Happy New Year!

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is enjoying this fine holiday season! Hopefully you all have been able to take advantage of this mild weather pattern with some nice fresh air.

We did want to remind everyone that we will be open from 9:30 - 6 pm this Thursday, New Year's Day. This should be a great day around the MOB! We will be supporting Polar Bear Ride for Courage in the morning, so bust the road the road bike and start the New Year in proper fashion! Then in the early part of the afternoon, we will be serving up some southern style New Years refreshments over here at the shop. And then for the New Year's Day late risers, there will be a Salem Lake MTB ride leaving the shop at 3 pm. There will be special pricing on various items throughout the store as well; particularly the 2009 Look 566 model will be marked down ten percent.

Looking forward to the weekend, Mock Orange is happy to present the second race of the North Carolina Winter Cyclocross Series! This race will take place this Sunday, January 4, at SECCA(the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art)in Winston-Salem. If you've not participated in or witnessed a cross race, don't miss this opportunity! Much fun will be had by all. SECCA is a great resource for the Winston-Salem arts community and they have been very gracious in letting us utilize their grounds for these cyclocross events. You can visit www.nccyclocross.com for more information on this weekend's racing and the remainder of the winter series.

The Saturday morning Road Rides have been great this year! MOB Team member Rodney Simpson does an excellent job organizing these rides and they are a great way to get in those much needed base miles. The rides consist of both an A and B group and are intended for low intensity training. The rides usually last about three hours. These rides leave the shop at 10am every Saturday.

Finally, for the night prior to the cross race at SECCA, January 3; be sure not to miss the Tanglewood Festival of Lights by bike! For one night only the park will be closed to cars and open to bikes. This is a great way to experience the Festival of Lights if you've not done so. The cost is $3 per person and the rides begin at 6 pm with the last one leaving at 8. Helmets are required and headlights and tail lights are recommended. There is a brief registration and safety talk, and then it's on to see the lights! This is a great activity for the whole family. Cruise on over to Tanglewood on the evening of the 3rd of January to experience the Festival of Lights by Bike!

Thanks!

mob holiday hours

dec 24th 9:30am-5pm
dec 25th thru 28th closed
dec 29th thru 30th 9:30am-6pm
dec 31st 9:30am-5pm
jan 1st 9:30am-6pm (plus special events)

Hola everyone! Just wanted to let you know when we will and won't be at the shop for the next week or so. We're excited about 2009 and want everyone to get it started with a ride. Come out and join us on New Year's Day. Roadies, should check out the Polar Bear Ride in the morning. Afterwards, come to the shop. We'll have some refreshments, and then we'll get the mountain bikers out for a ride in the dirt at 3pm. Watch for annoucements about some exciting 'New Year's Resolution Deals' in the shop that day.

Polar Bear Ride for Courage, January 1

Hello Friends,

Here is a note we received about the upcoming Polar Bear Metric Century on January 1. This is a great way to start the year off!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Polar Bears!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Don’t let all of that turkey slow you down…make sure to check out www.trainpolar.org to get the most recent training tips from all of the local bike shops!

Sign up today for the 2009 Ride for Courage at gopolar.org. You can set up a donation page through the site. If you get up to $500 in pledges (that’s ONLY $50 from ten of your friends/family) you will win a FREE 2009 Ride for Courage jersey…and it’s awesome this year!!!

Also remember you can still order a jersey for $70. Please send Anna Cohn an email with your size preference (sizing chart on www.gopolar.org) if you’d like to place your order…time is almost up for jersey orders so don’t wait! Also, please encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to come out and ride or financially support Cancer Services this year. Your ride to honor the courage of those facing a cancer diagnosis is so appreciated!

Remember to encourage others that 100% of donations go straight to help people with cancer with medical supplies, paying bills, paying for medications, transportation to treatment, and support groups. That’s the best gift someone with cancer could get this holiday season…hope, support, and love!

Thank you so much for joining us this year in our ride for courage…together we are making a difference in the life of every person who walks through the doors of Cancer Services. Happy training!

Go Polar!

CONTACT
Anna M. Cohn
Development CoordinatorCancer Services, Inc.
3175 Maplewood Ave.Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Phone: 760-9983 Fax: 760-1282
www.cancerservicesonline.org

Thanks!

Sweet Gift Ideas!

Hello Friends,

It's that time of year again! The holiday season is upon us! Here are some easy gift ideas found at Mock Orange for the biker or cycling enthusiast on your list this year:

Under $25
-Planet Bike Superflash
-Blackburn Shop Pump
-Warm Gloves
-Bag of MOJoe Coffee Beans

Under $50
-New Tires
-Arm/Leg/Knee Warmers
-Tifosi Sunglasses
-Aerobie Coffee Press

Under $100
-Mock Orange Jersey
-NiteRider Mi-Newt Mini Helmet Light
-Shimano R085 Road Shoes
-Endura Bib Knickers

Also, the Sunday afternoon Mock Orange MTB rides have begun. The ride this Sunday will be at Hobby Park at 1:00 pm. Meet in the parking lot at the top of the driveway. For more information on this ride call the shop or e-mail Frank Mullins at fdmullins@earthlink.net. The Mock Orange Wednesday Night Cyclocross Rides are thriving right now! Meet at the shop at 6 pm. And as always, the Mock Orange Saturday Road Ride will leave the shop for its three hour loop this Saturday at 10 o'clock am.

The final race in the 2008 NC Cyclocross Series is this weekend in Salisbury, NC. Visit www.nccyclocross.com for details.

Thanks!

MOB in Malawi

Hey everybody, we just got a couple of pics from Laurel Jernigan of World Camp Inc. We had some mis-printed MOB tees that she took off of our hands and got into the hands of some kids that could really use them in Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa. Thanks World Camp and Laurel for all that you are doing for the kids.

Tofurkey!

Hello Friends,

The Mock Orange road ride will leave the shop this Saturday at 10 am. It may be a little cool so bundle up accordingly! The Saturday morning MTB ride is on hiatus this week to return later in the month.

It's that time of year again: the annual Tofurkey Ride will happen on Friday, November 28. This mountain bike ride will leave the shop and head over to Salem Lake at 2 pm. Beat the Turkey Day blues with a sweet Tofurkey MTB ride on the 28th! You can view pictures from previous Tofurkey rides here.

The NC Cyclocross Series heads to Hendersonville, NC this weekend for the UCI sanctioned North Carolina Grand Prix of Cyclocross! Visit http://www.nccyclocross.com for all the information on this sweet two day event.

Thanks!

Ride for Courage - Polar Bear Metric Century

Hello Friends,

The Mock Orange road ride will leave the shop at 10 am this
Saturday. There will be both an A group and a B group. The ride
will head into N. Davidson County.

As hard to believe as it is, it is already time to start thinking
about the annual "Ride for Courage - Polar Bear Metric Century" on New
Year's Day. This ride benefits Cancer Services and is a great way to get
the new year started off on the right foot. Here is some text from the
official website: "So, why ride on New Year's Day?
It takes courage to face the reality of a cancer diagnosis. While it
will never match the fortitude required to battle cancer, we invite you
to dig deep, face the frost and hop on your bike as we raise money for
Cancer Services in Winston-Salem". Cancer Services main mission is to
"to enhance the quality of life for those living with cancer and to
provide the gift of life through education". Also, check out some great
training tips for this ride at http://www.trainpolar.org/. You can get all the
information on this ride and register online at http://www.gopolar.org/.

The NC Cyclocross Series heads to the sandhills of Southern Pines,
NC this weekend. For more info visit http://www.nccyclocross.com/.

Thanks!

Endura

It's nice outside today, but there is winter weather in our future. Do you have what you need to keep riding as the days get even shorter and the temperature drops? We've found this little company based in Scotland that makes some of the warmest and driest riding gear around. We've been selling Endura's mountain bike shorts and jerseys all summer, and they've been awesome. Now, we're ready to get into the gear that they're best known for, the stuff to keep you riding when the temps are at or below freezing, there is rain or sleet in the air, and you still can't bear to sit at home on the couch.

Josh from Endura will be at the shop from 4 to 6pm on Wednesday of next week (Nov 12th). He'll have samples of their whole line, and he'll be able to answer any questions that folks might have.

Afterwards, he'll join us on the Wednesday night Salem Lake ride, so charge up your lights, come check out Endura and join us for the ride.

