Jim Cleer | Hometown Bicycles

Melon Mania, Hometown’s New Trail, and Help Wanted

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Shaun

IT WAS PERFECT MELON MANIA AT LAST WEEKEND’S DOC MAY RIDE
Between the melon-colored t-shirts, our melon orange raffle bike, mouthwatering melon ice cream, locally-harvested melons, and the smiling melons sporting helmets on the Doc May Memorial Bike Ride, Hometown and our ever-so-cool community were in pure melon heaven this past Saturday!

At well over 70 riders, this was the Doc May Ride’s largest turn-out to date – and many of those were YOU, awesome Hometownies! Thanks for being there!! We loved hanging out with you!!!

ABOVE: Pre-ride prep included marking the route, setting up bike valet, and wheeling ’round the Melon Fest raffle bike donated by Hometown Bicycles (and won by Sue S. of Detroit – congrats, Sue!). Can we get a WHOOP!-WHOOP! for Team Hometown Bicycles Captain, Jim Cleer, who not only helped design a new route, but also marked it (from the back of the Hometown-mobile), and led off the ride. Thanks, Jim!

ABOVE: And here are just a few of the many melon riders who made this melon-y ride so seriously sweet. Can’t wait to ride with you again next year, melon-thusiasts and Hometownies!

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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: CLEAR A TRAIL AT HOMETOWN!

You read that right, Hometownies… we’ve carved a small, family-friendly, single-track trail into the scenic back acreage of Hometown’s property, and now we need to get it rider-ready!

This Sunday, August 28th, between 9am and 2pm, we’re looking for volunteers to tackle trail clearing with Shaun and our Team. Bring your gloves and garden clippers. We’ll be cleaning, cutting, beautifying, and (of course) TESTING the new trail.Volunteers get first dibs on riding it!

CAN YOU HELP? PLEASE LET US KNOW!

CONTACT JEAN AT RIDE@MYHOMETOWNBICYCLES.COM

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GOODNESS! LOOK WHAT YOU DID… !

Well, Hometownies, we see you’ve been up to your usual antics… sharing your Hometown love, making us feel like rockstars, and just generally being awesome!

Look what we just read in the 2016 Livingston County People’s Choice publication from Livingston County Daily (thanks, Peter, for bringing us the good news!)… a full page article expounding the virtues of Hometown Bicycles, WHICH YOU VOTED 2016 BEST BICYCLE SHOP OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY! WOW!!!

Well, guess what… WE LOVE YOU, TOO!! Thank you, Hometownies! And thank you Livingston County Daily for letting us know about all of the cool businesses and fun things to do that are right here in our own “backyard”!

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TEAM NEWS: TRAVERSE CITY ULTIMATE MTB

Team Hometown Bicycles riders, Doug Q. and Olga N. trekked on up to Traverse City for the Ultimate X100 Mountain Bike Race. Olga (above) took first in her age division with a blazing 50-mile sweep in her first race following a broken collar bone. Now, that’s a comeback!

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HELP WANTED: FULL & PART-TIME POSITONS

It’s that sad time of year when our scholastically-aged staff wing back to their studies, but an exciting time of year for welcoming aboard new members to our Hometown crew!

If you’re looking for a new career, and want to play a key role in the continuing evolution of Hometown Bicycles, drop by the shop for an application. Talk to Shaun or Dawn.

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HOMETOWN BICYCLES’ SHOP RIDES

Here’s what’s coming up this week:

WEDNESDAY, 8:45AM – Rails-to-Trails Ride

WEDNESDAY, 6:30PM – Hammerfest Advanced Road Ride

SATURDAY, 9:00AM – Tour de Livingston Training Ride

SUNDAY, 9:00AM – Iceman Training Gravel Grinder

SUNDAY, 5:00PM – Beginner Mountain Bike Ride

TUESDAY, 9:00AM – Hometown Green Gals Mountain Bike Ride

CLICK HERE for details about these Hometown shop rides!

