wider than a traditional quick release, the over lock dimension is actually 197mm out back.

Blackborow DS: A "dual" single speed drivetrain fat bike

So- the bigger frames and tires allow you to go deeper into territory that dictates the use of the most flotation and stability that you can get. Muddy, marshy lands? No problem. Deep, loose sandy and rocky areas? Yes. Snow that's 6 inches deep and shifty? Go for it. Blackborow and its wide, 100mm Surly Clown Shoe rims shod with 4.8" Lou tires can handle whatever the territory dishes out.

Now you need a technically advanced frame and fork to deal with that huge wheel, and the Blackborow has that. (See the video link below) But if you are into really getting off track, the Blackborow family has another choice that may be right up your alley- The Blackborow DS. Eschewing derailleurs, which can get clogged or hung up on rocks, weeds, and sticks, the DS, (or Dinglespeed- see the video!), can safely go into the craziest terrain and get you back out again.

So, backing up to my original thoughts- The older Mukluk I had showed me I needed more flotation to go to the places I wanted to go more effectively and with less effort. Bigger, floaty-er tires were going to help, but my old Mukluk wouldn't really work with them. Especially not on wider rims like the Clown Shoes, which help maximize flotation. The Blackborow solves my desires in that area and allows for a full drive train set up with no chain contact on the rear tire. However; I decided to go with the dingle speed set up, because I want to go to the really crazy places, and derailleurs may not be a wise idea!

Anyway, check out what Pete has to lay on ya below and then come in to Europa Cycle & Ski to see these new fat bikes yourself. Plus, we have the Trek fat bikes along with other cool Salsa rigs to check out as well.