Agoura Cycles Christmas Party

Ok well Christmas party might be a stretch since Joel is Jewish, but whatever the reason, we decided to celebrate the season in true bike shop crew style....

By going GO-KARTING...yes you read it right--no little black dresses or champagne, but instead jeans and some fast, fun machines to race.

We headed to a place in Newbury Park called MB2 and got suited up for the night. We had to wear helmets and neck protection; gosh isn't that what you want to do for a company party?

Much to my surprise it was really fun, although I admit to be scared to death! We were able to race 3 times, each race had a number of laps (of course for me less as the boys lapped me multiple times)....who would have thought that those two foot pedals have different functions? one means go; the other stop....I don't think it was a good idea to use both at once!

I think Ryan won the overall night, but I was definitely most improved gaining time and speed with each lap. Lisa gets the big prize for aggressive driving as she drove not into, but yes under the barriers and also managed to be facing the opposite direction more often than not:)

Colby, John, Bobbie, Tim and Jim were speed demons while Joel made himself dizzy going around so fast for so many laps.

It was really fun and I urge you to forget the boring company gig next year and book your next party at MB2.

Here are some pics above...

rl

ps..we missed you Andy:(

Long time no blogging - too much going on!

It feels as though I have been on a cookie diet lately with the holidays finally here.  I've been riding more when I can, though the weather and getting ready for this season seems to have gotten in the way now and again.

So to burn more calories, I've taken up running again.  My last attempt at this resulted in me getting shin splints for weeks and I decided running wasn't for me.  This time around I am starting slow and working into it.

Along with the running, I also have been hitting the dirt in some of the best riding of the year!  The dirt is tacky making for really fast times especially in the downhill sections of my routes.

Here is some pictures of some recent rides in the dirt... it's been a while so I can't really remember them all.

Oh, and to take my losing weight more seriously, I actually rode the road bike yesterday and did intervals for two hours.  Next up, perfect pushups and exercise balls... I guess I do want to be like Lance RaeLynn!

Cyclocross

I went to check out cyclocross today at Pierce College...look like fun, but the course was really tough--not sure I have the legs for it. Of course that doesn't mean I won't try. After all, I've got these two to teach me right? What could go wrong?

Stay tuned as I explore this more...

~rl

49 degrees and dropping

Leg warmers, arm warmers, long sleeve jerseys, tights, head covers, toe covers, feet covers, long finger gloves....I put it all on; it's cold outside, I hate the cold and I grew up in Maine!

But I moved here for heat and I want it back. Sure it's beautiful to ride with snow covered mountains in the background, but at least give me sunshine if it's going to be cold--make my mind think it's warm while my toes go knumb.

So according to the weather I'll either be riding outside looking like the StayPuff Marshmellow girl or I'll be in the theater watching a chick flick and pounding out the miles with my bike on the trainer~~~

btw...dear santa, I would like a new Kinetic Kurt for XMAS:)

and yes I've been a very good girl.
~rl

Agoura Cycles Team Members Win Cyclocross

Recognize these guys from the shop? Bobbie and Colby--they rocked the Cyclocross race at the CA Bike Fest!

If you're into cross or BMX, come by the shop and get all your questions, suggestions, work done by Colby and Bobbie.

And that's not all they do....personally saw Bobbie at the PIRU TT today! Waiting to hear if he whooped the dudes in his class there as well:)

Great fun for all.

rl

CA Bike Fest

We spent Saturday at the California Bike Fest; an event to help raise money for the Breakaway for Cancer effort.

It was a beautiful day to spend on the boardwalk in Ventura. The sun was shining on the ocean as the first group of riders left for the 100K ride. Some had "sherpas"; well known pros like Ivan Dominguez (sp?), Freddie Rodriguez (sp?), Wayne Statina and more!

There were also shorter rides, a family ride, a trike race and a cyclo cross race. Agoura Cycles was one of 56 booths at the Expo portion of the event. It was a place to get a great deal on some product, demo a GIANT bicycle, pick up a free copy of Road Bike Action magazine, or just enjoy the beach.

All in all a long day on the legs, but it's always great to see such a huge interest in cycling whether you are a recreational rider, a cyclocross racer, commuter, or just getting onto your first set of training wheels....it's all fun:) and for a good cause.

rl

Some photos don't need explanation

Riding With My Dad

Today I skipped the Agoura Cycles road ride for something much more personal, a good mountain bike ride with my dad.

We took off from my house here in Newbury Park and snaked our way over the the Santa Monica Mountains.  As we rode up to the top of the black bitch, we suited up for what we knew would be a cold decent and boy were we right.  

After dropping in we shot over to the single track that runs adjacent along the road and settled into a nice pace as we worked our way down the canyon towards the beach.  Just before hitting the campgrounds, we made our way to the sky by heading up Overlook trail.  The ground was tacky and smooth, which made for spot on riding.

By the time we made it over to the top of Backbone, we had covered 15 miles.  As we made our way back to the canyon floor, we had one of the most perfect runs you could ever imagine.

We aimed back towards the black bitch talking about rides past, Rocky Peak, Johnson's Motorway, Lone Oak and more.  When we came up on Dos Vientos, I decided to treat him to some of my typical stomping grounds and gave him a taste of some tight switchbacks that lead to the housing track just above Albertsons.

My dad isn't necessarily a fan switchies, but he made the most of it and gave me a good laugh as he attempted to swing his rear end around the tight turns.  Needless to say, he nearly ended up in the bushes a few times.

The whole ride was 3 hours and 30 miles.  Try that on a mountain bike and you'll feel like you just did a century on a road bike.

So now as I sip my wine (who are we kidding, gulp it down) I can feel the ache in my legs.  Good ride Pop, you made me what I am today.

Some things....

