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Since opening the Trek Concept store a few weeks back it seems a big media frenzy has hit over the new Trek belt drive bikes such as the Soho and District.  Atleast 2-4 times a day folks come in wanting to see, test ride and purchase the bikes.

Here’s some interesting facts about these bikes:

They aren’t going to be available until February/March of 2009. Yes, of course there’s a media hype. Driving tons of folks to our store, which I’m grateful for. But the bikes aren’t available, won’t be available, or even able to be touched for awhile.

Sizing is special in itself.  How often do you find a size 25″ commuter, or 60cm single speed niche bike? Almost never.

Belt drive isn’t brand new.  Spot Bicycles and a couple other smaller brands have been playing with belt drive for a few years.  It hasn’t taken off due to the fact you have to have a specialy designed frame that has a “break apart” rear drop out for the belt to slip through.  Gates Corporation is the design/driving force behind it all.

Maybe it’s not good. Here’s Mark’s two cents of belt drive and why it might not be all it is promised to be.

Recovery mode from Black Friday. Drinking tons of green tea to help fix the sore throat from talking to so many people.  It is amazing to be in the location of the new Trek Store.  Such great floor traffic and interested people in cycling.

It’s 4:35am. I’ve been awake for an hour and a half. Black Friday in retail means long lines, super good deals and when you run a retail location.. it means being open at 4am to serve coffee to all the coupon clippers in the Best Buy line.

If you are around town come check out the Trek Store at Exit 18 (I-77.)  There’s amazing deals to be had on everything in the store.

Sitting up in the rafters at work, grabbing some lunch and catching up on the 438 unread feeds in my Google Reader.  That’s a lot of blog & news post to read folks.

The news and blogs are the smaller of things I am catching up with.  The new shop and lady visiting really put my normal day to day things to the side.  Not that either are a bad thing, but my routine was thrown out the window for the past month.

Now to catch up.  Tomorrow, which is Thanksgiving, I’m taking the day to clean and organize.  Hopefully I’ll have time to ride, but its not a high priority.  Getting things in place, dishes clean, clothes folded and a plan for the next month of riding is where my focus will be.

Friday at 5am I’ll be at the shop to try and get some of the early morning Black Friday shoppers into the store.  We are then open 8am through 8pm with some really crazy deals to kick off the holiday season.  I’m sure Friday at 5am I’ll be posting at the store about all of the info.

New shop is going great.  Lady is in town.  Busy times.  Trying to play catch up over this holiday.

It’s hump day!

Jeebus how cold was Charlotte today?  Cold enough to make this snow bunny wish she had moved more south.  The wind chill made everything in me today at the cyclocross race simply hurt.  I had multiple layers on, thermals, wool, long johns, a beanie, two hoods, and a scarf.  I was still cold and hurting.  The crummy part was as soon as the last race ended the wind died and it was pretty decent out.

I had decided two days ago not to race… (Waiting to hear the tomatoes being thrown.)

It simply hurts to bad, and financially I can’t justify the pain to cost ratio.  If I was in training like I should be and needed that tempo ride, or even was in a better finanical spot right now I could swing it.  Over the 4 weeks I would be spending roughly $48 for all the races.  $48 is a weeks worth of groceries in my apartment.  Currently I’m doing my best to cut back un-needed spending, stick to a budget and get refocused.  Plus next season will be very long & expensive, that $48 could go a far way.

Work was good today.  Got a good amount of signs put up, “finders” as I like to call them.  It’s a big Trek marketing thought, how you can help customers not feel so lost.  This has an example of what I’m talking about, its the “Mountain Accessories” sign on top of the display.  Sold a mountain bike to a really awesome dad.  The past two days he’s come in to the store with his son who must be around 6.  The son is so well behaved and interested in cycling.  The other warm and fuzzy feeling was a customer looking at a super super small road bike for his 8 year old daughter.  He was telling me how much she has loved mountain biking and even mentioned how they had gone to western North Carolina riding.  It’s super cool to be witnessing cycling at the heart of it all.  Not the racer wanting to weigh every part, but someone really enjoying the experience and giving it back to their children.

A small project for work is a store blog.  I’m slowly filling it in with content, and may switch blogging platforms but for now go find it at TrekBikesCharlotte.Blogspot.com. Feedback is wanted and very very welcome.

First day of Trek Bicycle Store Charlotte being opened.  Woohoo! 3 bikes sold as of 5pm when I was wrapping up my stuff and exited the sales floor. Great first day. I’m super proud of everyone that got had part of the process and today just sealed the deal.

It helps that Jeff had our Starbucks coffee machine filled back up with cocoa.