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    Hometown Bicycles:
    10595 Grand River Road
    Brighton, MI 48116
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    Tuesday: Closed
    Wednesday: Closed
    Thursday: 10 AM - 7 PM
    Friday: 10 AM - 7 PM
    Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
    Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM

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    -----------------------------

    (810) 225-2441

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Mom’s Day Giveaways, Stampedes, and Bikes and Brews in Brighton

Happy Mother's Day from your Hometown Bicycles Crew!

THIS SUNDAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU…  
Moms are multi-tasking, multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, and multi-talented rockstars. Am I tooting my own horn? Probably, but the point is that the mom in your life deserves royal treatment this Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14th), and we’re going to help!

This Sunday, moms will enjoy flowers and refreshments, compliments of your Hometown crew. There’ll be t-shirt give-aways. AND, the first 20 bikes purchased by or for a mom come with a COMPLIMENTARY Hometown Bicycles Mother’s Day package, which includes a cycle computer, safety light, bottle cage, water bottle, and seat bag at NO ADDITIONAL COST.

You have done and continue to do so much for us, moms – this is just our way of saying we love you, we appreciate you, and we want you to have a wonderful Mother’s Day!


Amy Gluck teaching a Triathlon 101 Clinic at Hometown Bicycles
TODAY: “TRIATHLON 101” CLINIC WITH AMY GLUCK

If you’re on the fence about whether to try a tri, are new to the tri community, or are simply eager to pick up tips from a pro, this info-gathering clinic is for you! NO CHARGE!

CLICK TO ATTEND TRIATHLON 101 WITH AMY GLUCK
Thursday, May 11th at 6pm in the Community Room


Team Hometown Bicycles at Mud, Sweat, and Beers - Paul Andres, Scott Simpson, and Mike Dyer
THE TEAM REPRESENTS AT MUD, SWEAT & BEERS

Mud, Sweat & Beers Fat Tire Fest and Mountain Bike Race. As their website notes: “The name of our race says it all: get ready to be sweaty.”

Team Hometown’s Paul Andres, Scooter Gates, Mike Dyer, and Scott Simpson all expended some serious electrolytes in the pursuit of personal goals and podium time. Congrats to Scott Simpson, for a well-earned 3rd in his division! And thanks to all for taking our Team up to beautiful Traverse City!

Team Hometown Bicycles at Fort Custer Stampede
A TEAM TRIUMPHANT AT FORT CUSTER STAMPEDE

“Stampede” in the Fort Custer Stampede Mountain Bike Race would seem to reference Team Hometown’s en masse charge to the podium last weekend! Olga “The Romanian Rocket” Negrut placed 2nd in her division, Doug Queener took a sweet 3rd in his, and Roger Pelkey nabbed 2nd place with his swift ride! Shout out, too, to Justin Ham who made solid headway in a super challenging Expert class.


Poses, Pedals and Pints tshirts

LOOK FOR US THIS SATURDAY IN DOWNTOWN BRIGHTON!

Do you remember, from earlier newsletters, a little something called Poses, Pedals & Pints? It’s a dream triathlon of yoga, cycling, and beer, and it’s happening this Saturday morning (5/13) in Downtown Brighton. Look for these fun, “smurf” blue event t-shirts (see above) stretching, cycling, and sipping at Brewery Becker!

Hometown’s running the cycling portion, and manning the event with Team volunteers. If you’re at the Farmer’s Market, stop by our tent and say “hello!” Helmet tip to event founder, Tocca Massage & Yoga, and co-sponsors Brewery Becker, Ceo Wilson Agency – Farm Bureau Insurance, Financial Architects, Inc., Lake Trust Credit Union (a personal fave of ours), and Kensington Valley Varsity.

Missed registration? Don’t despair! Plans are underway for future remixes – stay tuned!


Hometown Bicycles at the MCMBA Island Lake Spring Bike Demo Day

DON’T YOU JUST LOVE A FIRST CLASS BIKE DEMO??

We sure did this past Saturday, at the MCMBA’s 12th Annual Island Lake Spring Bike Demo Day! With a powerhouse combo of Crew and Team (thanks, volunteers!), we made all sorts of new friends and reconnected with old ones. Our Jamis and Framed demo bikes were put through their paces, and got a lotta love from happy cyclists.

Our top kudos to Team Hometown Bicycles’ Steve Steinberg, who chaired this whopper of an MCMBA event. Well ran, Steve… well ran.


MCMBA KEEPS ‘EM COMING – MILFORD BIKE FEST

Milford Bike Festival flierHot on the heels of the MCMBA Demo Day, Hometown’s hitched it’s sponsorship buggy to MCMBA’s Milford Bike Festival & Trail Challenge!