Ever wonder why every piece of clothing and accessory for cycling is adorned with logos? Isn't it enough that we paid for it once...do the manufacturers have to keep cashing in on our body parts? Should we form a union? Get royalties? Perks?

I mean--look at this... Joel's feet!

Doing the Lance Dance

Andy and I were fired up to ride this morning's shop ride...we had a new route plan and 30 riders of all levels. The morning was gorgeous, so off we went. We headed out Agoura Rd to Las Virgenes and the group split off into various levels quickly. Andy went ahead, came back, went ahead and came back again....we had one newbie on our ride; Stephanie...really fun gal and a great sport.

We were quickly dropped, but it was a beautiful day to ride and Andy and I were determined to do the Lance Dance up Rock Store today--and I was not anxious to work, so we managed to convince Stephanie to come alone--she did and WOW!--she made it up in 26 minutes, no stops and on a hybrid bike with sneakers on GO GIRL...you should have seen Andy sweat....I think he was a bit worried about gettin his ___ kicked:)

The descent down Rock Store was smooth and quiet. Absolutely perfect day; I think we could have gone all day...

Great fun and we made a new rider out of Stephanie::)) Come join us...you might just like it...
~rl

Mountain Bike BDay Ride

With today being my birthday, I played hooky and went for a three hour ride on the Mountain Bike.  Needless to say, it was a great day to be out on the trail and Sycamore Canyon was calling my name.

After dropping in from the black bitch, I hit the rolling single track that runs parallel to the road.  Running right across the trail in front of me, I was able to spy a bob cat.  It was great to see animals like this still out there where so many humans now visit... I am glad we can venture out together and I leave him alone and fortunately he leaves me alone... though I think a bob cat is nothing like a mountain lion but I digress.

I decided to hit up Hell Hill.  Now I haven't been able to conquer hell hill in the last 7 years but today I was determined... and I did it!  Of course now my legs are punishing me, but by god I nailed it.

Backbone was typical as always.  Even on a Wed. afternoon, there was still riders coming up. For the life of me I will never understand why they do that.  It is such a well known downhill run, I would never recommend ascending that trail for the risk of getting clipped is far too great.

All in all it has been a great birthday.  Maybe in the weeks to come we will do a mountain bike ride out in Sycamore for one of the Agoura MTN Bike Rides.

Coach Gareth Motivates Me

Last night we had a Conejo Valley Cyclists meeting at Agoura Cycles. There was a little business, then Coach Gareth gave a presentation on Lactate and VO2 Testing. I'm sure, if you are like me, you've heard of this, but I never quite understood how this could be useful for the
"wanna be athlete" like myself.

I learned so much and now I can't wait to get tested and create a training plan for next year! Yes imagine being able to have a training plan to maximize YOUR abilities and help you attain your goals. Fantastic infomation and I'm going to continue to learn more from Coach Gareth as he comes to the shop to do this testing.

Yes get tested at Agoura cycles. First testing session for Lactate starts this Sunday--sign up early by emailing Coach Gareth at: gareth@coachgareth.com .

After that there was more, James gave a maintenance clinic and we learned about bent derailleurs, the nasty things that happen when your energy spills onto your components and of course the ever necessary flat repair.

We will have more clinics so shout out about what interests you/your group and we'll get the experts here to give you the details.
rl

Lost without training

Forget Lance, let's talk about me--

I've been out of "training" mode now for three weeks and it's awful. I feel lost. I don't know which direction to turn. Don't get me wrong, the down time is great, lots of wine, chocolate and fine meals at my favorite places. Also I've enjoyed riding with friends I haven't seen for a while.

Now I'm not a racer (at least until next year), but I've had a hard time putting my thoughts into words about how I miss training until yesterday, when someone did it for me: I'm a big fan of Selene Yeager, Bicycling Magazine's "Fit Chick"; Ironman athlete, puts it like this:

http://fitchick.bicycling.com/2008/11/mad-season.html


For those of you unwilling or able to read the entire article here is the part I could relate to:

"So, some folks are just hitting their peak, while the rest of us are desperately trying to hang onto our fitness while our speed and power are hitting the skids. It's a cluster of confusion as we're alternately racing, riding, hitting the gym, recovering, watching football, getting ready for the holidays, and, of course, drinking at every opportunity. As one of my friends recently put it, "I'm gonna need a new liver if this keeps up...."It's not that we're lushes. We're just athletes. That means we're obsessive, intense, focused and disciplined to the point of being sacrificial--at least while we're in season. Once we cross the line of the last race of the year, it's straight off the rails until we find a new goal to get us on the straight and narrow again. It makes perfect sense really. Many of us fell into cycling as a way to stay sane. I'll be the first to admit that riding, training and racing helps keep me from spiraling into a mental abyss."

Shout out if you feel this way too!
~rl

Lance is getting scared.

Now Lance is worried about what French spectators are going to do to him on the tour.  Clever Lance, way to not only drive more awareness to your "comeback" but also gives you a fantastic "out" in case you think you won't have the team or legs to support your success.

Read about his fears here from Yahoo!

Frankly, he gives me mixed emotions.  I applaud the dude for driving awareness and funding to cancer research, however his ego is about as nauseating as John McEnroe and almost up there with Greg LeMond.  Though Greg is a complete asshole for talking so much crap about nearly everyone in the tour.  Talk about desperate for attention!  Go ahead, RaeLynn - chime in about how wonderful Lance is and how he is the greatest thing since bio-pace, or whatever clever comparison you will come up with.

Fix that howling brake!

After weeks of dealing with a howl in my front disk brake, I've finally fixed the problem.  After learning how to service disks, I got the noise to stop and can proceed to ride without the announcement a half mile away that I am coming your way.

