Bestwick Foundation Charity Bike Ride

On Sunday a few Country Squirrel Outfitters folks traveled to the State College area to participate in the Bestwick Foundation’s “Bikes & BBQ” charity bicycle ride.  Pictured above (left to right) are CSO owners, Miranda and Steve, and CSO friend and regular on our weekly group rides, Aimee.  This also gave Miranda and Steve the opportunity to show off the new CSO cycling jerseys, which were a big hit among the fellow riders.  Participants could choose either the 62 mile ride or the 36 mile ride. The Bestwick Foundation provides financial support for individuals and families dealing with cancer within the Centre County (Pa) Region. Additionally, the Foundation will also provide discretionary support for needy organizations, families, and individuals in the community, especially in support of youth and health development.    It was a beautiful day for a bike ride and we were happy to be a participant in this event and be able to support a good cause.

Properly Transporting Your Bicycle

Although the bicycle might be your preferred mode of transportation, we can’t always bike to our favorite trail or riding location.  There will always become a time when you have to transport your bike with your vehicle.  Maybe you are taking your bike with you on vacation or perhaps you are simply getting to the trailhead of your favorite mountain bike trail.  Regardless of the reason for transporting your bike, there is always a need to get your bike somewhere safely so you can enjoy the ride.  

There are a number of ways to transport your bike. Various manufactures such as; Thule (pronounced like “tool-e”), Yakima, Saris, SportRack and others make racks for nearly every kind of car, truck, van and SUV.  Some are very simple and others are much more complex.  However, they all have one thing in common – they are designed to get your bike from point A to point B safely.   I’ll discuss several of those types of racks below.  However, my main objective with this blog is to tell you that there are just as many WRONG ways to transport a bike as there are correct ways.  We see many different bike problems come through our repair shop that are a result of poor bike transportation.  Just because a bike will fit in the back of your SUV, doesn’t mean that is where you should carry it.  A bike is a fine tuned piece of equipment.  Although they may take a beating on the trail, it doesn’t take much to get the bike out of tune.  Something as simple as putting your bike in the back of your SUV could mean the difference between an enjoyable 20 mile ride and a ride that is filled with clicks, rubs, and noises.  The most common problem is when the derailleurs (shifting mechanisms) get bumped, moved or damaged from bouncing around in your vehicle.  This is a very common problem for those that put their bike in their car, truck, van or SUV without some type of bicycle rack to secure the bike.  Components on bicycles that provide valuable functions like shifting and braking are somewhat fragile.  A little bump or movement in one direction or the other could mean the difference between your bike being able to shift into the big chain ring or being stuck in the little chain ring.  In most cases there is no visible damage to the components, so you don’t even realize anything happened to the bike until you try to ride. 

A pickup truck bed seems like a logical place to carry a bike.  It certainly can be with the proper equipment or rack.  However, simply putting your bike in the back of a pickup truck is one of the worst ways to carry a bike safely.  We recently had a customer get a tune up, new tubes, and new tires on his mountain bike.  He took the bike for a 10-15 mile ride and all was good.  He and 2 of his friends loaded their bikes into the back of a pickup truck and drove 2 hours to their favorite trailhead.  Upon arrival, they discovered that the bikes had shifted in the back of the truck and a pedal started to rub a tire.  The new tire was completely destroyed, the tube was popped, and the right shifter was broken.  All of this because they didn’t have a proper rack system in the back of the truck.    Pickup trucks can certainly be a good place to carry your bikes.  There is plenty of room, they are away from the road grime, and they fit nicely in the back of a truck.  However, we recommend that you have a proper rack system in the bed of a truck to secure the bikes.  A fork mount system is a pretty inexpensive way to carry your bike (or multiple bikes) and can easily be removed when not in use.  See illustrations below.  A simple fork mount can be as little as $25 and these can be mounted to a 2x4 or 2x6 piece of wood that is cut to fit your truck bed.  Other bed mount type systems retail for $50-$250.

There are also a number of rear mounts for cars and SUVs.  This type of rack carries anywhere from 2 to as many as 5 bicycles.  The rear mount system usually secures to the car or SUV with a series of heavy nylon straps and buckles.  The rack usually adapts or adjusts to different types of vehicles and is primarily designed for cars and SUVs.  This system is effective and is usually one of the least expensive options for carrying a bike or bikes.  However, you must make sure the straps are properly secured and check the straps often to be sure that the straps are tight and the bike rack doesn’t shift.  There are also limitations on bicycle weight that can safely be carried on this type of rack.  A heavy bike or several bikes will have a tendency to shift more frequently.  Some of these systems may also have supports (usually covered in foam) that may rest against your vehicle glass.  You want to be sure that there isn’t too much weight on the glass.  If your vehicle is dirty when the rack is installed, the dirt may also result in some scratches in the paint where the rack rests against the vehicle.  This type of rack can be a little confusing to install with all of those straps (some have as many as 6 straps).   This type of rack usually retails in the $75-$200 range.

