Bike Month!

Bike Month is well underway here at Reser Bicycle Outfitters. We've helped organize commuter stations across Cincinnati, and tomorrow we'll be at Iris Book Cafe and the Coffee Emporium (Central Parkway location). Get a cup of coffee, some air in your tires, and a tasty treat!

Tonight we'll be leading a Ride of Silence in conjunction with the Cincinnati Cycle Club. We'll depart from Newport High School at 900 E. Sixth Street around 6:30. This ride is to remember bicyclists who have been killed or injured in crashes. Please join us at Newport High School for the ride or at Fountain Square at 7:30 for a short ceremony.

Thursday is Bike to Work Day--if you need a little encouragement, stop by and talk to one of our employees. Join us at Fountain Square tomorrow for fun, food, and bicycles from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.

Friday we'll be helping with Bike Newport's Breakfast on the Bridge. From 6:30 to 10:00 you can get coffee, food, and some professional mechanical advice. Come join us for our third celebration of Breakfast on the Bridge!

Spring Cycling Season Starts with Service

Hooray for Spring finally coming and brushing the cold of February away.

We are getting a lot of phone calls with basic questions about our repair, fit, and maintenance services so I thought it made sense to answer the most popular question on our website: What kind of tuneup/overhaul does my bike need? We usually base our assessment on the condition of the bike, how much it's ridden and the age of the bicycle.

1. If you ride your bike three plus times a week for most of the year, you should probably get a Major Overhaul at least once a year. Dust, grime, water and sweat (eww!) penetrates every part of the bike and can cause lots of damage. During a Major Overhaul we remove all the parts from the frame and then clean, lube, and protect both. It's probably time for new cables too.
2. If you ride your bike a good amount each year but never get caught out in the rain, and ride 3000 miles or less (think about it, those miles add up quick). A minor overhaul can cost a little less but still gets the bearings in the re-greased and the bike tuned-up.
3. If your bike is fairly new, has been serviced recently, or does not get a ton of miles, a Tuneup may be all you need. Does your chain and drivetrain look like a grease-pit? You might upgrade to a Comprehensive Tuneup where we remove the chain and gears and clean them in our earth-friendly aqueous microbe parts cleaner.
4. If your bike is over six years old, or has not seen a bearing overhaul six years, it is time for a minor overhaul. The grease inside the hubs dries out during the years and when you start riding a bike like this, it's like driving a car that's been on blocks for years. Without proper preparation it will destroy itself from the inside-out.

When you arrive with your bike, we will take the time to assess it and let you know if there are any parts or tires that need to be replaced as well. You can also call in and make a service appointment so that you can drop your bike off the day before we are scheduled to work on it and thereby only miss a day or two with your bicycle.

Save the Date: Reser Bicycle Outfitters Ten Year Birthday Bash!

Woah! We're almost ten years old. This obviously calls for a celebration, so plan on joining us March 27 (6 pm to 9 pm) at our birthday party. We would call it an anniversary party, but birthday just sounds better. We'll provide great music, Newport Pizza, beer, and there's a strong possibility of a birthday cake. We'd like you to provide the good cheer and merriment as we look forward to celebrating another ten years with great people and bicycles!

Groupon Offer details

We've been getting a lot of emails about out Groupon offer, here's what you need to know:

• Yes, the Groupon is real.
• You can use it toward our other services (or bicycles) as you would a $45 gift-card, but not toward general merchandise.
• You can even use the Groupon as $45 toward a new bike if you decide not to repair your current steed.
• And when you visit with your Groupon, you will also be able to purchase helmets, cycling clothing, padded biking gloves, or cycling/spinning Shoes at a special 10% discount.
• No need for appointments! Just bring your bike in and drop it off. First come- first serve.

Get your Groupon!

Extended springtime hours

The birds are chirping, the Ohio River didn't quite flood, and the sun isn't setting before you eat lunch. Here at Reser, we're celebrating the gorgeous weather, receeding water, and longer days with extended springtime hours. Come in Monday and Friday from 10 am 'til 8 pm. That's right, a whole extra hour of quality time with us! Stop by and get that tune up you've been meaning to, or that new pair of shorts, or just to say "hello." We'd love to see you!

Google Biking Maps

Google Announces Google Biking Directions at the League of American Bicyclists' h2010 National Bike Summit

Washington, D.C. - March 10, 2010 - The League of American Bicyclists is proud to be the forum for Google to announce what all bike riders have been waiting for - Grab Your Bike and Go with Google Maps. Google is announcing at the Opening Plenary Session at the National Bike Summit that they are adding biking directions in the U.S. to Google Maps."This new tool will open people's eyes to the possibility and practicality of hopping on a bike and riding," said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. "We know people want to ride more, and we know it's good for people and communities when they do ride more - this makes it possible. It is a game-changer, especially for those short trips that are the most polluting,"

Users can now choose biking when deciding how to get to their destination, starting today, March 10, 2010. If you're one of the 57 million Americans who ride a bike, mapping your daily commute, and planning recreational or trail rides just became easier. According to Google this has been the most requested addition to Google Maps, and the League is delighted that they have chosen the National Bike Summit to unveil this new feature. Google's announcement further proves the importance of the Summit and the bicycle movement in helping our nation become a more Bicycle Friendly America. The Google biking directions will make it that much easier for bicyclists to get to work, school or play.

This new feature includes: step-by-step bicycling directions; bike trails outlined directly on the map; and a new "Bicycling" layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads. The directions feature provides step-by-step, bike-specific routing suggestions - similar to the directions provided by our driving, walking, or public transit modes. Simply enter a start point and destination and select "Bicycling" from the drop-down menu. You will receive a route that is optimized for cycling, taking advantage of bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly streets and avoiding hilly terrain whenever possible.

Visit http://maps.google.com/biking to try out this new feature. Biking directions for Google Maps is currently in Beta. Follow the League's news feed on the new Google feature on the League's Blog, Facebook and Twitter. If you have any further questions, contact Meghan Cahill at 202.822.1333 or meghan@bikeleague.org.

Don't Let Sunny Days Pass You By

It's starting to warm up a bit! Hurray! It's still early in the season, so come in to beat the springtime rush and enjoy fast turn around time on early season repairs and service. Our factory certified mechanics will handle your toughest service needs and are trained to repair disc brakes, suspension forks, and electric shifting.

Weather forecast for the weekend

Friday: Sunny and nearly 50 degrees
Saturday: Cloudy and 50 degrees
Sunday: Cloudy and 50 degrees with 30 percent chance of light showers