Absolute Bikes July 2012 Newsletter

Happy July from Absolute Bikes!

Upcoming events and info (not necessarily sequential…) 

The Taylor House Century Ride is scheduled for July 21st! Presented by Absolute Bikes. In just three weeks we will be riding the classic Wupatki/Sunset Crater Route! As of last year, we added a 35 mile option that is relatively flat as well, so almost anyone can participate and have a great time! Click here for more details and to register: http://www.absolutebikes.net/taylor/

The Absolute Bikes Old Fashioned Mountain Bike Race is scheduled for August 25th! Presented by Absolute Bikes. Register now and/or buy raffle tickets to win a 2012 Specialized Epic FSR 29″ frame set generously donated by Specialized Bicycles! All proceeds from this event go to the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, Flagstaff, to feed the hungry in Northern Arizona. http://www.absolutebikes.net/mtn_race/

New Belgium Brewing’s Clips of Faith to benefit Flagstaff Biking Organization! July 12th, 6 pm. You’ll get to try NBB’s most esoteric beer offerings – up to 16 varieties on tap! – and pair them with inspiring short films created by fans. The best part is that 100% of the proceeds from beer sales benefit Flagstaff Biking Organization. http://www.newbelgium.com/clips-of-faith/city-detail.aspx??id=6490d8fe-7d36-443c-972d-ec7f9b89ea69

The 28th Annual Mountain Man Triathlon! Sponsored by Absolute Bikes. July 15th Lake Mary Road, Lake Mary. Super Sprint and Sprint. http://www.mountainmanevents.com/mountainmantriathlon.htm

Help Flagstaff Biking Organization build the Flagstaff Loop Trail! July 28th, Section 29 of the FLT, near Herold Ranch Road, connecting FR301 to FR301D. More info here: http://flagstaffbiking.org/trail-program/#7-28

Check out our upcoming clinics schedule! We will be adding some topics and speakers as well as having Leslie Gilmore back with her classic offerings on basic bike maintenance. Bookmark this page and check back as dates and times are firmed up! http://www.absolutebikes.net/community/clinics-rides/ We will be adding some new dates soon!

Upcoming topics:

• Fast fixes for the Road and Trail. How to get back from a ride without using your cell phone.  Wednesday, July 11th, 7:15 pm-8:30 pm, presented by Leslie Gilmore

Absolute Bikes group rides in Flagstaff! Through the summer we will be hosting some group rides. Click here for updates and additions to our schedule.

•       Tuesday Morning Rides, 6:30 am every Tuesday through the summer, starting at Absolute Bikes, Flagstaff. Challenging mountain bike routes, fast-ish pace, but no drop.
•       Friday Technical MTB Ride, 10:00 am from Absolute Bikes, Flagstaff. Ride with Vince “Noodles” Rideau on technical routes. Time will be spent discussing and tuning suspension, practicing climbing and descending technical moves. No one left behind, challenging terrain. A great way to hone your skills on the rough stuff!
•       Saturday “B” Road Ride on Lake Mary Road, Not in the mood to get hammered by the weekly Saturday “Tour de Flagstaff” race? Are you new to road riding and you want to ride with a group and get some tips? Meet us at the “mailboxes” on Lake Mary Road, (near the Canyon Vista campground), at 10 am on Saturdays for a no-drop group road ride. Mellow pace, potential to split into smaller groups if enough folks of different skill levels show.
•       Back in the Saddle Sundays, This ride is all about getting back on the bike for a weekly trail ride all summer long and enjoying a little bit of company along the way.  Join this group ride to explore Flagstaff’s system trails each weekend without worrying about the pace of the ride.  Feeling good and want to ride out front, go for it!  If that isn’t the case on any particular Sunday you can rest assured you won’t get left behind.  Rides will depart from the Shultz trailhead sign at 9:00 am each Sunday morning.  Ride length will vary each week but expect and average of 1.5 to 2 hours in the saddle.  Saturday evening we’ll post the trails we plan to ride (via the Absolute Bikes Facebook page) so riders can plan ahead.  Starting July 8th.  

Red Rock Racing Wednesdays Snowbowl Hill Climb! Through the summer Red Rock Racing will be hosting a ride out-and-back on Snowbowl Road. Meet at the bottom of Snowbowl Road at 4 pm every Wednesday. This should be an average fast-ish paced ride, but not a hammer-fest.

Absolute Bikes is sponsoring Red Rock Racing! We are currently firming up details, but we are excited to be partnering with these guys! They are engaged in various volunteer activities throughout Flagstaff, and they like riding bikes…our kinda folks!

We are working on pre-planning for a Fall Ladies ride/clinic event…stay tuned for details!

We will be sponsoring the 1st Annual Bear Jaw Groove 12 Hour Mountain Bike Race! At the Nordic Center on Highway 180, September 8,2012. Sign up here and join the party! http://bearjawgroove.com/

The Absolute Bikes Sedona Century is scheduled for October 20th (tentatively)! Presented by Absolute Bikes. Save the date! Stay tuned for updates!

