We feature our customers bicycling experience, friends of the shop, new bicycles and quality gear, local events and news, what is new in the bicycle industry and in our shops.
A snowy commute home.
BicycleSPACE visits Abus HQ in Germany.
Brompton US Championship and Brompton Urban Challenge
Trips to the Mountains. Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Deep Creek Maryland.
Parents share family biking tips at Kidical Mass.
We host a Banjo Brothers Tiny Bikeshop Concert with Brianna Lane live at the shop
If Phil builds it, they will come...
What were your favorite moments of 2014? Share them with us in the comments.
Grace commutes home on the MBT
Surly Troll
Tubus Logo Evo
I was gonna go with the Jamis Renegade for the ultimate adventure bike, until I realized it doesn't have rack mounts - bummer. So the Surly Troll is just the adventure bike I'd want! I could carry all my adventure and survival gear without breaking my back (like I would've had to without a rear rack). Obviously you have to pick the bike that will keep you going strong during the zombie/nuclear apocalypse or whatever goes down. With a solid steel frame, disc brakes and 26" tires, the Troll will keep me rolling over any obstacles. The lightweight Tubus rack will carry everything I put into my Bike-Tourer rear panniers (food, extra clothes, machete etc.).
By Grace Pooley, Sales Associate
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What's your apocalyptic bike? Share your secret survival techniques in the comments!
Surly Ice Cream Truck at Interbike Outdoor Demo in Boulder City Neveda.
Coman hits the trails in Ogden Utah.
Classic Suede Turbo Saddle
Fatbikes are awesome!! After spending time in Utah and later Nevada, riding various mountain-worthy rigs, I found myself grinning ear-to-ear every time I got off a fatbike. They afford you a super plush ride without the need for suspension (although full-suspension fatties are pretty rad too) and you can carve through any trail or even roll over unmarked terrain without worrying about being too technical. Also, to throw a Game of Thrones reference, winter is coming and I can't imagine riding through the white stuff in anything but a Surly Ice Cream Truck!
By Coman Ilahi | Buyer
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Do you want a fatty for Christmas? Write a letter to Santa in the comments!
Surly Pacer
I'm not much of a racer--I just like to get around town and meander through the occasional 30+ mile ride. Sleek, aerodynamic bikes with carbon this and that aren't really for me. Instead, I drool over steel bikes that absorb the bumps but still allow me to race past my fellow commuters. My original bike love was a red 1986 Schwinn road bike, and the 2015 Surly Pacer is kind of like that bike's younger, sexier cousin. With a glittering red paint job, light-ish but durable Cromoly steel frame and Shimano 105 components, she's fast, responsive, and to boot, she's just darn pretty. Plus, I'm 5'3" with short legs, and Surly thoughtfully offers this frame in a 46cm.
By Rachel Cannon, Sales Associate
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What bike got you hooked on riding? Share your first bike love with us in the comments.
Time to tear down the warehouse and clean out the shop! Help us move product from our shelves to your home. There are some great deals to be had on bikes and accessories.
Normal hours resume January 3rd at our interim space on 700 5th Street. NW (the old Burger King).
Our shop team, Adventuretimes, at Capital Cross Classic. Kevin, Miguel, Michael, Coman, Wilson and Tony.
6 a.m. Alarm goes off….Even though I’m not a morning person, there’s no need to hit the snooze button. My blood is already pumping and I’m fully awake in preparation for what lies ahead. I sit up, chug a glass of water and put on my kit; it’s race day! My first cyclocross race to be exact…Not that I’m very familiar with the bike racing scene at all (or maybe I just grossly underestimated the difficulty of a cross race), but this did not feel like an “entry” level race at all. What a way to start my cross career: an 8 am race time accompanied by sub 25 degree weather after about 3 straight days of rain. Seriously? I’d be lying if I said I never had doubts about having my first race on this course in particular. After registering, I couldn’t even feel my hands or feet, which is probably around the same time that I first thought to myself, “what the hell am I doing here.” But I’m a fiend for competition, so I manned up and carried on with the rest of my ‘Adventure Times’ Team.