Of course, I could never hear it over the headphones, but I could feel it in my handlebars - yeah it was that bad.

But I bring this up because it is important to understand how your bike works and be able to handle some repairs yourself.  This isn't to say Agoura Cycles can't handle your needs mechanically, but it is to say sometimes they can't recreate the problem, therefore can't fix it correctly.

In my situation my howl only happened at a certain speed and typically only on hills, something they couldn't fix by riding around a parking lot.

Now the problem is solved and along the way I learned how to change my disk pads and re-align them.  If you yourself have problems the shop can't seem to handle, don't blame the guys wrenching on your bike - learn how to handle the problem yourself.  Chances are, it is much simpler than you thought and along with fixing your own bike comes the pride of knowing you now better understand how your bike works.

Blown Away

The Friday ladies ride was blown away, but have no fear..the ladies came out for the Saturday morning ride:) So did the guys, so we all ventured out searching for a route without 70+ wind gusts and away from the encroaching smoke cloud.

It turned out to be a great morning. We rode out into Westlake then as the wind grew we took shelter in Carlisyle Canyon. Beautiful, shady and no traffic.

Great day to ride and yes Andy had cut off sleeves, but his new Castelli shorts got rave reviews from the gals!

Ciao

RL

Pink Train Ladies Ride November 14th

TGIF -- Pink Train rides again

Next “Pink Train” ladies ride: Friday, November 14th 9:00 a.m.Start at Agoura Cycles.

We will vary the times/dates of this ride until we can find a time that seems to be best for most. Email RaeLynn at zenzyus@yahoo.com to rsvp.

Intermediate level ride, road bikes, helmets required, proper attire, gu/bars/etc. available to purchase at shop if you need prior to ride.

And of course...wear PINK

This will be the route, unless we have enough who want to go to Rock Store, then we will change the route....

AgouraCycles0 ftLeft on to T.O. Blvd8 ft
Turn left onto Kanan Rd343 ft
Turn right onto N Westlake Blvd6.2 mi
Turn left on Avenida de los Arboles7.7 mi
Turn right onto Erbes Rd8.7 mi
Turn left onto Pederson Rd9.0 miTurn left onto E Olsen Rd10.8 mi
Turn left onto N Moorpark Rd11.1 mi
Turn left onto E Avenida de Los Arboles11.7 mi
Turn right onto Erbes Rd13.5 mi
Turn left onto E Hillcrest Dr15.7 mi
Turn right onto N Conejo School Rd16.1 miGet on Willow Ln and drive southeast16.8 mi
Turn right onto Hampshire Rd17.4 mi
Turn right onto Triunfo Canyon Rd17.9 mi
Turn left onto Lindero Canyon Rd20.6 mi
Turn left onto Lakeview Canyon Rd21.2 mi
Turn right onto E Thousand Oaks Blvd22.6 miGet on E Thousand Oaks Blvd and drive east22.8 miAgouraCycles26.2 mi
Posted by RL at 11:50 AM 0 comments

Why I Am Starting A Mountain Bike Group Ride

Last Saturday I joined the Agoura squad to take part in their Saturday Shop Ride.  Typically I would have set off on the longer route, but in the spirit of fun and friendship I joined the shorter route to say hello to RaeLynn and Joel.

And while everyone in the group was nice and fun to ride with, I did notice every rider we passed, when I said hello I would get no response.  Now maybe it was my "redneck" cut off jersey as elitist RaeLynn would point out as to why I would be ignored, however when someone says Hi to you, I was always taught it is polite to say hello back.

So I am going to start a Mountain Bike group ride.  We are talking good times in the dirt, friendly riders and shit talking all along the way... at least that is the hope.

And one last thing RaeLynn, my new Agoura Jersey is immediately getting it's sleeves cut off too... I would hate to ruin my redneck look, especially when I am leading the road rides on my steel bike.  Boy that's got to hurt!

If you are interested in doing joining the soon Mountain Bike group ride, you can let me know here.

Wow Mountain Man Seen in Spandex!

I was cruising along this morning with the Agoura Saturday morning ride group when Mountain Man (Andy) shows up on a road bike and spandex----shocker; ok well he was a little redneck with the cut off sleeves, but we immediately fixed that back at the shop by dressing him up in a fine, looking AGOURA jersey:)

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks....maybe Andy can teach me to ride and read the route map?

~rl

ps shop rides every saturday morning--short and long variations; 7:45 a.m. meet time, we roll out at 8:00 a.m

Just say YELLOW

If a picture paints a thousand words...

TGIF -- Pink Train rides again

Next “Pink Train” ladies ride: Friday, November 14th 9:00 a.m.

Start at Agoura Cycles.

We will vary the times/dates of this ride until we can find a time that seems to be best for most. Email RaeLynn at zenzyus@yahoo.com to rsvp.

Intermediate level ride, road bikes, helmets required, proper attire, gu/bars/etc. available to purchase at shop if you need prior to ride.

And of course...wear PINK




AgouraCycles
0 ft
Left on to T.O. Blvd
8 ft
Turn left onto Kanan Rd
343 ft
Turn right onto N Westlake Blvd
6.2 mi
Turn left on Avenida de los Arboles
7.7 mi
Turn right onto Erbes Rd
8.7 mi
Turn left onto Pederson Rd
9.0 mi
Turn left onto E Olsen Rd
10.8 mi
Turn left onto N Moorpark Rd
11.1 mi
Turn left onto E Avenida de Los Arboles
11.7 mi
Turn right onto Erbes Rd
13.5 mi
Turn left onto E Hillcrest Dr
15.7 mi
Turn right onto N Conejo School Rd
16.1 mi
Get on Willow Ln and drive southeast
16.8 mi
Turn right onto Hampshire Rd
17.4 mi
Turn right onto Triunfo Canyon Rd
17.9 mi
Turn left onto Lindero Canyon Rd
20.6 mi
Turn left onto Lakeview Canyon Rd
21.2 mi
Turn right onto E Thousand Oaks Blvd
22.6 mi
Get on E Thousand Oaks Blvd and drive east
22.8 mi
AgouraCycles
26.2 mi

From the Blow Hard

So based on my opinion I have been called a Blow Hard and a Lance Hater because I think Lance is making a mistake coming back to the Tour.

