Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Full Moon Ride on Saturday
It looks like the weather gods are smiling on us for our first full moon ride of the new year, this Saturday. Rains are expected to stop on Thursday so trails will even have some time to dry out a bit. See you there. ;)
Tonight's Movie
Don't forget -
The Peak Sports bike deptartment is showing the movie " Breaking Away" tonight at 6:15 PM.
Bring your drinks of choice. We'll supply the popcorn. Kid's are welcome.
The Peak Sports bike deptartment is showing the movie " Breaking Away" tonight at 6:15 PM.
Bring your drinks of choice. We'll supply the popcorn. Kid's are welcome.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Change of Plans
Please note that the full moon ride previously planned for Sunday Jan 11th is now changed to Saturday Jan 10th. Weather predictions anyone?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Winter cycling events at Peak Sports
Evening Cycling Activities @ Peak Sports - Tentative Schedule
Wed, Jan 7 6:15 to 8 PM Movie Night: Breaking Away
Sat, Jan 10 6:15 to 8 PM Full moon mountain bike night ride
Wed, Jan 14 6:15 to 8 PM Trainer Night: Pure Sweet Hell: a cyclocross film
Wed, Jan 21 6:15 to 8 PM MVBC Club Shop Night
Wed, Jan 28 6:15 to 8 PM Movie Night: Seasons
Wed, Feb 4 6:15 to 8 PM Trainer Night: Film to be announced
Wed, Feb 11 6:15 to 8 PM Class: Basic bicycle maintenance
All activities are scheduled to begin at 6:15 PM.
Movie Nights, Trainer Nights and classes are open to everyone.
There is no charge for any of our Wednesday Night activities.
On Movie Nights, we set up a projection screen and show a movie. Peak Sports will provide the popcorn and will have some chairs and benches available, but please feel free to optimize your personal experience by bringing other snacks, your beverage of choice and your favorite lawn chair if you have one.
Trainer Nights are an opportunity for customers to do some winter indoor training with company and a movie. Peak Sports will provide the space, an inspirational movie and free water. We ask participants to bring their bicycle, their trainer, and a towel. We have one trainer available to loan and will reserve it for the first person that requests its use.
Club Shop Nights are an opportunity for local bike club members to use our shop space, bike stands, and tools to work on their personal bicycles under the supervision of an experienced mechanic. Participation is organized by the local club, and is for members only.
Classes on basic bicycle maintenance and flat tire repair will be taught by our mechanical staff throughout the year.
Rides are lead by at least one shop staff member. The rides are open to all interested participants and depart from the Peak Sports Bike Department. Helmets are required.
Wed, Jan 7 6:15 to 8 PM Movie Night: Breaking Away
Sat, Jan 10 6:15 to 8 PM Full moon mountain bike night ride
Wed, Jan 14 6:15 to 8 PM Trainer Night: Pure Sweet Hell: a cyclocross film
Wed, Jan 21 6:15 to 8 PM MVBC Club Shop Night
Wed, Jan 28 6:15 to 8 PM Movie Night: Seasons
Wed, Feb 4 6:15 to 8 PM Trainer Night: Film to be announced
Wed, Feb 11 6:15 to 8 PM Class: Basic bicycle maintenance
All activities are scheduled to begin at 6:15 PM.
Movie Nights, Trainer Nights and classes are open to everyone.
There is no charge for any of our Wednesday Night activities.
On Movie Nights, we set up a projection screen and show a movie. Peak Sports will provide the popcorn and will have some chairs and benches available, but please feel free to optimize your personal experience by bringing other snacks, your beverage of choice and your favorite lawn chair if you have one.
Trainer Nights are an opportunity for customers to do some winter indoor training with company and a movie. Peak Sports will provide the space, an inspirational movie and free water. We ask participants to bring their bicycle, their trainer, and a towel. We have one trainer available to loan and will reserve it for the first person that requests its use.
Club Shop Nights are an opportunity for local bike club members to use our shop space, bike stands, and tools to work on their personal bicycles under the supervision of an experienced mechanic. Participation is organized by the local club, and is for members only.
Classes on basic bicycle maintenance and flat tire repair will be taught by our mechanical staff throughout the year.
Rides are lead by at least one shop staff member. The rides are open to all interested participants and depart from the Peak Sports Bike Department. Helmets are required.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Caring for your feet in winter
How many times have you gone riding in cool or cold weather, not necessarily even freezing, and your feet get cold, not just a little cold, but freezing cold and numb! Of course, there are ways to vastly improve foot comfort in cold weather.
The three basic principals of keeping your feet warm are: 1) maximize blood flow, 2) block the wind, and 3) Insulate the foot, including the sole. Keeping your feet dry is not nearly as important as insulation and blocking the wind. Wet feet can still be warm.
Use the temperature outside and the size of your budget to refine your winter foot strategy.
Before anything else, make sure that your riding shoes are not too tight. You are better off riding with thin socks and good blood flow than you are with thick socks that reduce your circulation in tight shoes. If you are buying new cycling shoes, make sure they are not too tight. You can always take up a little extra room with an insole. But you cannot stretch most cycling shoes to fit looser.
