Midwest Bike and Tandem | Hometown Bicycles

Hometown’s Jamis Demo is TODAY!!

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Shaun

Happy Memorial Day, Hometownies!
We’re hopeful the sun will shine in Michigan this Memorial Day weekend!

JAMIS DEMO DAY IS TODAY!

Test Ride Jamis’ New 3VO Suspension

RIDE WITH US: 5/23, 2-6 PM @ Island Lake Trailhead

Jamis Bikes and Hometown Bicycles are teaming up to co-host this AWESOME event at Island Lake State Recreation Area. Check out the latest Hardline® and Portal® 3VO Suspension bikes, as well as the Renegade, the superb and versatile adventure bike, in both steel and carbon!

Jamis’ new Portal® and Hardline® were developed by the Jamis design team over the past two years utilizing Chris Currie of Speedgoat Design’s patented 3VO suspension platform.

ALSO AT THE EVENT:
Test ride a Co-Motion Tandem road and mountain bike, courtesy of our good friend Joel of Midwest Bike & Tandem! Ever tried the trail on a 2-seater?? We double-dog dare you!!

Be sure to bring the following:

Drivers license
Credit card
Helmet
Optional – your own pedals

Stop by the Hometown tent to chat with our knowledgeable Hometown crew and volunteers from Team Hometown Bicycles!

Sati Yoga comes to Hometown’s Community Room

NEW YOGA OFFERING!
Join Dawn Gaden, RYT on Sunday, May 26th at 9 AM! This class is about aligning the mind, body and spirit for a powerfully deep and energetic practice. Sati yoga includes breath work that allows our mind to focus and our bodies to flow. Expect an intermediate class of vinyasa flow, inversions, meditation, and mantras. Bring a water bottle and yoga mat.

At 10 AM, stay for intenSati, which means mindful intention. This unique class is a combination of movement, music, voice and stillness to help you tap into your full potential and create a healthy relationship with your body, mind and spirit. Bring a water bottle and mat; shoes are optional.

Each class is $10 — or $15 for both. Drop ins are welcome.

Gooo, Team Hometown!

Team Hometown member Andrea Dahline, her friend Helen Lachowicz, and Hometown’s cardio drumming queen Martha Soraruf headed to the Zoo-De-Mack this past weekend for a glorious 51 mile ride.

The Zoo-De-Mack is not a race, but a gathering of approximately 4,000 outdoor enthusiasts who want to enjoy a little physical exercise together in one of the most beautiful areas in the state of Michigan. This was the 30th year for the event.

From Andrea:“Helen Lachowicz and I have been training with Martha for over 8 months, and we really owe it to her and all the cardio drumming and cross training with weights that allowed us to be able to accomplish the 51 miles with all the hills as well! Our legs and hearts were STRONG. Of course the awesome JAMIS bikes helped too!”

Great job, ladies!

Hometown is hoppin’ with involvement in community events!

Check out these fun, family-friendly events coming up SOON. We love being part of them and hope to see YOU there.

Milford Bike Fest– Saturday, June 1 (registration begins at 7 AM)

MCMBA brings you this exciting day exploring the trails of Milford and enjoying live music at Main Street Grill & Tavern! Hometown will be on site for bike support, as well as leading a guided ride at 9 AM with Hometownie Tom Hermann. Back by popular demand, the Milford to Commerce Grand Tour traverses 30 miles of dirt roads, singletrack, two-track, and paved bike paths. We will split it into two groups; a spirited pace of 15 mph and a no-drop group ride at a pace of 10 mph.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Da y – Sunday, June 2 from 10-2, Brighton Recreation Area, Sandhill Pavilion

This FREE event is brought to you by the Potawatomi Mountain Bike Association (POTO)to encourage communities to join together and get kids excited about riding! Bike the 2 mile beginner Appleton Lake Loop trail with a guide or try out the bike skills course. Hometown Bicycles will be assisting with free bicycle and helmet checks.

