Riding Out Of Business SALE

Hello 30¢ Squad, if you have not heard already let us break it to you, we are shutting our doors on Valentine’s Day. New opportunities and all that, we will miss the day to day scene in here, and want to thank all of you for your support and patronage over these last 9 years, it has been quite a ride :) Going to be posting things here we have on deep discounts it will be changing daily so check back often, and come on in to see what else we have to clear out, tools, shelves, fixtures, etc

Time grows short and my house is small so another exciting price chop on bicycles, this solid Medium Sized Giant is not just an intriguing children’s book title it’s a dependable get around machine with a new rear wheel, chain and cassette. Do the math, we’re losing money here which makes the Medium Sized Giant a sensible choice as a solid investment for you in which you can leverage your dollars across multiple chainrings and oh jeeze this is becoming an economics book / bicycle mechanics handbook – turn the page turn the page quick where are the pictures oh I’m so sorry kids

• Buy a SRAM 9 speed cassette & get a free 9 speed SRAM chain to go with
• Buy a SRAM or Shimano 7 speed cassette& get a free KMC chain

Dahon Speed D7 folding bike – one size fits most, with travel case $399

Helmet stock is dwindling but still valid.

Freestanding shop bench*/makeshift incoming ICBM or tornado shelter. $100

*Stains and stickers included. If you’d prefer different stickers and stains could part with the other bench but this one is already cleared off. Measures 5’9″ long and 33″ deep. Pegboard is firmly attached but eminently removable. Optional pegboard hooks available. Pedros bottle opener mounted left side because right side pre-drilled for a vise. Best to not mix vices with vises.

 

This is what remains of our once spectacular bike bag display that used to stretch out the front door, over Prentiss St hill and all the way down to the Iowa river I tell ya. But that’s not important right now – what is important is that all them made in Iowa Ironweed bags are on sale.

All used bikes now well under two hundred dollars. Beloved shop bike the “rust rocket” at $49 since we won’t be having Sam’s Pizza runs anymore :/ Also a nice Raleigh coaster brake cruiser now at $99

Clearance table is in effect for smaller, older, and just plain odder stuff that any reputable bike shop will accumulate over 9 years. Headsets, colorful brake and shift housing, brakes, chainrings, aero seatpost, halflink chain, bike hooks – SO MANY BIKE HOOKS, yak trax, disc brake errata, and FREE STICKERS. Plus more :)

As is Hercules 3 speed FREEEEEEEE

 

 

New Stuff, you Covfefe?

It’s the end of May, or as we call it – time to ride! Well, we call it that all year but now the weather is really nice :)

We have a few new things in to share, the men’s and women’s Inizio from MASI is restyled but the same great value entry level road bike with that reliable Shimano Claris shifting and now rolling on plush 28mm wide tires on wide rims for a smoother and more comfortable ride.

Last year we had a hard time keeping the disc brake MASI CX Comp in stock, and now it comes in a right fiery Italian red so we figure to send a lot of them out again this season in search of adventures. Gravel, touring, paved roads, even some trails this bike is steel solid and ready to go about anywhere you want to point it.

Joining the always popular Bianchi Cortina, Iseo and Milano on the floor is the C Sport 2. Another versatile bike with disc brakes that makes a solid commuter and looks great with fenders, rack, and lights, but can also roam further than the back and forth to work if you like.

And speaking of fenders, racks, bags, and etc we have everything you need – including Ironweed bags designed and made right here in Iowa – to get the most out of this, the pleasant riding season, and then to extend it. Forever :) #bikelife

 

 

 

Winter Assault Sale

Don’t just sit around wondering if icy roads have been salted.

Get out there and assault them yourself with a studded tire! Or two. All remaining in stock studs now $47 each.

