Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Cog Magazine
Cog magazine has been a marker of the seasons around the shop for the last little while. I am lucky in that on most occasions I am the first person(in Atlanta) to get to have a physical copy in my hands whenever it comes out. This is because I'm at my shop a lot, and none of the other shops carry the magazine. From what I can remember we've carried it from it's first issue. This month the featured frame builder was Bilenky who built the bike I ride every day. Cog magazine, is obviously a labor of love, and the editors and writers on their front are no more likely to be getting rich quick than the wrenches at your local shop.
From the very beginning and to this day we offer the magazine free to our customers. Just the other day I saw on one of the many blogs we follow a reminder that Cog magazine should be free! This got me thinking again about something that had come across my mind early on, and it is a logical conclusion that they mention this because some shops must be charging for the magazine.
First the issue that I had all ready reconciled myself to accepting. That being that my bike shop would pay(yes we have to pay for it) for a magazine that I would then give away that would have advertisement in it.
I am not in the publication business and I've never been a paper boy, nor have I ever run a newsstand. But as a general rule of business you sell things that you buy if you want to make money. However the idea that we could draw in customers with the exposure created by being a carrier of the publication peaked our interest and we gave it a try and bought a box. Sure enough we had some new customers come by and pick up the magazine with a few other purchases large and small.
Sure enough as well we have had and still have people come in and ask for the magazine and not buy anything. I'm not talking regulars here(who know who they are, and who know that they don't have to buy something that day). I'm talking people whose regular bike shop isn't us, stopping by only for the free copy.
Giving a free copy to anybody walking though the door may be a good business model for Milwaukee Bikes. Who has a full page ad in the magazine and wants you to read it to see their ad. But me paying to essentially give away a competitors advertisement to non paying customers? This does little for us as a small business, so off they go without a copy.
And so this was the state of affairs. But now we have the logical progression of bike shops charging for the magazine. It's hard for me not to say, if they paid for it, then they have the right to sell it(unless they have a specific contract not to). In all honesty this I believe Cog magazine will have to address directly in the near future. If this gray area persists, I see little other option then for small shops to begin charging for the magazine. For my two cents I would like to see them go fully one way or the other. Either a for sale publication, or a free publication paid for by advertisement free for anyone who will pick it up.
From the very beginning and to this day we offer the magazine free to our customers. Just the other day I saw on one of the many blogs we follow a reminder that Cog magazine should be free! This got me thinking again about something that had come across my mind early on, and it is a logical conclusion that they mention this because some shops must be charging for the magazine.
First the issue that I had all ready reconciled myself to accepting. That being that my bike shop would pay(yes we have to pay for it) for a magazine that I would then give away that would have advertisement in it.
I am not in the publication business and I've never been a paper boy, nor have I ever run a newsstand. But as a general rule of business you sell things that you buy if you want to make money. However the idea that we could draw in customers with the exposure created by being a carrier of the publication peaked our interest and we gave it a try and bought a box. Sure enough we had some new customers come by and pick up the magazine with a few other purchases large and small.
Sure enough as well we have had and still have people come in and ask for the magazine and not buy anything. I'm not talking regulars here(who know who they are, and who know that they don't have to buy something that day). I'm talking people whose regular bike shop isn't us, stopping by only for the free copy.
Giving a free copy to anybody walking though the door may be a good business model for Milwaukee Bikes. Who has a full page ad in the magazine and wants you to read it to see their ad. But me paying to essentially give away a competitors advertisement to non paying customers? This does little for us as a small business, so off they go without a copy.
And so this was the state of affairs. But now we have the logical progression of bike shops charging for the magazine. It's hard for me not to say, if they paid for it, then they have the right to sell it(unless they have a specific contract not to). In all honesty this I believe Cog magazine will have to address directly in the near future. If this gray area persists, I see little other option then for small shops to begin charging for the magazine. For my two cents I would like to see them go fully one way or the other. Either a for sale publication, or a free publication paid for by advertisement free for anyone who will pick it up.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Back from the trip.
Potential names for the trip include...
Yurtle Jerk
If the yurt is a rocking don't come a knocking
and well we got too drunk to remember the rest.
Everyone met up at Bobby's and even despite my protest that we meet up an hour later, I arrived on time, before everyone else. Some OJ and eggs to get us started, and Bobby, Kyle, Josh and I were off by 10.The ride out was good, a good bit more climbing than expected. We kept a respectable 15 mile per hour pace for the 45 miles carrying quite a bit of gear among us up quite a few hills. We stopped a couple of times picking up some extra supplies. Most of the ride was in semi industrial suburban highway with the last third being in country then turning into beautiful winding forest road. Unfortunately no one thought to stop and get pictures of the road leading into red top mountain park.
Our trips highlight was of course the yurt itself. There are a few of these situated in the Georgia State parks. 3 or 4 are in state parks within 50 or so miles of Southeast Atlanta so a little bit of homework and 55 dollars can book you one. This was the first time some of us had even heard of a yurt let alone slept in one. While in the strictest sense this was a "yurt" in that it was round. This was made by Colorado Yurts with stuff like electricity and a fan. Inside it was furnished with some random lodge looking futon and futon/bunkbed. A little stuffy when we first arrived due likely to the fact that it hadn't been rented out in a while, once we rolled up the window flaps we got some cross ventilation going and it put many a cabin to shame. 