This June 3rd event gives you a day of family-friendly trail/path riding, guided rides (new this year!), live music, food, raffles, and beer. It’s only $20 pre-registered or $25 day-of, with all proceeds benefitting the MCMBA, which VERY actively preserves, protects, and promotes our local parks and mountain bike trails. That’s a worthwhile cause we’re proud to support!

CLICK for details or to register now!


Hometown Bicycles Bike to School Day flier for the Howell Parks and Rec

BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY COMPETITION WINNER

This week, Hometown was a super-geeked Sponsor of Howell Parks & Rec’s Bike to School Day competition, in which Howell elementary schools competed to see who could rally the largest number of students to bike into school Wednesday morning.

Our congrats to Northwest Elementary, which took home the gold with 160 student cyclists. Doesn’t that just make your heart sing?! The future of cycling is looking good, indeed!


Spencer Elementary of Brighton Annual Live Auction and Carnival Fundraiser
(Images courtesy Lisa Sanzica)

SUPERHERO SUCCESS STORY AT SPENCER

Last week, I talked about Hometown’s support of my own elementary alma mater at their “Calling All Superheroes” 29th Annual Live Auction & Spring Carnival.

Since Hometown was running full bore at Demo Day, our Spencer insider, Lisa Sanzica, kindly shared the photos above (thanks, Lisa!), and informed us that the event was an unmitigated success, with a flood of dollars and support for “cultural enrichment programs, field trips, monthly assemblies and updating our playground area.”

Congratulations, Spencer Elementary of Brighton, on a fantastic event, and thanks for allowing us to be a part of your success!


Hometown Bicycles Crew
(This is everyone, sans CycloDan – I promise to Photoshop you in as soon as I get the chance, Dan!)

YOUR HOMETOWN CREW HAS GROWN…

Our Crew is blooming right along with the Spring greenery! Get ready to meet new additions and spot familiar faces over the coming newsletters. Let’s start with a Hometown legend…


Hometown Bicycles Tim Bart

MEET THE CREW: TIM BART

Tim became part of the Hometown family a-WAYYYYYYYYYY back in early 2013. Even back then, he was one of our customers’ favorites – a fact that hasn’t changed in the passing years. Despite his intense scholastic career as a full time engineering student, Tim has found his way back home to Hometown for the summer. You’ll spot him on the floor, being just as much of a stellar resource to our customers as he ever was. Tim says:

Cycling started for me as a mountain biking hobby that sounded like a fun thing to do with my brother. He took me into Hometown to get my first mountain bike and I left that trip with an awesome new bike, and an awesome new job! This led to an obsession to all things bikes and a lifestyle to include cycling as a major part. Through the group rides, the training grind, and the races, Hometown has been by my side and I am proud to call myself part of the Hometown crew and community!


Hometown Bicycles Friday Night Lights shop ride

HOMETOWN BICYCLES UPCOMING SHOP RIDES

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (5/12)
8:45PM (meet at 8:30) from Hometown Bicycles
Bring your lights for this mountain bike ride, as we’ll be dashing through the dark at times.  This lively crew will be night cycling Island Lake from Hometown Bicycles and complete the 16 miles in 1.5 hours. They like to change up the scenery, so watch the Hometown Bicycles Newsletter and Facebook for future weekly start location.

NO SATURDAY RIDE – We’ll be at Poses, Pedals & Pints!

NO SUNDAY RIDES – Mother’s Day, but our shop is still open!

MONDAY BEGINNER FRIENDLY ROAD RIDE (5/15)
Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical Therapy
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
This is a NO DROP Beginner Friendly road ride. We’ll be traveling the Island Lakes park roads to the well-known “Green Dumpster” and back. ~ 12 – 15 miles. Sound like too much for you? No worries – there will be an early turn-back option for a little less mileage. Bring a light if you have one, though we’re not expecting to need them. Road bikes recommended. All level riders are welcome.

TUESDAY GRAVEL GRINDING 101 WITH ‘CYCLODAN’ TRIBBLE  (5/16)
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
Join Hometown service guru, Dan ‘CycloDan’ Tribble, for this unique, gravel grinding adventure ride.  We’ll tackle road, singletrack, and gravel, including portions of Island Lake, hopping a guardrail, sand “puddles”, and a few hills just for fun! Plan initially for just over an hour, covering 13+ miles at a 12 – 13 mph average pace, with the intention to lengthen the distance as sunset grows later. Gravel, adventure, or mountain/fat bikes required (not appropriate for skinny tires). All levels of riders are welcome – NO DROP RIDE.
WEDNESDAY HAMMERFEST / SON OF HAMMERFEST (5/17)
This is a DROP RIDE!
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
**New Addition! Meet “Son of Hammerfest” for those that would like to build up to the original Hammerfest.**
SON OF HAMMERFEST:
Rolling at 6:30 from Hometown Bicycles. This will include 25 miles (1 lap of ILRA & the Kensington Loop). Average pace targeted at 17 – 18 mph, with flats of 20+ mph.
HAMMERFEST:
Bring your “A” game, and see if you can stay on this crazy train of talented individuals as they push each other to find new limits. You’ll want the fastest road bike you own, as the pace averages 20 mph through 2 laps (40 miles) of the roads of Island Lake. Expect the flats pace to range 24 – 28 mph!