Mock Orange road rides, Super D, and Cross!

Hello Friends,

The Mock Orange off-season road training rides will officially begin this Saturday, November 1. The first ride of the season will leave the shop at 2:00 pm and will head out to Davidson County for a two and a half to three hour round trip. Depending on attendance there will be both an "A" group and a "B" group. The former will do a 18-20 mph pace and the latter will do about a 16-18 mph pace. The "B" group route will also be shorter in distance. Cue sheets will be available on Saturday as well. Refreshments will be served after the shop closes at 5 pm in celebration of this first road ride of the season!

Here is some exciting news for mountain bikers: the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club is hosting a Winter Super D Series at Kerr Scot Park is Wilkesboro. The race series begins on Saturday, November 8 and finishes on December 13th. Visit the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club's website for all the details.

And of course, the North Carolina Cyclocross Series heads to Lenoir, NC this Sunday. If you are looking for a weekend activity for Sunday, jump in the car and head on up to Lenoir and check out some sweet cross racing action! Great for racing or spectating! Visit http://www.nccyclocross.com/ for more information.

Thanks!

Mock Orange road rides begin this Saturday!

Hello Friends,

The off-season Mock Orange Road Training Rides will begin this Saturday, October 25 at 10 am. These rides will be led by members of the Mock Orange Racing Team. This year, depending on how many folks come out, we are planning on having an "A" group and a "B" group. The "A" group will roll
typically between 18-20 mph on average, while the "B" group will do more of a 17-19 mph average. The first ride on the 25th will head out into North Davidson County for two-and-a-half to three hours, so this will be a nice off season pedal on the 25th and each following Saturday through the fall and winter. We'll see you this Saturday!

Also, don't forget the annual Cyclocross-dress Jamboree the evening of October 25! The riders meeting begins at 8 pm at the shop.

Thanks!

Cycle for Life... 2008 - This weekend!

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing great!

Cycle for Life 2008
This Saturday, October 18 is the "Cycle for Life...2008" Hanover Park Ride. This is such a nice ride and is for such a good cause that it is included in the Mocktoberfest celebration this year! Mock Orange Bikes is proud to have been involved with this ride since its inception in 2004. This is a great ride and it supports the North Carolina Stroke Association's Partnership Grant Program and has become quite a fund-raiser for this organization. There is a 25 mile, a 40 mile, and a 65 mile option, so you can do a long day in the saddle or head in early if you want. Lunch is provided after the ride and the winery will be open as well. This year's ride should be awesome because it looks like the weather will be spectacular this weekend. Definitely plan to participate in this one! Please visit http://www.ncstroke.org/ for more information and start times. We'll see you this weekend at "Cycle for Life...2008"!

Return of the Salem Lake Night Rides
Next Wednesday, October 22, marks the beginning of this year's Salem Lake evening rides. These rides are much fun. We will be meeting at the shop at 6 pm each Wednesday through the cooler months for a lap or two around the lake. It’s important to note that it is not nearly as cold outside when you are in good company! The ride itself will leave the shop, head up Brookstown Ave. and ride into town, hit the greenway, cruise over to and around the lake, then retrace the route back to the shop. There will be both an "A" group and a "B" group for this ride, so no one will ever ride alone. This ride is very much cyclocross bike friendly, but you can ride your mountain bike or hybrid model as well. You can ride your road bike if you want! Lights are highly recommended for this ride since we will be running low on daylight. Keep your wheels turning this fall at the Wednesday evening Mock Orange Salem Lake ride!

Cyclocross-dress Jamboree
Also, the annual Cyclocross-dress Jamboree is coming! The event is Saturday, October 25. The pre-race meeting begins at 8 pm at the shop. Costume is required for race entry.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Wilson Creek this Weekend

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing well!

As expected a great time was had by all at the annual "Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day" celebration at the Children's Home. This was by far the best turn-out we've ever had for this occasion, and the weather was perfect! This is always a great day, and this year was no different. A special word of gratitude goes to Jay Doub and Gwyn, as they are instrumental in bringing this event to fruition each year. We're already looking forward to the next TAKMBD!

Thanks to everyone who came out to SECCA last Sunday for race 2 of the "Can't Wait for 'Cross Season" series. Mock Orange would also like very much to thank SECCA for allowing us to utilize their wonderful grounds for the event. Again, the weather was great and the racing action was stellar. You can view pictures from the event here. The North Carolina Cyclocross Series begins October 18. Visit www.nccyclocross.com for more info.

The next installment of the Mocktoberfest celebration is this Sunday. The MOB crew is meeting at the shop at 8:30 am to caravan up to the Wilson Creek Wilderness Area outside of Boone, NC for a large scale mountain bike adventure! Participants should be prepared for 4 hours in the saddle, so bring some snacks and an extra tube. We will running a shuttle, but there will be plenty of pedaling involved, so probably leave the full-on downhill bike at home. Also, this is an advanced level ride over technical and rocky terrain. By the time it's all over this will be an all day outing, so this is going to be big time fun. Come join us this Sunday for some sweet big mountain trail riding! Weather disclaimer: If it looks like there is a significant chance for bad weather in the High Country this Sunday, we will do something MTB related locally from the shop.

The final Tuesday Night Special of the season will be this coming Tuesday, October 14. We will leave the shop promptly at 6, do an amended, slightly shorter loop so we can return to the shop before the dark sets in, and proceed to the porch for the post ride celebration! This will be great fun, so join us this Tuesday for the final Tuesday Night Special of the season.

Thanks!

Cyclocross at SECCA 10/5/08 - pics

Here are some pictures from yesterday's cyclocross race at SECCA (Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, http://www.secca.org/) in Winston-Salem. Check the gallery soon for more photos of this sweet event. "Take A Kid Mountain Biking" pictures will be posted soon as well..

Thanks!

Cyclocross at SECCA 10/5/08 pics

SECCA this Sunday

Hello everyone,

As you all know, we here at Mock Orange are very much looking forward to this weekend's "Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day" and "Cyclocross at SECCA" on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

For those not acquainted with SECCA, or the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, you are in for a treat this Sunday. Here is some text from SECCA's website:

"SECCA fosters creative excellence through temporary exhibitions and projects of significant regional and national scope. Through innovative outreach and education programs, SECCA serves as a vital community resource by bringing artists, their work, and the public together in meaningful experiences of sharing and learning on the common ground of art."

The gallery will be open during and after the races this Sunday and entry is free, so be sure to take advantage and walk through SECCA while you are at the venue! SECCA is located at 750 Marguerite Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

Learn more at http://www.secca.org.

Thanks!

SECCA this Sunday

Fun Weekend Ahead!

Hello again friends,

We hope everyone is doing well today.

This weekend is going be great! As the first official weekend of this year's Mocktoberfest, we will be celebrating Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day at the Children's Home in Winston-Salem on Saturday from 11am-3pm. After that, we will continue the festivities with a "Big Kids MTB Ride", which will leave the shop at 3:30 Saturday afternoon. The shop itself will close at 3 pm on October 4th.

Then, on the following Sunday, we are very much looking forward to "Cyclocross at SECCA", with races beginning at 9:30 am and continuing into the afternoon. For a complete schedule or to pre-register click here. This event should be great for spectators as well as racers, so come on out this Sunday for some great cross action!

There has been one schedule amendment in this weekends' itinerary, and that is that Sunday's Kona Dirt Demo will take place at SECCA after the cyclocross racing draws to a close around 2 pm. So the Kona Demo will take place at SECCA immediately following the cross event on Sunday, not at Hobby Park as previously announced.

Thanks and we'll see you this weekend!

Mocktoberfest! 2008

Hello Friends,

Well, it’s that time of year again: Mocktoberfest is upon us! Here is this year’s schedule of events:

Saturday, October 4th – Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day and Kona Dirt Demo, 11 am to 3 pm, The Children’s Home, Winston-Salem. Shop closing at 3, “Big Kids MTB Ride” at 3:30 from the shop.

Sunday, October 5th – Cyclocross at SECCA and Kona Dirt Demo

Sunday, October 12th – Big Mountain Ride at Wilson’s Creek Wilderness Area

Tuesday, October 14th – Final “Tuesday Night Special” of the season, Customer Appreciation Celebration on the porch to follow the ride

Saturday, October 18th – Hanover Park Cycle for Life 2008 Road Ride

Saturday, October 25th – Annual “Cyclocross-dress Jamboree”, Racers meeting at the shop at 8 pm

Also, select 2008 model bikes will be specially priced throughout the month of October.

