Sunday Bikes

Eric L, Hold On! from SundayBikes.com

Jim Cielinski is one of the most talented BMX riders I have ever met. Upon returning to Buffalo after many years of touring, he openned a little store off Elmwood Ave and created his own line of bikes called "Sunday". Here is the latest video release.

Griffin Cycle Gets New Awning

Stopped at my old shop, Griffin Cycle, in Bethesda on Memorial Day to say hi. I love going in there. Its like coming home. Everyone was happy and the shop was really busy. It was a big day for Bethesda cycling yesterday.

The new awning was a big improvement over the ragged old blue one. Its yellow color punctuated the little shopping plaza and you could see it from the end of the block. Pretty soon their website will also be updated to reflect the new branding.

If you are in Bethesda and want to get some info, have that old bike repaired, or get a nice new shiny Trek to cruise the many bike paths in the DC area; stop in and say hi to Nick, Bert and the gang at:

Griffin Cycle, 

4949 Bethesda Ave, 

Bethesda MD, 20814. 

301-656-6188.

Words and Photos By Ray Heinsman

Silver Cycles: A First Look

Whenever I went to the Woodside Deli for crab-cake benedict on Sunday mornings, I noticed Silver Cycles, was open. This is early for a little shop. Over the past few years, I had heard good things about them. Once, a customer came to Griffin Cycle because he had been referred there by Linda, the owner of Silver Cycles. It was a busy Sunday, but he commuted everyday to NOAA on his bicycle, so I made the extra effort to get him on his way and make sure we remained worthy of  her noble and generous recommendation. Wanting to know more about this little gem in the cycling community; yesterday, after work, I rode down Georgia Ave in DC rush hour traffic and stopped by my neighborhood bike shop, Silver Cycles, for the first time. 

Upon entering, I noticed that this store maximized space. Not much larger then my living room, there were 4 jam packed, neatly organized, floor to ceiling product displays and two, two story bike racks housing all styles of very affordable, and a few high end, bicycles. For as small as this shop was, it had more selection then I have seen in some large bike shops. There were several types of everything. If you are on your bike and something breaks, I would bet that this store is going to have something that will work and get you on your way. There was also a very efficient, well organized and clean repair area, as well as a small storage closet in the back.

3 employees were in the store along with the owner, Linda, when I visited. A young man, Josh, (who had been there 5 years) and I had a nice conversation. He started by coming over and saying, "I approve" upon inspecting my bike. This is always a good thing. Shop employees that take a postitive interest in their customers bike, will always be who I go to when I need service. This attribute was obviously due to the shop's leadership. Even though Linda was busy moving product, polishing a BMX bike and generally taking care of things in the store, she took the time to discuss each individual part of a vintage Japanese Fuji brought in by a customer while I was there. It was at this moment that I realized what makes this Linda and her little shop special. She has an unparalleled passion for bicycles and helping people riding them.

It seems no matter what shop I visit, they are making improvements to serve their customers better. As you can see from the picture, Silver Cycles is moving. In a few days, a much larger space immediately adjacent to their current location will be a welcome change for Linda and her crew. I cannot wait to see what they do with it. If you need a quality affordable new bike, or some expert service; I recommend stopping in at Silver Cycles: 9330 Georgia Avenue (at the intersection with Seminary Road) Silver Spring, MD 20910-1726.

(301) 585-1889

Germantown Cycles, A First Look

I stopped at Germantown Cycles on my way to the Thursday night Schaeffer Ride with MORE. It is located in a strip mall on the corner of Wisteria Drive and Great Seneca Highway in Germantown, MD. Craig, the owner, greeted me with a smile. He remembered me from the article I wrote a few weeks earlier: Walmart Bicycle vs. Bike Shop Bicycle; Why pay more?.

From the outside, it is a small single storefront with the simple word BIKES on the awning above. Inside, there is a comfortable friendly personality that wonderfully compliments the quality presentation of glistening bicycles and components Craig is currently installing. After he finishes, I will be posting some pictures of the interior. We had a good conversation and he told me a little bit about his plans.

If you are in the area and want to shop in a quaint store with good people to help you, I recommend stopping in and saying hi to Craig and his crew at Germantown Cycles, 12615 Wisteria Dr., Germantown, MD 20874. 