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: 2016, award, bicycle shop, bike raffle, bike shop, Brighton, broken bones, Dawn Bhajan, Doc May Memorial Ride, Doug Queener, group rides, help wanted, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown crew, Hometownies, Howell, Jim Cleer, livingston county, Livingston County Daily Press and Argus, Livingston County People's Choice, love, Melon Festival, melons, Michigan, Olga Negrut, Shaun Bhajan, shop rides, single track, Team Hometown Bicycles, trail, trail building, Traverse City, Ultimate Mountain Bike Race, volunteers, winner, X100 | Leave a comment »

Biggest Ride, Your Chance to be Tintyped, and a Total Mud Bath

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Shaun

BIGGEST RIDE OF THE YEAR THIS SATURDAY – PEDAL & PARTY WITH YOUR HOMETOWN & TOUR DE LIVINGSTON PEEPS!
This’ll be our BIGGEST and BEST bike shop ride of the year, led by your goateed bike guru Shaun, with a big post-ride Tour de Livingston jersey drawing, cookout, and PARTY. No drop, NO CHARGE, and no way you won’t have the time of your life!

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR THIS SATURDAY’S TDL PARTY RIDE

(Help us make sure we get enough food for all of you hungry riders!)

NEW EVENT ADDITION!! In a completely unique and randomly awesome twist, pro photographer, Steve Hane, will now be offering wicked-cool wet plate photography at this event. Imagine you and/or your bike getting the 19th century treatment on tintype!!

Old-timey attire NOT required. Read on for details…
(Photo at left Copyright © MetroAir Photo, LLC)

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BRINGING YOU & YOUR BIKE INTO THE 19TH CENTURY

Hometownies, here’s a rare and completely unexpected opportunity for you…

THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY you and your family (if that includes your bike… hey, we won’t judge!) have the opportunity to be immortalized on tintype right here at Hometown…like they did at this year’s Tour de France !

Aerial photographer, Steve Hane of MetroAir Photo LLC, is a fountain of historical know-how, including the highly original art of wet plate photography. He’ll be setting up a temporary studio at Hometown to immortalize you Civil-War-Era-style, and will have your image printed and even framed by the next day! (Check out his site.)

Steve will be here Friday (8/5) and Saturday (8/6) in the late afternoon and evening, and appreciates pre-booking to ensure material availability. CALL STEVE FOR INFO OR TO BOOK YOUR SESSION AT (571) 236-3810 OR EMAIL STEVEHANE@METROAIRPHOTO.COM.

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REMINDER: TRANSITION TO MTB CLINIC NEXT WEEK!

FOR ANYONE NEW OR NEWISH TO MOUNTAIN BIKING: Just a reminder to REGISTER NOW for next Tuesday’s (8/9) “So, You Want to Transition to Mountain Biking” Clinic, where Jennifer and Shaun will share tips and tricks for making the leap to singletrack, how to prep for your first trail experience, where to ride when you’re ready, and groups and classes that can help. PLUS, ride a variety of demo bikes to try what you just learned!

CLINIC RUNS TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 AT 6:30PM
in the Hometown Bicycles Community Room

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR THE TRANSITION TO MOUNTAIN BIKING CLINIC

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TRAIN UP, TONE UP FOR YOUR BEST TOUR DE LIVINGSTON YET!

Don’t forget to mark down the dates above, Hometownies! Our TDL Training Ride series is a tip-top training tool to maximize your Tour de Livingston experience, with skill building, stamina stretching, and many more chances to win cool TDL swag!

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TEAM NEWS: SPA TREATMENT AT TREE FARM RELAY

(Hometown Team Captain, Jim Cleer… at least, we THINK that’s Jim. Photo courtesy Mark Lang.)

That’s right… with the Saturday deluge hitting Team Hometown Bicycles mid-Tree Farm Relay, everyone got a bike-and-body mud bath on suddenly slippery, sloppy trails. But indomitable spirits prevailed, and our Team had a blast at this much-loved event.

Fist bump to Hometown crewman, Colin Wood, who wound up being one of the fastest in the field. Seriously, we work with the coolest people!

NOTE: If you’re one of the many Relay riders whose bikes took a beating in all the muck and mayhem, just know… WE CAN FIX IT! Thanks to all of you (so many!) who’ve already brought your bikes in for some Hometown love!

