Netflix and Spin

Who wants to ride indoors? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of a bike? Before making trainer rides part of my routine, I considered the very notion of indoor spins as sacrilege. Bikes are about feeling the wind in your hair, the speed, the freedom to see what lies over that hill or around the bend.

I didn't want to admit it, but soon I discovered, trainers can also provide freedom. Sometimes you want to get the blood flowing and on your own schedule. Trainers give you the freedom to ride when you want to, day-or-night, for as long or as little as you want. Often by the time I've suited up to tackle the elements, navigated through traffic to get to my favorite stretch of road or trail, an hour has gone by and I don't have all day to ride. Enter indoor trainer sessions, you can spend quality time spinning, not stopping at lights or mixing with traffic. You can put your head down and spin for as long as you want. Coupled with your favorite show or movie and it can be great way to get a workout or just unwind after sitting all day. 

A video posted by BicycleSPACE (@bicyclespace) on Jan 9, 2016 at 10:19am PST

Kinetic Road Machine 

Kinetic Rock and Roll 

Stationary Fluid Trainer

There are two types of trainers we'd recommend.  First a stationary model that applies resistance to your rear wheel. These clamp on your rear skewer and hold your bike upright. We like the fluid models because of their realistic road feel and resistance. Fluid models are also quieter than magnetic or wind trainers. 

Variations on this style, such as Kinectic's Rock and Roll, allow you to move the bike in a natural side-to-side motion when standing on the pedals. This is great for higher intensity efforts or times when you want to stand up and stretch the legs.

Kinetic offers power data with the optional inRIDE bluetooth sensor. This includes free software for more structured workouts. You can access other workout plans through programs like Trainerroad or Zwift. 

Kreitler Rollers

Rollers

The original trainer, 3 drums and belt, rollers have been around for over a century. Simply pedal and the drums will roll underneath you, while the rotational force of your wheel keeps you upright.

Rollers require a bit of practice, as you need to develop a fluid spin to keep you upright. This makes rollers challenging and fun, you can't zone out as easily because you are working to stay balanced. 

Our favorite rollers are the legendary Krietler Rollers, made for over 40 years in Grand Junction, CO. As they'll proudly let you know, Kreitler rollers are made of "aluminum drums turned on a CNC lathe with near perfect concentricity," and feature "Instrument quality shield bearings for the smoothest, quietest ride available on rollers." All Kreitlers come with a lifetime warranty, are lightweight and are easy to fold up to store.  

A video posted by BicycleSPACE (@bicyclespace) on Jan 8, 2016 at 10:54am PST

Track riders use rollers religiously to develop their form and the ability to ride a ridiculously high cadence. For first timers we recommend setting your rollers up in a door frame or next to a wall or high counter so you can put your hand out to balance. 

Outside there's always some visual stimulation to keep you going, it helps to have something to look at indoors as well. Here's some of our favorite bike related films to watch. What do you like to watch on the trainer? Let us know in the comments. 

Slaying The Badger (Netflix and Amazon)

Strength in Numbers (Netflix) 

Chrome Footwear

New to the floors of BicycleSPACE, Chrome Footwear! Perfect for those seeking clipless-friendly kicks that don't scream bike shoe. Enjoy the efficiency and control of your favorite clipless pedal system in a street ready platform. Chrome shoes feature their signature cordurua uppers, with a stiff footbed and grippy soles. The cleats are recessed, so running up stairs or traversing tile floors is no problem. Come try on a pair. 

Chrome Kursk Pro

Chrome Truk Pro 

Reid Miller Trunk Show

Join Reid Miller at BicycleSPACE and see her vision "for a more beautiful, creative biking world, where a woman’s form and freedom are celebrated through high quality, stylish attire for bike commuting."

Reid Miller Trunk Show is this Thursday at 7pm in Adams Morgan. Check Reid Miller's line of women's bike commuting jeans, sweaters and blazers. Free event sign up here. 