Bar Mitts and pogies on sale, too. Plus all that other winter stuff, gloves, hats, even a nice green Kinetic trainer – if it’s in stock it’s marked down to at least 35% discount starting NOW

 

 

 

End of Year Year Ender on a Bender SALE

You may have noticed that other than the – SALES & SPECIALS / USED BIKES / Yard Sale – pages not much changes here on the old blog anymore. Well that’s because of the never slowing march of progress, more info gets out quicker and easier on – the tweeter / facebook / instagram – and occasionally shouting at people in the street. But every once or twice a year, like our anniversary #earthdayisourbirthday or the always pleasing end of year SALE there is just too much excitement or information to share so we have to dust off the keyboard, crack our knuckles and type out more than 140 characters.

We are again offering bonus 30¢ gift certificates – now until the end of the year buy one for $25 and we will give you another for $5. Buy one for $50 and we will give you one for $10. $100 will get ya another for $25. We’ll go higher, just ask and dare us!

And we have lots of stuff to spend them extra dollars on! Balance bikes.

Fat bikes -including this carbon Heller on sale at $1,710

Bianchi Cortinas stretching from red all the way down to that classic celeste.

We have expanded our clothing selection for a while to include a bunch of jerseys, shorts, vests, thermal layers, and even a pair of gloves from the many pro teams that local great guy and multiple time Olympian Jason McCartney had hanging in his closet. Come check them out, as memorabilia, gifts, or for to help yourself look extra PRO.

Winter finally showed up yesterday and we have studded tires, Yak Trax, lights, fenders, advice and know how to help you ride through the winter safely and with confidence and comfort.

There are a few other things to mention like all in-stock Arkel bags are 15% off, and all in-stock bikes are at least 10% off until the end of the year, and we like you.

Ride on everybuddy, through the end of this year, and – always – right into #nextyear

 

 

 

Earth Day Is Our Birthday

Today is our 7th anniversary!

Thanks everybuddy – couldn’t do it without YOU.

 

Spring Thaw

Hard to believe the winter that wasn’t is thinking about giving up already but it seems to be happening. If you’ve been riding all winter – good job, us too! Your bike is probably trashed and needs love. We know. Ours sure are.

If your bike has just been in storage somewhere it’s time to go check on it and make sure it is ready to roll into the warm days ahead!

And don’t think we forgot about you folks that don’t have bikes – we have bikes for you. Used bikes! New bikes! Lots of great get around town bikes from Bianchi in fresh new colors. And we are bringing back MASI cx bikes to the floor, as well as a few of their road bikes.

So you should stop in for repair or test riding and check out all the winter stuff that just went on sale. Be ready for #next year, and, because <Iowa> stay ready for this year with awesome new gear as we probably have not quite seen the end of inclement weather around here – no matter what the thermometer says this weekend.

 

We Are (NOT) Moving SALE!

Our lease was up. We almost moved. We looked around, arranged showings. It was nice, another excuse to ride bikes around town looking at what was available. Long story short, we ain’t moving, mostly because no place has a better neighbor for all our coffee, lunch and after work beer needs than Trumpet Blossom Cafe! And we like our landlord – he’s the best.

So we will be right here where we have always been, and because we got all excited about doing a moving sale we are still going to do it but without the pesky moving part. Some of our new bikes are already on sale and the discounted pricing stays the same on those – but buy one and we will hand you a gift certificate for the value of 10% of the original price. All other in stock new bikes are now 10% off Plus you get a gift certificate for 10% of the original price. You can use it right away for locks, lights, studded tires  and that kind of stuff, or give it as a gift to someone else, use it for a spring tune up, whatever – it’s yours to do with what you will!

We are also marking other assorted in stock select stuff down 15% like panniers, saddles, and even a car rack or two and some other fun stuff, but you have to come in and have a look around to see what, so come on down – you know where to find us :)

 

 

Custom Tandem, Farmer Style

This tandem came in for a dust off and lube up last week. It was purchased at a local auction years ago, and then traded so it seems unlikely to ever trace the origin, which is too bad because this is not your ordinary custom tandem.

The builder cut the back end off a bike and the fork off another bike and welded them together here, leaving the headset and steerer tube in there to hold the stoker handlebar.

Welded a tube between the cut off chainstay nubs.

