Vegas. Bicycles. Need We Say More?

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Shaun

Well, THAT was a successful trip! In addition to daily Elvis sightings, Hometown toured row upon row of the coolest, newest cycling products on the market.

We placed some orders, set some goals, got some terrific ideas and got psyched. 2012 is going to rock. You can hold us to that.

And what a compliment to the shop! We learned the happy news that Hometown is one of QBP’s top Michigan retailers and a Jamis Michigan retailing rockstar. Frankly, that’s due to you and your continued patronage, so congrats, Hometown peeps! You’re turning us into one heck of a bicycle shop!

Hometown Photos of the Month

MAKING NEW FRIENDS: One of our favorite parts of Interbike was meeting remarkable people. Here, Dawn and I are sitting pretty with Jamis President and CEO, Carine Joannou (left), who gets where we’re coming from, appreciates where we’re at and is geeked about where we’re going. We came out of that meeting inspired to take on the world. Perfect example of why we love Jamis!

DESERT RIDE @ INTERBIKE 2011: Dry heat didn’t stop cyclists from participating in an Interbike desert expedition. We caught this cyclist on camera along the route to Red Rock Canyon. Wow, right?

Tour de Livingston

Dawn and I are revving up to be a tour de force at the 2011 Tour de Livingston on our tricked-out tandem. Come out and join us for our epic 100 mile ride, one day before our 1-year wedding anniversary!

PRE-REGISTER before October 3rd to be automatically entered to win the Hometown-donated, Jamis Earth Cruiser (see photo above). Even if it’s not quite your speed, it could just be the perfect holiday gift for someone special! (All Tour proceeds go to Livingston County’s United Way.)

GET 10% OFF ANYTHING IN THE SHOP when you bring your registration in to Hometown before the 2011 Tour de Livingston.

TOUR DE LIVINGSTON: OCT 9, 2011 @ 8:00 AM
A Family Fun Loop + 10, 28, 38, 62 & 100 mile loops + four new Mountain Bike loops leave from Mt. Brighton Ski LodgeREGISTER NOW!

Hometown Tech Tip: How to Earn Your Racing Stripes

Racing stripes traditionally bring to mind glory, awards, accolades and general awesomeness. But in cycling, it means that skunk stripe of mud running up the back of your shorts and jersey from wet weather riding. Cool, but rough on your clothes.

There is a way to save you from frequent trips to the laundromat. Fenders!

There’s a fender for every shape, size and style of bicycle. If light and sleek is your preference, it exists. If retro funky is more your speed, it exists. If you want to check out the possibilities for your bike, stop in and we’ll help you find the perfect protective gear to keep your mud-slinging wheels from striping your kit.

NEW HOMETOWN HOURS

TAKE NOTE: Our hours have changed with the season, but we’re still here 7 days a week to help keep you riding!

MON – FRI : 9AM – 7PM

SAT – SUN : 9AM – 5PM

591 REPAIRS IN 69 DAYS…
THINK WE CAN DO IT???

Of course we can! But we’re going to need your help…

You sure stepped up to the plate in 2010 to catapult us past our goal of 1,000 repairs. And you’ve been TERRIFIC this year, rocketing us up 1,420 repairs toward our goal of 2,011 repairs in 2011.

Now the rubber meets the road. Just 591 repairs to go. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell your neighbors. Heck, tell strangers.

We promise to impress them all, and make you look good for recommending us!

Visit Us on Facebook!
We’re almost at the big 5-0-0 fan count. Betcha there’s at least 2 more of you who would love to “Like” our Hometown Facebook page!

Hometown Happenings
SHOP RIDES:
WEDNESDAY ROAD RIDE:
Location: Start & end at shop
Times: 6PM, every Wednesday
Distance: 15+ miles
Pace: Fast
Terrain: Paved road, Island Lake/Kensington

SUNDAY MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE:
Location: Start & end at shop
Times: 5PM, every Sunday
Distance: 15-18 miles
Pace: Fast
Terrain: Single track at Island Lake

CJ’S ICEMAN TRAINING RIDE:
ALL CONDITIONS RIDE – RAIN OR SHINE. This is training, baby!!
Location: Start & end at shop
Times: 6PM, every Monday
Distance: 25+ miles
Pace: Fast & furious!
Terrain: Single track at any and all of the surrounding parks & dirt roads!