Thanks!

Cyclocross at SECCA! 10/5/08

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing well today and enjoying this nice weather! We’ve got lots of news this week.

As you all already know, Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day is October 4. We will be celebrating at the Children’s Home in Winston-Salem. After the main part of the day at The Children’s Home, a “Big Kids” ride will leave the shop at 3:30 to head over to Salem Lake. This mountain bike ride is for the young and the young at heart, so come join the MOB crew for a sweet afternoon MTB ride at 3:30 after the TAKMBD celebration! The shop will close at 3:00 pm on October 4.

The following day, Mock Orange Bikes is pleased to announce the second race in the "Can't Wait for Cross Season" series, "Cyclocross at SECCA" which will take place on Sunday, October 5 at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem. If you are unfamiliar with SECCA, you are in for a treat on October 5. Once a residence, the building is now a wonderful museum of fine art, and the surrounding grounds will provide the perfect setting for a great cyclocross race! Racing action begins at 9:30 am, and will continue into the afternoon. Kona Bike Company will be in attendance, so that always makes for a good time. There will be a beverage tent on-site as well. Racers can register the day of the event or pre-register online at www.pre-reg.com. And of course there is no registration process involved for spectators! Be sure to join in the fun at "Cyclocross at SECCA" on October 5! SECCA is located at 750 Marguerite Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106. Call the shop at (336) 722-6678 for more information.

Also on October 5, following the Cyclocross event, Kona and Mock Orange will once again be hosting a Dirt Demo Day. This is another opportunity to test out some nice Kona mountain bikes on some off-road terrain. This event will take place at SECCA following the cross race that afternoon. Come join Kona and the MOB for some sweet mountain biking action after the cross race on the 5th of October!

The Saturday morning MOB MTB ride will be at its normal time of 9:30 on Saturday morning this week. The Monday night Advanced MTB ride will meet over at Hobby Park this week in the parking lot at 6:30 pm. The beginner mountain bike ride led by Erika von Isenburg will meet at 6 pm on Tuesday night at the visitor’s center at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons. The "Tuesday Night Special" road ride will also be leaving at its normal time of 6 pm from the shop on Tuesday as well.

Thanks!

October 4th, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

The 5th annual Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is October 4th from 11am until 3pm, and we can't wait! We've been making plans to try to top the fun we had at last year's, and things are looking good. Kona has decided to join us this year. They are sending a rep out from Washington state out with some bikes, so we'll have a demo happening along side the rest of the festivities. CycleSafe will be back this year with kids' helmets and their passion for making cycling attainable and safe to everyone.

For those of you that aren't familiar with the event, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is a day for all of us to pass along our love of riding to the next generation. The Children's Home has agreed to host the event on their grounds again this year. We'll head over there at 11am and start riding bikes. People are free to come and go, ride bikes and hang out. Our good friend Jay Doub will be serving lunch. So, if you have kids, bring them out to ride. If you don't have kids, you certainly know at least one kid that would really benefit from the experience. Take the time to give her or him a memory that will last a lifetime. If you can't find a kid, well, come out and join us anyway. We'll be having a grand time.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is sponsored by IMBA and celebrates the life of Jack Doub.

For more info, call us at the shop, 336.722.6678, or email info@mockorangebikes.com.

Big Dummy

Have you ever seen anything quite like this?!? It is the Big Dummy made by Surly. It is the ideal machine for the cyclist that plans to never get behind the wheel of the car. The frame has a longer wheel base (it takes two chains put together to reach from the cranks to the cassette) and is designed to work with the Xtracycle range of accessories. Their bits and pieces are designed to make it covenient for you (or in this case Konrad) to load all of the items that you'd usually put in your car on your bike!

Konrad's older daughter rides on the deck behind his seat. His little girl rides in the trailer. It is an awesome sight to see the three of them riding around WS. When you see them, give 'em a wave and let them remind us that we can all do a little something for ourselves and the environment by leaving the car parked and hopping on the bike once in while. For a few more pics, you can check out the Mobilts section of the gallery.

To check out a few more transportation oriented bikes, you can visit our friend at Kona. The Ute is similar to the Big Dummy. The Africa Bike is more your standard head to the market bike complete with basket. The Smoke and the Dew are great commuters. The Paddy Wagon is just plain cool.

Mock Orange Update 9/5/08

Hello Friends,

We hope you all are doing well!

As many of you know, the Multiple Sclerosis Society sponsored Tour to Tanglewood is this coming weekend. We want to wish everyone participating in this event much luck. This is a good ride for a great cause, so here's to a great Tour this year!

The Mock Orange Saturday morning MTB ride will leave at its normal time of 9:30 this Saturday. The Monday night advanced MTB ride will leave at 6 pm, from the shop this week, to head over to Salem Lake. The Tuesday Night Special road ride will also leave at its normal time of 6 pm this Tuesday.

Also, Erika von Isenburg will lead a beginner friendly ladies MTB ride Tuesday evening at Tanglewood. This one will meet behind the Welcome Center at 6 pm. This is a great ride for women who are just getting back into the sport or those just starting out. Come on out and join Erika this Tuesday evening for some sweet trail riding!

Finally, the pre- cross season "Can't Wait for Cross Season" series is coming soon! Race two will be in Winston-Salem on Sunday, October 5 at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. We'll keep you posted on the details so stay tuned!

Thanks!

"Cycle for Life...2008"

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing great and enjoying their bike rides here as of late.

It is not too early to mark your calendars for the "Cycle for Life...2008" ride from Hanover Park Vineyard in Yadkinville, NC. Mock Orange Bikes is proud to have been involved with this ride since its inception in 2004. This is a great ride for a great cause as it supports the North Carolina Stroke Association's Partnership Grant Program and has become quite a fund-raiser for this organization. There is a 25 mile, a 40 mile, and a 65 mile option, so you can do a long day in the saddle or head in early if you want. Lunch is provided after the ride and the winery will be open as well! This year's ride will take place on October 18, right in the middle of one of our area's nicest times of the year, so definitely plan to participate in this one! Please visit http://www.ncstroke.org for more information and start times.

The MOB Saturday Morning MTB Ride will leave at its normal time of 9:30 this week. Also, Mock Orange will be closed this Monday for Labor Day, so there will be no Advanced MTB ride this week. The Advanced MTB ride will head out again next Monday at its normal time of 6 pm from the shop to Salem Lake. And as usual, the Tuesday Night Special road ride will leave at its normal time of 6 pm this Tuesday.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

MOB Happenings

Hello Friends,

We hope you are all doing well!

We wanted to remind you all that the southeast's only lift assisted mountain bike park is holding its grand opening this weekend! 26 West Mountain Bike Park is cutting the ribbon this Saturday. Some esteemed members of the MOB crew are making the drive up for this special occasion to ride some sweet downhills and would love to see some fellow MOBers up there. For more information on the park visit http://www.26westmountainbikepark.com/.

The Saturday Morning MOB MTB Ride will leave at its normal time of 9:30 this Saturday morning. The Monday Night advanced MTB ride will leave the shop and head over to Salem Lake this Monday at 6. And of course the Tuesday Night Special road ride will leave the shop at its normal time of 6 pm on Tuesday evening.

Also, Mock Orange is having a sale on all in-stock Giant Bicycles beginning this Saturday, August 23. These bikes will be specially priced from this weekend until the end of September. Come on by and have a look!

Thanks!

26 West Mountain Bike Park - Grand Opening!

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is great and enjoying this really nice weather we've been having lately.

We wanted to let you all know that 26 West Mountain Bike Park's will hold its Grand Opening and official Ribbon-Cutting on Saturday, August 23. Those of you that have been up to the park know how sweet the area is, so the 23rd is going to be a great day up there! Here is the word on the Park from the official website:

The Southeast's only lift-assisted Mountain Bike Park! Only 25 miles north of Asheville, NC, 26 West Mountain Bike Park is located just off Interstate 26 West at Breakaway Village in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Trails are designed for everyone from beginner, intermediate to expert. Hardtail, short and long-travel dual suspension bike rentals and lessons are available onsite. Bring your bike or rent ours, either way you'll enjoy a day of quick chair-lift rides to the top for a day full of descending!