Brighton Optimist Club Fishing Derby – Saturday, June 8 from 8:30-11:30 AM

FREE catch and release fishing derby sponsored by the Brighton Optimist Club, for ages 16 and under. Be one of the first 150 to register to get a complimentary t-shirt. Hometown will be there to talk up how you and your kids can ride with us in the 4th of July Parade!

Family Day at Settlers Park – Saturday, June 8 from 10-2

In partnership with our amazing Team Hometown Bicycles sponsor, Kevin Brennan with Michigan Financial Planning, this FREE event will include guided paved and mountain bike rides for all ages, food and refreshments, and demonstration bikes. Come out and see what Settlers Park has to offer!

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: 3VO Suspension, best bicycle repair, best bicycle service, best bike repair, best bike service, bicycle clinics, bicycle rentals, bicycle repair, bicycle service, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinics, bike rentals, bike repair, bike rides, bike service, bike shop, bikes, Brighton, Brighton Optimist Club Fishing Derby, Cardio Drumming, Co-Motion Tandem, cycling, cyclists, Dawn Gaden, Family Day at Settlers Park, fat bikes, fat tire bikes, fitness classes, group rides, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Hometownies, intenSati, Island Lake Recreation Area, Jamis Demo, Jamis Hardline, Jamis Portal, Kevin Brennan, Leslie Barrett, livingston county, Martha Soraruf, Memorial Day, Michigan, Michigan Financial Planning, Midwest Bike and Tandem, Milford Bike Fest, shop rides, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, Team Hometown Bicycles, trailhead, Tresa O’Rourke, Zoo-de-Mack, zumba, Zumba Gold | Leave a comment »

We Did It for Dan with ALL of Your Support

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Shaun

With our deepest gratitude, thank you…

(Photo courtesy Miles Janicki)
There are truly no words to capture the incredible outpouring of support and love we witnessed this past Sunday. It was a breathtaking moment to realize that over 550 riders and walkers were present in body, mind and soul at Island Lake to honor fellow cyclist, Dan Horal, whose life was tragically cut short after being struck by a car mid-ride on April 25th.

(Photo courtesy Doug Lapp)

We could not have asked for more… absolutely amazing weather, a beautiful tribute, and a COMMUNITY who came together in solidarity to offer condolences to Dan’s family while also raising awareness about bicycle safety. Thank you so very much.

We offer our warmest gratitude to each of you who had an impact on this Memorial Ride for a great man who touched so many lives. We would like to call out a few particular individuals and businesses that helped take this Ride from meaningful to sheer magic.

Our sincere thanks go to…

The Horal Family – For allowing us to honor Dan’s memory and celebrate his life. Our love and support are with you.

Every cyclist who attended – For helping the Horal Family and cycling community make an unforgettable statement, and for not letting Dan’s tragedy go unremarked.

Cyclists in other States – For implementing your own Do It for Dan Memorial Rides and, in doing so, spreading the message and mission of this Ride beyond Michigan!

The Hometown Crew & Team Hometown Bicycles – For spreading the word so well and so quickly!

Unit Manager Andrew Haapala and Island Lake Recreation Area – For being wonderfully supportive and helpful throughout the process of creating this Ride

The Plotners & Wheels in Motion (at right) – For dropping everything to come out and support this Ride as a family and a team

WHMI – For their helpful promotion of this Ride

Channel 4 & Channel 7 – For making an appearance at this Ride to help spread the message

League of Michigan Bicyclists – For using its vast network to help spread the word

MCMBA – For allowing us to use Demo Day to promote the event

All of the Demo Day participants – For rallying to the cause, and helping get the word out throughout the cycling community

(To all of the amazing vendors at Demo Day, THANK YOU for helping to spread the word about the Ride!)

