August 2007 Newsletter, Volume 1
Summer is flying by and it has been, by far, the best summer in a long time. And, the best is still yet to come. The temperature is still warm outside, and at night it is starting to get dark. This is touring season, and we have seen the influx of riders gearing up for long rides in very cool places. We have customers heading to New Zealand, Iceland, Canada and the Lower 48, and of course touring in our own back yard of Alaska. Where will you go next? Come in and let us help you get geared up for your next adventure. Remember that even a small trip in our books is a huge adventure to most other people. As usual we have bikes for everyone, and we have expert mechanincs on hand 7 days a week to fix your bike and get you back out on the road, and we fully guarantee our work. Don't forget our lifetime frame warranty, 1 year warranty on all components and our lifetime warranty tunes on brakes and shifters - for free!!
Madone dominates the Tour de France
Alberto Contador, the newest victor in the Tour de France, was riding a Trek Madone. Actually the whole Discovery Channel team was too, and they finished with 3 riders in the top 8, that has to say something about the equipment they were using... Oh, OK - and their cycling abilities.
The newest Madone bikes were made with this team in mind and they are now available to you too. Come and check out the newest Tour de France winning Madone in our store!
Feature item - Third Eye mirrors
Riding around urban areas is sometimes intimidating, especially when you can't see behind you without taking your eyes off the road ahead. Third Eye mirrors are easily attached to your handlebars or helmet and give you a good clear view of traffic coming behind you. The mirror is made of real glass and will not discolor, will not vibrate loose and fits just about all standard helmets and handlebars. We would be happy to install your mirror while you wait, free of charge.
Sale item - Jerseys and shorts 20 - 40% off
All Trek and Nike riding jerseys and shorts are on sale for the month of August. All shorts are 20% off, and all jerseys are 40% off. We have road and mountain bike shorts in stock, as well as ladies skorts. Our jerseys come in long and short sleeves and have pockets in the back so you can hold extra water bottles, gels or what ever. Come on in and see our variety of jerseys and shorts.
Tech Tip - Four things too look out for on your bike
1. Your shifting is sluggish and your brakes drag
Your cables may be dry or dirty. You can add a little chain lube to the the cables where they enter the housing. It also may be wet dirty cables and they can gum up inside or rust. In this case you will need to replace both cables and housing.
2. Your chain is skipping gears
Your rear derailleur keeps your chain aligned on the cog it should be on. Shifting should be smooth and it should only take one shift to move the chain to the next cog. If it is taking two shifts to change gear or one shift jumps the chain two cogs, you will need to look at the barrel adjuster. The derailleur is too loose if it is taking two shifts to move the chain, so turn the barrel adjuster out half a turn to tighten the tension. Turn the barrel adjuster the other direction half a turn in to loosen the tension. It is important to keep the shifting smooth for your comfort, but most importantly you could damage your chain and cassette.
3. You keep moving after you have applied the brakes
You probably need to replace your brake pads. Check your rims first to see if they are dirty, but failing that check the brake pads. Keep an eye on your brake pads. Most pads have a wear indicator on them, like a pattern or groove. When the pattern or groove disappears, or metal filings are present, it is time to change your brake pads.
4. You feel a rattle in your head tube or a stiff turning handlebar
Your headset may be loose or out of alignment. To test this, pick the bike up by the seat and tap the front wheel on the ground. If it sounds like something is loose in there, then it probably is. A loose headset can rock inside the head tube causing the head tube to become oval shaped. If this happens, your head tube will not be able to hold the head set and you can loose steering control. If your headset is too tight you will not be able to freely turn your handlebars. You may like the bulky muscles you will get, but the bearings may fail and your head tube can crack.
If any of these issues concern you, bring your bike in and we can fix the issue for you or help you learn how to fix it yourself. Don't forget our mechanics school starting on August 8th.
At Goldstream Sports - Enroll Now
You've got the padded shorts, but can you swap out a crank or overhaul the hubs?