So if you can make the trip head on up to 26 West on Saturday August 23 for the Grand Opening! For more information on 26 West, please visit www.26westmountainbikepark.com.

Please remember the Saturday Morning MOB MTB Ride leaves the shop at 9:30 am to head over to Salem Lake. The Monday Night Advanced MTB Ride will take place at Hobby Park at 6:30 pm this week. The ride meets in the parking lot over there. Also, the Casual MTB Ride led by Erika von Isenburg will take place on Tuesday evening this week. This ride meets in the parking lot of the Visitor's Center at Tanglewood Park at 6 pm. And as usual, the Tuesday Night Special road ride will leave at its normal time of 6:15 on Tuesday from the shop.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Pinarello Prince

Hello Friends,

We hope you all are doing great!

Not too long ago MOBer extraordinaire Tommy Wofford had the chance to test the Pinarello Prince on some of his normal training routes. Here is what he had to say about the bike:

Recently, I had the opportunity to ride a great bike- The Pinarello Prince. Jay and Charles were kind enough to allow me to spend some time on a world class machine. If anyone is considering a top-of-the-line bike, this one deserves serious consideration.

Pros: The Prince is the top of the line Pinarello. It is truly the top shelf of the "best of the best" in the cycle world. To put this bike into perspective, if this bike would have come to life as a car, it would have been a Porsche 911 Turbo!!! The bike looks fast, feels fast and is fast. The finish on this bike is a work of art. Lots of attention to detail. Beyond great looks, the bike is stiff yet very smooth. The Prince responds immediately does an excellent job of absorbing pavement imperfections. It also inspires confidence on high speed descends. This is a great bike!

Cons: The only complaint that I had about this bike is..... that it doesn't live at my house!

Thanks for the review Tommy! We also think this bike is top notch.

We should remind you all that this week's MOB Monday Night Advanced MTB Ride will be at Salem Lake. The ride will meet at the shop at 6 pm and head over to the Lake by bike. Come on out if you can make it!

Also, the new weekly Tanglewood Beginner’s MTB ride is moving to Monday night at 6 pm. This casual ride, led by Erika von Isenburg, meets at the Welcome Center, which is the first little house on your left as you enter the park. This is a fun couple of laps of the singletrack out there at Tanglewood. So come on out for a very casual ride this Monday at 6!

The MOB Saturday Morning MTB ride leaves the shop at 9:30 am. This is a great way to get your weekend started on the right foot. The ride leaves the shop, heads over to Salem Lake, hits the singletrack, and then comes home. The round trip usually takes about three hours. We’ll see you tomorrow for this one!

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

MOB MTB Rides

Hello Friends,

We hope you all are doing great!

We wanted to remind you all that this week's MOB Monday Night Advanced MTB Ride will be at Hobby Park. The ride meets in the parking lot over there at 6:30 pm for a few sweet laps. Come on out if you can make it! This ride alternates weekly between Salem Lake and Hobby Park, so next week the ride will meet at and leave from the shop and head over to Salem Lake.

Also, there have been a few folks meeting over at Tanglewood Park on Wednesday evenings. This casual ride, led by Erika von Isenburg, meets at the Welcome Center, which is the first little house on your left as you enter the park. This is a fun couple of laps of the singletrack out there at Tanglewood. So come on out for a mountain bike ride this Wednesday at 6!

The MOB Saturday Morning MTB ride leaves the shop at 9:30 am. This is a great way to get your weekend started on the right foot. The ride leaves the shop, heads over to Salem Lake, hits the singletrack, and then comes home. The round trip usually takes about three hours.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Looking forward to the Hanes Park Classic!

Hello Friends,

Greetings to you all. We hope everyone is doing great!

The Hanes Park Classic is coming up this Sunday, August 3. This is not only a day of sweet bike racing around Hanes Park; it is also a day of fun for the entire family! The day will begin with an 8 am Community Fun Ride, which will have both a 25 and 50 mile option that will leave from the start/finish line on Northwest Blvd. This will be a great way to get some nice fresh air before the rest of the day's festivities. For the runners in the crowd the Hanes Park Classic 5k begins at 8:05. Bike races begin at 9am. Of course, there will be vendors of all varieties and activities for the kids all day long, including kid's bike races for all ages starting at 2:45. For a complete schedule of events visit www.hanesparkclassic.com.

We will be open down here at Mock Orange as well. We will be running some special prices on selected bikes and merchandise, so definitely swing by. Also, the MOB Veranda will be open to those who are sporting Mock Orange duds; that is to say that your ticket to the porch is a Mock Orange t-shirt, hat, jersey, shorts, or any other article of MOB clothing. Be sure to stick around for the post-race party on the porch as well! This is sure to be an awesome day.

You can keep up with the Mock Orange Cycling Team at:
http://www.mockorangeracing.blogspot.com


Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Hanes Park Classic, August 3

Hello Friends,

Hopefully everyone is doing well and enjoying this nice weather!

We are looking forward to a great week of racing this coming week with the Crossroads Cycling Classic! This series consists of a number of criteriums all within a one hour drive of Winston-Salem. These events are great for racers and spectators alike so if you are looking for something to do in the evening over the next several days, come on out to a bike race in a town near you! For more information visit www.crossroadscyclingclassic.com.

Speaking of bike races close to home, next Sunday, August 3, is the annual Hanes Park Classic bike race taking place right here in Winston-Salem. Cyclesafe.org has done an excellent job making this a great day of fun for the entire family. From the Community Fun Rides in the morning, to the 5k road race for running, and on to the kid’s bike races in the afternoon, this is just an all around great event. Oh, and did I mention there are amateur and professional bike races throughout the day? Check out www.hanesparkclassic.com for a complete schedule of events. Mock Orange will be open on August 3 from 9 am to 4 pm. We are totally looking forward to this event and hope to see everyone at the Hanes Park Classic next Sunday!

Thanks!

Major Jake

It's not too soon to be thinking about cyclocross season! Joeff Williams already is. He's just built up a 63cm Major Jake team frame. Most of us can't even get a leg over this thing, but it is a perfect fit for him. The bike is a nice, solid Ultegra build with Ksyrium Elite wheels. For more pics, check out the gallery, and watch out for Joeff come 'cross season!

Happenings

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing well this week and having a blast riding their bikes. You know, with gas prices going “though the roof” as they say, one can really save some cash by riding their bike to work, the grocery store, or any other normal errand. That’s just a word to the wise from your friendly neighborhood MOB right there.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Piedmont Triad Omnium last weekend! It was great to see so many of our MOB Syndicate members taking part in what turned out to be a very successful first year event. Events like this are always so much fun, even if you are just interested in taking in some action from a spectator’s perspective. There are many more opportunities coming up in the form of the Crossroads Cycling Classic taking place July 25 - August 3. This is a great series of races, all of which are close by and easy to get to. Of course, the grand finale is the Hanes Park Classic, taking place on the final Sunday. This is always a great day here at the shop so be sure to come out on August 3. Visit www.crossroadscyclingclassic.com for more information.

Looking ahead a little bit, the Cycle for Life ride is going to take place on Saturday October 18. Sponsored by the NC Stroke Association, this is always a great ride for a great cause, so mark your calendars now for this one!

Thanks and we’ll see you soon!

Time Trial Clinic, Saturday evening, 6 pm

MOB Cycling Team member Zach Lail will be conducting a time trial clinic this Saturday at 6 pm at the shop. Here is the official word:

Zach Lail of Precision Cycle Coach, in conjunction with Mock Orange Bikes will be hosting a free Time Trail Clinic on Saturday July 11th, 6;00PM at Mock Orange Bikes in Winston Salem. This will be just in time for the Piedmont Omnium concluding Time Trial the next morning. Topics will be proper fit and positioning, aerodynamics, training, strategy and pacing. All are welcome to attend and even bring your TT bikes for a free position analysis. Contact zach@precisioncyclecoach for more info.

Thanks!

The Piedmont Triad Omnium

Hello Friends,

This weekend is going to be awesome. The 1st annual Piedmont Triad Omnium is taking place in and around the Lexington area. The event kicks off Friday evening with the very spectator friendly Uptown Lexington Criterium, followed by the Davidson County Community College Road Race on Saturday, and the Thomasville Time Trial on Sunday. Mock Orange Bikes is pleased and proud to part of this inaugural event. For more information visit www.thepiedmonttriadomnium.com.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Time Trial Party this Tuesday!