Phone 240-404-0695

 Words and photo by Ray Heinsman

Walmart Bicycle Vs Bike Shop Bicycle: Why Pay More?

You get what You pay for.

In the bicycle world, when buying bikes that cost less then $1500, this is very true. Over that price, the differences for the average enthusiast are less significant.  Working in bike shops for the last 18 years, there has been a question I have been asked over and over again.

Why should I buy a bike at my local bike shop for $350 instead of a bike from a department store like Wal-mart, Target, or Kmart for $150? Top Photo

In this article I am going to present evidence that the person paying $150 at a department store is going to pay more then $200 to repair the bike over the next 5 years. This person will also ride the bike less and put themselves at a higher risk for serious injury while doing so.  Consumer Reports has a pretty decent article that glances over the some of the pros and cons comparing bicycle shops to department stores. What are your priorities when buying a bike? Most people I talk to want a product that functions and fits properly. They do not know a lot about bikes, so they rely on someone with expertise to help them out.

Spend $350 now or more then that later.

When purchasing a bicycle from a department store, there is no knowledgeable staff on hand to assist you. The bicycles are usually poorly assembled and do not function properly from the moment they are purchased. A bicycle brought to a bicycle shop will cost at least $75 to assemble properly. That is to ensure that your brakes stop, gears shift, parts are properly lubed and bolts are securely tightened. Department store assembly people get paid by the bike. The more bikes they assemble, the more money they make per hour. The store requirements for a proper assembly are minimal: all parts must be attached. I only know of one person who was able to put the bikes together at a Toys "R" Us properly and it was because he happened to be a bike guy who cared. There were exceptions (he doesn't work there now), but those exceptions are rare. I know someone who bought a bike from Target and the rear hub broke in the 3rd month of ownership. He only rode it to get from the paint shop to the wood shop at our local union carpenters millwork facility. During that time it never shifted properly and the brakes always rubbed due to the wheel being out of true. He spent almost $100 to get it repaired. The quality of the parts used on department store bikes are highly inferior to those found on bicycles in a local bike shop. I have seen handlebars droop because they were made of such cheap steel they bent in the 1st year of riding. I have seen frame parts bend because they are thin plate steel instead of the thick machined pieces found on real bikes. Bikes bought at department stores are not able to be brought back to the store for maintenance so the owner has to bring it to a shop. Griffin Cycle has free maintenance for the first 15 months on bikes purchased from them. That is two seasons of lubing the chain and adjusting the mechanisms. That is worth over $150 right there.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike......but I can't.

Why not? Because its broke, it sucks, its heavy, it doesn't work right. A bicycle is a vehicle. It is used for transportation and for recreation. When the bicycle makes grinding noises, has little air in the tires and is heavy, it can become almost impossible to pedal and the sound is annoying. When riding a bicycle for transportation, you want to get there faster then walking. You want to get there quietly and you want to get there without anything breaking. A local bicycle shop usually gives their customers free air. Parts that break will be covered under a warranty. A bicycle bought at a shop weighs almost 10lbs less on average. Also, a properly fit bicycle is easier to ride. Your legs fully extend giving you the most power, your body is in the proper position to breath easily, and your arms are at a comfortable width. When a bicycle works and fits well, you enjoy riding it, you enjoy looking at it, and you want to ride it again. When it doesn't work and fit well, you ball up into the fetal position at the thought of putting it between your legs, you look at it with disgust, and you never want to ride it again.

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

Why are you just laying there? I'm hurt. Why are you hurt? My pedal broke; My chain slipped; My seat broke and the list went on and on and........ These are all reasons why riding a bike with adequately well made parts is important. On a bicycle you can hit speeds in excess of 20mph pedaling on a neighborhood street. Ever hit the pavement at that speed? It sucks. Your skin falls off like a zombie with leprosy. How else can I get hurt riding my bike? An improper fit can do it rather easily. If the bike is too small, your knees are too bent when you ride. This will ruin your knees in no time. You will also hit your foot on the front wheel or bang your knee on the handlebar. Ouch. When your bike is too big, you get all stretched out. Making a quick turn to avoid a car or pothole is almost impossible and bang, you just hit the pavement and lost more skin. Your back will creek and ache and ask you to stop riding before too long. If you slip off the handlebar and smack you face on the stem you can say goodbye to a couple of teeth.

I want a bike. What do I do?