For ALL SHOP RIDES, be sure to FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK for ride confirmations and updates!


THIS WEEKEND! SPRING SNOWMAN 5K11th Annual Spring Snowman 5K Run/Walk and 10K Run

Spring Snowman 5K Run/Walk is hosted by the Eric Hartwell Foundation, a remarkable organization created by the Hartwell Family (a particularly awesome group of Hometownies) to raise money to “directly support children, diagnosed with Leukemia and other blood disorders, being treated at C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.” Participants have a chance to win a Jamis bike, donated by Hometown Bicycles. Great cause. Great cross-training. Great prize.

GREAT TIME TO REGISTER, DON’T YOU THINK??


Fred and Kelly Purol doing Vinyasa Yoga with Tocca Massage and Yoga
(Image courtesy Tocca Massage & Yoga. Shout-out to loyal Hometownies Fred & Kelly [middle and right]!)

COMING SOON! YOGA FOR EVERY BODY

Good news for your overworked, under appreciated cycling muscles – Ashley of Tocca Massage & Yoga is bringing her insanely popular Vinyasa Yoga class back to Hometown!

Held in our Community Room, this 3-week, Friday morning fun class starts June 16th at 9am. It’s all about dynamic movement and stretching, not perfection and freaky, double-jointed pretzeling. Whether it’s your first or 500th class, you’ll gain immeasurable benefit from this ancient art made user-friendly. $10 per class.

CLICK HERE to register or email ashley@toccamassage.com.


Team Hometown Bicycles' jersey rider at Island Lake Recreation Area

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.

– Susan Sontag

A NEW World’s Tiniest Hometownie

Growing family of cyclists

WHEN WE CALL OURSELVES A FAMILY-FRIENDLY BIKE SHOP, WE MEAN IT!

For the sake of my vanity, as much as out of sheer joy, Shaun and I would like to formally announce that… WE’RE EXPECTING ANOTHER BABY!!!

I’m done wearing bulky shirts and trying to suck in my gut… it wasn’t donuts that put this fat bike tire around my midsection, and we’re ready to celebrate our excitement with our Hometown family!

No info yet on whether Liam will have a brother or sister, but we do know that he or she will turn our three-person family into a wonderful FOUR this Fall.

What’s especially cool is that, as our little family is growing, so is our extended Hometown family. So many new faces! You’ve all been WONDERFUL when it comes to spreading the word about Hometown, and we love you for it. Thanks for helping us build a dream-home-away-from-home for our customers, our community, and for our pint-sized Hometownies!

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KEEPETH THY SINGLETRACKS INTACTETH

Singletrack trail
Although the early thaw has made many of our beloved trails already ride-ready, we believe it’s important to impart this gem of trail wisdom – a Sermon-ette on the Mount-ain Bike Trail, if you will – from Hometown’s very own, uproariously clever “CycloDan” Tribble:

Hometown Bicycles' CycloDan Tribble“And so it is written, that every year during the sacred freeze-thaw cycle, thou shalt abstain from the hallowed singletrack until the worm that creepeth upon the face of the earth comes forth. But if it be in any man’s heart to ride let him go unto the land of the roadie, yea even unto Tar-Mac, and he shall be blessed with aerobic fitness in abundance. But in the day that thou partake of the forbidden singletrack you shall surely be cursed and your bearings and your bottom bracket shall seize and perish. There will be much grinding and gnashing of teeth that no chain lube can silence!”

– Rev. CycloDan
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MEET THE ARTIST: CINDY SELKE’S BIKE WREATHS

Bicycle wreaths by Cindy Selke

We met Cindy at our Last Chance Rescue pet adoption event, where she’d donated two exquisitely hand-crafted wreaths to raise money for a rescue dog’s surgery. So, in addition to talent, we can already tell you that Cindy has HEART.

Inspired by a one-hour Bordine’s class in wreath making, Green Oak Twp. residents Cynthia Selke & Terrie Hudnut got crafty, and launched Sutherland Creations as a business outlet for their wreath-making. Using a combination of materials – like burlap, ribbon, and metallic mesh – Cindy and Terrie found unlimited ways to personalize any wreath. They believe that “there truly is a wreath for every event and every season, including cycling!”

Cindy’s brought in two, gorgeous, bicycle, ribbon wreaths that are ready to grace the walls or doors of your home. You’ve got to see these in person!