It is that time of year again, the spectacle that is the Tour de France is in full swing! Looking at the schedule for this year’s race, the first individual time trial is being held this Tuesday. As you all know, this date coincides nicely with our weekly Tuesday Night Special ride. So tomorrow we are gonna hang out post-ride on the porch and watch the time trial! So come on by, ride your bike for a little while, and then we’ll sit around and take in some sweet Tour de France action. Even if you can’t make the ride, feel free to stop by to enjoy some light refreshments and observe some really good guys lay down some mean time trials. We are looking forward to this event and we hope you are as well!

Pedal the Piedmont Pics

Check out Frank Mullins, King of the Hill from the 2008 Pedal the Piedmont ride on June 21st. Congrats Frank! There are a few more pics on the Pedal the Piedmont site, and a few more in our gallery. This was a great event and a lot of fun for everyone involved. Go ahead and mark it on your calendar for June 13th, 2009!

Time Trial Party on the Porch! - Tuesday July 8

Hello friends,

We hope everyone is doing great. The biking this time of year is awesome! Road riding, mountain biking, or just a good old fashioned ride around the block; all are highly enjoyable in the summer time.

As hard to believe as it is the spectacle that is the Tour de France is just right around the corner! Looking at the schedule for this year’s race, the first individual time trial is being held on Tuesday July 8. As you all know, this date coincides nicely with our weekly Tuesday Night Special ride. So on this particular Tuesday we are gonna hang out post-ride on the porch and watch the time trial! So come on by, ride your bike for a little while, and then we’ll sit around and take in some sweet Tour de France action. Even if you can’t make the ride, feel free to stop by to enjoy some light refreshments and observe some really good guys lay down some mean time trials. We are looking forward to this event and we hope you are as well!

The Monday Night Advanced MTB ride will leave from the shop to ride over to Salem Lake at 6 pm on Monday evening. The Saturday Morning MTB ride will be on hiatus this week, but will return next week.

Thanks and we’ll see you soon!

Pedal the Piedmont this weekend!

Hello Friends,

Hopefully everyone is doing great today and enjoying this nice weather.

We wanted to remind everyone that the Kernersville Rotary Club is sponsoring the 1st annual Pedal the Piedmont ride this Saturday, June 21. This ride is shaping up to be super well supported with a great route on top of that! What more could you want in a bike ride? Here is the official word on the ride from http://www.pedalthepiedmont.org/ :

The Rotary Club of Kernersville, North Carolina is proud to sponsor a premier cycling event, Pedal the Piedmont, on June 21st, 2008. We expect this inaugural ride to incite cyclists to seek out this event in future years, because of the commitment of the Rotary Club of Kernersville to safety, fun, great routes and even better food. In the tradition of exceptional community service of the Rotary Club of Kernersville, we expect this event to provide funds to support the youth of our community.

And also:

Ride with us! Starting in historic Kernersville, Pedal the Piedmont will wind its way to remote countryside, rolling through gentle country roads with vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway and a few challenging climbs on the longer route to keep it interesting. The Rotary Club of Kernersville, North Carolina is proud to sponsor a premier cycling event, Pedal the Piedmont, on June 21st, 2008. This ride will exceed your expectations of safety, fun, great routes and even better food. This event will provide funds to support the youth of our community through a book given to kids to model ethical living and encouragement to education through our many club sponsored programs.

Mock Orange is the official bike shop sponsor for this ride. We will be out administering service to those in need throughout the day’s festivities. Members of the MOB race team will also be participating in the ride so this is going to be a great event. We are looking forward to seeing you all this weekend at the 1st annual Pedal the Piedmont!

Thanks!

Industry Nine

Check out these sweet wheels that the crew up at Industry Nine built for Wade Shigo! Gold I9 Hubs, Gold I9 Spokes and Gold Velocity Rims. Those guys really can do anything. Wade put these wheels a Dean Ti single speed frame that has been an on-going project for almost two years. A lot of love went into this bike. For a picture of the complete bike, head to the gallery .

If you're looking for a nice wheelset, keep the folks at Industry Nine in mind. The best part is the I9 hubs and spokes are machined right here in NC. Road, downhill, single speed, ultra light, ultra stiff, they'll build the wheels that you want in the colors that you want. Check out the Brown Hubs, Pink/Brown Fade Spokes and Pink Rims below. If you join one of our MOB group rides, you're likely to see these wheels in person!

26 West Mountain Bike Park

Mountain Bikers -- This weekend will mark the opening of North Carolina's first, and the southeast's only lift-assisted mountain bike park! Our good buddy Ryan Taylor, aka Huh, has spent the last 2 years pushing this through the proper channels to ensure dirt mongers in the southeast will have a legal, safe, and sweet place to hone their descending, jumping, and big mountain riding skills. The park is designed and built by Ryan, and will open with 6 trails of varying difficulty to start, with more trails being added as the season unfolds. There is a full fledged downhill course, unique in it's combination of tight technical singletrack, bermed 180 degree turns, and tabletop jumps! If it's Huh-approved you know it's sweet!

Ryan has been working hard to get this going this soon....he had just been given clearance to start digging about 6 or 7 weeks ago. Anyone who has ever done any trail work can appreciate how much work is involved in a project like this; the more folks that come out and ride the park, the better the trails will ride, so please plan an outing to 26 West to check out some great bike riding in a beautiful part of the state.

Directions: From the Winston area, take I40 west to Asheville, then follow 240 past downtown. Look for 26 west and follow for about 25 minutes until exit 3; you will see the Wolf Ridge ski mountain signs. At the bottom of the exit turn right onto Bear Branch road, and another right onto Hwy. 23. Then take your first left onto Laurel Valley Road, and then another quick left onto Puncheon Fork Road. Turn right onto Wolf Ridge Road at the Breakaway Village sign and you're there!

Pedal the Piedmont!

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is well today!

This weekend the Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association is hosting the "Shootout on Anglers Ridge." This mountain bike race will take place on Sunday, June 8 at the Anglers Ridge trails in Danville Virginia. There is a category for everyone, from first timers to experts, and Anglers Ridge is reportedly a super sweet trail system. For more information on this event visit www.svmba.org.

Looking ahead a few weeks, the Kernersville Rotary Club has put together a great ride. The inaugural "Pedal the Piedmont" will take place on June 21. This is shaping up to be a great event! Here is the official word on the ride from www.pedalthepiedmont.org:
The Rotary Club of Kernersville North Carolina is proud to sponsor a premier cycling event, Pedal the Piedmont, on June 21st, 2008. We expect this inaugural ride to incite cyclists to seek out this event in future years, because of the commitment of the Rotary Club of Kernersville to safety, fun, great routes and even better food. In the tradition of exceptional community service of the Rotary Club of Kernersville, we expect this event to provide funds to support the youth of our community.
We are certainly looking forward to the first annual Pedal the Piedmont!

The Saturday morning MTB ride will leave the shop at its normal time of 9:30. Also, this week’s Monday night MTB ride will meet at 6:30 pm at Hobby Park in the main parking lot.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Pics

Hey Everybody,
I went back and added some photos to the older posts from my trip and put a few more in the gallery.
Cheers,
James

MTB Ride - Northwood Trails, Sunday June 1, 1:30 pm

Hello friends,

The MOB crew will be riding mountain bikes this Sunday at 1:30 pm at the Northwood Trails in High Point. The ride will leave from Northwood School off of Lexington Avenue. This is a great opportunity to check out this sweet network of trails with folks who know them well. If you have any questions as to the starting location or other ride details give us a call at the shop.

Thanks!

Back in İstanbul

The Bulgarian segment of the trip turned out to be a short one. On Thursday we left most of our stuff in Edirne and rode across the border near a Bulgarian town called Kapitan Andreevo. We kept going until we reached Svilengrad, which is just a bit larger. İt was a great little town with incredible food. (Veselin, now İ know that all of your stories are true, and İ will have to plan a trip to see more of your native land!)