Funny, considering I have done the Ride for the Roses in Texas, read books on Lance and his own stories and have watched the tour every year he was in it.  So let's get one thing straight, I am not a Lance hater, in fact quite the opposite.  I just don't want to see all his hard work he has achieved go down the drain on a risk not worth the payoff.

I would personally love to see what he did for road cycling in the US be turned towards mountain biking.  And while I love the light traffic on the trails, if I had to trade that in so bike companies could stay in business, local shops wouldn't suffer during our harsh economy and more people fell in love with cycling again, then I am all for it.

And as for my point on Lance not doing it alone, he didn't.  George is one of the greatest domestiques in the world.  Not only did he ride with Lance on his 7 victories, but also with Contador in his 07 victory.  So to say he won the tour, you have to say why -  absolute best team along with the best coach, etc, etc - he just had the winning formula.

At least that is my opinion, straight from the Blow Hards mouth!

The Banana Guard

Yesterday I gathered with a group of friends in Solvang for the annual Solvang Prelude ride. This is our end of the year ride; a short, easy 50 miler and lots of wine tasting prior to and after. It's like a "Sideways" tour on bikes.
We started off at 8 am with a little rain and then ends a couple hours later with beautiful sunshine, music and food at the finish. There was also an expo--vendor booths, etc. letting you purchase a few items you can't live without...


And that's where we came across "The Banana Guard"....yes this is real; a plastic, protective, banana holder for your bike--it's probably not hard to imagine our conversations (considering the beer and wine we had already consumed with lunch) about this most necessary item:)..
I'll leave that up to your imagination, but in the interest of Agoura Cycles keeping you up to date on the very latest products here is the photo....
I'm not sure we'll stock this item..but I know how/where to get for those of you who are protective of your bananas.
~rl
ps..it comes in seven different colors...including pink and is dishwasher safe!

What Lance Did Was Great, Or Was It?

Lance's return to the tour is because he needs to double up his dose of fame.  7 victories is not because of Lance, it is because of an outstanding team.  Lance is a strong rider and an inspiration to anyone trying to overcome something, but to say it will be awesome is exactly what he wants you to say.

I won't dispute the victories Lance achieved were great, but after the 5th, it honestly became boring.  5 was special, it put him into the elite category - but after 5, it became, oh really - again?  Great.

Quite frankly, it sounds like RaeLynn, you have a beginner's crush!

Lance Armstrong's Comeback Chronicles--read it and weep Andy:)

Lance Armstrong is the GOD OF CYCLING...ROAD CYCLING (sorry Andy)

and yes he can win and yes it will be awesome ~ Jan (sorry again Andy, but no way)...

so Andy, we'll battle it out on the blog...

and I found this really cool thing on Road Bike Action Magazine's online site:

The Lance Armstrong's Comeback Chronicles--Page 8 check it out...

http://www.roadbikeaction.com/fly.aspx?layout=content&taxid=178&cid=837

by the way Andy...did I mention Lance won 7 Tour de France races::))

Pushing the Limits

Do you hear this all the time when you ride? I do...

Fortunately working in the bike industry has given me the opportunity to ride with some really strong riders and I've learned a lot from all of them; especially the importance of pushing yourself to the max.

Regretably, my max--well let's just say, it's far from that of the max of most of the riders I ride with. They always want more..
I have to work on those things that hold me back;

Fear--of injury; I spent so much time repairing my knees I fear the ultimate destruction of them will come on the bike; I need to get over this as I ride harder now than ever and they are still hanging in there.

Knowledge; knowing how much to give and still be able to finish

Intimidation: it's tough to go out as a beginner and ride with the big dawgs of the world--god forbid I fall down on my bike or do something silly while with them ~~like having my sunglasses not situated properly with my helmet or grease covering my leg; a sure beginner mark:)

So I've decided to work on this immediately. I'm going out hard next time and for the entire time--no Garmin--just pushing it to the limit the whole way. I'll expect to hurt, I'll be sweaty and unattractive, I'll probably still have grease on my leg but I'll adjust my glasses..and after this I'll be better, stronger, faster ---and someday race ready.

~rl

Road Riding Makes Me Think Of Lance

I went out for a road ride today to just change things up and I got to thinking about the announcement of the Lance making a comeback and heading to the Tour.  I couldn't help but to think of my own attempts of a comeback and how awful that went.

Back in 93 I was State Champion in the California State Series and Amateur Cup Champion all in the same year.  This was the height of my cycling career... college took front row after.  But after years of being out of the game, I was still riding and actually getting very fast.  Everyone pushed me to go out and race again, saying I would own the Expert Class field.  They couldn't be more wrong.

The first race held at Castaic I came in next to last.  I completely blew, but I had a huge smile across my face from the race, something I rarely encountered in the midst of my better days.  My second race I crashed and smashed my face.  I was done.  Racing was in my past, officially.

Which brings me back to Lance.  Dude, take note, don't do it.  Instead pull a comeback in Mountain Biking.  It would be great to go out a hero in road cycling and then if you fall on your face in mountain biking, you have a list of excuses like, it's more technical, the downhilling is rough, whatever.  But to go back into what you  already mastered can lead to huge risks with very little gain.

Think about it.  Let's say Lance wins again.  So what?  All any of us would think is 

1.  The sport got soft and 

2.  No big surprise, he did it many times before.  

It's not like it's Ullrich making a comeback and winning the tour... that would be awesome if Fat Boy came back and kicked ass. No this is someone we are expecting to win.

Now let's say Lance gets his ass handed to him.  Now he goes down like all other greats to tried to make a comeback.  And everyone will say, should've staying in retirement.

BUT, if you make a comeback in a sport close to yours, now it's open season.  And mountain biking is an old dude's haven.  Look at Ned.  He kicked more ass as he got older.  Plus, it would do mountain biking wonders to have an A list athlete in the mix.  Maybe it would give mountain bikes in the stores the exact boost they need in this economy.

That's my two cents.  Agree?  Disagree?  Shout back and let me know.

Big Sycamore Ride on Sunday

So last Sunday I decided to do a big 3.5 ride into Sycamore.  After blasting over the Dos Vientos hills, I dropped in down the Black Bitch and rolled over to Hell Hill.

For those of you that don't know, Hell Hill is a direct route to the top of where Backbone and Overlook meet.  It is steep , grueling and now recently plowed.  Back in my prime, I could climb this hill without stopping.  Now, not so much.  It took me two stops - it's the heat and I'm sticking to that excuse!

At least after torturing your legs on this climb, you are rewarded with one of the best single track descents I have ever been on.  I also was extra fortunate to not run into any climbers, which seems like it would be equally challenging but insane to me considering how fast some people come down that hill.  When you throw in how many inexperienced riders I encounter out there, that makes for a crazy combo!

And speaking of other riders, what has happened to friendliness?  What the hell is wrong with saying hi when you pass a fellow rider, hiker or jogger?  It seems more common than not now I meet some uptight individuals on the trails who for the life of them can't mutter two letters.

Regardless, try a nod or small wave... we are all sharing the trail, enjoying nature and getting exercise - let's remain friendly because lord knows hikers and horseback riders would love nothing more than extra ammo to kick us off the dirt!

Pink Train Pics 10/26/08

Who is this French guy?

The Pink Train (all ladies ride at Agoura Cycles) rolled out of the parking lot at--well okay close to 8:30 am today. We had a great turnout 8 gals and well, one french guy...some say we don't understand the french; but this one..well surrounding himself with chicks....might be the smartest one yet! We let him ride along, but only if he promised to fix flats--which of course we did not need---we should have made him buy the croissants:) next time we make him wear pink and shave his legs too--

At any rate it was a fun day out to Calabasas, up 7-or so minute hill and back to the shop. Everyone seemed to have a great time; all were smiling when we returned.

I had time to pop into the shop, set Debbie up with the Damselfly saddle demo, help D with her new Shimano custom molded shoes and eat before heading off to Rock Store with my afternoon training client.

My legs are going to need a massage:)

We'll do it again soon, so stay posted for the next mailing or check this Agoura Cycles blog for more.
Cheers,
RL

Road Bike Action RM160

Our friends at Road Bike Action Magazine; http://www.roadbikeaction.com/ puts on a annual ride called the RM160 and since I'm definitely not riding 160+ miles on my bicycle, I got to be the SAG HAG.

The crew, including one awesome woman, started from Thousand Oaks at o'dark thirty on Saturday morning. I soon learned that this isn't your ordinary club ride... pace was up there right from the start and didn't let up the entire ride. Der-was smiling.
It was a beautiful route through Filmore, Ojai and Santa Barbara and the group continued to smile and have fun the entire trip. Myself and cowboy Bruce drove along behind snapping photos, handing out bottles and gel paks and I wondered if I'll ever grow up and be able to ride like these folks. Der- was smiling.
Lunch in Santa Barbara was wonderfully sunny, so the crew had a nice picnic at the park before continuing on. Remarkably, the day was uneventful with only a few mechanical issues and most vehicles seemed to yield to the group. Der- was smiling.
As late afternoon approached I wondered if they would make it back before darkness, especially since the dreaded climb (dreaded only by me) was the last climb of the day...at this point the guys realized it might be more than 160 miles...Der- was still smiling.
I gave one rider a ride back to his car, grabbed an espresso, and drove back to the coast to see who was left. On the way I ran into a rider I hadn't seen since the start??--he was crazed with hunger and thirst, so I filled his water and hoped he wasn't going to chew off my arm if I gave him a ride. No ride for him--he was going to finish and he DID!
Back at the last pit stop on Lewis road, my friend was spinning to warm the legs before the climb. One by one the guys rolled in desperate for Red Bull and whatever caffinated, sugar loaded, carb, energy burst they could get. Der- was still smiling.
The climb up Portero was/is brutal, but the remaining 6 or 7 guys all made it up--Der- smiled the entire way up.
At the end of the day, the guys were worn out, needed showers and real food. RM treated everyone to dinner at BJs, which was great to recap the ride, but most of them looked like they were 2 seconds from being face down in the pillow. Der- wasn't there but I know he was smiling.
All in all a great experience to watch; not gonna rush out and do that, but maybe someday:)

ps--I've abbreviated/changed the names to protect the innocent, but you know who you/they are:)
rl

Cycling Accessory Review

One thing I love when I am riding, especially when it is a trail I have done countless times, is to rock out to some tunes.  That said, like most everyone, my MP3 of choice is an ipod, especially a little shuffle for riding.  However, the headphones that come with the shuffle are not very deep in sound quality.

I recently purchased these little ear buds and I have to say the sound difference is amazing.  They handle deep bass while the clarity is very crisp, making the songs I normally listen to over my little player breathe a new life.

