As you’re doing your Black Friday shopping, please keep in mind that Hometown Bicycles is a collection site for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Due to Covid-19, they are expecting much greater need in Livingston County this year. For only $10, you can help bring joy to a child who may not receive gifts otherwise.
We like to make it a challenge because we know cyclists thrive on competition! We have four drop-off bins: Road Riders, Mountain Bikers, Gravel Grinders, and a one-size-fits-the-rest-of-us, All Bikes Matter. Who’s going to take the title this holiday season?
Gifts should be new, unwrapped, and for children up to age 16. Some ideas for the tweens and teens include bath and body products, soccer balls, backpacks, hair dryers, and books.
If you prefer not to shop but still want to participate, you may drop off cash in an envelope addressed to Leslie Barrett, Events Coordinator — she will shop for you and place the donations in your designated bin!
Thank you for making our toy drive successful — your generosity will surely make some local kids happy this Christmas.
How cool is this?! It’s not every day you see yourself larger than life while cruising down the highway. Imagine our surprise to discover Shaun and Dawn hovering high above I-96 at Dorr Road!
We have a challenge for our Hometownies!
Take a selfie with the billboard (you can access it from Dorr Road, near the Humane Society)
Post it on social media, tagging Hometown Bicycles and Lake Trust Credit Union
Stop by the shop to show off your selfie and get a FREE tube!
Avoid the spring rush and waiting, waiting, waiting for your bike to be serviced when everyone else is doing the same — be the early bird who gets the proverbial worm. How?
Bring your bike in anytime between now and December 23rd for a tune-up and we will store it at the shop until spring!This means your bike will be all set to roll come those early days of cycling weather in March. No wait, no hassle… just freedom to get out there and ride.
We have room to store up to 220 bikes, so take advantage of this opportunity while space permits. For $25, we can even deliver your bicycle to your door this spring!
Gift Certificate Trade-Up!
We are so grateful to our Hometown community for supporting our shop during what has been a tough year. We’ve received an outpouring of encouragement and generosity to keep us Hometown Strong. People still ask what they can do to support the shop as we enter the off-season, and with the holidays coming up, we have the perfect answer to that question — gift certificates!
As you know, we like to give too. We are offering a Gift Certificate Trade-Up program this holiday season, through December 23rd.
Here’s how it works: Buy a gift certificate… Get an accessory certificate on us!
The accessory certificate is for 10% of the gift certificate you purchase. For example — you buy a $200 gift certificate and we give you a $20 certificate to use on accessories. The cyclist in your life is sure to love it!
From the Les Cook Chronicles: Iceman NO Cometh 2020
For those of us who trail ride and for anybody that does anything else for that matter, 2020 is messed up. When the outdoor events started to be canceled, you knew things were bad. But we held out HOPE for the Bells Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge 2020. After all, this is the oldest point-to-point Mountain Bike race in the country from Kalkaska to Traverse City and this would mark year 31. Our hopes were dashed when it was canceled because of the dreaded Covid-19.
Then the rumors began to stir our hearts with hope. We could still ride the course informally, and the Iceman No Cometh 2020 was born. So we planned our trip and it was a blast. They sent out an app with this year’s course that could be downloaded into a Garmin and you could ride at your leisure. Anyone who has ridden the Iceman knows that the year after the worst years is the best year to ride.
This year was no exception. It was 70 degrees, I wore my summer kit, the trail was perfect, and it was fast. A lot of people showed up starting from many different locations. It was never crowded but I’ll guess that between 500 and 600 people participated. My brother and I enjoyed the perfect weather and trail condition. My Jamis Portal performed flawlessly. For the first time, I was able to climb ALL the hills, regularly hit downhill speeds of 30 mph, and got through all the sandpits. The new piece of singletrack is a real hoot when you can ride it instead of march single file through the mud. Of course, this may have been because there weren’t 5000 other people in the way. I can’t wait until next year and hope all of you out there can come to enjoy one of the best weekends in mountain biking. — Les Cook
Brown Bag Lunch Series
The first-ever county-wide Livingston County Trails Planwas completed and released in late June 2020. Join in this virtual Brown Bag to learn about the various components of the plan. Following the presentation, local park providers and municipal leaders will discuss the desired trail implementation strategies of their park system or municipality.
Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Time: 12:00-1:15 PM Via Zoom with meeting number 399 700 0062 and password LCBOC
Congratulations to Running Lab!After 10 years in downtown Brighton, they are moving — but not far — just across the street!