And secured that tube to the bottom of the back bike with a proper big fat old weld. The back end of the tandem was pretty low, but no problem, just cut a piece of the Ashtabula out and re-weld the crank arms back together, they measured about 155. The timing chainring was the existing on the rear crank, but a drive chainring was added by welding another chainring onto spacers. Rickety? You bet. Kick ass? You bet! The owners want it to roll around the neighborhood and it will continue to do that for sure, this was fun to work on. Mostly :)

 

New Jerseys: password verde

We are excited to share the newest coolest jersey available in the whole world!

Cobra Verde is a green coffee energy drink made right here in Iowa City. It is all part of the continuation of the coffee cart that was outside the shop for our first few years. The jersey is being manufactured by Podiumwear in Minneapolis and the jerseys are manufactured there, that’s right, not just made in the USA – made in the midwest! The jerseys feature other awesome local businesses like White Rabbit, Flat Black Studios, and even little old 30th Century Bicycle. The center pocket is custom artwork by 30¢ Wrench and all around good guy Donnie! Jerseys are $60 and you can order HERE through Monday. We will have some in stock here in the shop as well, but the best way to be sure you get one is to order from the website. And what’s the password you ask? verde of course

 

All the What that’s fit to Up

Okay okay moving on from snowy bird houses, it is full on bike season crazy times in here, we celebrated our 6 year anniversary last month, hosted a Bike to Work Week breakfast AND just yesterday got interviewed for a prestigious local paper. Clarifying a couple of things: did not buy the shop, opened it from scratch, and some days we sell WAAAAAY more than 1 bike. But some days we sell none. Also they did not use the answer to What Sets Your Shop Apart question? (answer: Shop Fish). So without further adieu, here is something new to read on this 6 year old blog!

Bike shop business continues for 6 years BY Grace Pateras | MAY 14, 2015

Each week, The Daily Iowan will provide an in-depth look at a local business.

All three full-time staffers at 30th Century Bicycle, 312 E. Prentiss St., ride their bikes to work each day.

The independent shop sells new and used bikes, as well as accessories. Staffers also offer repairs to customers, the most popular being brake issues, shifting adjustments, and flat tires.

Owner Steve Goetzelman bought the shop six years ago. He said the bike demand in Iowa City is high, and he doesn’t expect it to drop.

“Bikes are here now, and they’re never going away,” he said. “People talk about if they can design a better car or the energy source of the future, but I just think bikes are always going to be there.”

On a typical day, the shop will sell one bike.

The most popular are used bikes, and sell between $200 and $500, which is a good price, Goetzelman said.

Approximately 40 to 50 bikes are on display typically, and fewer than 10 of those are used bikes because of the high demand.

One of the shop’s employees, Mary Coats, is one of the rare female mechanics in the bicycle industry.

She joined the 30th Century Bicycle team two years ago after disliking her previous experiences at bigger corporate shops.

“[Steve] doesn’t pressure us to upsell,” she said. “I like that I can focus on what’s the best fit for someone, and there’s no pressure to sell more stuff just to sell more stuff.”

Customers, Goetzelman said, are a mix between students and locals. The fall season is the busiest time of the year because of the dry weather — and students back in town for school.

However, Goetzelman said, other seasons are popular for customers as well.

“I think a lot more people are riding in the winter now than six years ago, which is great,” he said. “It’s always weather-dependent. This past winter was our busiest winter.”

Next door to the shop is Trumpet Blossom Café, 310 E. Prentiss St.

Owner Katy Meyer has known Goetzelman for many years, she said, and is happy to have him as a neighboring business.

“It’s fun to go over there and talk shop with him and talk to him about the ups and downs of running a small business,” Meyer said. “[Steve] is really dedicated to his job, and he’s there every day working hard.”

In addition, Meyer said Goetzelman is a customer at the café and comes in to replace light bulbs and perform other maintenance.

All employees at 30th Century Bicycle have different pasts with touring, racing, and biking in general. Their experiences make them good advisers, they said, to their customers.

“If you need advice on bikes, we’ve all been doing it for a long time. To get advice, it’s what we do,” Goetzelman said. “It’s how we get around. So we’re pretty good to talk to about it.”