Tom Hermann | Hometown Bicycles

Team Night THIS Sunday 12/15 at 5:30pm!

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Shaun

Want to join Team Hometown Bicycles? Join us at Team Night!
THIS SUNDAY, December 15 from 5:30-7:30 PM

What happens at Team Night?

We honor our 2019 Team Sponsors
We congratulate and celebrate our 2019 Team and Team Captains
We announce 2020 Team Sponsors and Team Captains
We talk about the roles and responsibilities of joining our Team
We distribute awards to very cool people
We EAT, laugh, socialize and share the cycling love

Sign up HERE!

Toys for Tots at Hometown!

Hometown is an official drop-off site for the Toys for Tots drive. Between the Marines and Salvation Army, 800 families in Livingston County have a Christmas they wouldn’t have otherwise, thanks to programs like this and the generosity of supporters like the Hometown community.

Toys are for kids up to age 14, and must be new and unwrapped. No stuffed toys, please.

We’re having a Roadies vs. Mountain Bikers competition — fill the boxes!
(Currently, the MTB-ers are beating the Roadies 39-22. Step it up, Roadies!)

A room full of Entrepreneurs is a beautiful sight!

Over 25 entrepreneurs and small business owners joined us on Tuesday 12/10 for our Marketing Yourself & Your Business forum. Our Community Room was filled with creative-minded go-getters, a combination of Livingston County business owners and newbies ready to bring their dreams to fruition!

A huge thank you to our wonderful panel of speakers:

Susan Pominville, Abovo Visual Communications
Mike Langford, Turtlehut Internet Marketing
Blair Bradford, Sky Zone
Nicole Dietrich, Lake Trust Credit Union

This engaging group shared information on building your brand, internet marketing, putting together a cohesive marketing strategy, the importance of networking & more!

Your Hometown ladies, Dawn and Leslie, are big supporters of entrepreneurship so you better believe our next forum will be coming up in early 2020. Keep your eyes peeled!

Hey, Fatties! Thanks for your support of Global Fat Bike Day!

Team Hometown had a fantastic day riding on Saturday 12/7 — it was the 2019 Global Fat Bike Day. Our shop ride headed to Island Lake Recreation Area, with Team members Gary Kulhanek and Gary Weak serving as ride lead and sweep. They were joined by Team members Jeff Wirth and Dennis Doherty and five newbies who were geeked to head out on their first fat bike ride with Hometown.

Other Team Hometown members headed to Sleepy Hollow State Park: Co-Captain Mike Dyer, Tom Hermann, Erik Frazier, and Andy Showerman with his two sons.

Coming Soon: Winter Clinic Series

Beginning January 11, 2020, we will kick off our highly informative and, many times, hands-on Winter Clinic Series!

All clinics will be held on Saturdays at 11 AM at Hometown Bicycles. Stay tuned for more details and sign-up information.

Here are the topics for 2020:

Fat Tire Fix
Emergency Repair
Bike Maintenance – Before the Ride
Bike Maintenance – After the Ride
Bike Fitting Basics with Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT, Certified Level 2 Clinical BikeFit Pro
Nutrition: Get Healthy, Get Fit
Where to Ride in Michigan

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SHOP OF THE YEAR! + A Message from Shaun & Dawn

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Shaun

(Above: Shaun and Dawn Bhajan, pictured with an incredible group of fellow LMB Awards Shop of the Year Finalists, at the Detroit Velodrome. That’s a lot of awesome in one place!)

Hometownies,

Shop of the Year.

Shop. Of. The. Year.

YOUR BIKE SHOP has just been awarded League of Michigan Bicyclists’ 2019 Shop of the Year. And if you don’t already understand your role in bringing this about, please read on…

We all know Hometown is more than just a shop. In fact, sometimes you know that even better than we do, and we are eternally grateful that you never let us forget it! Hometown is a community, a philosophy, and a movement. Our Crew, our Team and, most definitely, our customers are both the core of, and the messengers for, that culture.

Your involvement, your patronage, your loyalty, and your referrals have expanded the scope and reach of EVERYTHING Hometown has ever created, including the impact we so enjoy making in both our local community and the cycling community at large.

