Summer Loving

Summer is here, well kind of, May was a promising start with all that wonderful sunshine but now we are deep into June Gloom. 6/11/2009 wah wah.Before you start to hang up your bike and forget that summer happened remember its light out until 9:30. So there is plenty of time to head out on a ride after work. At least that is the positive line of reasoning that we hope helps to reinvigorate the busy season.

Things have been going well here in 21st Avenue Bicycle land. Something that you might have noticed is that we have changed the location of the front door.This has done an amazing thing, not only were we able to create more usable shop space, but we also created more usable floor space and a better register position. We have added an additional repair stand and we are looking to add another. This means you are going to spend less time waiting for your bike. At the moment we have a 24 to 48 hour turn around on all repair bicycles and our aim is to keep it that way.

Here is something for you bike geeks out there. Shop friend and local bicycle building phenom Ira Ryan dropped off a newly painted show bike to display in the shop. We figured Ira's bikes are pretty cool and if we could send some folks his way while drawing some other people our way, why not? This thing is like Hitchcock's "The Birds"

Check out the detail. Perfect for swarming the track or pecking your way through down town traffic.There are some items that just aren't working out they way that we had hoped. Camouflage sales have slowed to a crawl and well we would love to see, or not see wink wink, some of you wonderful people out there roaming the great northwest in American made Chrome messenger bags and backpacks. In addition to the bags all of our Chrome laptop sleeves are on sales, so protect your truth box with one of these little padded bodyguards.
See you soon.

21st Ave

SALE SALE SALE SALE

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale.

21st Ave Bicycles is selling everything, but for this week only we are going to sell things even cheaper, all of our 2008 and older bicycles are marked down 20% or more. What are you waiting for, Velcro those shoes, shoulder that pack, and get your booty down here! Let us sell you some thing, you can buy some thing, help stimulate the economy, feel the power as you become a mechanism of capitalism. Here are some pictures

I'm not lying, just look at that orange sign.

Langster of all color are marked down, come in and make us an offer. Let us help you blow your mind on a new bike this spring.

Swrve and Showers Pass rain gear 20-30% off.

All Pearl Izumi clothing 25% off.

Select Chrome messenger bags marked down 20%


The above message is inspired by on of our patron saints here at 21st Ave, Cal Worthington.

So come on down and have a look around, bike season is here, catch the fever.

Dirty / Clean

Things can get filthy in the winter. We've got an ultrasonic cleaner that works like magic. We can make that drivetrain clean enough to eat off of. See more filthy pictures below:

Creme de Menthe

Pistachio? Mint chocolate chip? We're still figuring out what to call this tasty wheelset we just built up. We can put together just about any color combination possible for a set of pretty wheels. This set is going out the door for $329 for some lucky person. Check out the fancy two-leading two-trailing lacing pattern (makes a pretty clover-leaf spoke pattern) Bling!

That grinding sound...

It happens when good bearings go bad. The bright shiny new one is there for comparison purposes, and the not so pretty one should have been replaced a little earlier. New noises coming from your bicycle are sometimes trying to tell you something. We're fluent in bicycle noises and can translate. Usually the bike is just asking for a little adjustment.

After the Snow Falls

Despite the falls best efforts, all those unexpected dry sunny days that left us wondering when the other shoe was going to drop, well as evidenced by the last month of weather, the other shoe dropped, damn near punched through the floor. Old man weather did his part in "Keeping Portland Weird" with some unexpected snow weeks. I would like nothing more to declare the end of snow days but unfortunately my grasp of Hydrometeorology ends with Wikipedia . What I do know is that winter riding is something akin to boot camp for our bicycles, what is going to breakdown will and parts are being put to the test. Our eagle eyed mechanics have snapped a few shots that exemplify the quick and extreme wear that can occur on our trusted winter steads.

2009
Pay special attention to the slight disk of metal in the center of the pad, this is the beginning of the brake pad post, metal on metal contact does not make for an optimal braking system. Note the extended lip indicating that part of the pad was not striking the rim. Reports from the field are telling us that this "hyper" lip can cause a brake system to clamp on to a rim for life, recalling the obstinate ways of the noble badger, some have even refereed to this as badger braking.

Winter's wet grim effects are not limited to breaking systems. The hard working drive train of your bicycle will take a beating.

Note the sharp pointed peaks of this chain ring, winter can be a great way to help you turn your bicycle equipment into facsimiles of ninja weapons but for most of us this is at best only a secondary goal. It is important to be aware of over lubricating your drive train, excess lubricant will attract grit and debris to your drive train. The lube that you use on your chain wasn't rough and grimy when you applied it, the excess lube becomes an adhesive, morphing your chain into a mobius sandpaper strip. Here is a tip, when applying lubricant only apply it to the chain, walk away from your bike for a couple of minutes allowing the lube to penetrate your chain, come back to your bike with an old rag and remove the excess lube.

Ok

I want to share a couple of hot items that we have in the store with you lucky lucky people.

2007 Specialized Langster Comps. WHOA!


Check the drivetrain; Sugino 75's, Sugino BB, Izumi Super Toughness NJS chain. Hot!
This thing looks mean, and if you are into getting it painted we will strip it down and rebuild it for you at no extra cost. Yes we are mad men, pretty soon we are going to have commercials made with exotic animals as co-hosts.
Price on these boys. $700.00, YEP. Originally these hot little numbers went for $1200.00. We have two 54cm and two 56cm bikes in stock so come in and get ready yourself ready for the track.

For those of you who are a little taller and are into getting a little dirty I have a nice little number you should check out.

61cm of pure cyclocross magic. I raced on the single speed version of this frame last season, lets just say "loved it." If you are looking for a commuting, racing, forest parking machine and your tall enough that you always enjoy the alpine air then come check this thing out.


Carbon fork. Bam!! Carbon Seat post. Double Bam !!!!Okay so this is an 2006 Specialized Tricross Comp 61cm. Take this beauty off of our hands, closeout price $300.00

See you next time

K-

Talk about a white Christmas. As much as I loved the snow it feels good to get back to the gray drizzle of a Portland winter. At least it makes it much easier to get to work and back.
Thanks to modern science 21st Avenue Bicycles was able to capture some rare images of 21st Ave.

Hugh engaged in a friendly snowball fight with Ling Gardens. 97209 Vs 97210- 97209 brings the icy fury.

You know when you go to a carnival or state fair and they have all those games that are impossible to win; coin toss, ring toss, that ladder on a swivel, dart toss, feats of strength, that squirt gun horse race, all designed to take your money while simultaneously shrinking your ego in front of your quickly becoming ex-future girlfriend? Hanging above all these games were the monsterous stuffed animals, tender giants to be held high, a beacon to the rest of the crowds that you have beaten the nefarious carnies at their own game, that it can be done, and on your face beams the triumphant smile of a champion. I don't know what challenges this man has faced but he carried the dog like a champion, charging blissfully through the snow.

How about this little number. The blogosphere was buzzing with news of a Nordic tracking machine laying in routes if the snow stuck around in to the new year.