Later in the day we headed back to the border. The immigration officer on the Bulgarian side was a guy in his twenties, and he asked about the brand of the bikes. He wanted to know where Konas were made. My first thought was the question was something related to customs, but then İ asked if he was a cyclist. He simply pulled up he sleeve of his uniform to show off his tan line as his answer. This was the first cyclist that we'd met on the trip. We saw one other, but unfortunately he was going the other way on a busy divided road, so we never got to speak.

Friday we hopped on the train with our bikes to get from Edirne to İstanbul. İt was a five and a half hour ride through beautiful country-side. At one point we crossed the path that we'd taken on the bikes and even saw a restaurant where we'd eaten through the window.



There is one day left in İstanbul. A good portion will be spent breaking down the bikes for travel, and tomorrow İ begin the journey back...

İ hope to see all of you on Tuesday at the Kranked 7 premier!

James

Kranked 7: The Cackle Factor

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the nice spring weather!

This coming Tuesday, May 27 there will not be a Tuesday Night Special ride because of the screening of "Kranked 7: The Cackle Factor" at the Garage in downtown Winston-Salem. This is going to be a great evening full of mountain bike fun! (as much fun as you can have without actually going for a mountain bike ride, that is) The event begins at 8 pm. Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the shop. However, if you show up by bike, that is, if you ride your bike to the Garage, your admission fee is waived. There will be door prizes and even a chance to win a sweet bike! If you think you've seen some sweet bike stunts before, wait until you see "Kranked 7: The Cackle Factor!" These guys just keep going bigger and sweeter. So cruise on over to the Garage this Tuesday night to check out the local premiere of “Kranked 7: The Cackle Factor.” The fun begins at 8 pm.

Looking ahead to next weekend, the 3 Mountain Madness ride is on Saturday May 31. This is a great road ride for a good cause. The ride encompasses three local climbs: Hanging Rock State Park, Sauratown Mountain, and Pilot Mountain, plus the rolling terrain between the climbs, so there is some elevation gain involved in this one! The ride starts and finishes at the Armfield Civic & Recreation Center just outside the town of Pilot Mountain. Visit www.3mountainmadness.com for more information.

The MOB Saturday Morning MTB Ride will leave the shop at its normal time of 9:30 this week.

Mock Orange Bikes will be closed Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day.

Thanks and we’ll see you soon!

Edirne

Today we headed straight north through the western part of Greece. Our last stop in Greece was a little town near the border called Kastanies. We had a great lunch there and then crossed into Turkey. We rode about 76km and ended for the day in Edirne. We arrived early enough to spend the afternoon touring a couple of the historic mosques here. They are stunning. Dinner is next!



Tomorrow? Hopefully Bulgaria, but we are running out of time.

All the Best,
James

Greece

The first stretch of road on Saturday out of Şarköy was dirt right along the sea. It was a bit bumpy but fun. The next few stretches of road were pavement, but they didn't help progress. They were rough, and the wind was in our faces. Then the climbing began. The longest of the climbs was 5.2km. It was plenty steep with no shoulders. At one point Sophia pulled off the road for water and a break. Little did she know, she'd picked up thorns in both front and rear tires. A few minutes later both tires were flat. I was ahead and didn't realize, so she had to push quite a bit of the climb. When she caught up, we got her tubes swapped. Needless to say, when we arrived in Kesan that night, we were quite ready to just put the bikes away for a bit, even if we had only covered 70km. A hot shower and a good meal had us thinking about getting on the bikes again. The next day was our crossing into Greece!



We were up early and ready to head for the border on Sunday. About 2km out, we started passing trucks lined up for customs. We just kept passing them, hoping that we'd be able to slide through a different line. When we finally got to the front, it was quite a process. We went through 4 stations on the Turkish side, pre-inspection, immigration, customs and then post-inspection. Then we started rolling for the actual border. It was a bridge. On the far side, we got a final salute from the Turkish soldiers and a wave hello from the Greek ones. Then we started passing trucks again... When we got to the front of the line, the first station on the Greek side was a huge car wash! There was no way around. We had to ride through and get sprayed down. I guess that Greek customs didn't want us bringing any Turkish dust across the border. Immigration and customs were relatively painless, aside from the looks that we got for being soaked! We finished our 87km for the day with a brutal headwind all the way in to Alexandroupolis. We found a nice campground, I took a dip in the Aegean, and then we headed to dinner. We had the most amazing mixed seafood platter: squid, octopus, shrimp and fish. Of course, it was accompanied by a wonderful Greek salad topped with the largest piece of Feta that I've ever seen.



Monday we had planned for a rest day, but... I saw the Cave of the Cyclops (from the Odyssey) marked on the map, and I had to go. It was a good bit out of town, and the bus system wasn't getting us there, so we hopped on the bikes. It was a treat to ride them without the panniers. They felt almost light! The Cyclops's Cave turned out to be closed, so it was probably more of a tourist trap than anything, but we did stumble on the site of an ancient Greek city called Zone. It was one of the earliest Greek settlements this far east in what is now modern Greece. There was actually an archaeological team there excavating. It was cool! Our rest day turned out to be 51km on the bikes. It was probably the right thing to keep our legs loose.



We had to back track a bit this morning before we turned north. We ended up on a stretch of road that was every roadies dream. The surface wasn't perfect, but it was good. There was a good bit of climbing, ripping descents and too many turns to count. For 50km we saw 3 cars, 1 herd of goats and 3 herds of cows. That's it. We finished out with 84km for the day, and we're in a little town called Soufli now.



The plan for tomorrow is to keep heading north.

Cheers,
James

Şarköy

Started out Thursday on some of the best roads that you can imagine, two lanes, no lines, rolling hills, relatively smooth and not a car for miles and miles. Ran into some busier four lane roads mid-day. The further that we've been getting from Istanbul, the less touristy the places, which is making the experience that much more enjoyable. Had lunch in a cafeteria in a little town. The lentil soup was great, and it's amazing how much energy it gives you to keep the pedals turning. The bikes leaning on the wall outside were quite the novelty for the locals.

It really has been amazing the way that people react to us riding along. People in cars honk and wave and give us plenty of room. The only locals that don't seem to be too excited to see us are some of the dogs. They give good chase and make a lot of noise but no real issues.

Our 80km for the day ended with a screaming decent towards the Sea of Marmara, whice put us in the town of Tekirdağ for the night. Got a bit lost coming into town, so we had to stop for ice cream to regain our sense of direction. Once that was accomplished we had no trouble getting to the waterfront and finding places to stay and eat.



Today was epic. The road was marked as secondary and scenic. Sounds perfect, right? It was. A few kilometers out of town the pavement ended. The road wound up above the sea, through forests, grape fields and olive tree groves. A lot of the climbing was steep, and the descents were sketchy, to say the least, but this is the stretch of road that I've been looking for. Mıd-afternoon the road dropped out of the hills to a fishing village. From there, we rode just above the water to the town of Şarköy where we've stopped for tonight. It's a great little town. Wandered along the waterfront for a while, then through the open air market. Just had another great meal. That seems to be the theme of the trip!



70km of dirt and gravel will wear a person out. I'm done for the night. Until next time,
James

On The Road

Istanbul was a blast, so the bikes didn't go together until Sunday night. Sophia's derailleur hanger was a bit tweaked, but we got it straightened out and shifting like butter. Traffic in İstanbul was a bit mad, to say the least, so we found a different way to get out of town. We took a ferry boat up the Bosphorus as far as a town called Sariyer. We jumped off the boat and started riding. Our destination was a town on the Black Sea called Kilyos. Our map said that we could ride along the Bosphorus and simply turn left and follow the Black Sea coast. The crucial road that showed on the map just simply wasn't there. That meant about 20km of back tracking, and we learned our first lesson about riding in Turkey, ask a local about the road ahead before you get too far along it. By the time that we got back to the coast, we were ready to sit on the beach and relax a bit, so Kilyos was perfect.



Tuesday we learned our second lesson about riding in Turkey, the locals don't necessarily know anything about the road ahead. Our map and the road signs disagreed, so we sought a third opinion. We asked a bus driver and ended up with another extra 20km. Once we were back on track, had a rest break under an old Roman aqueduct and a bit of lunch we got some more bad news. There was a huge road construction project ahead. We were told that the next stretch of road would be some of the worst that we'd ever see, AND 3000 trucks a day are moving back and forth on it. This tıme both accounts were spot on... Still, between dust clouds, we had some amazing views of the Black Sea, and the temperature couldn't have been more perfect for riding. After a day of dust, exhaust and rough roads, we picked up some snacks in a village called Subaşi and then headed out of town to set up camp. We found a nice spot and were crashed out by dark.