Most recently, that impact included one of our proudest achievements – the creation of the annual Do It for Dan Memorial Ride, honoring a beloved, local rider who was struck and killed by a motorist while cycling at Island Lake. Over 550 of you turned that Ride into a powerful message to motorists and cyclists everywhere to always stay alert and to share the road safely.

It’s also worth mentioning that this award says “SHOP of the Year,” not “BIKE SHOP OWNERS of the Year” or “SHOP INDIVIDUAL of the Year”. And, of course, what is a “shop”? It’s the amplified total of all the individuals who support it.

Shop of the Year, Hometownies. What a win for us all!

With love and appreciation,

Shaun & Dawn

4th Annual Chili Cook-Off: Great Bowls of Fire!

Saturday, November 9th from 4-7 PM

It’s almost time for Iceman… do you know what that means?

It’s time to get your recipes simmering for our 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off! Our annual tradition is always the weekend following Iceman, and we are stoked to consume copious amounts of chili!

Enter your mild, medium or spicy deliciousness to win awards and perhaps even take home the very special –and kinda gaudy, but that’s what makes it fabulous — traveling trophy. And you get a whole year to share the bragging rights of being the 2019 Hometown Bicycles “Great Bowls of Fire” Chili Cook-Off WINNER!

Stir up your favorite recipe and drop it off at the shop by 4 PM. People’s Choice judging will begin at 5 PM, and the winner will be announced by 7 PM. Be sure to bring your garnishes and serving utensils, and your recipe ingredients written on an index card for allergy-conscious diners.

When you sign up, don’t let us know what kind of chili you’re bringing. It needs to be a surprise! We are all about unbiased voting, folks!

Enter your chili HERE!

FAT BIKE PRE-RIDE! Prior to the chili eatin’, Team Hometown Co-Captain Mike Dyer will be leading a Fat Bike Ride, so stay tuned for details. That way, you can burn off a ton of calories before you add them all back!

Our Team Totally Rocks… How Cool is THIS?

On Sunday, October 20th, several Team Hometown members kicked off the Detroit Free Press Marathon as lead cyclists!

Known lovingly as the “Freep”, this epic event has been going strong since 1978. Runners from all over the world have traveled to Detroit to take part — and it has become an event that encompasses people from all walks of life, not just elite runners.

We couldn’t be more proud of these guys for representing Hometown in this amazing way.

Pictured above (left to right): John Wyatt, Ron Szumski, Tom Hermann, Dennis Doherty, Doug Lapp, and Team Hometown Co-Captain and Mobile Rhythm Entertainment Sponsor Joe Ostervik.

Kudos to John Harrington for his first place podium at Custer’s Last Stand on Saturday, October 5th in Augusta, MI.

This all-volunteer benefit event is sponsored by the Join the Fight of Battle Creek, in collaboration with the YWCA of Kalamazoo, to raise awareness of human trafficking and other types of domestic violence. Way to go, John!

Entrepreneurship Event: MARKETING!

Who: Anyone interested in learning about Marketing! Business owners, entrepreneurs, start-up endeavors,

students… come one, come all… men and women, all ages!

What: Informative and FUN evening on a hot topic!

Tues, December 10 from 6-8:30 PM

Where: Hometown Bicycles! We will be closing the shop early to focus on this event!

Why: Because your Hometown ladies, Dawn and Leslie, really love supporting entrepreneurs!

Coming in a future email: Our fantastic lineup of speakers and the link to sign up! Keep your eyes peeled!

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Hometown Gets the Hollywood Treatment

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Shaun

Lights, Camera… Action!! Hometown goes Hollywood

Team Hometown helpers (above, left to right): Joe Ostervik, Suzy Graham, Keith Cowgar and Steve Wortley we’re willing extras on set. Elaine Atallah was there, too, but was being filmed when this photo was taken!

As many of you know, Hometown Bicycles has something brewing in its backroom. You may have heard the hammering and sawing in the early stages, or perhaps you have caught a glimpse of its potential recently, after months and months of slow-but-steady progress.