Join the mechanics at Goldstream Sports for Park Tool School on Wednesday nights, starting August 8th, and we'll totally geek out over each system of your machine from bottom to top. Park Tool School is a comprehensive bicycle maintenance and repair course. Learn how to true your wheels, inspect and adjust your hubs, tune your derailleurs, drive-train maintenance, tune and adjust the braking system.
The course will be taught using the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Maintenance. Tuition is $60 dollars for the whole course, or $30 dollars for individual sessions. Registrations are accepted until the day of the course.
August 8, 6 - 9 pm: Wheels, hubs, tires and tubes
August 22, 6 - 9 pm: Chains, cranks, cassettes, bottom bracket, and derailleurs
August 29, 6 - 9 pm: Rim brakes, disc brakes, handlebars, stems and headsets
Maintenance Workshops!
For riders interested in learning the basics of day-to-day bicycle upkeep, but don't need the comprehensive overhaul, Goldstream is hosting maintenance workshops on Saturday, August 8 and Saturday, August 25. Bring your bike at noon, and we'll talk tubes and lubes!
Goldstream Sports' newest member - Adam Baxter
Adam joined us this July as a full time mechanic. He has worked at two other stores and brings with him a wealth of knowledge about bikes, bike maintenance and riding. Adam is from Marquette, Michigan and he has competed in the Ore to Shore mountain bike race 6 years in a row, and placed 7th in the North Carolina Cycle-Cross Championships (class C). If Adam could come back as an animal he would be a gekko so he could scale flat vertical walls at any time, and possibly have a future as an insurance salesman.
Two Rivers Triathlon
The Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association successfully held its second annual Two Rivers Triathlon. Mark Ross won the Mens solo event in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 22 seconds, with Paul Gregory finishing second. The race has unconventional format with a paddle, cycle and run, creating a truely Alaskan event. Liz Kane once again won the women's division ahead of Sarah Conn, the same placings as last year.
More information on the event can be seen in a Newsminer article or at the TRDMA home page.
August Calendar of events
| 1 | Women's Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 2 | Women's Least Fast Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 2 | Amanita Hill Climb | Amanita, CHSR | 6.30pm |
| 4 | Group Road Ride | Goldstream Sports | 8am |
| 4 | Youth Series Race 3 | UAF Trails | 10am |
| 7 | Doug Ride | Ester Fireplug | 7pm |
| 8 | Wome's Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 8 | Park Tool Mechanic School | Goldstream Sports | 6pm |
| 9 | Women's Least Fast Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 9 | Tour of the Other Mining Co | Ester Comm. Ctr | 7pm |
| 11 | Group Road Ride | Goldstream Sports | 8am |
| 14 | Bike and Tie | Birch Hill | 3pm |
| 14 | Doug Ride | Valley Center | 7pm |
| 15 | Women's Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 16 | Women's Less Fast Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 18 | Senior Games MTB Race | Birch Hill | 1pm |
| 18 | Senior Games 10K Time-Trial | 1.5 Murphy Dome Rd | 6.30pm |
| 18 | Group Road Ride | Goldstream Sports | 8am |
| 19 | Senior Games 5k Time Trial | 1.5 Murphy Dome Rd | 6.30pm |
| 21 | Doug Ride | Two Rivers Ski Trails | 7pm |
| 22 | Park Tool Mechanic School | Goldstream Sports | 6pm |
| 22 | Women's ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 23 | Women's Less Fast Ride | Patty Center | 6pm |
| 25 | Group Road Ride | Goldstream Sports | 8am |
| 26 | Time Trial Championships | Moose Creek | 6pm |
| 28 | Doug Ride | Cleary Summit | 7pm |
| 29 | Park Tool Mechanic School | Goldstream Sports | 6pm |
To subscribe to this newsletter via e-mail, send an empty message to newsletter-subscribe@goldstreamsports.com.
Proud Sponsor of FXC