The hitch mount rack is a good option if you already have a hitch on your vehicle.  Most come in both 2” and 1.25” hitch size options.  The hitch mount is usually pretty secure and the hitch is designed to carry several thousand pounds, so weight of the bike or bikes is not an issue.  This type of system is pretty easy to install and the rack itself usually run in the $120-$400 range depending on how many bikes you want to carry and what features the rack has (folding arms, swing away, locks, etc.).  However, if your vehicle isn’t equipped with a hitch already, you can expect to pay another $250-$350 to have a hitch professionally installed at your local garage.

The roof mount rack is the last carrying option that I will discuss.  This is probably the most versatile system on the market.  One obvious downside to this system is that you must have the physical capabilities to lift the bike into the rack.  This can be bit challenging for some - especially if the rack is on an SUV.  However, a roof rack system (including cross bars) can be used for carrying many different types of outdoor gear.  Once you have the base rack system (mounts and crossbars) installed, the options for carrying things are endless.  Bikes are just one of the many things you can carry on a roof rack.  You can also carry canoes, kayaks, cargo boxes, cargo baskets, lumber, Christmas trees, etc. etc.  The cost of a roof mount system varies depending on your vehicle.  If your vehicle is already equipped with a factory roof rack, then you can likely mount a bike rack directly to your factory rack.  The bike racks usually cost somewhere in the $100-$220 price range for each bike.  However, if you do not have a factory rack installed (we refer to this as a “naked roof”), then you must first get the base rack system, which is usually in the $250-$350 range.  The roof rack system is usually the most expensive initial investment, but certainly gives you many different options for carrying lots of cool gear.  Not to mention that it just makes your vehicle look pretty badass too.

Country Squirrel Outfitters is always happy to answer any questions you have about rack systems.  Regardless of what type of bike rack you decided to go with, the rack is an investment that will extend the life of your bicycle and keep you and your bicycle on the trails instead of in the bike shop for repairs and adjustments.   Country Squirrel Outfitters carries a number of different rack brands including; Thule, Yakima, Saris, Delta, SportRack and more.

Les Haas Memorial Trail Challenge

The Les Haas Memorial Trail Challenge race was held this past Saturday.The event is hosted by the Elk County Conservation District and sponsored by Country Squirrel Outfitters.  The race features 7K and 14K running distances as well as a non-competitive 2 mile “fun walk.”  The event is held at the Laurel Mill Trail, which is located approximately 4 miles west of Ridgway in the Allegheny National Forest.  The course is mostly rolling hills with a significant 0.9 mile climb.  The surface is a mix of grass, dirt, rocks and mud and the entire race course is on trails.  Despite the rainy conditions, approximately 55 participants attended this year’s event.  Proceeds from the Les Haas Memorial Trail Challenge benefit the Conservation District’s environmental education programs in Elk County.  Next year’s race is scheduled for September 20, 2014.  If you enjoy trail running, you should definitely check out this event.  More information can be found here: Race Website

"Wheel Around the Hub" bicycle race, Smethport, PA

On September 14, 2013 CSO owner, Steve Putt, and CSO summer seasonal employee, Matt Frank, took on the “Wheel Around the Hub” bike race in Smethport, PA.  The two were accompanied by Bill Gerber, Ridgway resident and friend of CSO.  The three participated in the 15 mile event (a 53 mile race is also offered as part of the event).   For Matt and Bill, this had become an annual event and something that they had participated in several times before.  For Steve, this was his first experience in the Smethport race. 

The “Wheel Around the Hub” has roots in Smethport that dates back as early as 1892 when the first bike race was organized in Smethport.  During the period of 1892-1899 a dentist, and two jewelers, all of which were members of the Smethport Bicycle Club (the dentist also happened to sell Rambler bicycles and the jeweler was a Columbia bicycle dealer) hosted an annual bike race in Smethport.  The winner received a gold watch.  Today, that heritage continues with the annual Wheel Around the Hub bike race, which is a fundraiser event for the Smethport Volunteer Fire Department.  As homage to the heritage of the race, the winner of the 53 mile race receives a gold watch.

The CSO trio pedaled to respectable 12^th, 13^th and 23^rd place finishes in the 15 mile race.  The finish of the 53 mile race proved to be very exciting as several riders were jockeying for the top spot.  Overall the event is well organized, very spectator friendly and the small historic town of Smethport is the perfect backdrop for an event like this. Possibly the highlight of the event is the after party and awards reception, which featured good food, awesome music (local band called the Hamlin Station Band), nice door prices, very nice age group awards, and good comradely among the fellow cyclists.  Throw in the history of bike races in Smethport and you have one awesome little event in this part of the Pennsylvania Wilds.     

