Earth Day Is Our Birthday

Today is our 7th anniversary!

Thanks everybuddy – couldn’t do it without YOU.

 

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

 

Last Call For Free Radical

I admit the first time I saw an Xtracycle FreeRadical I laughed at it, even the very idea of it. “Who wants to carry a cello on their bike” I think I said? I was firmly in the go fast by bike camp at that point, anything more than a messenger bag was too much. Well, one day I saw a friend riding to work with a radio playing NPR in his WALD basket, and then I went bike touring on an old Motobecane and then, eventually, I got a bike shop. And an Xtracycle! I found out that they really are amazing, and this blog is full of posts touting their many uses so I won’t waste time rehashing except to once again pay that ultimate compliment – Of my bikes the Xtracycle is the only one that would have to be replaced, and immediately, if it went missing.

My first Xtracycle was the FreeRadical add on kit. Comes with everything you need to turn the bike you already have into a legit cargo bike. Xtracycle is now updating the design of the venerable old FreeRad and have stopped production of the old design. Which is what I wanted to tell you! Pictured is the last FreeRad we will ever have in stock. So if you have been on the fence about trying this whole cargo bike lifestyle out with an add on kit you better act soon, because that whole fence is about to get torn down.

 

Works On Progress

One of our favorite sayings here in the shop is Ever Forward! Also, the Future Does Not Exist, which is enough to give you a headache if you think on it too long. With that in mind here is a saddle Brooks introduced earlier this year that the 30¢ Squad has been doing extensive townie testing upon this year. We give it a big thumbs up for your butt! Errr, well it’s a nice saddle that feels broken in right out of the box, and has some serious style futuristic retro style.

Like this 2015 MASI Gran Criterium. Gum wall tires and 11 speed?! Say okay, don’t be a square now. Like us. We switched to Square for our small business (okay – micro business) point of sale cash registering and credit card acceptance needs. No more paper receipts! We can take your Discover card or AmEx even!

Plus we got to clear all this junk off our counter.

And we got to get an iPad which is good for Square. And all kinds of other important bike shop stuff.