Arleigh Jenkins

Southeast Rep in the bicycle industry for Quality Bicycle (QBP). Lover of interactive marketing, technology, bicycles, latte's & photography. My cycling persona is over http://BikeShopGirl.com.

All things represented or typed about here are my own personal opinions. Please leave it as that.

August Rides and Events

As the month of July is coming to an end, we have had to say good by to the Tour de France, and look towards summer ending, schools starting and some amazing bike rides.  Personally, I will be doing my first real triathlon in August.  What will you be doing?  Here are a few good ideas to start with.

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2010 Bontrager Shoes

In 2009 Bontrager released their first ever cycling shoe line.  After teaming up with Esoles in order to get thousands of foot scans.  The result was a well fit shoe, with replaceable arch support and a bargain compared to other shoes. The line was very in depth with women, men and triathlon shoes.  (Personally, I have two pairs and I love them!) For 2010 they are going even deeper with the line and adding more color.  The women are staying pretty subtle but the mens line have a lot of orange through out. [gallery]

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Poll : Do You Wear Cycling Clothing?

The comment was made on my Basic Short article that cycling clothes aren't always needed.  I believe this is true so I made the comment on Twitter to see what everyone thinks or wears.  The response is overwhelming and now I sit wishing I had used hash tags in twitter to be able to keep all the comments together for you all to read. The answers were wide spread from "Yes, every time I ride I wear cycling clothes" to "No, I don't own spandex or even a technical t-shirt."  Now I'm doing some research on well priced clothing that can double as cycling and everyday wear.
[polldaddy poll=1820278]

Upcoming Articles

Here is a sampling of articles you can look forward to in the next week.  Make sure to check back, leave comments or email with any questions!

Masi Bicycles Women's Road Line

There's a take on women's designed product the basics are shorter top tube because women (most women) have longer legs and a shorter upper body.   The shorter top tube and over all length of the bike allows for easier reach to handlebars, better fitting for someone with those long legs. Masi has a take that those shorter tubes and steeper angles change the feel of the bike.   Instead they have simply made a couple of their key models smaller, changed colors and most importantly the touch points of the bike.  Touch points are narrower handlebars, seatpost that aren't leaned so far back, shorter stem and an over all reach on the bike that allows you to use your brakes or shifters correctly. [gallery] Welcome the Bellissima line.  Tim Jackson of Masi isn't sold on the pink, but I am.   Now to sell him on the idea of one model that runs smaller than 48cm.  Allowing our youth to get into the sport at a decent price would be very rewarding.

Basics of Riding with a Road Group

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You've been riding for a while and are getting bored or anxious to get out riding with some people.  Riding with a group or with a couple friends is a very unique feeling and once you get the hang of it can make you a stronger rider.  Below I have put together some key things to remember when group riding and then some helpful hints.  I can't harp enough to remember safety and to ask a lot of questions.

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Colorful Knog Lights

Safety is a big thing for me.  Helmets, lights and brakes on those fixed gear bikes are all important things.  Any customer that comes through the shop getting into cycling or buying a new bike the two must accessories are a well fit helmet and a rear blinky light.  So that I don't sounds like I'm pushing things at them I explain the basics, you have one head (duh) and a good light will give drivers a good warning that you are up the road. Today I'll be talking about Knog's colorful line of blinky lights.

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Gary Fisher Simple City 3W : Quick Review

[gallery columns="4"] Recently going out on a limb I pulled in a Gary Fisher Simple City 3W into our Trek Concept store in Charlotte, NC. We have been selling a lot of life style hybrids, cruisers and comfort bikes. I thought the Simple City really fit that niche and added character that the other bikes could have, but had to be purchased and added on.

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Bike Short Basics

Cycling clothing can be very daunting, especially when you see how tight the shorts and jerseys fit.  The shorts feel like they have a built in diaper and may cause "sausage rolls" due to them squeezing a bit too tight.   Here's some input on shorts, what to look for and why they cost so much money! A few questions to ask yourself when you're buying shorts
  • How long of time will I be riding at one time?
  • How often do I ride during a normal week?
  • Are you looking for style or are you self conscious at all?
Now to help with the questions above.

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Hartford Breast Cancer Ride

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If you are in the area of Edina, Minnesota do yourself and others a favor : go CHEER!     The Hartford Breast Cancer two day event to raise money for Open Arms of Minnesota and Susan G. Komen For the Cure Minnesota Affiliate. There are many pit stops, and "cheer sections" that need to be volunteered at.   Also, with camping and excellent bike support it sounds like a ride not to be missed.