Gear Review: TevaSphere Trail Shoes

Teva released the brand new TevaSphere trail shoe in early 2013.  Known more for their water shoes, this was, in some ways, Teva’s return to the trail running market.  Teva picked small “specialty shops” to release the shoes.  This means that they weren’t available at any of the big box stores.  They were only available at specialty running and outdoor stores.  Country Squirrel Outfitters was lucky enough to be on the front line of this new release and we currently offer three model options: Men’s Speed model (in two different color options), Men’s Trail eVent (waterproof version), and the Women’s Trail.  To be honest, there really isn’t a lot of difference between the Speed and the Trail models, other than the Trail eVent, which features the waterproof and breathable membrane called eVent (think Goretex-like membrane).  The non-waterproof models retail for $120 and the eVent waterproof models retail for $140.

So what makes the TevaSphere different from any other trail shoe?  Teva markets the shoe as an “outdoor trainer” shoe.  A shoe that is “inspired by the unpredictable terrain of the world outside the gym.”  I think that is a pretty good description of this shoe.  It really is a multi-purpose shoe.  Trail running, light hiking, taking the dog for a walk, or competing in the latest Tough Mudder.   This shoe is at home in any of those scenarios.  What this shoe is not is a road running shoe (more on that later).  At first glance, the thing that is most noticeable is the distinct “support pods” on the sides of the shoe.  This is designed to provide stability on uneven terrain.  It’s different than the standard stability shoe, because the pods are on both sides of the shoe where the standard stability shoe is geared more toward the overpronator type runner.  Being that the support pods are on both sides of the shoe, the TevaSphere is really designed for any type of runner.  The shoe also features a rounded heal, which helps to promote a more natural stride (i.e. minimalist type running shoes).   Other features of the shoe include Teva’s SpiderRubber 360 on the bottom, quick drying materials, and a nylon shank.  All of this comes in a shoe that weighs less than 10 ounces (9.45 ounces for the men’s size 10).

Three of the staff at Country Squirrel Outfitters (Steve, Miranda and Bill) have been wearing the TevaSphere shoes for most of the summer.  Collectively, we have over 500 miles on the shoes and we’ve tested the TevaSphere shoes in a variety of different terrain.  We’ve logged many miles on the Clarion-Little Toby Rail Trail, Laurel Mill Trail, State Game Lands 44 and even a trip to New England (Maine and New Hampshire).  We’ve used these shoes for trail running and for day hiking.  The support pods are surprisingly unnoticeable.  This is a good thing.  The pods look a little bulky and you would think that they would feel awkward while running.  This is not the case at all.  They don’t feel awkward at all and they really do provide a lot of support on uneven terrain.   The rounded heal provides a nice feel with every stride.  The shoe is also noticeably light.  When you compare the ~ 9.5 ounce weight of the TevaSphere to the 12+ ounce weight of most trail running shoes, you can certainly feel the difference.  The shoe is very comfortable, but that is to be expected from Teva as all of their shoes are crazy comfy. 

 

Now for a bit of criticism.  This shoe is NOT a road running shoe.  The TevaSphere is clearly designed for off road use.  (I’m not sure that is really a problem.  I’d choose trail running over road running any day).  The shoe doesn’t provide much cushion and it feels a little hard when running on paved surfaces.  This is even noticeable when running the 100 yards from Country Squirrel Outfitters to the trailhead of the Clarion-Little Toby Trail.  I would not recommend this shoe for anyone that primarily runs on paved surfaces.  If road running is your thing, there are much better shoes out there for you.  Steve, Bill and Miranda all have average to narrow toe box requirements and the TevaSpehere seems to fit us all fine.  If you have a wide foot and need a big toe box, then you might not have all the space you need.  (Note: I believe Teva is releasing a model with a slightly wider toe box.  It should be available in Spring 2014).  Although the SpiderRubber 360 seems to grip most surfaces pretty well, we did experience a little slipping on the wet rocks while doing some hiking in Acadia National Park.  This might be in part due to my next criticism – the traction isn’t real aggressive.  I would prefer to have a shoe with a little more aggressive traction on the bottom.  There really aren’t any big lugs or anything to grip in wet or muddy conditions.  I like challenging terrain (i.e. Boulder Dash, North Face Endurance Challenge, Hyner View Challenge, etc.) and I like a shoe with a lot of bite.  For me, the TevaSphere was a little lacking in that area (although Bill doesn’t seem to have the same complaint.  Perhaps it is a personal preference thing.) 

Summary:

I’ll give the TevaSphere 4 out of 5 stars.  (I would give it 5 if it had a little more tread on the bottom).

Pros: Comfort, light weight, great stability, rounded heal, good all-around shoe, versatile, nice colors

Cons: Not real aggressive, a little slippery on wet rocks, not for road running

Overall, this is a great shoe.  If you are a serious runner, this is a good shoe for you to put into your shoe rotation.  Most runners have different shoes for different types of terrain.  This is a nice shoe that you can use for all but the most hardcore of trails.  You won’t be disappointed with the comfort and stability this shoe provides.