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CALL FOR NUMBERS – HELP US FILL OUR WALL!

Our numbers wall has always been a hallmark of Hometown “photo shoots”, as Colin cheerily demonstrates at left.

But this is one BIG wall and, though we’re close, there are still a few blank patches that need to be numbered up!

Would you like to add YOUR number(s) to our wall of fame? If so, please drop them by, and remember to sign your numbers with your name and the date of the event. Every number that’s up there tells an incredible story. We’d be honored to share yours, too!

Muddy, wrinkled, torn – it all just adds to the intrigue…

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LESS THAN A WEEK TO MAKE US #1 – VOTE DAILY!

CLICK TO VOTE HOMETOWN BICYCLES “BEST BIKE SHOP 2016”

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LIVINGSTON’S MOST DELICIOUS RIDE

Melons, melon ice cream, and all things melon-y are the name of the game at the Doc May Memorial Melon Ride on Saturday, August 20th.

Hometown’s partnered with Howell Area Parks & Rec on a simple, new route that will tour you past some of Howell’s most scenic highlights.

Our Team will be on course for basic SAG, route assistance, and all-around good vibes. Plus, we’re offering complimentary bike valet service, so that you can enjoy post-ride festivities without your bike in tow!

REGISTER NOW, HOMETOWNIES!!

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: 19th century photography, bicycle ride, bicycle shop, bike ride, bike shop, clinic, Colin Wood, cookout, demo bikes, Doc May Memorial Melon Ride, family, group ride, Hometown Bicycles, Howell Area Parks & Rec, IMBA, jersey, Jim Cleer, Melon Festival, melons, MetroAir Photo LLC, mountain bike, mountain biking, mud bath, numbers wall, Party Ride, SAG, Shaun Bhajan, shop ride, Steve Hane, Team Hometown Bicycles, tintype, Tour de Livingston, Tree Farm Relay, Vote 4 the best, Vote4theBest, wet plate photography | Leave a comment »

A Winning Weekend

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Shaun

Team Hometown Bicycles Takes Barry-Roubaix 2016!

(Team riders included Jim Cleer (Team Captain), Brian Forhan (Team Captain), Jack Riddle, Tom Hermann, Mark Lang, Joe Ostervik, Gary Spencer, Thomas Marminc, Sarah Marminc, Doug Queener, Olga Negrut, Vinnie Baylerian from Pro-Motion, Brien TerBush, Andrew Keller, Khao Phaydavong and, no, this list doesn’t match up with the pic above!)

PROUD? WHY, YES… YES, WE ARE

While Hometown celebrated its 6th birthday, Team Hometown Bicycles was representing at the renownedBarry Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race… with EPIC results!

They collectively earned FIRST PLACE in the 22-mile challenge – bringing honor, glory, and a kick-bottom trophy plaque home to roost. (At right: Team Captain Jim Cleer with the trophy and fellow Team honcho Tom Hermann)

Special kudos to Joe Ostervik for solidifying Team Hometown’s win with a second place podium in his age group!

So, way to go, Team! Cheers to this being the first of many Team adventures founded on good vibes and freakishly good cycling! We’re proud of you!!

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ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: A GREAT PARTY

Hometown’s 6th Birthday Party was easily one of THE BEST and best attended events of our 6-year history! We couldn’t have asked for a better or more fun and supportive group of party-goers. Thanks for coming out to celebrate what you helped to create, Hometownies!! Check out some of the highlights below…

Above Left: Our lot was PACKED with cars, people, balloons, bicycles, and good times!

Above Right: The wheel toss game was a hit, and won many a Hometownie some bonus coupons!

Bottom Left: Ian and John of Double Play raised the roof and really turned this event into a P-A-R-T-Y!! Call Hometownie Ian 586-940-1492 to book his band for YOUR event.

Bottom Right: The fresh-grilled hot dogs were picnic-perfect, thanks to Mike’s mad grilling ‘skillz’ (center) and Rocco (left) and David’s (right) food table support!

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CASHIER NEEDED

With the season picking up, it’s time to bring in more help. We’re currently looking to fill the role of part-time cashier for evenings and weekends.