You can now apply for free financing online! We offer financing through GE Capital, and we have set up a link through our new web site that allows you to apply easily at home. Click here for details: http://www.absolutebikes.net/sales/financing-and-layaways/ . You could be riding your dream bike this spring and take a year to pay it off! (A little tip for those who wind up not qualifying: sometimes a co-applicant can help get you approved.)

Be our Facebook Friend, follow our Tweets! The best way to stay up-to-date on our events, and to get some special deals is to “friend” us on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Flagstaff-AZ/Absolute-Bikes/98223130076?ref=nf , http://twitter.com/absolutebikes

Ride of the Month: Fay Canyon /AZ Trail adventure loop

I call this an “adventure loop” because it is part on pavement, part dirt road and part on trails, and also because it is somewhat remote compared to some other local rides.

Start on Lake Mary Road, somewhere near Hitchin Post Stables, or in Flagstaff. Pedal out to Marshall Lake Road, turn left, and climb up to the left hand turn onto dirt.

Ride through the trees on the dirt road. As the trees open up to a view of the wetlands of Marshall Lake, turn left across the meadow. As you head into the trees again and the road bears right, look for the Arizona Trail sign on your left.

Ride the Arizona Trail for +/- 6 miles to Fisher Point. Stay left as you approach the Fisher Point area, as if you were headed to Flagstaff instead of the Equestrian Bypass on the AZ Trail.

The next left hand turn will be Fay Canyon. Bear left and climb back to Hitchin Post Stables and Lake Mary Road.

Fay Canyon trail is in great shape as this trail has fallen into moderate disuse since Hitchin Post Stables ceased doing horseback rides on it. Also, some recent trail work on the AZ Trail along Anderson Mesa has improved some fall line erosion prone sections and increased the overall length of the AZ Trail…

Well worth an afternoon!

Propaganda: Here comes the rain again…no really, any second now.

 

As we impatiently await the monsoon, thought we’d take this opportunity to remind everyone of a few things that will make wet weather riding significantly better.

•       Bring a jacket! Anyone who has ever limped back to their house or vehicle after getting drenched and having the temperature drop 20 degrees will attest to how important this can be! Make sure to put some sort of rain shell and maybe even an extra layer in your Camelbak before you go ride.
•       Get some fenders! Commuting with fenders on wet streets will leave you worry free. You’ll show up to work with a dry butt and clean back.
•       Lube your chain! Riding in wet weather can prematurely remove chain lube and cause your chain to corrode and squeek. Maybe consider switching to a heavier lube for the monsoon.
•       Negotiate wet obstacles carefully! Whether you are crossing train tracks or wet logs and rocks, normally innocuous obstacles become treacherous when wet. Be careful!
•       Don’t ride super muddy trails! Although many of our trails only get better when wet, it is best to allow a little bit of time for some routes to dry out after a big downpour or particularly wet day. If the tread is really soft, consider a different route.
•       Get some clear or light lenses for you glasses. Mud in yer eye is no fun. Neither is not being able to see when the skies darken…’nuff said.

Have fun riding through one of the best times of the year in Flagstaff!

DEALS OF THE MONTH!!

All 2012 Niterider rechargeable lights are on sale at 15% off! Come and get’em while we still got’em!

ALL GIANT KIDS TRICYCLES, 12″ OR 16″ WHEEL BIKES, $50…YUP…$50!

-2011 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29 HT, 19″, was $1699.99, sale $1399.99, your price $1299.99 with a copy of this email.

-2011 Specialized Ruby Comp Compact, 48cm, was $2399.99, sale $2159.99, your price $1999.99 with a copy of this email.

-2011 Specialized Ruby Elite Apex, 48cm, was $1899.99, sale $1699.99, your price $1499.99 with a copy of this email.

-2012 Niner MCR 9 XT hardtail chromoly, large, was $3474.99, sale $2999.99, $2899.99 with a copy of this email!

-2010 Specialized Roulux (comfort road), large, was $1249.99, sale $1039.99, $849.99 with a copy of this email!

-2010 Specialized Langster, fixed/freewheel, 56 & 54 cm, was $659.99, sale $499.99, your price $429.99 with a copy of this email.

-2011 Specialized Ariel Sport, small and xs, was $729.99, sale $629.99, your price $529.99 with a copy of this email.

-2011 Giant Via 3, medium, small and extra small, was $399.99, sale $329.99, $269.99 with a copy of this email

-Worksman Pizza Bike!! Was $749.99, now on sale for $699.99! Pick up you own pies in style!

-All Swobos must go! A copy of this email gets you an addition 15% off the already low sale price…

-Also, ALL GIANTS MUST GO!! If we have a Giant bike in stock that you are interested in buying, come see us; our prices are un-beatable!!

Thanks for reading!

The Absolute Bikes Staff-