Today has been a gem by comparison. The roads have been relatively smooth, almost no traffic and some of the most beautiful rolling countryside that you can imagine. We only logged about 70km today and had a headwind most of the way. We're stopped for the night in a town called Saray and have found that Turkish dish called Lahmacun can make you forget a day of wind in the face.



Tomorrow we're on the road again heading north and west.

All the Best,
James

Istanbul

Hey Everybody,
It took almost 24 hours of flying and layovers, but I've made it. I arrived in Istanbul about noon NC time on Friday, which was about 7pm here. I have to admit, I haven't even looked inside my bike bag to make sure that it is okay. That can wait until tomorrow. However, I did head straight out for a donner kebab and some raki. Jay, I've got to tell you, the baclava here is incredible, and I enjoyed it under moonlight in front of the Hagia Sofia.
Cheers,
James

National Bike Month

Hello Friends,

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this nice weather we are having here.

Do you all know what month May is? It is National Bike Month according to the League of American Bicyclists. What is National Bike Month? Basically, it is a month-long celebration of the bicycle! This fun month encompasses National Bike to Work week (the 12th through the 16th), which culminates with National Bike to Work Day on Friday May 16th. So definitely keep those dates in mind this month. What else can you do to commemorate Bike Month you ask? Ride your bike 100 miles in a day, attend a local bike race just for fun, or donate an old bike to Cyclesafe.org or another advocacy group. There are so many possibilities!
For more information visit www.bikeleague.org.

Moving forward, here is something else that is very cool: Tuesday Night, May 27, in lieu of the Tuesday Night Special ride we will have a screening of Kranked 7 at The Garage in downtown Winston-Salem. This is the latest in the "Kranked" series of mountain bike films. Just when you thought you had seen it all, these guys keep going bigger and badder! Check this out, here is the official synopsis:

The Cackle Factor – Kranked 7

Radical Films detonates into mountain bike mayhem with ”The Cackle Factor-Kranked 7”.

Inspired by old hipster slang for the insane asylum (the cackle factory), the film trips with stunning footage cut to a post-industrial explosion of funk, rock, reggae, hip-hop and punk.

As the world spirals into madness, seemingly at war with itself, the best mountain bikers are judged against it. Join us as we freak out and explore WHO IS INSANE?
US OR THEM?

Featuring epic riding sets from: Jamie Goldman, Nathan Rennie, Steve Romaniuk, Mike Kinrade, Eric Porter, Kyle Ebbett, Timo Pritzel, James Doerfling, René Wildhaber, Mike Hopkins, Ben Boyko, Kirt Voreis, Garett Buehler, Ryan Berrecloth, Josh Bryceland, Ben Walker, Dylan Dunkerton and Curtis Robinson

Filmed in HD in Alaska, British Columbia, California, Vermont, Switzerland and France.

Soundtrack features: the Hilltop Hoods, the Kinks, Zebrahead, Tsunami Bomb, Ziggy Marley, the Guess Who, Anti-Flag, Five Alarm Funk, Placebo, Lagwagon, the Misfits, Supercabin, Pennywise.

The fun begins at 8 pm on the 27th. Cruise on over to The Garage and check out Kranked 7!

As a side note, check out the Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association’s website. They are a great club with a lot going on in the way of events and races, most of which are not too far away from the Winston-Salem area. Here is the website: http://www.svmba.org/.

Join Erika tomorrow morning at the shop at 9:30 for the Saturday Morning MTB ride!

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Art Unleashed!

Check out MOBer Mark Graves latest creation for the Forsyth Humane Society's "Art Unleashed" public art exhibition. This pup is decorated entirley out of recycled bike tires and parts. Awesome! Look for "Dog Tired Gear Head" and other creations in and around downtown Winston-Salem starting April 26. These guys will be auctioned later in the summer to benefit the Forsyth County Humane Society. Contact info@fhs-artunleashed.org for more information. Great work Mark!

Art Unleashed!

News from local advocacy group Cyclesfe.org

Here is the latest from our friends at Cyclesafe.org:

Winston-Salem Downtown CriteriumSunday, April 20th
12pm-6pm
benefiting Brenner Children's Hospital. There will be an ACC Collegiate Race in the morning, public races starting at noon, FREE kids activites, FREE kids bike race and a FREE CycleSafe.org kids bike rodeo sponsored by the AJ Linville Foundation in the afternoon. So much fun and excitement, you can't miss out!!!
200 East 1st Street Winston Salem, NC 27103
Pre-Register at BikeReg.com


Ride of Silence
May 21, 2008
7:00 pm
Join CycleSafe.org as we host the first "Ride of Silence" in Winston Salem to honor not only National Bike Month but to join millions of others across the world as they honor those cyclists who have been killed or injured as they proclaim "We wish only to SHARE the roads with motorists". Please come out and join us!!! For more information send an email to:
mailto:Info@CycleSafe.org?subject=Ride%20of%20Silence


E-news Spring 2008

Riding in the RainSpring is here and so is the rain!

Here are a few helpful tip to ensure you taking all of the necessary precautions while riding your bike in the rain..

1. Braking Water on the rims will lubricate your brake system making it hard to stop. Apply the breaks lightly to clean off the rims
2. Hazards During the first few minutes of rain, oil seeps from the roadway making it very slick. Avoid puddles as they may conceal deep potholes.
3. Protect yourself Visiblity can be limited during a storm; wear bright clothing. Keep your eyes free of debris with yellow or clear lenses in your glasses.

*Information brought to you by League of American Bicyclists

Cycling Lingo:
As we enter another year of cycling season, we thought you should know these basic cycling terms.
Criterium: a multi-lap bike race on a short course; also circuit race.
Drafting: riding behind another cyclist or vehicle for aerodynamic advantage.
Attack: to accelerate or break away from other cyclists.
Prime (say preem): mid-race sprint for prize, points or time bonuses.

National Bike Month
May is National Bike Month and we are joining forces with several other organizations to impact our community

Please join us as we join forces with the League of American Bicyclists and several other organizations and cyclists as we promote greater public awareness of bicycle operation and safety education. During the month of May, our community outreach efforts to reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities will be heighten for greater effectiveness. Please continue to check our website as we add upcoming events!!


Show your Support!
We simply couldn't do it without the generosity of donations
Donations come in so many forms. We have been given: money (in all different amounts), used bikes, volunteers donating time, and more. If you would like to give to CycleSafe.org and help us continue on our path, please contact info@cyclesafe.org. Please remember, there is no donation too small!! Also, be on the lookout.. we are re-inventing the look of our website!


Please email us with your questions or feedback. After all, we're here for you!



~The CycleSafe.org Team

Thursday Night Live

Kids -- Looking for something fun to do Thursday, April 10th? Our very own James Frinak is recounting his harrowing adventures by bicycle in the Far East that evening in downtown Winston-Salem. His program is entitled "Bicycle Diaries: A Trip Through Shangri-La" and should be an epic tale of bravery and bad bearings, dirt roads and derisive derailleurs, and most of all about the absolute beauty of a part of the world most of us will only hope to see. His stories will be coupled with some fantastic photography, so this event should be a true eye-opener!

Please join us and support our fearless compadre (let him envision the audience of cyclists and langua-philes in their underwear) Thursday April 10th, 7:30 pm at the Carolina School of Language, 411 W. 4th Street, downstairs from Cat's Corner Cafe. The event is free and open to the public.

MOB/Kona Dirt Demo Day!

Hello Friends,

We hope everyone is doing great out there! We've got an event coming up that we are totally excited about: The MOB/Kona Dirt Demo Day!

How many times have you walked through the door over here, seen all those sweet Kona mountain bikes, and wished you could sample them on a real trail? Well, now’s your chance!

April 5th and 6th, come join us for the MOB/Kona Demo Day! Our man Scott from Kona will be in town to help answer any questions and to ride some North Carolina singletrack, so that is awesome. The two day event will take place from 10 am to 1 pm at Tanglewood Park, starting from the picnic shelter at the campground on Saturday, and from 1 pm to 4 pm on that Sunday at the Dark Mountain Trails in Wilkes County. We can thank our friends at the BrushyMountain Cyclists Club for permission to use their stellar trail system for the Dirt Demo. (Visit their website at www.bmcc.us ) There will be all sorts of Kona mountain bikes to test, from full on long travel free-ride bikes to straight ahead cross country racing bikes.