What you may NOT know is that Hometown won a $25,000 Elevate (Small Business) Grant in 2018 from Federal Home Loan (FHL) Bank of Indianapolis. Elevate is a grant program that assists the growth and development of small businesses, their workforce, and the communities where they are located.

Above: Steven Walsh of FHL Bank of Indianapolis oversaw production set-up in the Community Room.

Lake Trust Credit Union‘s Commercial Services team had learned about this grant opportunity last year, worked with Shaun and Dawn to apply, and were instrumental in helping Hometown be one of the chosen grant recipients. We couldn’t be more grateful to Lake Trust and FHL Bank of Indianapolis for their support.

Which brings us to this week — on Monday 7/22, FHL Bank of Indianapolis sent a videographer to Hometown to spend the day capturing footage of the shop, customer interactions, shop activities and interviews.

Above: Leslie Barrett, Events Coordinator, is interviewed about teaching Zumba at Hometown.

Our Community Room served as interview central, Team acted as willing extras, and our evening Zumba class was excited to show that Hometown is more than your typical bike shop.

This video, once complete, will go out to hundreds, possibly thousands. What an honor to be chosen for this spotlight!

Upcoming Events at Hometown!

We have all sorts of good things brewing at the shop and in the community — mark your calendars for one or all of the following!

Work Out to Benefit the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Monday, August 5 from 6-7 PM

Join Cardio Drumming’s Martha Soraruf and Zumba’s Leslie Barrett for a donation-based class to raise money for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. No set class fee; just donate what you’d like. All proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Baylerian’s Bagels, Bikes & Brew: Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical Therapy
Sunday, August 11 from 9 AM-1 PM

Join Team Hometown Bicycles’ Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian, for a morning chock full of fun. Kick things off at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy with coffee and bagels, head out on a guided bike ride, and wind down after at Brewery Becker.

There will be two groups for the ride: An A group for faster riders and B group for everyone else! Team Hometown’s Jack Riddle will lead the A group and Vinnie Baylerian will lead the B group. CLICK HERE for more details!

Gravel Ride + Monkey Loob Mixer
Wednesday, August 14 from 6-9 PM

Join us for a 13-mile Gravel Ride around and through Island Lake and back to the shop! We will then have a Monkey Loob Mixer — demonstration, Q&A about this amazing product, and time to socialize with Lyndsay Stiles, competitive mountain biker and inventor and owner of Monkey Loob, with fellow cyclists.

Women’s Entrepreneurship: Fitness
Thursday, August 22 from 6-8 PM

Save the date! Our Women’s Entrepreneurship Series continues, this time with a focus on FITNESS. For new business owners in the fitness industry as well as those considering this career path. Spend the evening with inspirational women who will share their journeys, followed by a Q&A session. More details to come in our next newsletter!

In Team Hometown News…

Big congratulations to Lorelei Smith (above) who placed first in her category for the 15 mile race at the Traverse City Trails Fest on Saturday, July 20th. The biggest fundraiser of the year for the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association, this event supports trail maintenance and advocacy efforts.

Way to go, Lorelei!

Big thanks to Tom Hermann and Doug Lapp for volunteering their time to help mountain biking newbies at Island Lake’s Intro to Mountain Biking event on Wednesday, July 14th. In conjunction with Becca, the park’s Explorer Guide, riders learned the basics of mountain biking as a recreation activity, including safety and trail etiquette. Doug created a video to show how much fun was had — watch it HERE!

Team Hometown’s Mark Cook has been on quite an awesome adventure at the 2019 RAGBRAI (The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). Check him out here, dunking his back tire in the Missouri River (above) and posing with Uncle Sam (below)!

He’s also been enjoying John Wayne’s hometown, Christmas in July, and Beekman’s fresh ice cream, made in the field by diesel-powered churns.

In 44 years, RAGBRAI has passed through 780 Iowa towns, spent the night in 125 different overnight towns, and has been in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. It is the longest, largest and oldest recreational bicycle touring event in the world!

Thanks, Mark, for sharing your journey with us!

FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES

Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM$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 and 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 and Sundays 10:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke  |  Click to learn more

Sati Yoga | Tuesdays 6:30 PM beginning August 13
$7 drop in – With Dawn Gaden, RYT  |  Click to learn more

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Hang with Hometown THIS WEEKEND at Settler’s Park & the Fishing Derby!