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DID YOU KNOW… WE HAVE CRAZY-AWESOME STORE HOURS?

Hometown Bicycles store hours

It always seems to astonish our customers that we’re open such long hours, but here’s the deal… our mission is to get you to your happy place. That’s hard to do if we’re not available when it’s convenient for YOU!

WE’RE OPEN 7AM-9PM ON WEEKDAYS, giving you a chance to drop your bike off before work so it’s ready to rock the roads and trails with you at day’s end… or so that you can pick up last minute need-to-gets on your way back from dropping off the kids… or whatever gets you cranking those pedals.

AND WE’RE OPEN 9AM-5PM BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, because cycling doesn’t happen just on Saturdays. Consider us your weekend support crew!

The long and short of it is that we’re here for you when YOU need us. And that’s how we roll at Hometown Bicycles!

Holiday checklist, new art, and creative stocking stuffers


Your Hometown Holiday Checklist
Bicycle wrapped in Christmas lights at Hometown Bicycles

THE COUNTDOWN HAS HIT SINGLE DIGITS – ARE YOU READY?
With Christmas just a week away, we’ve made a list that you’ll want to check twice…

   ___ Remember, Hometown is open on Christmas Eve from 7am-3pm! We close
between Christmas and New Year, and re-open again on January 2nd at 7am.

___ If you bought a bike as a gift, and are keeping it at the shop to prevent snoopery,
make sure to call 1-2 hours ahead before pick-up, so that we can have it prepped
and ready to go. Also, let us know if you want a bow on the bike!

   ___ Be sure to pick up stocking stuffers! You can check out several fun ideas below.

   ___ Don’t forget – there are still 7 days left of daily deals to rock your cyclist’s world!
Here’s a quick reminder about what’s coming up:

          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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BICYCLE ART AT HOMETOWN: SUZANNE ALLEN

Suzanne Allen artwork

Suzanne Allen - artist - at Hometown BicyclesSue is a wellspring of information, and her art tells the stories that she’s collected over years of professorship and research. What we especially love about her work is that it’s VIBRANT and playful, while still appealing to the intellectual cyclist. But even if pondering isn’t your thing, we encourage you to enjoy a refreshing smile in front of the jaunty, neon head of “Bike Face”!

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BICYCLE ART AT HOMETOWN: PEGGY KERWAN

Peggy Kerwan's art at Hometown Bicycles
(Artwork copyright Peggy Kerwan. All rights reserved.)
Peggy Kerwan artwork "Pink Ladies"Peggy GETS cycling; she’s a cyclist who finds the fun in any bike-bound adventure. And her artwork is about those adventures – the people, the places, and the roadkill rat (yes, you read that right!) that turn a ride into something worth capturing on canvas. You may have seen some of Peggy’s work at the Wooden Spoon in Brighton, where she curates. We’re delighted to have her creativity here at the shop!

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BICYCLE ART AT HOMETOWN: STOCKING STUFFERS

Stocking stuffer ideas at Hometown Bicycles - Gear ornaments, bicycle notecards by Peggy Brewer, coin purses by LPbyLP, Blues Lab CD

Hoo boy… those stockings always seem to get forgotten until the very last minute, don’t they.

Keep calm and come to Hometown. We’ve got all sorts of sock-sized goodies in our new art department that will pleasantly plump out your fireplace footwear, including beautiful notecards from local artist Peggy Brewer; sew-master Lauren Patrell’s super-awesome coin purses; a new line of handmade, unique-as-snowflakes, gear ornaments; and the bluesy tunes of our very own CycloDan Tribble.

Be sure to also check out our famous sock wall – much loved by all – and everything from bike bells to pint glasses and lubes to water bottle cages. In fact, you might just need to hang up another stocking…

The “What’s Up With My Shifters??” Bike Clinic

Bicycle Clinics at Hometown Bicycles Whitmore Lake with Dan "CycloDan" Tribble

YOU’RE MID-RIDE WHEN YOUR SHIFTERS SUDDENLY GO “WONKY”…
 they stutter, they stick, or they just plain won’t work. It’s an awfully long and hilly ride home to be suddenly stuck riding single-speed. What just happened, and what can you do about it?

Hometown – Whitmore Lake’s Dan “CycloDan” Tribble will give you the lowdown on quick-fix shifting tips to get you safely home, and whether the issue warrants a follow up visit to your local Hometown Bicycles service shop in TOMORROW‘s hands-on clinic:

EMERGENCY BIKE REPAIR: WHAT’S UP WITH MY SHIFTERS??

TOMORROW, MARCH 26, NOON – 1PM, NO CHARGE

at Hometown Bicycles – Whitmore Lake (bring your bike!)

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR OUR SHIFTING CLINIC

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