Kirt Albrecht at Big PDQ – For his contribution toward printing the Ride flier

Robin Fry – For her lightning-fast turnaround on, and her contribution toward, the unmissable Ride t-shirts

Fred Tomczyk – For his skillful rendering of the Ghost Bike Memorial design

Scott Brooks – For his artistry and craftsmanship in the creation of the Ghost Bike Memorial

Joel Hakken of MidWest Bike & Tandem – For his bicycle donation for the Ghost Bike Memorial

Master Blaster – For donation of his services to prep the Ghost Bike for painting

Matt Maximoff – For his invaluable assistance in creating the Memorial plaque

Joe Ostervik of DJ Mobile Rhythms – For emceeing the Ride, and the use of his sound equipment

Mike & Lisa Hartwell of The Eric Hartwell Foundation – For the loan of their bullhorn

Beauchamp Water Supply & Treatment– For generously supplying all of the water for the Ride

Les Cook – For carrying on his tradition of being the world’s most helpful sweep, and assisting cyclists all along the Ride

Jim Plaunt with Bike Tour Vacations – For sharing his heartfelt blog post about the Ride

Miles Janicki, Jill Zamojcin of Jilly Bean Photography, Doug Lapp, and a host of other skilled photographers – For photographic and video documentation of the event

Click to view Miles’s stunning event photos

Click to find yourself in Jill’s Facebook rider collage

Click to view Doug’s awesome Ride video

The Do It for Dan Memorial Ride will now become an annual event.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 3, 2020.

With May being National Bike Month, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. In partnership with the Horal Family, and with your support, we want to finish Dan’s ride year after year.

(Photo of the Horal Family courtesy Jill Zamojcin of Jilly Bean Photography)

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: Andrew Haapala, Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply, bicycle ride, bicycle shop, Big PDQ, bike ride, bike shop, Bike Tour Vacations, Channel 4 news, Channel 7 news, Dan Horal, Daniel J. Horal, Demo day, DJ Mobile Rhythms, Do It for Dan Memorial Ride, Doug Lapp, Fred Tomczyk, ghost bike, Hometown Bicycles, Island Lake Recreation Area, Jill Zamojcin, Jilly Bean Photography, Jim Plaunt, joe ostervik, Joel Hakken, Kirt Albrecht, League of Michigan Bicyclists, Leslie Cook, Master Blaster, Matt Maximoff, MCMBA, Memorial Ride, Midwest Bike and Tandem, Mike and Lisa Hartwell, Miles Janicki, National Bike Month, Robin Fry, Scott Brooks, Team Hometown Bicycles, The Eric Hartwell Foundation, The Horal Family, Travis Plotner, Wheels in Motion | Leave a comment »

Meet Your (Photogenic) 2019 Team + Get Ready to Rock the Shop!

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Shaun

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!

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!

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!

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…

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!

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!

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!!

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!

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

Stop by the shop for an application.

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.

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: best bicycle repair, best bicycle service, best bike repair, best bike service, bicycle clinics, bicycle rentals, bicycle repair, bicycle service, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinics, bike rentals, bike repair, bike rides, bike service, bike shop, bikes, Brighton, Cardio Drumming, Co-Motion, cycling, cyclists, CycloDan Tribble, Dawn Gaden, DoL, fat bikes, fat tire bikes, fitness classes, group rides, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Hometown Business Incubator, Hometownies, intenSati, Joel Hakken, Leslie Barrett, livingston county, Martha Soraruf, MCMBA, Michigan, Midwest Bike and Tandem, PBR Band, Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, Settlers Park, Shannon McKay, shop rides, Tandem Bicycles, Team Hometown Bicycles, Tom Hermann, Tresa O’Rourke, Vinnie Baylerian, Volunteer of the Year, zumba, Zumba Gold | Leave a comment »

A Bike Shop Within a Bike Shop + Young Women’s Event TUESDAY!

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Shaun

BIG News! (Drum roll, please…)
It was announced at our Where to Ride in Michigan clinic this past weekend, and now we can share our exciting news with everyone!

Hometown Bicycles has partnered with Midwest Bike & Tandem!

Pictured above is Joel Hakken, owner of Midwest Bike & Tandem, which will now be located HERE, with our fearless leader, Shaun. A bike shop within a bike shop?? This much excitement means it’s gotta be Hometown!

How our partnership with Midwest Bike & Tandem benefits YOU!