Now one word of caution, because these are in-the-ear buds, you get a great amount of noise cancellation, great for listening to your music, not so great for listening for cars, other riders or people on foot.  I find these wonderful for taking to the trails because I don't have to think about sharing the road with giant beasts that could send me flying if they get too close.  Translation, I don't have to have my guard up.

Other than that, I would really recommend these little ear buds.  They are comfortable, come with three fitting sizes and weigh nearly nothing, so you really don't feel them on.

Ladies Ride Sunday October 26th!

Hello ladies,
Let the PINK TRAIN roll again......
I apologize for the late notice, but I hope some/all of you will be able to attend another women's ride this Sunday October 26th, 8:30 am.

New Start location: we will start at Agoura cycles this time; yes I will have a key, so bathroom and fill up on last minute gu shot if needed.

We will use the same route as last time...

This is an intermediate ride and pace with re-group spots, road bikes only, bring proper gear, food, cell phone, gels, etc. helmets mandatory. You must know and obey all road rules for cycling and have a bike in good working order.

WEAR PINK (win a pair of Sock guy pink socks to the best dressed; voted on by group) and rsvp please...

Hope you can make it and pass this along if you know capable riders that want to join us!
RaeLynn
call or email with questions 805-908-5162 zenzyus@yahoo.com


Route would be:
Agoura cycles to Agoura Road to Lost Hills (actually the street before Lost Hills, right past the Sheriff's Station - don't know the name)
Right on Lost Hills to De Anza Park for a rest stop/catch-up spot.
Right on leaving park to Las Virgenes
Right on Las Virgenes to Mulholland
Left on Mulholland...stop for slower riders.
Straight on Mulholland to corner of Stunt Road - stop for slower riders. Optional climb here
Continue on Mulholland to next left - Dry Canyon, Cold Creek - otherwise known as "7-minute Hill".
Left on DC,CC to top, which ends back on Mulholland.
Stop at guard shack - water available.
Right (east) on Mulholland to Old Topanga - stop light.
Left on Old Topanga to 2nd stoplight (don't remember name).
Left on street - wait for slower riders - then straight to end of street.
Right - follow around to right turn (Park Capri???).
Right to Park Granada (I think is name)..
Left to Parkway Calabasas.
Right to Calabasas Road.
Left on Calabasas Road to Moreau Road.
Right on Moreau Road (over freeway) to Las Virgenes.
Left on Las Virgenes to Agoura Road (stop at McDonalds if needed - and to wait for slower riders).

"Right on Agoura Road to Chesebro/Palo Comado, right on C/PC which runs into Driver, continue past Agoura high school, right on Argos, left on T.O. Blvd past Kanan to Agoura Cycles."

Short and Sweet - By Andy

Far too quick to be really considered a ride, yesterday I hit the dirt and shot up a nearby single track I usually descend only to turn back and head down once I got to the top.

The entire ride only took a half an hour, but was a great stress reliever considering how many hours I have been working lately.

I did notice one thing yesterday, the weather is getting cooler, which means no more cut off jerseys.  I do know Agoura Cycles is having a sale on Rock Racing gear, buy a kit (jersey and bib) and get either arm warmers or gloves free.  Maybe I should head over there, though Rock gear on the dirt is a dangerous combo considering their clothing is up there in price, but damn it looks cool!

Ha, I have a better idea.  I should get a kit and then sport it on my old school steel road bike.  I think my outfit would be more money than my entire frame!

UCLA TRI

I skipped the Saturday group ride this morning (sorry about that!) to help out at Boulevard Cycles. We are the official sponsored bike shop for one of the largest college triathlon teams, UCLA. We, through our strong relationships with vendors have put together a multi year sponsorship program for UCLA Tri, and with Orbea being the bike sponsor. Orbea made the introductions with their coach, Gareth Thomas. Gareth has assembled 60 students to create this large team.

Yesterday and today, many students came in for shoes, pedals, and most importantly, bikes. Most have never owned a road bike before, and I was quite amazed that Gareth was able to attract so many people to a sport they have never done before. Some of these students joined the club with only a mountain or a comfort bike. It was fun working with them today. For one, they came in looking for "deals", and I think most if not all actually left knowing more about the sport than they thought they knew before they stepped into the shop.

These groups are always great to work with. I remember when we first got involved with the Amgen Tri team. A bunch of people that were new to a sport and had very little experience in what to do, buy, borrow, etc. What I remember clearly was the enthuisasm and excitment; the same thing I saw today. I look forward to a long and great relationship with UCLA.

Killer Training Program - Bring Your Kid - By Andy

Here's the very best way to make your legs burn like hell.  Take one single speed, one bike along trailer and one 30lb kid.

This was last Friday's ride that left my legs sore the next day.  The ride

 however was awesome.  My daughter and I blasted out to the Doe Vientos loop to do some circuit riding.  This rolling single track / fire road is great for getting the family out to enjoy the riding I love so much.

For my ride, I have my old ex race bike converted into a single speed as a last ditch attempt to keep the relic on the trails.  Needless to say, this style of riding brings a whole new meaning to anticipating the route.

For my daughter's rig, she has a Giant half-wheeler which has gears, though her six year old hands can't switch those twisty shifters.  I tell you it's a shame the way bike companies put on cheap parts on kids bikes when they would really benefit to smoother shifting and braking parts.  I myself would pay more for better parts if it meant my kid could learn easier and not get so discouraged... but I digress...

So we made our way out to the trailhead laughing it up and taking in the sights and sounds you can only appreciate when you are away from your car.  It's as though life moves a little slower and you can stop and smell the flowers, or at least get a whiff as you ride by.

When we hit the hills, our last attempt at this a few months back we were forced to walk due to lack of power in my legs and the sheer stupidity on my part of how incredibly heavy the ride would be when it starts heading up.  But this time we were prepared and determined.

