Hometown Bicycles

Meet Your 2019 Team!
(Well, the ones that weren’t on Spring Break anyway…)

This past weekend, Team Hometown Bicycles gathered for a Team Kit Pickup Party… new Team Kits meant an awesome opportunity to get the Team together for food, chat, announcements, and perhaps the most important thing of all — a Team photo! 

After about 20 tries, we finally got a Team photo where everyone is looking at the camera with EYES OPEN! What can we say? We keep trying till we get it right.

And that describes what Team Hometown Bicycles is all about… determination, grit, support and teamwork! Whether it’s leading shop rides for all levels, cheering one another on at races, volunteering time or being generally awesome, our Team is something worth gushing over!

Team member Tom Hermann (above) was honored as one of the 2018 Volunteer of the Year recipients by MCMBA for his hard work and dedication related to his trail work at Settlers Park in Hartland. We are so proud of you, Tom! Thank you for all you do for Team Hometown Bicycles and the Community.

Be sure to be on the lookout for our fabulous Team at various events and races this year. They’ll be the ones with big smiles in the super sharp jerseys!

Gooooo, Team Hometown Bicycles!

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A Tandem Endeavor with THE Tandem Expert:
Get to Know Hometown’s Newest Ally, Joel Hakken of Midwest Bike & Tandem

Joel & Shaun representing the new partnership between Hometown and Midwest Bike & Tandem 

It takes two to tandem, and we’ve allied with the ideal partner to “captain” Hometown into the tandem bikes and service market. You’ve already read the exciting news about Midwest Bike & Tandem moving into our shop this Spring. Now, as we’re gearing up to move ’em in, learn more about the tandem mastermind from the great man himself:

“Ever since I was a small lad, the bicycle was my freedom, a way to get away from my parents. A way to go to school, a way to ride to town to watch a movie. Freedom.

In later years, I rode for the fun and exercise and to reduce stress. When my ex-wife started doing triathlons, she would complain when we would do a training ride together that I would go too fast, and if I would gear down and ride at her pace, she said you aren’t working very hard. So we bought a Santana tandem and rode together for the next few years.

After getting the tandem in a divorce, I met Wendy. One day I asked if she would like to go for a ride on a tandem bicycle. We went for a short ride and, two years later, we were married. As a couple getting married at 50 years old, with each of us owning homes and having all sorts of dishes, glassware and silverware, Wendy and I decided to buy a new tandem as our wedding gift to each other. 

I went looking for a new tandem and found that no one stocked tandems in the Midwest.

We wound up purchasing a new Co-Motion Tandem from a dealer in Kansas City, but picked it up at the factory in Eugene, Oregon. There we met the owner and became good friends. Over the next year, I looked for a bike shop that would take on the Co-Motion line.

Then one day, the owner called and said he had found his dealer in the Midwest: Look in the mirror, you will recognize him. 

I told him I was retired and not looking to start another business, but he talked me into it. Midwest Bike & Tandem, located in Ann Arbor, was born. Since that time, we have become one of the top dealers for Co-Motion, and have also become dealers of KHS, Santana and DaVinci. I have become a design consultant for both Co-Motion and DaVinci bicycles. 

When my landlord sold the building and the new landlord refused to offer a new lease, I was forced to find a new home for Midwest Tandems as I prepared for retirement. A friend and fellow tandem rider suggested I talk to Shaun and Dawn Bhajan at Hometown Bicycles in Brighton.

After a couple meetings, I could see that Hometown would be a great fit. Friendly, informative, service-oriented, and not pushy. So we worked out an agreement and are looking forward to working with the great staff of Hometown Bicycles!”

Joel and his fleet of tandem bicycles will soon be making their way to Hometown. Stop by to take a look, and venture out on a test drive! Don’t have a partner to ride with? We’re sure Shaun will be happy to oblige!

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2019 Shop Rides Kick Off with Gravel & CycloDan

It was a fitting launch for Hometown’s 2019 Spring Shop Rides to welcome back our beloved bike Buddha, CycloDan Tribble, and his insanely popular Wednesday evening Gravel Grinder 101 ride. Stay tuned to our Facebook events page for upcoming weekly rides!

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SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, April 27th
Hometown’s 9th Birthday Bash & Roll-n-Rock Fundraiser!

There will be food, music, and all-around positive energy flowing both inside and outside the shop throughout the day… and no Hometown birthday would be complete without a Birthday Ride! (And cake. Let’s not forget cake!)

After hours, enjoy the bluesy rock and roll of Hometown’s purveyor of extraordinary bike knowledge, Dan “CycloDan” Tribble and his Progressive Blues & Rhythm band. Enjoy laid back, funky fun while supporting the Brighton High School Cycling Club! 

Sign up HERE for the concert!

Details on the Birthday Ride and other festivities will be forthcoming! Stay tuned…

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And because we like to celebrate birthdays ALL MONTH LONG…

We proudly present Vinnie Baylerian’s band, DoL (Descendants of Levon), on Saturday, April 13th from 6:00-8:30 PM!

As most of you know, Vinnie Baylerian of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy is the Title Sponsor of Team Hometown Bicycles. While we majorly value and appreciate his vast expertise in physical therapy and bike fitting, we were also thrilled to discover that he plays in the band, DoL, alongside his cousins and other family members.

So, who wants to see our lead Sponsor jammin’ on bass and ROCKING THE SHOP?!

Express your interest HERE!

This will be a FREE family-friendly concert with music, dancing, munchies, and an overall awesome time to help Hometown kick off our 9th Birthday Month! We hope to see you all there!

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SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

It’s HERE! Can we get a WOOT WOOT?! Can we get a FINALLY?!

Get your bikes ready for some beautiful sunny days. Schedule your tune-ups and repairs so you will be ready to roll next week when the majority of our Shop Rides kick off. 

Make sure to print or pick up your Shop Ride schedule!

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Our apologies to Shannon McKay for inadvertently missing her podium at the Waterloo G&G Gravel Road Race on March 16th.

Shannon took 2nd place in Fat Bike Ladies!

Ya done the jersey – and your Team – proud. Way to go, Shannon!!

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Hometown’s Business Incubator Rental Space!

We have a major project going on in Hometown’s back room – a buildout that includes a new business incubator rental space!

What is a business incubator? Business incubators are organizations that offer startups shared operation space. In short, they offer fledgling young companies a warm, safe place to grow and prosper.

Our incubator will be ideal for:

• Business meetings
• Networking groups
• Fitness classes
• Startup churches
• Kids programs
• Arts/crafts programs and classes

Hometown’s business incubator will be available for hourly rentals. Incubator Sponsorships are now available. If you would like to learn more, contact Dawn at office@myhometownbicycles.com.

Grand Opening coming SOON!

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CURRENTLY SEEKING FULL-TIME SERVICE TECHS
Monday-Friday, 9-5

Stop by the shop for an application.

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FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES

Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM
$5 drop-in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf |Click to learn more

Power 30 | Wednesdays 7 PM
$5 drop in – With Martha Soraruf  |  Click to learn more

Zumba | Mondays 6 PM & Thursdays 9:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $60” punch card – With Leslie Barrett  |  Click to learn more

Zumba GOLD | Fridays 9:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke  |  Click to learn more

intenSati | Sundays 10 AM
$10 drop in – With Dawn Gaden  |  Click to learn more

Did you know? Brighton ATA Martial Arts has set up shop in Hometown’s Community Room 2-3 evenings/week. Sign up for your free trial and learn martial arts at your own pace. Click to learn more.

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