Click HERE to check out the plans for their new store, opening in Spring 2021. Looks amazing!
Happy Thanksgiving!
We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We wish you all a safe holiday filled with turkey, football, naps, family, and all good things. You may even get out there for a bike ride!
We will re-open on Black Friday, our usual hours of 10 AM-5 PM.
CABDA (Chicagoland Area Bicycle Dealers Association) is an association that promotes advocacy, best practices, education, and social events for Independent Bicycle Dealers. The CABDA Expo Midwest will take place on February 12-13 in Chicago and our Hometown Leadership Team will be in attendance, learning about tons of cool bicycle stuff! Those lucky dogs! Because so many key staff members will be out of town, please be aware that Hometown will be CLOSED from Tuesday, February 11th through Thursday, February 13th, and will re-open at 10 AM on Friday, February 14th.
Our Winter Clinic Series continues!
Come out to the shop to learn the ins and outs of caring for your bicycle at our informative winter clinic series. For all skill levels!
All clinics are held on Saturday mornings in Hometown’s Community Room. There is NO COST to participate. Clinics are one hour unless otherwise specified.
Bike Fitting Basics: Saturday 2/8 from 11 AM – 12:30 PM Guest speaker, Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, will cover bike fit that maximizes efficiency and minimizes discomfort. Learn about the mechanics of your body, and how it interacts with your bicycle. Vinnie is a certified Level 2 Clinical BikeFit Pro. Sign up HERE!
Bike Maintenance (After the Ride Care): Saturday 2/15 @11:30 AM In this second of a two-part clinic, we’ll talk about how to care for your bicycle AFTER you come back from your ride. We’ll show you what you need and how to use it. Sign up HERE!
Flat Tire Fix: Saturday 2/22 @11:30 AM This clinic covers everyone’s favorite — flat tire fixes! Bring along your wheel for some hands-on practice, or use one of ours. Sign up HERE!
Emergency Bicycle Repairs: Saturday 2/22 @11:30 AM This clinic is hands-on! We’ll cover quick, on-the-go bike fixes to help you avoid a long walk home. Sign up HERE!
Where to Ride in Michigan Potluck: Saturday 3/14 from 5:30-7:30 PM Details coming SOON!
Saturday, February 29 from 6-8 PM
Hometown’s “Winter Sucks” Soup Competition
Who’s fed up with winter? Show of hands! WE ARE! If you’re not fed up, there’s something wrong with you, and you need soup even more than the rest of us!
Whip up your favorite batch of warm-our-bellies soup and come chow down at Hometown Bicycles as we vote on THE most delicious soup in town.
Meet our new Ride Coordinator: Neal Glazebrook (Part One)!
Tell us about your role as Ride Coordinator. What are some of your goals for this year? I am excited to take on this role. Last year, I was asking many questions about rides and events, and sweeping and leading rides even in my first year on Team Hometown. With this role, I now have the direction to act on improvements and adjustments to the Team and processes. I am heavily involved in our community and am looking forward to having the Team as partner in helping our community be a safe place to bike and recreate in.
I want to build our Team and promote our rides and events in new ways. I am, with my operational and marketing backgrounds, going to bring some efficiencies and benefits, and get us set up for a successful path to the future of the Team and Hometown as a whole. I want us to have our old school Hometown feel, have a great inclusive environment, make great friendships, see our Team up on more podiums and in the news. I will work with each one of you to make that happen.
Where is your favorite place to ride? And do you have a favorite ride/race in Michigan? My love is mountain biking, although I will rock out some gravel frequently and touch the tarmac a few times a year. With that in mind, I would have to say my favorite local place to ride right now is Highland Rec. Following “Mudman 2019”, Iceman is my favorite race. I have never had that much fun on a bike!
How did you first get involved with Hometown? What made it feel like a good fit for you? My first interaction was at the Doc May ride in 2016. It was my first ever ride with a group of people and what got me to start to dive deeper into group events. I enjoyed that ride, my interactions with the Team Hometown members on the ride, and with Shaun at the bike corral that day.
I first officially met Shaun and Dawn when I applied for a Service Manager position at Hometown. I was impressed with their shop, but things did not work out for me to take the position. Over the years, we talked off and on about opportunities and they always nudged me to come ride with the shop and join the Team.