Also, after the demo proper on Saturday, there will be a group MTB ride on the trails out at Tanglewood beginning at 1:15. This is going to be big time fun.

The demo weekend will also coincide with a super special sale on BURN Energy Drinks:

Come sample BURN at our Demo Days on April 5th and 6th, then grab a case
from the shop for a killer deal...only $38.00 for a big, delicious 24-pack
of BURN Energy Drink. That's about $12.00 off regular retail!
BURN is the only energy drink formulated with cyclists specifically in mind,
and it's a local product, based in Greensboro. With Arginine (muscle
recovery), antioxidants (immune support), and the same sugars
(glucose/sucrose) and electrolytes (potassium) as professional sports
drinks, BURN also provides the energy ingredients to keep you going
(ginseng, Endurlac, caffeine, guarana and b-vitamins).

In other news, the MOB Saturday morning MTB ride will return this week. The ride will leave the shop at 9:30. Come on out for some sweet dirt action this week!

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Shimano Formable Insole Cycling Shoes

Check out the Shimano SH-R300 formable road shoe. This is the latest innovation in cycling footwear. The insole is actually molded to fit the foot via the Shimano heat and vacuum forming system. The R300 and the R220 are now available at the MOB.

Here is what a Velonews tech writer had to say about the R300 in a recent article:

"This is my favorite shoe in the test. All of its features perform as they should. One of the biggest benefits I found regarding its vacuum formed upper is that you don't have to crank the buckles and straps down to get a really secure fit. This shoe's best in-group stiffness is also noticeable on the bike."

Spring is in the air (almost!)

On this wet, somewhat cold March morning the thought of bike riding may not be at the front of everyone's mind. However, here at MOB we are quick to seek refuge from the elements within the woods. That's right, we're talking mountain bikes. To cold to get out on the road? Too wet? Windy? Take to the woods, my friends, take to the woods.

We have several demo mountain bikes pining to be taken out and shown a good time on our local trails. Take one for the weekend and hit the mountains even! Heck, just cruising around Salem Lake can be a nice alternative to navigating some wet, windy tarmac. All you need to do is come by the shop with a credit card and a driver's license and pick out a cross-country full suspension bike, a sweet freeride or dirt jumper, find out the buzz on 29'ers, or throw your leg over the latest in carbon full suspension technology. There is no charge for those considering a new bike, so if the trail has been beckoning come and answer the call! Here is a list of models available for demo:

Giant Anthem 1 20"
Ibis Mojo SX 17"
Kona King 18"
Kona CoilAir 17"
Kona Howler 16"
Kona Kula Deluxe 2-9 19"
Kona Dawg Deluxe 18"

We have also a few 2006 models on closeout - 30% off regular pricing - if the allure of the dirt cannot be satiated with just demo'ing a knobby-tired bike for the day. These are all brand new bikes with our full-service MOB lifetime adjustments policy included! Those looking for "a deal" may be interested in:

2005 Kona Unit 18" reg. $899 sale $587.40
2006 Kona Unit 18" reg. $899 sale $629.30
2006 Giant Anthem 2 18" reg. $2300 sale $1610.00
2006 Giant Trance 3 18" reg. $1700 sale $1190.00
2006 Giant Reign 3 18" reg. $1800 sale $1260.00
2006 Giant Reign 3 15" reg. $1800 sale $1260.00


Remember folks, Spring is just around the corner according to our calendars, but we still have some less than ideal weather ahead of us before the road season is truly upon us. Put the trainers away and get outside on a mountain bike!

Leap Year Special Sale!

Hello friends,

We hope you are all doing well out there. As you all surely know by now, this month of February has 29 days as part of the leap year. This only happens once every four years, so we need to celebrate!

In commemoration of this event, the MOB is having a two day only Leap Year Special Sale. This is huge. All of our winter clothing is priced 50% off! You did read that correctly: 50% off. This includes items by Louis Garneau, Giordana, and Ibex among others. Also, indoor trainers and trainer accesories will be priced 15% off of the normal price. For this sale we will have select bicycles priced from 40 to 50% off their normal price. This is an event that you do not want to miss!

This is a two day only extravaganza; this Friday the 29th and Saturday March 1. After that everything is back to normal so be sure to take advantage of this savings opportunity.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

February is almost over

Greetings MOBsters -- My first blog, please don't laugh! But please do read on...

We are dangerously close to some decent weather, and I wanted to alert our faithful patrons that it is prime time to tune up the ol' sleds before the warm days surprise us. Right now we are turning tune ups around in 24-36 hours, so it's a great time to slide your bike by the shop and not be without for more than just a day or so. Our tune ups are the best in town, and $55 can't buy this much love anywhere else, so bestow some much deserved attention on your wheeled friend so it's ready to go this spring.

I'd like also to make everyone aware out there that esteemed bicycle mechanic, mountain bike afficianado, and all-around good guy Kevin Jacobson will start turning wrenches and taking names here at MOB March 1st. We're all very excited at the prospect of adding his knowledge, sincerity, and talents here in the service department. He'll probably even make it out onto the sales floor to talk dirt whenever possible! He's a mountain bike stalwart, so he's already part of the family here, and I know fans of his from the past will be more than psyched to find him at MOB. Please stop by and welcome him when you get the chance!

We appreciate everyone's efforts of good stewardship on the road and trail, and look forward to see ya'll out there soon,

-Charles

Cold Weather Apparel Sale & Fizik Custom Saddles

Hello Friends!

I hope you all are enjoying this unexpected blast of wintry weather. Though it looks like it is already on the way out of here, it is nice to see at least a little snow here in the piedmont.

So since it is supposed to be back in the sixties by the end of the week, and in honor of this latest blast of winter, we are announcing our cold weather apparel sale! That is correct, all our apparel by Louis Garneau, Giordana, Ibex, Kona, and Bianchi is marked down by 25% from now until the end of February. This includes long sleeved jerseys, tights, shoe covers, gloves, vests, jackets, and any remaining head gear. In order to train properly this time of year, you need the right apparel. There is no better time to pick up what you need than right now at the MOB!

In other exciting news, the MOB is now set up with Fizik as a member of their custom saddle program. This is really cool in that now you can get your favorite Fizik saddle in any color combination that you would like. Why not get that sweet Arione in just the right colors to match your bike? Now you can! For a slight upcharge you can customize any model of the Fizik saddles. Visit http://www.fizik.it/ for more information.

Also, the MOB MTB ride is back in action this weekend. The ride leaves at 9:30 on Saturday and will cruise over to Salem Lake. Also, the MOB road ride will leave at its normal time of 11 am for three hours of good winter training.

Thanks and we'll see you soon!

Piedmont Flyers Beginner Ride this weekend!

Hello friends,

I hope you are all doing well and have been able to ride your bikes some lately.

The Piedmont Flyers are sponsoring their monthly beginners ride this weekend. This is a great ride for beginners and for those who are just getting back into biking. The ride meets at Union Cross Park Here is the official word on this ride:

------- New Years Resolution Ride for the "Newbies" & the "Out of Shapers" ---- Introductory/Beginner/No Drop rides the second Saturday of each month--beginning January 12, 10:00 at Union Cross Park. Rides will be planned for approximately 20 miles, but will be adjusted according those in attendance. Pace will be determined by the slowest rider. At a minimum, the riders will meet up at each turn. A coffee/hot chocolate stop can be accommodated at mid ride if we need to thaw out.

Directions to Union Cross Park:
Route 311 South
Exit Union Cross Road
Turn Right onto Union Cross
Turn Left onto Wallburg Road
Turn Right into Parking Lot of Union Cross Park

Ride dates will be: January 12
February 9
March 8
April 12

Visit http://www.piedmontflyers.com/ for more information.

Also, the MOB road ride will leave at its normal time of 11 am this Saturday, so come and join the crew for about three hours of fresh air. This ride was great last week, with an "A" and "B" group meeting at the shop at 11, rolling out of town together, and separating after leaving the town limits. By all accounts, a good time was had by all. Come out this weekend and join the fun!

Thanks!