Hill 1 - blasted it!  Hard work, but doable.  Next came rolling single track, great fun when you have to factor your bike has become a stretch limo.  Then came Hill 2, the nasty one, even on my geared carbon.

Last time we hit this trail, we walked it.  This time, my daughter says to me, "We need to kill this hill. "  (Talk about my kinda girl)  So after taking a 3 minute break before ascending the climb, we take off.

First let me say, I have immense respect for single speeders, this alone is hard, but then throw on the bike-a-long, kid and a hill, well you get the picture.  So when we made it about half way up this hill, me breathing so hard I swear air was coming out my eyes, my daughter chatting away, and my legs screaming mercy, I thought we were in for another failed attempt.  But then something changed, I actually felt help in the rear!  My daughter was pedaling hard enough to actually make a difference.  And when we crested the top, even though I was seriously seeing stars, I was completely proud of her.

Over the course of the rest of ride, everything else felt easy, we rolled the fire road and eventually made it back to the city streets to head home by dusk.

So today I needed to rest my legs after the successful event.  However, I have already been asked today when we are going out again to kill that hill... That's my girl!

Introductions... - By Andy

Where I grew up, in the foothills of Chatsworth, we had a hill behind our house with a fireroad up it we named "Puke Hill." Reason being, it was a short hell of a climb and back in the day of the Diamond Back Apex and old Rockhoppers, this hill felt like a nightmare on the thighs.

But the hill lead to other great trails including Devil's Canyon a wild, rocky route through enough poison oak and rock gardens to frighten even the hardest of riders.

And so started my love for cycling and more importantly mountain bike riding. I would challenge Puke Hill nearly every day with my Apex then my Yeti, my Curtlo, my few 3Ds and most recently my Scott. Puke Hill started as a challenge, became training grounds for racing and now has turned into memory lane for the riding I have done over half my life. And while over the years my bikes have lightened their weight and increased their suspension, this hill has still remained an injection of pain to my legs. Now granted, maybe it is the extra 20lbs of beer and age I carry around my body (mainly midsection) that has slowed up the pace... at least I would like to think so, but the love has always remained the same.

Whether you ride a road bike, a cruiser, a bmx or a mountain bike - we all share the same love for two wheels and momentum supported my our own internal engine.

With that, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Andrew Reifert and I will be writing this blog as often as I can to talk mainly about mountain biking, product reviews, gripes, announcements and general crap related to the sport we all know in love.

I look forward to your comments and eyeballs visiting my words... happy trails!

Sunday in Malibu

September 14, 2008

After forcing myself out of bed at 3 AM this morning, I finally got motivated and drove to Malibu to help out at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. So much for getting a head start. By the time I got there, I was able to park in the second parking lot, about a mile or so walk to the event. So much for getting up early!

This was the third year attending this event, and I must say the biggest crowd I have seen both as participants as well as people watching the event. This year, I was there to help out at the Giant event tent. Russ, Kathryn, Jon and Christopher were all there from Giant and surprised to see me there so early (or at all for that matter). I enjoy doing these events as you never know who you will run into. Because of Agoura Cycles close proximity to Malibu, plenty of customer's and friends were there and I was happy to see them and cheer them on.

We spent most of the early morning pumping tires and changing flats,,, until this girl came to the booth carrying what looked like a bike frame, wheels, a gear bag, and tears just flowing from her eyes and sobbing uncontrollably. She flew to the event from Boulder and forgot her wheel skewers, and her seatpost clamp was stripped. What a way to start a race!

Between Jon Mesko and I, we scrounged up two wheel skewers from another vendor. The seatpost clamp was another story. That's not something you have extras of, as there are so many sizes for different brands of bikes. Unfortunately, we did not have one for her, so we first tried fixing hers without any luck (We are about 20 minutes from race start, and she is still crying non stop). The clamp was completely stripped and we tried tape, but it did not hold. Jon finally came up with the idea of using one off of a Giant display bike which was too big. So, we took out the "staple of race events", duct tape, and proceeded to tape the frame so it would hold the clamp. after a few tries, we got it to hold. So we gather her stuff up, carry her bike and transition items to the transition area which had closed to everyone 5 minutes prior, but we talked our way into the area and was able to get her to her place where she needed to be. We set her up, she put her wetsuit on, and we finished the final touches to her bike. We were glad that we were able to get her back on track as it would have been a shame to come all this way and not to do the event.

Giant's booth was probably in the best possible spot you could ask for. We were situated at the finish line for the run, the final leg of the event. So we had the best viewing spot for the finish. Nine time Ironman Champion Chris McCormack finished over 2 minutes faster than the next runner to win this year's event. With him, were several thousand people following him to finish the race. The emotions from the participants is what makes me glad that I could be there to see the looks on their faces as they cross the finish line. Some do it effortlessly, and others are completely "spent" when they cross the finish line. But each one, no matter how old or young, male or female expresses the same look of complete satisfaction when they cross that line, no matter how long it takes.

There were celebrities also in the event as always. Felicity Huffman and her husband Willam H. Macy, Matthew McConaughey, Anna Kournikova , John Cryer, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Jennifer Lopez to name a few. Jennifer Lopez's husband, Marc Anthony hung out in the Giant booth for about 45 minutes waiting for his wife to finish. He was extremely approachable, and friendly to all that talked to him. He was gracious during the time there and refused no one for an autograph or picture.