Enjoy exploring fresh new products and bicycles!
Draw from the deep expertise of industry master, Joel Hakken! Joel will be a regular addition to our shop, where you can tap his ocean of bike know-how.
We’re becoming your Midwest resource for all things tandem!
Know that YOUR BIKE SHOP is GROWING!! In an industry that’s facing weighty challenges and stiff online competition, you can be PROUD that you’re part of a bike shop that’s evolved beyond “just a business” – and has grown into a COMMUNITY.

Stay tuned for a feature on Joel in next week’s newsletter!

Young Women’s Entrepreneurship Clinic

NEXT TUESDAY (3/12) from 6-7:30PM!

Join us for an amazing guest speaker, Q&A panel, refreshments and GIRL POWER!

We are super stoked to announce our guest speaker for this event: Jennifer Matras, Owner and Head Skating Coach at Competitive Edge Skating. With over 25 years of skating and training experience, Jennifer is a highly sought after skill development instructor AND a fabulous female business owner. All attendees will receive a complimentary PDF copy of Jennifer’s book, Building an Uncommon Champion.

Guest panelists include Samantha Brish of Element Chiropractic & Wellness, Phaedra McGaffey of Sea of Myth Entertainment, and Kelly Cieslak of Keepers by Kelly Photography. These ladies, along with Jennifer, will share their journeys and answer your questions about female entrepreneurship and how to turn your dreams into reality.

Sign up HERE!

Our Female Entrepreneurship series is brought to you by your Hometown women, Dawn and Leslie, who are both business owners and big proponents of girl power!

Where to Ride in Michigan Clinic Recap!

Wow, wow and WOW! What a fantastic turnout on Sunday evening at our Potluck Party! Over 90 people attended to learn about the best trails, rides, cycling websites and organizations locally and throughout our beautiful state. We had a mouth-watering smorgasbord of tasty treats and lots of high energy crowd camaraderie.

New and returning Team Hometown Bicycles members gathered to kick off the spring season, and we couldn’t be happier to have seen all of you there.

Huge thanks to ALL of our guest speakers and participants:

Jim Plaunt with Bike Tour Vacations
Sarah Vano with MiSCA
Nick Proctor and Jacob Andrews with Tour de Livingston
Tom Hermann of Team Hometown
Team Captains Mike Dyer & Joe Ostervik
Helena Hunt with Make-a-Wish

At the event, we also handed out our official 2019 Spring/Summer Shop Rides schedule, BUT
by popular demand, there has been an addition since then:

Ladies Beginner Road Ride
Thursdays at 5:15pm, Beginning in April
This will be a comfortably-paced, fitness road ride with your fellow Hometown women. It’s about skill-building and socializing, not speed. No drop ride!

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

You did WHAT?!?!
Crossing Lake Huron… by bike!!

What started out as a bucket-list item turned into a CHECK mark for two Team Hometown riders. Andrew Miller (one of our Hometown Crew!) and wife, Kristen Kendall-Miller, made the trip to the UP and rode what may be one of the most epic rides ever!

The intrepid duo loaded up their fat bikes and drove up to St. Ignace, just

across the Mackinac Bridge, where their adventure began. Andy had been watching weather data and local info about what is known as “The Ice Bridge”. This is actually a frozen portion of Lake Huron connecting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Mackinac Island.

“It’s a lot like Fight Club when it comes to getting reports on the condition of the route. Nobody will go on any kind of record as to what is happening with it other than it is being used,” Andy said.

The couple definitely got a few strange looks when they talked with the ice golfers at the edge of the Great Lake.

Then it happened; they rode the 3.8 miles across water that is usually crossed by ferries, and were treated to a standing ovation by a group of about 10 snowmobilers who were waiting to purchase their ride permits for the island.

“The ranger instructed them, and us, that we did not have to purchase these… and that the DNR should be paying US for riding over to enjoy the island on bikes,” Kristen mentioned.

After an 8.2 mile loop around the island, it was time to call it a day and get back across the ice before dark.

The ride back had the added feature of a 15-20 mph northwest breeze, which slowed the pair down but didn’t stop them from completing a unique Michigan adventure… riding The Ice Bridge!

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!

Our incubator will be ideal for: