Get your free bike check now  11/11/2009

Think of it as a free MOT for your bike. Just book in on the workshop number 01225 464207 and Randy, Phil, Simon &  Russell will make sure that everything is running sweet. In the event that anything needs doing they’ll report back before committing you to anything; no obligation and at least you’ll know what's necessary. One of the likely items needing attention - especially going into winter - is tyres and that’s why the boys are offering £10 off any pair of excellent Schwalbe tyres.




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Christmas Gift Ideas at John's Bikes 10/11/2009

We have two sections on our website which you might find interesting for Christmas gift inspiration. There are lovely presents for children including the classic pink Trek Mystic 16 bike with handlebar streamers for 4-6 year old girls. There are more gift ideas here for slightly more grown-up fanatics. And if you're stuck, you can't beat a John's Bikes Gift Voucher. There really is no reason to have unhappy cyclists this Christmas season.

Project One Madone 6.9 in showroom 10/11/2009

The absolute pinnacle of the Trek racing bike range has now arrived in the showroom and that, of course, means that the absolute pinnacle of the whole racing bike world is now at John's Bikes and itching to be test ridden. The big feature is the latest 6-series Madone frame as ridden by the 2009 Tour de France winning Astana team. Trek have taken further weight out of the frame while adding lateral stiffness in the bottom bracket and steering. Unbelievably, the frame also feels more comfortable although you'll believe it when you try it. Jez Barker, our officer-in-charge of road bikes, has so far created a virtual £10,000 bike on the Trek Project One programme click here but he wanted to keep our demo within £5,000 and came in with standard Dura-Ace components and sensible wheels on an Alberto Contador colour scheme costing £4,750 and weighing 14lbs10oz (6.63Kg). Also, big news; we must show you the new Madone Project One website for women.

John's Bikes' first newsletter out now 09/11/2009

John's Bikes Sponsor Bath Film Festival 05/11/2009

We are helping again with the Bath Film Festival 12th - 21st November. In particular, a series of sports-related short films under the theme "Running Shorts", showing all day Sunday 15th 11am - 7.30pm in the Black Gazebo at Green Park Station. One of them will be the celebrated cycling film "Pour un Maillot Jaune" by Oscar-winning French director Claude Lelouche. Based on the 1965 Tour de France, the film has no dialogue - just the natural sounds of the race - and concerns the epic trials of the riders among them racing legends Tom Simpson, Felice Gimondi and Raymond Poulidor. Lovely. Entry is free.

Look out for Watchdog 03/11/2009

Stand by for this coming Thursday 5th November 2009 for "Watchdog" 8pm BBC1. The champions of the consumer are getting stuck into rubbish bikes - what we like to call "Bicycle Shaped Objects" - sold to the unwitting for £69.99 from the backs of the Sunday papers as well as retailers that ought to know better like Asda, Toys R Us, Tesco, Halfords and Argos.  Apart from having to pick up the tearful pieces all-too-often, we particularly resent the sellers of BDOs because they mostly disappoint their riders into thinking that's as good as cycling gets.  Now, the only thing scarier than the show's host Anne Robinson is John Humphries, normally found spatchcocking politicians on Radio 4's "Today" show and whose story this is for Watchdog. Turns out Mr Humphries is a bit of a born-again cyclist so it's a considerable relief that the spokesman called upon to comment for the bicycle industry is John Stephenson, master of all things cycling-related at Bath locals Future, publishers of Cycling Plus &  MBUK magazines as well as the excellent Bike Radar website. Mr Stephenson is what can only be described as forthright on his cycling widgets and doodads. For firework night, it should be an interesting case of "light touchpaper and stand back." 

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Damien Hirst Trek sells for $500,000! 02/11/2009

 
The auction was held at Sotheby's in New York last night to sell the Trek "Art" bikes ridden by Lance Armstrong to raise money for the Livestrong Foundation. Lance's Tweets were coming thick and fast as the event unfolded, "The Hirst bike from the Champs Elysses goes for 500,000.00!!! Half a million bucks!!!" Here's the full story on road.cc.

B&NES sign up for Cyclescheme 28/10/2009

The 6,500 employees of Bath &  North East Somerset Council qualify on Friday for Cyclescheme, the deal whereby the government and employers are working together to provide bikes for commuting not just cheaper but with the cost spread across several months and deducted directly from salary. We're great fans of Cyclescheme and not just for the obvious reason that we're selling more bikes. According to our own dear leader John Potter, "more people will be cycling and therefore less driving; in line with my policy since 1975 it's got to be good for the future if John's Bikes does its bit to get new cyclists on the road, properly advised and equipped".  We are already supplying bikes to employees from the MOD, Rolls-Royce, both the Avon &  Somerset Police and Fire &  Rescue services and the Royal United Hospital as well as loads of smaller companies. The only limit is that the scheme only works for employees on Pay-As-You-Earn but the self employed aren't entirely left out in the cold. Don't forget if your bicycle is a "legitimate business expense" you can claim back VAT, although we don't fancy your chances of HMRC regarding the Sunday-best Trek Madone carbon racer as offsetable.

In praise of mudguards 26/10/2009

Elsewhere you can read very serious cyclists getting passionate about exactly and properly how to fit  them but here we'll put in our tuppenyworth for mudguards for the less committed.  Now some bikes (see Mr Armstrong's art bikes below) really don't have any business with mudguards - it really would be a crime. But we're trying to encourage you to cycle more in the winter months and bet that, even if you bought it from us, your bike probably doesn't have 'guards. Life will be nicer if you have them . Trust us. A nice pair of SKS Chromoplastics is the way forward and even for £29.99 your cycling pals and laundry department will thank you. This year we even have  'guards from Mr Crud (famous for his excellent mountain bike products) called Roadracer at £27.99 and designed for road bikes that just won't take a mudguard. The claim is they're "so good, you'll want to fit them to your road bike." All we know is that we set up a demo in front of the counter and sold out the first batch in two days.Here's a nice little essay by David Arthur on roadcyclinguk.com.

Bid now for Lance's Madone Art Bikes 21/10/2009

Click here for the Sotheby's catalogue;  Lance Armstrong's "Stages" Madone Art Bikes are being auctioned in New York City November 1st 2009 with all proceeds to the Livestrong Foundation.  In the week prior to the auction, they will be on display to the public at Sotheby’s showroom at 1334 York Avenue in Manhattan in an exhibition called ‘It’s About The Bike’, running from 24 to 31 October from 10am to 5pm.  Thanks to road.cc.