The only new piece of cycling gear that I took was the Nitto top rack, or R14. As I expected it held up as any nitto product should. Mounting it up was a snap compared to custom drilling/bending tabs on the VO(the steep requirements of setup on the VO pay off greatly in the end with a SUPER STABLE rack). The rack came with enough sturdier than usual looking p clamps to mount this thing on a keirin frame. Since I had the proper mounts on the frame all ready, the only thing I had to fool with were the 4 10mm nuts that grabbed the struts, thus adjusting both strut length and angle. If I was going to keep this rack on the bike permanently I would tweak it a little and get the rack to attach to the fender. This would require a bit of drilling and sawing some of the struts a bit shorter so that they don't poke up into the "floor" of the racktop, and while I was at it I would saw the front struts a bit shorter just for looks. For now it just sits a bit high of the fender so I don't have to hear it clanking back there.
It had enough bungee tabs to secure a big roll of sleeping bag, hammock, extra clothes and some dry and canned food, and an extra pair of moccasins for around the campsite with two bungee chords. Once they were set I didn't touch them or worry about them until it was time to unload gear at the camp. This isn't the rack that I would choose for fully loaded week plus camping/touring trips. For a short trip I easily strapped about 15 pounds of gear on there and double that with the proper luggage I wouldn't expect to be a problem. I am going to keep it on the bike until I can think of a reason I wouldn't want to be able to carry a few extra beers on the way home(or to the shop).
Yurtle Jerk
If the yurt is a rocking don't come a knocking
and well we got too drunk to remember the rest.
Everyone met up at Bobby's and even despite my protest that we meet up an hour later, I arrived on time, before everyone else. Some OJ and eggs to get us started, and Bobby, Kyle, Josh and I were off by 10.The ride out was good, a good bit more climbing than expected. We kept a respectable 15 mile per hour pace for the 45 miles carrying quite a bit of gear among us up quite a few hills. We stopped a couple of times picking up some extra supplies. Most of the ride was in semi industrial suburban highway with the last third being in country then turning into beautiful winding forest road. Unfortunately no one thought to stop and get pictures of the road leading into red top mountain park.
Our trips highlight was of course the yurt itself. There are a few of these situated in the Georgia State parks. 3 or 4 are in state parks within 50 or so miles of Southeast Atlanta so a little bit of homework and 55 dollars can book you one. This was the first time some of us had even heard of a yurt let alone slept in one. While in the strictest sense this was a "yurt" in that it was round. This was made by Colorado Yurts with stuff like electricity and a fan. Inside it was furnished with some random lodge looking futon and futon/bunkbed. A little stuffy when we first arrived due likely to the fact that it hadn't been rented out in a while, once we rolled up the window flaps we got some cross ventilation going and it put many a cabin to shame.
The yurt was situated closer to the lake than any of the other campsites in the proximity, and the trail behind led down to some cool boulders to hang out on before and after a swim. Soon after shakes drove up with a whole cooler full of beer.
Any doubts we had as to the waterproofness of the yurt were quickly put to rest as by about 7 o clock tornado sirens were going off and he rain was starting. After an hour or so it let up, and we made our dinner.
We awoke to constant downpour and decided that the highways going back into town would be less than fun, so we mobilized the lag vehicles and headed back into town.
The only new piece of cycling gear that I took was the Nitto top rack, or R14. As I expected it held up as any nitto product should. Mounting it up was a snap compared to custom drilling/bending tabs on the VO(the steep requirements of setup on the VO pay off greatly in the end with a SUPER STABLE rack). The rack came with enough sturdier than usual looking p clamps to mount this thing on a keirin frame. Since I had the proper mounts on the frame all ready, the only thing I had to fool with were the 4 10mm nuts that grabbed the struts, thus adjusting both strut length and angle. If I was going to keep this rack on the bike permanently I would tweak it a little and get the rack to attach to the fender. This would require a bit of drilling and sawing some of the struts a bit shorter so that they don't poke up into the "floor" of the racktop, and while I was at it I would saw the front struts a bit shorter just for looks. For now it just sits a bit high of the fender so I don't have to hear it clanking back there.It had enough bungee tabs to secure a big roll of sleeping bag, hammock, extra clothes and some dry and canned food, and an extra pair of moccasins for around the campsite with two bungee chords. Once they were set I didn't touch them or worry about them until it was time to unload gear at the camp. This isn't the rack that I would choose for fully loaded week plus camping/touring trips. For a short trip I easily strapped about 15 pounds of gear on there and double that with the proper luggage I wouldn't expect to be a problem. I am going to keep it on the bike until I can think of a reason I wouldn't want to be able to carry a few extra beers on the way home(or to the shop).
Friday, May 1, 2009
Preparing for!
A weekend trip to Lake Allatoona , red top mountain park. The yurt is reserved, the gear is ready to go thanks to a little help from Half Moon Outfitters, and the only thing left is to figure out what kind of whiskey to bring. Beer would be better but sunday in georgia there is nothing to do about it no chance of picking up a cold 6 pack on the way to bed(or bag as i like to call it when camping)!
The Bilenky is ready to go, the final touch was installing a rear rack. This has been a bit of a dilemma (if rack selection can be such) for me. I would like another VO rack to match my constructeur rack up front, but I wasn't drawn to any of their rear racks. In the end I went with a Nitto R-14 rack(also known as the Rivendell top rack) which by it's very nature as a Nitto product is something that we carry. thinking that it could be an in between semi removable rack there when i want it stored away somewhere small when i don't. Shortly after i put the order in I read online in a few places that the rack when set up feels flimsy... well so far in just having set it up it feels like it could hold a good bit of weight so it's true test is coming up!
So expect a review of that rack soon.
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