Orp Smart Horn

Make sure you're seen and heard with @orp_smorn, a usb rechargeable LED light/horn combo! Ride defensively with 96 deciBELLs at your disposal. Two tones, a friendly chirp and a more assertive blare. See this new product and more at our Grand Opening this weekend. (Turn your sound on to listen, headphones not recommended) #dontdoormebro #bikedc #bikethechange

A video posted by BicycleSPACE (@bicyclespace) on Jul 9, 2015 at 3:59pm PDT

In: Cherry blossom pink

With the National Cherry Blossom Festival underway now, D.C. is blooming in everything pink. We've caught blossom fever and want to afflict you with this desirable condition.

If we "ah-choo," might you ...

Accessorize your ride with a pink helmet or gloves from our special seasonal collection.

Go matchy-matchy with the glorious Bike in Bloom, a single pink bike in the Capital Bikeshare fleet. Ride it wearing a pink helmet and gloves to show your pink side with pride.

Freshen your home or office with "Bicycle Bloom" by local artist Annie Riker. 

Take the pink plunge to buy the folding bicycle you've always wanted. The exceptional craftsmanship of a Brompton Bicycle in pink is the perfect match for the season.

Happy Cherry Blossom Festival, friends. May the pink be with you.

Welcome to bicycling

Yes, you can.

You can bicycle to work, play, errands and otherwise meet life's demands.

Here are just a few of our favorite resources to get started.

• Our commuter guide
• Sweet video about urban commuting for the "bike-curious"
• How to speak bike, written by our dear friend and Chasing Mailboxes blogger, Mary
• Information for new riders from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association 

Please join our Nice & Easy beginner rides every Saturday and Sunday at 10 am. If you don't have your own bike, you can test ride one of ours or use a Capital Bikeshare trial membership. 

We encourage you to bicycle because it's an addictively joyful way to get around. Just ask the experts. Science has proven a link between bicycling and happiness, as reported here and here.

We're at your service to answer your questions and help you give bicycling a whirl.

Winter accessories sale and gloves report

On our cold, snowy Thursday and Friday this week, we urged our community to think warm thoughts. You must be powerful because it worked. The collective good vibes have warmed the temperature and reassured us spring is coming. 

This means we need to make room on the sales floor for new merchandise and clear out the winter goods. Please take winter hats, caps, gloves and helmet liners off our shelves and into your home. Please take 25% off these items to hasten their departure from our stock.

In summary:

BicycleSPACE Winter Accessories Sale

Take 25% off hats, caps, gloves and helmet liners

You can stop reading here and hop to the shop like the Easter Bunny. Or you can take a moment to review our gloves report that follows. 

GLOVES

Your hands are the farthest forward part of your body on a bike. This means they are first to hit the wind and feel the chill.

Besides just looking cool and keeping your fingers warm, gloves also protect your hands from road vibrations or the road itself. A little bit of padding on the glove can make long rides more comfortable. While we all do our best not to fall, sometimes it happens and you’d rather tear up a glove than the palm of your hand. 

Knit gloves

Perfect for brisk weather, these knit gloves are thin enough to let you dig a phone out of your pocket, but thick enough to take the bite out of the wind. Depending on how good your circulation is, these will keep your fingers toasty down to about 40 degrees. 

Wind stopper

Between 30 and 40 degrees is where a little insulation and wind-proofing makes a huge difference. The Castelli Chiro gloves have some of both. The thin insulation gives you the dexterity to operate shifters and press buttons on your lights.

Lobsters

Lobster-claw gloves are like mittens, except that your pinky and ring fingers go in one space, and pointer and middle in another. These gloves have warmed their way into the hearts of many a cold-weather cyclist since they give you the best of both mittens and gloves. You get the warmth of a mitten and dexterity of a glove.

The Giro 100 Proof gloves have warm insulation and windproof and waterproof treatments. They even feature a little tiny pocket in which you can insert a chemical hand warmer.

Discounted Postmates deliveries for BicycleSPACE friends

Problem: Wintry mix is forecast for Super Bowl Sunday. Maybe you'd rather stay warm and dry as you prepare to host your party crew.

Solution: Postmates.

Postmates are couriers who deliver goods to you with a tap of the app. The majority are bike couriers, but some also use scooters, motorcycles or cars. 

As a Postmates customer, you can order food from anywhere, even if the restaurant doesn't have its own delivery service. 

Postmates has solved your Super Bowl Sunday dilemma with a promotion for friends of BicycleSPACE.   

New and existing Postmates customers can use promo code BicycleSPACE for $10 off your order. 

