It's a Savvy Bike Shop-a-Palooza!

Whether you were out fighting the Black Friday crowds or plan to shop small + local for Small Business Saturday, I wanted to share a special discount with all our Savvy Bike clients + fans. 

The 2014 Savvy Bike calendar has been published and you can register on-line for all of our camps, clinics, and bike fit. And now through Monday, December 2nd, you can save 20% by using promotional code SBS. 

Here's a preview of what's on tap for the coming year.  Holiday shopping couldn't be any easier! 

The Tri-Flow Development Racing Program

Introduced in 2006, this award-winning program is designed to help you bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, we'll teach you everything you need to know to begin road racing and then support you at your first race. This program is limited to eight riders each session. A solid level of cycling fitness is required. Program fee includes custom team jersey, USA Cycling License, race registration fee, twice-weekly team training, and a group training program. Contact coaching@savvybike.com to schedule an assessment.

Team #1 – Bariani Road Race (Feb 9^th  – Mar 16^th, 2014)

Cinderella Kick-Start Clinic – Jan 18^th

Are you planning to ride the Cinderella Classic on April 5th, 2014?  If so, this is the PERFECT clinic for you.  We combine the best skills from our Bike Skills modules, along with important information about nutrition and bike maintenance, to start you off in the right direction for a successful event.  Then, join us for our progressive training ride series that begins the following week and you'll be crossing the finish line in style!  Meet other women who will be riding Cinderella and have a GREAT day of bike-love learning.

Alpine Altitude Adventure (aka Death Ride Training Camp) – Jun 20^th – 22^nd, 2014

Join us for a fun, co-ed training weekend in Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride.    This 6^th annual co-ed weekend camp is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude.  Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience.  Daily mileage options range from 25 - 75 miles.  Registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), a Friday skills clinic, SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of fun with cool folks. 

Bike Skills 101 – Fundamental Bike Handling Skills – sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com – Feb 8^th, Mar 15^th, Apr 26^th, May 31^st, Jul 13^th, Aug 17^th, Sep 13^th, Oct 18^th

This 4-hour co-ed clinic is the foundation of everything else you’ll learn on the bike.  This is the clinic where we teach the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals.  You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently.  We’ll learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.   This clinic is a pre-requisite for all other Bike Skills road cycling clinics.

Bike Skills 102 – Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills – Mar 1^st, May 10^th, Jul 27^th, Sep 28^th, Nov 8^th

It's time for a little dirty fun!  We'll teach you the basics (and not-so-basics) of balance, weight distribution, and how to use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to rock, roll, hop, and jump. Master the art of steep climbs.  Learn to descend with confidence and skill.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.

Bike Skills 103 – Fundamental Cyclocross Skills + Tactics – Aug 24^th

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross?  It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family.  And best of all, it's happening at a park near you!  In this four-hour clinic, you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike.  We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season.  We’ll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief.  You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic.

Bike Skills 201 – Climbing + Descending Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate – Feb 8^th, Mar 15^th, Apr 26^th, May 31^st, Jul 13^th, Aug 17^th, Sep 13^th, Oct 18^th

Bike Skills 201 is a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101.  What goes up must come down, right?  In this 4-hour co-ed clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro – seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs.  And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchbacky descent.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 301 – Pacelines + Group Riding Skills – Apr 6^th, Jun 8^th, Sep 14^th, Nov 9^th

Wheelsucking is an art!  Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther.  We’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 302 – Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

This six-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 303 – Advanced Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

Are you an experienced racer?  Are you ready to step up your game for 2014?  In this six-hour clinic we'll focus on individual bike-handling, group riding, and racing skills. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, as well as tactics (both individual and team).  We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Register with teammates to enhance your learning!  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent skills clinic, or a minimum of 10 race starts.



Bike Touring 101 – May 17^th – 18^th, Oct 4^th – 5^th  

Have you thought about touring on your bike but don’t know where to begin?  We’ll unravel the mysteries of supported, fully-loaded, and semi-loaded touring for you.  This clinic includes a two-hour seminar on the topics of equipment, bicycle choice, what to bring, how to pack, camping, cooking, safety, and choosing your route.  Then, we head out for a weekend of semi-loaded touring with a 50-mile hilly option or a 25-mile rolling option, both ending at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, where we’ll have dinner, spend the evening, soak in the hot tub, and sleep.  The next day, we pack up and return to the start.  This is a fully-supported event and includes ride nutrition, dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday), SAG, and your accommodations at the hostel.

a perfect size 9

Bike fit is tailoring.  It's the process of taking something stock, off-the-shelf, and altering it to fit your body perfectly.  A nip here, a tuck there and voila!  The new garment fits like a second skin.  You look fabulous, you feel magnificent, and all eyes are on you.

Now, we all know how it usually works.  You head to your local clothing store, pick something out, you're between sizes, it's big in the boobs and small in the waist, it's too long or too short, you debate possible weight loss, and end up with something that looks vaguely like a sack of potatoes.  Yeah, because if you're like me, you're not a size 8 and you're not a size 10, but rather, a perfect size 9 (which doesn't exist except for juniors).

So back to bike fit.  I remember my first "real" bike fit (not the stand-over-the-frame-and-it-works type of fit that was common in bike shops in 1999).  This was a two-hour session that involved tape measures, and levels, and goniometers and someone who asked questions about my history and my goals.  This was many years after I'd been riding a frame that was too big, handlebars that were too wide, and a saddle height and stem drop that didn't reflect my current flexibility.  It was like magic.  Suddenly, with some small adjustments by an experienced and educated bike fitter, I was riding "with" my bike, not "on" my bike.  My bike and I worked as one.  My bike was an extension of me and I felt good.  And suddenly, my bike handled like a dream -- cornering and descending like nobody's business.  Yeah, my cycling paradigms were shifted forever and I made it a personal goal to become the best darn bike fitter I could be.

A good bike fit is like wearing a fine, tailored suit.  And a custom frame with a good fit is like wearing a fine, custom-made tuxedo.   There's nothing quite like it.

I'm an admitted custom bike junkie.  I love having a bike that fits me just perfectly and is designed to meet my riding style, my unique weight distribution, my flexibility, and my goals.  I love having a bike that is unlike anyone else's in the entire world.  I love choosing my frame material, paint, and every single component.  I'm completely addicted and will likely never own another stock bike.

My first custom bike was a Luna cyclocross bike, designed and built by Margo Conover, back in the day when the stock options for cross bikes were pretty limited so most of the racers I knew had custom bikes.  My Luna was very pretty and even made it into Velo News (see below).  Currently, my road, touring, geared mountain bike, and single speed mountain bikes are all custom.

I've been fitting bikes for 10 years.  So it was only a matter of time before I started working with custom bike builders, like Natalie Ramsland of Sweetpea Bicycles, to fit clients for custom frames.  It's exciting to be part of the process and also feed my addiction.  After all, who doesn't want to help other folks feel (and ride) like a million bucks?

What's your favorite bike?  How do you feel when you ride it?  Do you have or have you considered a custom bike?