RUNS:

Dawn’s in training. Join her these next few weeks at Runnin’ Gear’s Thursday Night Free Run Clinic, where you run first, then learn cool things after from local experts:

Location: Runnin’ Gear of Brighton
Times: 6:00pm RUN every Thursday (Call ahead to confirm – 810.844.0180)
Distance: 3 mile RUN
Pace: Pick-your-own pace
Terrain: Paved Roads/Sidewalks

Future Hometown Runs will be posted on our Facebook page, so stay tuned.

OTHER EVENTS:
CLICK HERE to check out our Calendar of Events. Be sure to bookmark it!

“An accomplishment is making just one more pedal revolution.”

– Shaun, Your Hometown Bike Guru

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Hometown Heads to Interbike!

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Shaun

Hometown Heads to Interbike!

What’s happening in Vegas is definitely NOT staying in Vegas, because we’re heading to the bright-light city for Interbike, America’s largest bicycle expo. Our plan is to come back with new products and new ideas for taking Hometown to the next level.

We’ll be tracking down steals & deals for you, meeting with vendors and learning about the next best things to help us rock 2012. So, here’s the deal:

Hometown Bicycles will be closed from WED, September 14 through SUN, September 18.
We’ll re-open on Monday, September 19.

If there’s anything at the shop that you need during that time, PICK IT UP NOW! And if there’s something you want to see us carry at our store, let us know. We’ll see what we can do!

Hometown Photo of the Month

A Bicycle is Born: How is it possible to love cycling even more than you do now? Pat Cheal discovered the answer is to build your own bike. After considering her options, Pat took advantage of our demo program to test out a Jamis… and it was love at first ride. When her new Jamis Quest arrived, we offered her the opportunity to build it herself – with our assistance, of course! And… well, here’s what Pat has to say:

“Thank YOU Shaun! I felt so attached to that bike before I ever even rode it, thanks to being there for it’s birth!”

Hometown Tech Tip: Wet seat, Happy Bike

Let’s talk a moment about toting your bike around in the rain. It’s been a rainy season. It’s bound to happen.

The mistake many cyclists make is removing their seat before loading it on their car’s bike rack. And who can blame them? Riding with a wet bottom is not particularly fun.

But while you’re rump is nice and dry, water has been seeping down your open seat tube and rusting out your bicycle’s bearings.

So, instead, cover your seat with a shower cap or shopping bag. Riding with a wet seat is an inconvenience. Ruining your crank bearings is an expense!

2011 Repair Countdown

We’re now at 1,353 repairs for 2011. 1-3-5-3. That’s over 330 more than we did for all of 2010!! That’s awesome.

Our goal this year is 2,011 repairs. Just 658 left to make it happen. Will you be part of our 2,011? Bring your bikes in today. We’ll blow your socks off with our service!

The Challenge Continues!

The Official Challenge: Our locally renowned super-couple, Steven and Jill, are still cranking out the mileage. They’re just miles away from the 500 we challenged them to ride this summer!

The Unofficial Challenge: After 4 heart surgeries, Mike Hoffner set his own challenge… to live a healthier lifestyle. He eats right and rides his Jamis everywhere. Over 700 miles pedaled this summer and counting!!

Visit Us on Facebook!
486 fans!! You definitely want to be a part of this. Follow us:

“Life is like riding a bicycle: you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling.”

– Claude Pepper

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: bicycle, bicycle repair, bike repair, bike shop hours, Brighton, Hometown Bicycles, Island Lake Recreational area, Michigan, Shaun Bhajan | Leave a comment »

Only 904 Tune-Up Spots Left for 2011

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Shaun

And the Magic Starts...