If you’re interested – and responsible, intelligent, and friendly – let’s talk. Stop by the shop, and connect with Shaun or Dawn.

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BIKE BLURBS

TONIGHT 4/19 FROM 7-8PM IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM, Hometownie Fred Tomczyk needs your honest-to-goodness feedback on a new product he’s launching in the RV market. If you have experience with RVs with holding tanks, come share your thoughts. Enjoy free food and intriguing conversation!

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR THE RV FOCUS GROUP

LUCINDA MEANS BICYCLE ADVOCACY DAY ON MAY 25 gives cyclists a chance to meet Lansing-based legislators to promote safe cycling and bring about changes which benefit the cycling community. Bike Tour Vacations believes strongly in this event, and has offered to provide registration and transportation for 4 newcomers. If you haven’t been before, please contactjim@biketourvacations.com to sign up. Make a Hometown difference for better bicycling!

HELP THE SNOWMAN 5K/10K REACH 500 PARTICIPANTS! OnSaturday, May 7th at 9am is the annual running/walking of the Eric Hartwell Foundation‘s much-loved Spring Snowman 5K/10K through beautiful Brighton Pine Creek Ridge neighborhood. Registering early gives you a chance to win a cherry red Jamis Allegro, donated by Hometown Bicycles!

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LIAM’S ALREADY PICKED OUT A BIKE FOR HIS SISTER

(Just to answer a question that Shaun and I get asked daily… ☺)

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: Barry Roubaix, bicycle shop, bike shop, birthday party, Brian Forhan, cashier, gravel road race, help wanted, Hometown Bicycles, Jim Cleer, Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Day, sister, Snowman 5K, Team Hometown Bicycles | Leave a comment »

Hometown Help Wanted

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Shaun

One of the things we love to do here is create opportunities – opportunities to learn, opportunities to share, opportunities to ride, and…

Opportunities to be a Part of Our Family
We are currently looking for leaders with passion, integrity, and commitment for everything from starter positions to management-level roles. If you believe you fit that description, stop by the Brighton shop and talk to Shaun.

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We’re seriously stoked about introducing new guest speaker and superstar Hometownie,Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, to our clinic roster. Like last week’s clinic, seats are filling up fast, so please bring along a chair!

There is NO CHARGE for any of the clinics in this series. For a full list of our 2015 Bike Clinics, click here, or stay posted on our Facebook page.

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR BIKE FITTING BASICS

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WANT TO GET A HEAD START ON UPCOMING CLINIC REGISTRATION?

Click any of the links below to pre-register for the remaining 3 in our Winter Clinic series:

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR EMERGENCY BIKE REPAIR: PART 1

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR EMERGENCY BIKE REPAIR: PART 2

CLICK TO REGISTER FOR WHERE TO RIDE IN MICHIGAN & WITH WHOM

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CALL FOR BARRY-ROUBAIX RIDERS
Join fellow Hometownies on this “Killer Gravel Road Race”

One of the season’s earliest cycling events, the Barry-Roubaix is the world’s largest gravel road race. It launches March 28, 2015 out of Hastings, MI, and is a personal favorite of a whole host of Hometownies.

One of those, Jim Cleer, is riding under the Hometown banner, and is working on building a team of 6 highly motivated riders. Would you like to be one of them?

If so, contact Jim on his Facebook page.

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: Barry Roubaix, bicycle clinic, bike clinic, bike fit, bike fitting, cycling, cyclists, gravel road race, help wanted, Hometown Bicycles, Jim Cleer, physical therapy, pro-motion, Vincent Baylerian, Vinnie Baylerian | Leave a comment »

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Hometown Bicycles

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Fun Emails!

A Winning Weekend

Hometown Help Wanted

Since We Opened

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Hometown Bicycles

Visit Our Store!

Write a Review

Become a Fan!

Fun Emails!

Melon Mania, Hometown’s New Trail, and Help Wanted

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Biggest Ride, Your Chance to be Tintyped, and a Total Mud Bath

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A Winning Weekend

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Hometown Help Wanted

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Since We Opened

Overall Repair Count