We here at BikeProvo have many riding styles. A few of us even ride year round. I am on of those year round commuters/riders. I will ride by bike on any day in any weather (except the awful inversion). I know that many people do not take this approach including many of my close friends who are die hard riders. They tend to call me crazy and, maybe I am. Either way all I know is I love to ride my bike and will ride it as long as I can. However, this brings me to an interesting phenomenon which happens around this time of year every year. As the weather starts to give all of us windows that we can go for rides and, as the season begins to change I get stuck in Bicycle Limbo. I look at my bike and think, “It has been a long winter and this weather is tricking us into thinking about Spring.” As the days wear on I am extra tired riding around and feel, dare I say, a little bored. Not necessarily bored with my bicycle or my ride but bored with the cold and, the dirty snow and, the wearing of layers. The best remedy for this I have found is to add something to my cycling artillery. I would say that I am a simple guy but, from time to time, I like to buy or make a handy little do-dad for my bike. It spices up my ride and makes me want to take it out for a spin just to show it off.
Basically getting something bicycle related from time to time often gives you an excuse or inspiration to ride. The National Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) is right around the corner and you can bet we will be showing off some of the awesome stuff coming from there. Until then there are two things I stumbled across lately that have caught my eye which I wanted to share with all of you. The first is a company out of Salt Lake City. I do not know much about them except that they are a design firm and they are working on getting a great seat clamp into production. The clamp is a normal quick release with a surprise, it also has a bottle opener. Basically this combines my three favorite things: bicycles, glass botteled soda (Mexican Coke/Virgils Root Beer) and, buying local. Head over to their website and check them out.
Next up is a new t-shirt company geared towards gears. Their name is GoVelo Wear and I will let them explain themselves,
The GOVELO mission is to promote bicycling culture through design. We create apparel inspired by our love of cycling in all its forms: as transportation, as a sport, as a hobby, as a passion, as a way of life. Whether you ride 3 times a day, once a month, or are a rabid member of the tifosi, our shirts let you display your love of the bike.
Riding a bicycle is the right thing to do. Go ride, go velo!
They have some incredible shirts which I will be purchasing in the near future. My favorite is the Jens Voigt one. For those of you who do not know Chuck Norris wishes he could be Jens Voigt. For further reference go here and here.
These are a few things I have been looking at to get out of Bicycle Limbo. With NAHBS quickly approaching we will have a post up about some of the most beautiful bikes from around the globe and, I will have some fuel to get me through until Spring is here for reals. If you have not ridden in a while jump in the saddle and just go for a quick ride you will not regret it.
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