Memory-Map Adventurer 2800 GPS 15/12/2009

We've been sceptical about GPS for bicycles while it's been going through the "early adopter" phase but we think we're now stocking the first product that is both technically superb, light in weight and the right price at £249.99. Memory-Map Adventurer 2800 has a relatively large 2.8" touch display for its overall size and works on proper Ordnance Survey mapping. It comes preloaded with UK National Parks in 1:50,000 Landranger scale (the preference for cyclists) and credit for downloading your favourite 10,000 square km from Memory-Map's own Digital Map Shop. Comes complete with mains and car charger plus lanyard and belt buckle. The optional bike mount is £20. We're looking forward to showing you just how nice the display is to use.

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"Bike Easy" from eco-logic books 15/12/2009

One of the nice people we met at the recent Komedia showing of "Age of Stupid" was Peter Andrews, owner of long-established Bath publisher and web-based shop eco-logic books. Just one of their offerings is a guide to beginning cycling called "Bike Easy" written, funnily enough, by another Peter Andrews that, for a fiver, ought to be an ideal introduction for anyone thinking about taking their first pedal revolutions. However, we don't want you to think that eco-logic only publish and sell books about cycling. Oh no. Titles like "How To Stop Your Doctor From Killing You" and "The No Nonsense Guide to Climate Change" really caught our eye but there are literally (ha!) hundreds of titles on every imaginable facet of ecology and sustainable living. One for imaginative Christmas gifts that you won't find in Waterstones.

2010: a good year for Bath shops 14/12/2009

Our John Potter and the photographer Alex Yallop have been quietly working on a project which celebrates the passion, diversity and sometimes sheer quirkiness of Bath's small businesses within a tyre lever's throw of John's Bikes. It doesn't have a name yet but there are now over 1,000 photographs in the process of being worked into something that will debut on our website in the new year. We'll keep you posted.

Halo track sprockets 14/12/2009

Now that single speed track-style "fixed" bikes are right back in vogue, there's a need for different sprocket sizes to experiment with that elusive perfect ratio. Always a fun question around here is do you go high for the downhills or low for uphill? Our workshop keeps plain and simple sprockets in both 3/32" and 1/8" and tooth sizes from 14 to 20. But how about a bit of bling? These new Halo sprockets are beautifully machined in nice strong and hardwearing cro-mo steel but finished in a special "electrophoretic deposition" colour process which looks just like anodized alloy. Yay!

James welcomes Genesis bikes 11/12/2009

Our "new boy" James Manning has come from the famous Evans bike shops based in London. To say he's been experiencing culture shock is something of an understatement what with now living in Bath and doing stuff "our way". But it's not to say that we can't learn from his time with a chain store and one of the things he's missed at John's Bikes is the Genesis brand. In case you've not been reading the glowing magazine reviews and comments here and here, to sum up Genesis in two phrases would go something like, "The price is right" and "Designed in the UK, specifically for the UK with lots of lovely thoughtful touches." James sold them successfully in London and has already made a good start in Bath where, for example, the £500 Genesis Cross One single speed road/cross bike could have been built specially for the Bradford tow path commute.  

December newsletter available now 11/12/2009

Click here for the December newsletter and you can sign up for future editions as well. It's our second ever and we're really enjoying the monthly focus it gives us. You can also follow us on twitter and join our facebook group. We hope it's not only one-way communication; we welcome your comments and suggestions by whatever method suits but you can start by email here. Happy Hanukkah!

Our Nick & Heidi in new "Cycling Active"  10/12/2009

The new issue of "Cycling Active" is on the shelves now and features a 30-mile route guide from Bath and around the lanes to Castle Combe and back by our own Nick Rearden. The photographs are by top racing photographer Andy Jones and star Nick and his wife Heidi on her new Trek Madone 4.7. "Cycling Active" comes from the same stable as "Cycling Weekly", "Cycle Sport" and "mbr" and we like what they're doing with the new magazine in that it's aimed at advising and encouraging first time road riders. Meanwhile the Castle Combe ride is just one of numerous routes now being compiled for a new section "in the works" for the John's Bikes website. Keep watching this channel!

photo: Andy Jones

Mud and mince pies 06/12/2009

Following mulled wine and mince pies Gemma took a group out for a loop over the Lansdown lumps in glorious sunshine. Having enjoyed the wettest November on record the trails were awash and the returning riders' clothes a little the worse for wear. The bikes funnily enough weren't too bad, the mud being closer to liquid than solid. Sean anyway had plenty of bike washing to do before he started on the laundry which prompted several customers to ask whether he would do the same for them if they bought their dirty bikes in. Much hilarity!

The next big thing is a Trek Demo Day on Saturday 9th January 2010. Jez Loftus and the Trek crew will be bringing to Bath a truckload of Sessions, Fuels, Scratches &Remedies to try out on two organised rides taking place morning and afternoon. Call 01225 334633 now to book your seat.

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Ruth is November prize draw winner 03/12/2009

We've been collecting email addresses so we can send out a regular newsletter that's entertaining and informative. In fact, the December one is due to go out in the next few days so if you want to see it you'd better click here. Anyway, we promised to have a monthly draw from the slips collected at the counter to win a £50 John's Bikes Gift Voucher. This is the second month and the lucky winner is Ruth Schofield who works for bikeradar.com. She's been writing great beginner's guides to cycling so deserves all the Gift Vouchers she gets. Well done, Ruth.

New Lumacy found Best Value by MBUK 02/12/2009

Leddite Lumacy; we've just had our first stock of these top-quality, high-output LED front lights. Found to be "Best Value" by Mountain Biking UK's Guy Kesteven on bikeradar.com in a recent test of all the leading brands of bike lights. His verdict, "Bright and light enough for full-on riding at a price that's an absolute steal". The £150 Lumacy's bright 700-900 lumen output competes favourably with the best and 3.5 hour battery life on the brightest setting means that you don't have to compromise on your night winter rides or on safety for your commute to work.

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