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Shaun

Eat, Ride & Demo Bikes at
Family Day at Settlers Park
THIS SATURDAY, June 8 from 10 AM – 2 PM

We’re enthusiastically teaming up with Team Hometown Bicycles Sponsor, Kevin Brennan with Michigan Financial Planning, to bring you this FREE family-friendly event! Stop by for hot dogs and guided bike rides, and see what Settlers Park is all about!

Many, many Team Hometown Bicycles members have been an integral part of creating, beautifying, and maintaining the trails at Settlers Park, most notably Tom Hermann, who has put in at least 70 hours volunteering this year alone. Tom, you are an absolute godsend to the local cycling community!

Keith Cowgar, Jim Thompson, Mike Dyer, Doug Lapp, Les Cook, Joe Ostervik, Neal Glazebrook, Dennis Doherty, Andy Miller, Jack Riddle, Steve and Jean Steinberg, and Mike Gaden have also contributed their time and dedication to Settlers Park. Thank you, Team! We are EXCITED to show off their efforts on Saturday with ALL OF YOU. Join us for guided rides with Team Hometown… for all ages and skill levels. We will offer mountain biking, pavement riding, and possibly even an impromptu gravel ride to Parshallville and back!

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.

Brighton Optimist Club Fishing Derby –
*** THIS WEEKEND ***
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. Team Hometown Bicycles member Robin Fry will be there to talk up how you and your kids can ride with us in the 4th of July Parade!

Brighton Optimist Club Bike Decorating Contest & Parade – Thursday, July 4 at 8 AM

Decorate your bike at home, or bring your bike and decorations to Hometown between Saturday 6/29 and Wednesday 7/3. You can bring your bike with you on the 4th of July, or decorate it and leave it at our shop to be delivered for you to the contest site on the 4th! Judging starts at 9:15 AM with awards immediately following. And then it’s Parade time at 10 AM!

You’ll be riding in the Parade with Hometown’s own Shaun, Dawn, and kids! Bring YOUR kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and join them for a ride down Main Street!

Read all about it and SIGN UP HERE!

Milford Bike Fest: A fabulous time had by all!

The streets and bike trails of Milford were popping with the color orange last weekend as Team Hometown represented in droves! It truly couldn’t have been a more perfect day for the Milford Bike Festival and Trail Challenge… both the sun and smiles were shining!

Pictured left: Brad Felder, Matt Ricketts and Denis Hall, ready for 100 miles.

We are so proud of our Hometownies for their involvement in community events such as this. All proceeds from the day will benefit future trail maintenance by the MCMBA.

And nothing says it better than reading a post like this on our Facebook page…

Ramps and hills and kids, oh my!

On Sunday, June 2nd, Hometown crew member Les Cook and Team Hometown Co-Captain Joe Ostervik helped introduce kids to the world of mountain biking. The Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association held their annual Take a Kid Mountain Biking event at Brighton Recreation Area. Approximately 100 kids and parents participated!

Pictured left: Les Cook works on a kid’s bike to ensure it’s safe and ready for the skills course!

Big shout out to Team Hometown Sponsors Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, Beauchamp Water Treatment & Supply, and Hamburg Fitness Center & Camp for donating swag to the goody bags.. kids received water bottles, pens, Koozies and bracelets from our generous sponsors.

Make your voice heard: Help stop distracted driving

Distracted driving kills. Drivers’ odds of a crash more than doubled when they were texting. More than 3,000 traffic deaths in the U.S. in 2017 were caused by distracted driving. Yet Michigan’s texting-while-driving ban is hard to enforce and insufficient to change driver behavior. Hands-free laws are much simpler for police to enforce than texting or social media bans that leave loopholes for phone calls, and create less need for judgment calls.

Click HERE to contact your lawmakers today and make your voice heard.

CURRENTLY SEEKING FULL-TIME SERVICE TECHS
Hours flexible

Stop by the shop for an application.

FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES

Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM
$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 – June 9 and 23
$10 drop in – With Dawn Gaden | Click to learn more