Yup. With over 1,107 tune-ups under our belt, we are chugging away to our goal of 2,011 repair in 2011. This goal was set from the start and you, our customers, have made it a personal mission to help us accomplish it. We have worked on everything from BMX bikes to DI2 rocket ships. For those of you that don’t know what we do in a tune-up, here’s the bottom line:

Customer Preferred, Libby Approved

We disassemble, clean, lube, align, reassemble and adjust your bicycle. Then we deck it out in all new cables and housing. And finally, we blow your mind by having it ready for next day pick-up, or even same day.

So, thumbs-up to everyone who had their bicycle tuned up at the shop so far this year. With just 904 spots left, we know you’re going to blow us right through our goal. Just drop off your bike today and, when you pick it up tomorrow – just to be safe – tape your socks on.

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State Champions + Milestones Met & Conquered

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Shaun

Hometown Gives a Knock-Out 1-2 Punch at the Milford Crit

PUNCH 1: Meet Scott Hoffner… Hometown’s shop star and, now, 2011 Michigan State Champion Category 3 Rider.

Scott dominated this past weekend’s Milford Criterium Cat 3 bike race with tactical planning and crazy awesome cycling skills. He ripped the State Championship jersey off everyone’s back and owned it, crossing the line with nearly a 2 second lead.

Scott lives in Milford, and is a Junior at Brevard College in South Carolina. It was only fitting that he won the State Championship in his home town, amongst all his friends and family.

In addition to his win, Scott was also promoted to the next race level – Category 2. He made Dawn (mom), Mike (dad) and all of us Hometownies proud!

PUNCH 2: CJ Brish. Remember that name. He is a fixture at the shop… unless he’s out ripping up the trails or tearing up the roads.

CJ roared into 2nd place in the Juniors 16 – 19 Division, just a hair away from winning the 2011 Junior Michigan Championship.

Amazing enough in it’s own right, but wait… there’s more!

The night before, CJ blasted through an EIGHT-HOUR mountain bike challenge, and STILL rocked his 8am Milford Crit race.

CJ, who attends Brighton High School, is also a critical player in the formation of their new BHS mountain bike team. Like I said, remember this name and get your autographs now; it’s going to be worth big bucks some day.

Hometown Photos of the Month

A Huge Thumbs Up from Our Customers: Any questions we might have had about our first year in bicycle retail have been overwhelmingly answered. Our retail shop has been a HUGE hit!

We geek out whenever we hear comments like, “Finally, a place I want to shop” or “This is what a bike shop should be”.

So, THANK YOU. Dawn and I have put our blood, sweat (a LOT of sweat) and tears into this dream, but it’s thanks to YOU that Hometown rocks!

Hometown Tech Tip: Don’t sweat the small stuff

This month’s Tech Tip is dedicated to the tri guys and gals, or anyone using aero bars.

Let’s face it, if you ain’t sweating, you ain’t training. We all know what it feels like to have sweat dripping off our nose. But when you’re riding your bike, consider the logistics. Your face is hanging directly over the center stem of your handlebars.

Any athlete worth their salt can tell you that sweat is packed with salt. And, of course, salt corrodes metal. The constant deluge from your face, onto your handlebar and stem, is what causes the corrosion you see above.

The Solution
After any training or event, douse your handlebars with water to wash away the salt before it can eat out your bearings. Shower your bike before yourself and you’ll keep the salt from crusting and rusting!

Mike Makes 100!

On August 1st, Mike Hoffner (Scott’s dad) biked his 100th mile at Hometown’s 7pm ride. Awesome, right?!

Even more awesome when you consider that those 100 miles were the result of Mike’s committment to changing his life after a 4th open heart surgery.

I asked Mike how he felt crossing his first 100 miles. His answer:

“There’s a lot more of that to come.”

You can ride with Mike every night at 7 on our every-night-at-7 ride.

500 Mile Challenge Update

I should have made it the 1,000 Mile Challenge. Jill and Steve are dishing out the miles like it’s Halloween candy. They’ve just crossed the 200 mile mark and are still going strong.

Keep up with this intrepid couple’s latest cycling adventures on our Facebook page.

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: 10605 East grand river, Best bike shop in Michigan, bicycle repair, Bike shop in Brighton, Cj Brish, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Island Lake, Jamis, Michigan, Mike Hoffner, Scott Hoffner | Leave a comment »

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