Agoura Cycles was lucky to be partially involved in the event (3 steps removed!) We were referred to anyone flying in with a bike, to have them ship the bike to our store. We unpack and get it ready, then break it down and ship it back to the rider when they return home. One person whom asked us to do this was Lucy Danziger, the Editor and Chief of Self Magazine, out of New York. She was reasponsible for getting Jennifer Lopez to do the event. Jennifer raised $127,000 for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and was the single largest fundraiser for this very worthy cause. (All proceeds raised for the event went to the Childrens Hospital, which was pegged at over $800,000 this year) Lucy was on a very tight schedule, so she asked me to bring her travel case to the race so she could pack it and take it with her to the airport. Had I not agreed to do this, I may have slept in today!). I saw Lucy finish the race and later she asked me to take the bike back to the shop and ship it for her, which I was happy to do. You see, I had an ulterior motive to take the bike back to the shop. I did not want to walk back to my truck, so when she asked me to kindly ship it for her, I was more than happy to accommodate her as I now had a ride back to the truck over a mile away.

We stayed to the last runners came in, one who was an 85 year old gentleman who has been doing this for a very long time. He said that triathlons and running has keep him alive and healthy. He received a big cheer from the crowd, along with everyone who did the event.

My observations: Michael Epstein (MESP) puts on a first class event and his core employees did one hell of a great job. Matt and Desiree who I know make it look so easy, but I know they have been preparing for the event months ago, and I am confident they have had little sleep these past few days. If you have any thoughts of doing a tri, let it be Malibu as your first one next year. If you are afraid or can't do all of the legs (run, bike, swim), consider doing a team relay with some of your friends or work colleagues. Medical issues prohibit me from running any longer, and I have no body fat, so unless the Pacific Ocean is 88 degrees, you can count me out of the swim. But maybe, I would consider doing the bike segment of the race next year. Just because I own a shop, it doesn't make me a good rider. I struggle up the hills just like most of you. But I would consider doing it if it means that I can raise money for a worthy cause like the Children's Hospital. Amgen Tri, another great group of men and women do this event every year as a team, and I heard they raised about $60,000. It's a great way to give back to your community and have a great time and meet some wonderful people among the way.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, the girl who had all of the problems at the Giant booth, she stopped by after the race and thanked us and returned the seat collar. She also told us she thought she finished first in her age group (She missed her start time and started with the next wave, lost her goggles before the race, and still composed herself to finish and have a great time.) We never got her name, or at least I didn't. Too bad, she was pretty darn cute!

Joel

The Beginning

It's Sunday evening and I have decided to start my blog (because my very good friend Andy said I need one, and since he is always right, well here I go) instead of start dinner for my daughter, her friend and me.

Agoura Cycles was started a little over 5 years ago. The store has been in the same location since 1982 as Agoura Cycling Center, and has had 3 owners prior to me. I bought it in April of 2003, and renamed it Agoura Cycles. It was a "dinky" store with a completely different mix of product than today. If I remember, we had one road bike in the store, about 5 electric scooters and a lot of low priced bikes I would rather not discuss. After closing the first day, I looked around and asked why was I doing this? That fact is, I knew nothing about running a bike store, and was completely out of my element. My background was running insurance businesses, in a much larger "arena". I thought I could buy this small underproducing retail store, turn it around, and then work part time there and also consult in the area I was much more qualified and comfortable with. Little did I know that that day would never come!

The firt two months of owning the store, I found out I needed to replace the entire staff, completely clean the store, identify over half of the inventory as old and obsolete, and basically control myself from not having a nervous breakdown. Was I ever surprised. and to top that off, fight to maintain the brands that were currently in the store. But, I was up for the challenge, as I never allowed myself to dwell on what I could not accomplish.

Today, the Agoura store has close to 15 full and part time employees, is known as one of the leading road shops in the area and is proud to sell Giant, Orbea, Felt, Pinarello, Scott, DeRosa, Diamondback and Raleigh bicycles. I have a very healthy respect for my competitors in the Conejo Valley and know that each of them brings value to cycling and to the sport. We strive to give the best service, from the moment you enter our store, through the entire shopping experience. If we don't have what you need, we won't sell you what we have. We will work with you to either get what is right for you, or recommend where to get it. I personally will never sell something just to get it off the floor.

I forgot to mention, that last year, we opened our second store, Boulevard Cycles. Located just east of Van Nuys Boulevard on Ventura Boulevard, it was the first "Giant Podium" store in Southern Califonia to open. The store is a beautifu example of what a lot of money and ingenuity can do when designing a new age bicycle store. It's what manufacturers and retailers are willing to do to bring a higher level of professionalism to cycling. The store continues to grow under the direction of Jim Aalfs. Giant is our primary brand featured, and as a partner, Giant never told us what we can not sell in our store, like other brands have done. We hope as the store grows, we are forced to take additional space when the times is right.

Why would anyone want to shop at either store? First and foremost, we strive to offer customer service beyond other stores. How many times have you gone into a bike store, only to be ignored or feel you are not important? This past Saturday, our Agoura Cycles store must have had 25 people in the store. Some were cyclists who finished our group ride and just hung out. Others were just customers shopping. I always make it a point when I am there to greet every customer when they come in, and when it gets that busy and I see a customer walk out due to no one able to help them, I can't tell you how bad I feel that I could not break away and apoligize for no one getting to them sooner. We were fortunate that no one walked out, and it was one of our best Saturday's that I can remember. The energy from customer's testing bikes and trying on clothes was amazing. The dressing room by the end of the day looked like Barney's on their once a year sale day! The staff did a great job and dealt with any issue that came up. The only tragedy was we coulld not install Jim Passantino's pursuit bars, but I promised him it would get done this week!

We will continue to look for new ways to bring new cyclists to us and hold classes and seminars on cycling topics. If you have suggestions, we welcome it. Our Saturday rides are designed to invite beginner cyclists with a short ride that has a no drop policy. We also offer a second ride for the intermediate or advanced cyclist and change the routes up weekly. If there are enough interested cyclists, we are planning on starting a womens only ride.

Enough for tonight. Gotta eat!

Joel