This offer can be used anytime, not just Sunday. It's redeemable towards food, goods and delivery fees. Share the code with anyone and everyone you know.

To get started with Postmates, download the iTunes or Android app, input the BicycleSPACE code, place your order and let the games begin. 

Existing customers can add the code to their accounts. Postmates delivers to most of DC, Arlington and Bethesda. Web ordering is available, too, at Postmates.com. 

You'll see some featured stores on the Postmates home screen, but you're not limited to those. Type into the search box and your place should appear.

Postmates delivers not just food but any legal item. Keg on demand, anyone? 

A courier can pick up your drycleaning, prescription, groceries, new gadget from the electronics store or anything else from a shop or restaurant within the delivery area. 

You can even have BicycleSPACE products delivered! Do you need a spare tube or some lube? Did you lose a glove on the morning commute? If you can't come to us, Postmates can bring our products to your home or office.

Game on!

Mud butts and skunk stripes: An introduction to the wet world of fenders

When it rains, most people worry about the wet stuff coming from overhead, but cyclists have to consider the water that comes from below. Have you ever ridden right after a big rain? If you didn’t have fenders, you were probably surprised at how wet your feet and butt got, which is to say nothing of the ever-charming skunk stripe that your back tire sprays up at you.

While of course no one wants to get dirty road water all over their clothes, we also need to consider our bikes. All that water your tires spray up into your headset, bottom bracket and drivetrain can wear out your parts, leading to potentially expensive replacements. 

Fenders, also called mudguards overseas, are an affordable and practical way to protect expensive clothes and components from the grim of the road. At BicycleSPACE we have a wide variety to suit just about every bike—some of our bikes even include fenders stock! Below, we’ll talk about fender types and a few of our favorites. If you have any questions, you can always ask our capable staff which kind of fender would suit you and your bike best.

The Best: Full coverage fenders

The Handsome Mud butlers are great because as full coverage fenders they keep your butt happy and mud free, even in the worst wet. They extend far down the wheel, practically eliminating spray on to you, and even on to riders behind you. How courteous! To mount these, you will need eyelets on the frame of your bike: look for a metal tab with a hole in it near your dropouts. These fenders also will cover the underside of your fork, and go all the way to your chain stays on the rear, so they protect your headset and bottom bracket too.

Better: Medium coverage fenders

SKS race blades are a great option for performance-oriented road bikes without eyelets and clearance for large fenders.They mount onto the fork and seat stay non-permanently and without any nuts and bolts to lose. While they do a decent job of protecting you from getting too wet, they aren’t great for protecting more delicate parts of your bike from getting sprayed with nasty road water.

Better than nothing: Clip ons

If you want something that comes on and off in a minute, the SKS X-tra Dry Clip-On is a quick and lightweight option, especially for bikes with little clearance and no mounting options. While they are better than nothing at protecting you from the skunk stripe, they truly are a world apart from full coverage fenders: don’t expect them to keep you, or your bike, totally dry. That said, the ability to take them on and off is great if you have more than one bike and don’t want to bother with a more permanent fenders for each one.

Grace's Trusty Torch

Riding back and forth between Hyattsville, Maryland and BicycleSPACE has forced me to invest in a good lighting system. Day or night, I use my Light & Motion Urban 400 to light my way home, to school, or to work. Because of my varying destinations and schedule, my commute takes me across the Anacostia Tributary Trails in MD into the streets of DC, and on to the Metropolitan Branch Trail, during all hours of the day...

Having a round-trip 15 mile commute means that I need to have a light that can last and still be easy to charge up on the fly, if needed. All Light & Motion's lights are USB-rechargeable which makes my life super easy-- I can charge my light as I'm researching or studying and have a full battery when it's time to roll home.

Light & Motion manufactures all their lights in the United States and provides an awesome 2 year warranty so you can trust the quality. 

The Urban 400 has four different modes ranging from the super bright 400 lumens (as the name suggests) to a medium, low, and then flashing. Those different modes allow me to adjust the lighting as needed.

I definitely use the super bright mode to avoid roots on trails and potholes on Route 1! And it has held up quite well, proving the Urban 400 is a game-changer for any commute.

By Grace Pooley, Sale Associate