I really saw the value of the Team and the community environment they created in 2018 when I participated in Tour de Livingston for my second year. I restored a 1968 Sears & Roebuck 10-speed to ride my first ever century in loving memory of my dogs Milo and Monte who had passed away just a few short months before. Monte’s passing was the first sign that Hometown was the place for me. Out of the blue, a package showed up from Hometown. Dawn and the team had sent us a Christmas ornament that had Monte’s name with a rainbow bridge on the other side. My wife and I were beside ourselves; the compassion shown by Hometown blew us away…
… to be continued in Part Two in our next e-newsletter…
Coffee or tea? I drink TONS of coffee… tons.**
**He’ll fit right in, folks.
Team News!
On January 20th, Paul Wrona(below left) and Cooper Coatsworth(below right) attended the 2020 Tour deTroit MLK Memorial Ride in Detroit. Approximately 50 riders gathered at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center on the campus of Wayne State University to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy.
The ride was a nine-mile loop that included sights of some of Detroit’s historic churches and buildings, the remnants of Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Hall (TCF Center), the amazing waterfront park, warehouse district, and the Dequindre Cut trail.
Join this gathering of like-minded warriors to activate your energy with meditation, mantras, music and movement. Bring a yoga mat, water, and journal. $20 drop-in.
First Sunday of every month from 9:30-11 AM in the Hometown Community Room.
FORGET THE PARTRIDGE – THIS PUTS MONEY BACK IN YOUR WALLET!
It’s tradition! Get your planner out… here are this year’s Daily Deals running December 1st-24th:
DECEMBER 1: Get $20 off any purchase of $100 or more DECEMBER 2: Get 10% off all bicycle inflation devices DECEMBER 3: Get 10% off all Park tools DECEMBER 4: Get 20% off any Planet Bike accessory DECEMBER 5: Get 15% off all trainers DECEMBER 6: Get $500 off any carbon fiber bicycle DECEMBER 7: Get 15% off all helmets DECEMBER 8: Buy 1 tune-up for yourself, get 1 tune-up FREE for a friend DECEMBER 9: Get 10% off all car racks DECEMBER 10: Buy 2 inner tubes, get 2 inner tubes FREE DECEMBER 11: Get 25% off any one item DECEMBER 12: Get $10 off any purchase of $50 or more DECEMBER 13: Get a $100 in-store gift certificate with every bicycle purchase DECEMBER 14: Finish Line bicycle cleaning kit originally $49.99, now $39.99 DECEMBER 15: Planet Bike Superflash Tail Light originally $29.99, now $19.99, PLUS get 20% off all other lights DECEMBER 16: Get 30% off all clothing DECEMBER 17: Buy 1 get 1 free on all nutrition DECEMBER 18: Get 10% off all lubes DECEMBER 19: Buy a kid’s bicycle, get 50% off a kid’s helmet DECEMBER 20: Get 15% off all cycling gloves DECEMBER 21: Get 10% off all socks DECEMBER 22: Get a free water bottle with purchase of a water bottle cage DECEMBER 23: Get a 25% trade-up on all gift certificate purchases DECEMBER 24: Last minute shoppers, get 25% off everything!
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ZUMBA AWAY THE WINTER “BLAH”S
Our Community Room is filling up with fantastic, fitness activities to keep you fighting fit over the cold, winter months. First on the docket is “Zumba with Leslie Barrett“:
Join Zumba instructor Leslie Barrett for cardio, toning, and fun as we dance to some great Latin and world music, plus some pop and hip hop!
Zumba is for everybody and every body! All fitness levels welcome. You don’t have to be a dancer… come as you are and dance away those pesky pounds (and your troubles)!
RUNS MONDAYS AT 6:00PM & THURSDAYS AT 9:30AM
$5 drop in – Community Room at Hometown Bicycles – Click to learn more
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STAY TONED WITH DYNAMIC YOGA
Massage maven and yogi, Ashley Knuth of Tocca Massage & Yoga, will help you keep your cycling muscles limber with her movement-based Vinyasa Yoga class:
Based on the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Sequence, our dynamic classes are designed to give you a physical workout with a combination of strength and stretching poses. All yoga classes are 60 minutes. All skill levels, including beginners, are welcome!
FRIDAYS AT 9:00AM ON 12/16 • 12/23 • 12/30 • 1/6
$10 drop in or $35 for all 4 weeks – Community Room at Hometown Bicycles Click to learn more
(Writer’s Note: Tocca’s massages are incredible. Seriously. I’ve been a patron for years.)