Leading up to the race, I felt confident that I would do pretty well. Even though I’m not the most experienced rider, I thought at least my athleticism would give me a good edge… Wrong. After taking a warm-up lap on the 3.1k course, it was made painfully obvious that I was just plain wrong. I just didn’t have the confidence to take on any turns with speed and to my misfortune that course was 85% navigating turns. Well, after ‘eating it’ (to put it lightly) on the warm up lap on a steep, muddy downhill called “the chute,” I lined up at the start line with the mentality of ‘okay, just finish…but not in last.’ But in case my expectations weren’t already shot, one of the officials called me out for having my number pinned upside down. I laughed it off because I was already the only racer with platform pedals, so any additional sign that I was an amateur was just redundant.
Despite all of that, the race itself was actually a lot of fun. It didn’t take long for my body to warm up and for most of the racers to pass me, so in no time I was comfortably taking the course on without getting too crowded. I was still shaken from my first wipeout so I took most of the turns pretty slow. Not to mention my tires were not even close to good enough to handle the crazy amount of mud. It’s a shame they don’t give an award for most time spent carrying your bike. I would have won that hands down since I spent a lot of time running because I’m way faster on my feet than on my bike. Either way, 35 minutes in and 3 laps later I finished, making sure not to come in last (81 out of 94 to be exact!). Finishing that race gave me a better idea of what cross is all about. Do whatever it takes to finish as fast as you can: bike, run, climb, recover from falls and haul-ass for every meter until the end. Then take pictures of the carnage with your buds and throw down an ice-cold brew. Every second was worth it. Now I see why cyclocross is such a popular sport. Now I get some better tires and clipless pedals. Now I train for more…
By Miguel Garza | Sales Associate
Kevin scouting Kingman Island for the Plaid Ride and Ranger Games
Rack, fenders, singlespeed, internal geared hubs, do whatever you please with these dropouts
Everyone needs a wasteland-crawling, post-apocalypse bike, and I think the sturdy Surly Orgre would fit the bill perfectly. It's got rack and fender mounts, so I can carry all my provisions. Even better, it's got crazy clearance for big ol' tires, and disc brakes to match, so it can get over just about any terrain, and have a kickin' time doing it. And rain pants, because some of my bikes don't have fenders, and who wants a dirty butt?
Kevin Sundeen, Events Coordinator
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What would you take into the wasteland? Share your secret survival techniques in the comments!
Selle Italia Turbo Suede
The Macho Man is just a bad ass bike. The cable routing on the top tube keeps clean without the inherent loss of crispness associated with full length housings. The dropouts and frame fittings are both elegant and functional. The fork is a lovely tapered straight blade with a bi-plane crown and lugged droupouts. Some frame designs just don't need to be improved. The same goes for the Turbo saddle: it's a classic and will continue to be so for a long time.
By Tim Atwell, Mechanic
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What makes a bike design classic to you? Tell us in the comments, and we'll see if Paul agrees!
I got my first bike earlier this year. It was a Jamis Nova Race cyclocross bike that I could ride hard and fast on my 15 mile commute. I love it, but I want something more relaxed and comfortable for the days I'm looking for a more chill ride. The Handsome Devil would be perfect: a slick lookin', more upright steel ride with 9 speeds and the option for fenders/racks. Add a Brooks C15 Saddle on top of that and I'd be rolling in style and comfort. I'd ride that bike any time, any day, in any weather.
By Miguel Garza, Sales Associate
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What's your favorite chill bike? Share it in the comments!
Leah demos an All-City Space Horse while leading a Cupcake Ramble ride this Fall.
Chrome Orlov Backpack
All-City Space Horse
I'm an outdoors enthusiast, design nerd, and daily urban bike commuter. When I shop for gear, it has to be that perfect combination of function-meets-form: stuff that will hold up to anything I throw at it, and look good in the aftermath. That's why I'm in love with both this bike's and bag's versatility, thoughtful features, and sleek lines. This dream team could whiz through winter drizzle, hit the gravel, and still arrive at my endpoint looking sharper than Frosty's carrot nose—laptop and street clothes safe and dry.
By Leah Fantle | Sales Associate, Ride Leader
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Do you have a do-it-all bike/bag combo? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Ivy City 1512 Okie St., N.E. Washington, DC 20002 202-853-9390
Please come visit us at our expansive Ivy City location- there’s a bike lane connected to downtown just around the block (and lots of on-street & longer term garage parking next door if you really must drive…)- our great people, bikes, and service are waiting for you!
contact@bicyclespacedc.com