Second, block the wind. All the insulation in the world is useless if the wind is blowing through it. If you are riding summer shoes in the winter, wind can be blocked with plastic bags over your socks, with windproof socks, or with covers over the outside of your shoes. Plastic bags are free and can help tremendously. Shoe covers keep the cold wind even further from your toes and generally keep your feet drier than plastic bags.
Third, more insulation is warmer. If there is room in your shoes for thicker socks, thicker socks are warmer than thin ones. Wool or high performance synthetics are much warmer than cotton or cotton blends. And, insulated shoe covers can add even more insulation on the outside of the shoes. While most people find winter-specific shoes to be the warmest and most comfortable in winter weather, many people make due with summer shoes and insulated shoe covers for much of their Willamette Valley winter riding.
Finally, regardless of the other efforts taken, there is always the option of chemically enhanced heating. For $2 - $5, a pair of chemical foot warmers can be put under your feet adding significantly to your cold weather comfort for up to eight hours.
Experiment until you find the solution, or combination of solutions, that work best for you.
The three basic principals of keeping your feet warm are: 1) maximize blood flow, 2) block the wind, and 3) Insulate the foot, including the sole. Keeping your feet dry is not nearly as important as insulation and blocking the wind. Wet feet can still be warm.
Use the temperature outside and the size of your budget to refine your winter foot strategy.
Before anything else, make sure that your riding shoes are not too tight. You are better off riding with thin socks and good blood flow than you are with thick socks that reduce your circulation in tight shoes. If you are buying new cycling shoes, make sure they are not too tight. You can always take up a little extra room with an insole. But you cannot stretch most cycling shoes to fit looser.
Second, block the wind. All the insulation in the world is useless if the wind is blowing through it. If you are riding summer shoes in the winter, wind can be blocked with plastic bags over your socks, with windproof socks, or with covers over the outside of your shoes. Plastic bags are free and can help tremendously. Shoe covers keep the cold wind even further from your toes and generally keep your feet drier than plastic bags.
Third, more insulation is warmer. If there is room in your shoes for thicker socks, thicker socks are warmer than thin ones. Wool or high performance synthetics are much warmer than cotton or cotton blends. And, insulated shoe covers can add even more insulation on the outside of the shoes. While most people find winter-specific shoes to be the warmest and most comfortable in winter weather, many people make due with summer shoes and insulated shoe covers for much of their Willamette Valley winter riding.
Finally, regardless of the other efforts taken, there is always the option of chemically enhanced heating. For $2 - $5, a pair of chemical foot warmers can be put under your feet adding significantly to your cold weather comfort for up to eight hours.
Experiment until you find the solution, or combination of solutions, that work best for you.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The weather is supposed to clear up tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon leading into a dry weekend. Yahoo.
Incidentally, tomorrow night is also a full moon. So, Gregg and Jon are leading a full moon, mountain bike, night ride from Peak Sports, starting at 6:00 PM. Everyone is welcome. Bring lights and helmets.Also this weekend, the Mid-valley Bicycle Club is doing King’s Valley and Decker Road rides on Saturday, and the new Team Dirt is heading out for its regular Sunday morning group ride from the Monroe St. Beanery at 9:00 AM.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Winter Events at Peak Sports
Well, we’re heading into . . . no . . . We’ve now entered our soggy Willamette Valley winter season. I looked at the extended weather forecast yesterday, and it predicted rain every single day for as long as the forecast forecasted.
Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of opportunities for truly great mild weather bike rides, but now they all come with a significant risk of that cold soggy misery we all know so well.
To try and keep us all smiling and excited about cycling, even through these tough economic and meteorological times, Peak Sport is promoting a whole series of winter cycling activities. Every Wednesday night throughout the winter, Peak Sports will be playing a bicycle related movie or running indoor roller racing or presenting classes and clinics about bicycles and bicycling. Also, for the more robust among us, there will be full-moon bicycle rides leaving Peak Sports at 6:15 PM, rain or shine, during every full moon night throughout the winter (Thur Nov 13, Fri Dec 12, Sun Jan 11, Mon Feb 9 . . .).
Call (541-754-6444 x2) or stop by Peak Sport with any questions you may have, or to sign up for any of the events. I will post a calendar as we solidify what is happening on each Wednesday.
Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of opportunities for truly great mild weather bike rides, but now they all come with a significant risk of that cold soggy misery we all know so well.
To try and keep us all smiling and excited about cycling, even through these tough economic and meteorological times, Peak Sport is promoting a whole series of winter cycling activities. Every Wednesday night throughout the winter, Peak Sports will be playing a bicycle related movie or running indoor roller racing or presenting classes and clinics about bicycles and bicycling. Also, for the more robust among us, there will be full-moon bicycle rides leaving Peak Sports at 6:15 PM, rain or shine, during every full moon night throughout the winter (Thur Nov 13, Fri Dec 12, Sun Jan 11, Mon Feb 9 . . .).
Call (541-754-6444 x2) or stop by Peak Sport with any questions you may have, or to sign up for any of the events. I will post a calendar as we solidify what is happening on each Wednesday.
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