In the DC area, I can suggest a few shops that I have had good experiences with or heard good things about.

Griffin Cycle is in Bethesda MD.  Germantown Cycles is in Germantown, MD.   Spokes etc has several locations in Northern VA.   Silver Cycles is located in Silver Spring, MD. If you are not in the DC area, the websites these shop names link to will have reviews of a local bike shop in your area to try out. GO to one of these shops and ask one of their knowledgeable sales staff to help you determine what kind of bike you need. They will also fit the bike to you. They may have to swap out a stem or change your seat and many times there is little or no charge for this. If you do not have enough money now, waiting a few months to save enough will result in owning a bike that is a joy to ride, safe to ride, and will last a long time.

This is all good, but the department store is still cheaper

Supporting your local bike shop supports your community. Many have group rides bringing people who ride bikes in your community together. The bike shop owner is able to work with you and your concerns as opposed to the department store manager who has to follow some large corporation's rules. A local bike shop spends money in your neighborhood as opposed to sending the profits to some far off distant mother-ship. Local bike shops have people who are experts at a trade as opposed to department stores who are experts at putting blue dot stickers on stuff. Your local shop lets you take the bike for a test ride; so you get to be seen looking beautiful riding a new bike before you even spend any money. The list is endless.

Ride Hard. Ride Safe. Ride with a smile on your face.

words by Ray Heinsman  

Griffin Cycle Shop

Griffin Cycle has always been a good shop for me. The first day I walked in there, I had just moved to Bethesda a week before. Having worked in a shop in Buffalo off and on for the past 10 years and really enjoyed my discount.......oh - as well as the camaraderie and friends I had made in the bike community; I decided that I would like to meet fellow cyclists in my new home and stopped in with my girlfriend one Sunday afternoon. I met the Sunday manager and a couple of employees and asked if they needed any more help on Sundays. It was April, a prime time for getting hired at a shop. They said, "Of Course! No one wants

to work on Sundays;" and I soon found out why. It was a mad house. Mostly families coming in with their 4 kids to buy bikes for the oldest ones and have the bikes they owned given a little Griffin love so they could be handed down. I had never worked in a shop like this before. So many people came in and said things like, "I need 3 bikes, can you have them ready by the time we come back from brunch?" I said of course and scurried them off to the back to make sure every bolt was tight and all the adjustments were proper. The owner of the sh op is Nick Griffin. He has worked there since his dad bought the shop in the very early 1970s. He's been through it all. The road bike boom. The mountain bike boom. The best thing that ever happened for casual riders though has been the birth of the hybrid. This shop does hybrids best. They have most sizes for most bikes made by Trek and Gary Fisher in stock in the 300 - 700 dollar range, and they pack them all into a shop that is 25 feet wide by 70 feet long, on display, right there for you to come in and pick out the one you want to take for a test ride. They have a women's specific section, an area with just kids bikes, and the most loyal group of high end road riding enthusiasts you will find anywhere. There are celebrities, or almost celebrities, that stop in there as well. I have sold Eunice Kennedy Shriver 3 bicycles for her grand-kids. I have done repairs to Paul Wolfowitz's bike. Linda Carter is known to frequent the shop as well. One thing I have always hated about most shops I have been to is the way the shop personnel treat the occasional customer. They have a "I'm holier then thou" attitude usually also found in music store employee/ guitar players. You will get none of this at Griffin. They are looking to help anyone who comes in enjoy riding a bicycle. They also enjoy a good brew. One night I was riding with the previous and the current shop manager, just fooling around hoping obstacles in Bethesda, riding balance beams, doing stair drops and practicing wheelies and after we went to the pizza place next door and enjoyed some BBQ Chicken pizza and some Sierra Nevada. Good Times, Good Friends. Nick, and the current manager, Bert also run a shop ride on Wednesday Nights at 7pm. They ride from Bethesda North into Potomac and then back into town. The move at a pace that keeps your interest, but don't drop you showing off their cycling prowess.....although they could if they wanted to. This shop is operated by people who know bicycles, know how to ride them, and know how to help other people enjoy their bicycle. Stop on in and say hi to Nick, Bert, and the Crew on Bethesda Ave Monday - Friday 11-7, Saturday 10-6 or Sunday 12-5. See my link on the right side of the blog to their website for more information.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman